On July 2, 1956, Elvis Presley recorded a fast-paced track that became one of his signature songs. On the same date in 1988, Michael Jackson scored another milestone when one of his singles hit No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100.
Breakthrough hits and milestones from July 2:
1962: Jimi Hendrix was honorably discharged from the U.S. Army. He later became a legendary guitarist and joined the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 1992.
1966: Frank Sinatra reached No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 with a song that went Platinum and became a classic.
1982: Elvis Costello and the Attractions released Imperial Bedroom, featuring several standout tracks. The album peaked at No. 30 on the Billboard 200 and spent 24 weeks on the chart.
1988: Michael Jackson notched a No. 1 single, becoming the first artist to have five No. 1 hits from one album.
1988: After performing at Nelson Mandela’s 70th Birthday Tribute, Tracy Chapman began a three-week run at No. 1 on the U.K. album chart.
1996: Nas dropped his second album, It Was Written, with guest spots from Dr. Dre, Lauryn Hill, Foxy Brown and others. The album led the Billboard 200 for four weeks and produced major hits.
2001: Liverpool Airport was officially renamed Liverpool John Lennon Airport, honoring the Beatles legend.
2007: The Chemical Brothers released We Are the Night in the U.K. It reached No. 1 on the Official Albums Chart and spawned two Top 40 singles.
2022: Harry Styles became the first British solo artist to have three songs from one album in the Billboard Hot 100 top 10.
Cultural notes:
1949: Roy Bittan, keyboardist for Bruce Springsteen’s E Street Band, was born in Queens. He’s played on hits like Born to Run and worked with artists such as David Bowie and Meat Loaf.
1985: Actress and singer Ashley Tisdale was born in New Jersey. She later found success on TV and with pop records.
