This Day in Top 40 History: April 9
April 9 was a memorable day in Top 40 music history. Pop stars dazzled audiences. The day also saw well-deserved awards given, an announcement about a TV game show appearance,…
GLASGOW, UNITED KINGDOM – APRIL 08: Meghan Trainor performs at O2 ABC Glasgow on April 8, 2015 in Glasgow, Scotland. (Photo by Ross Gilmore/Getty Images)
April 9 was a memorable day in Top 40 music history. Pop stars dazzled audiences. The day also saw well-deserved awards given, an announcement about a TV game show appearance, and a remake of some country hits with a fresh pop sound.
Breakthrough Hits and Milestones
Lady Gaga and Adele are mega pop stars today, but they've always had that star quality, which helped launch their careers:
- 2009: Lady Gaga performed at a sold-out show at Atlanta's Center Stage on April 9 as part of her The Fame Ball Tour. Today, Lady Gaga is one of the biggest pop stars of our time, with her new album "Mayhem" and successful acting roles in Hollywood.
Cultural Milestones
This date held some key moments in music history that helped shape our culture, including:
- 1962: At the 34th Academy Awards, held at the Santa Monica Civic Auditorium in California, Henry Mancini and Johnny Mercer won the Oscar for Best Original Song for "Moon River." The song was made famous by the movie Breakfast at Tiffany's, starring actress Aubrey Hepburn.
- 1972: On April 9, Nadir Khayat, better known as RedOne, was born. One of the most influential record producers, songwriters, and music executives, RedOne played a pivotal role in launching the careers of many pop superstars, including Lady Gaga, Nicki Minaj, Jennifer Lopez, and Usher.
Notable Recordings and Performances
Great performances, recordings, and shifts from performing occurred on April 9:
- 2015: Meghan Trainor delivered a stellar show at the O2 Ritz in Manchester, England, during her That Bass tour. True to her promise, she brought fans a lively performance filled with dancing, Caribbean-inspired music, Soca beats, vibrant colors, and lots of sparkles.
- 2021: Taylor Swift released Fearless (Taylor's Version), a reimagined collection of her earlier hits. On this new album, familiar tracks such as "Love Story" were rerecorded with a more mature voice and a pop twist as Swift evolved beyond her country roots with a fresh sound.
- 2024: Pop star Megan Thee Stallion announced on this date that she and her family would be appearing on the TV game show Celebrity Family Feud. She participated in the show for a fun break from performing and recording.
Top 40 musicians continue to impact our culture, influence new artists, and show the world their versatile talents. We look forward to seeing what these inspiring entertainers will come up with next.
