This Day in Top 40 History: November 24
Nov. 24 is a date that has changed the lives of many music fans and artists. In 2009, this day saw Donny Osmond and his professional partner, Kym Johnson, take the crown at the Dancing with the Stars season nine finale. Osmond has multiple Top 40 hits in his repertoire, including "Puppy Love" and "Go Away Little Girl." Here are more Top 40 history events from Nov. 24.Breakthrough Hits and MilestonesThese albums from Nov. 24 included several Top 40 hits:1987: Keith Sweat released Make It Last Forever, his debut album. The project had several new jack swing songs, explaining why Sweat is credited with popularizing the genre. These include "I Want Her," which reached No. 5 on the Hot 100. Although the title track didn't become a Top 40 hit on the chart, it peaked at No. 2 on the Hot R&B Songs chart.1998: Metallica launched their double album, Garage Inc., which comprised 27 tracks. In addition to selling at least 5 million copies worldwide, it produced a few Top 10 hits, including "Turn the Page," which peaked at No. 1 on Billboard's Mainstream Rock chart. "Whiskey in the Jar" reached No. 4 on the same chart and won the band a GRAMMY in 2000.2008: Kanye West dropped one of his most influential and successful albums, 808s & Heartbreak. Upon release, it snagged the top position on the Billboard 200 chart and sold over 450,000 copies in its first week. Some singles from the album also attained significant chart success. "Love Lockdown" debuted at No. 3 on the Hot 100, while "Heartless" took the fourth position on the same list.Cultural MilestonesCheck out these memorable cultural moments from Nov. 24:1979: Donna Summer and Barbra Streisand's "No More Tears (Enough is Enough)" soared to the top of the Hot 100, becoming the first female duet to achieve that feat. This was a big deal for women in music at the time, as it signified gender empowerment and inclusivity.2019: Taylor Swift carried the day at the 47th American Music Awards, taking home six prizes, including the Artist of the Decade award. Other winners were Billie Eilish, BTS, Beyoncé, and Carrie Underwood.Industry Changes and ChallengesNov. 24 has seen the deaths of a few artists, including:1991: Queen's Freddie Mercury died from bronchial pneumonia resulting from AIDS. This was just a few hours after the 45-year-old Zanzibar-born singer shared the news of his AIDS diagnosis with the world, urging everyone to join forces and fight against the disease. Queen was known for chart-topping hits such as "Bohemian Rhapsody" and "Under Pressure."1991: Eric Carr passed away at 41 after suffering a brain hemorrhage that was caused by cancer. He was a member of KISS, the band behind Top 40 hits such as "Rock and Roll All Nite" and "Beth." Following Carr's death, the group dedicated their next album, Revenge, to him.Given the events of Nov. 24, it stands to reason that this date is important in Top 40 history.
