This Day in Top 40 History: October 12

Breakthrough Hits and Milestones

• 1968: "Cheap Thrills" by Big Brother and the Holding Company went No. 1 in the U.S. Janis Joplin later left the band to begin a solo career.
• 1974: Elton John's "Goodbye Yellow Brick Road," blending pop, rock, and ballads, went Gold.
• 1979: Fleetwood Mac released Tusk, the ambitious double album that followed Rumours.
• 1981: U2 released their second album, October. Filled with biblical references and anchored by "Gloria," the album leans into the band's spiritual side.
• 1991: Mariah Carey hit No. 1 with "Emotions." The song showcased her signature soaring whistle register.
• 2008: Oasis hit No. 1 in the U.K. with Dig Out Your Soul, their final studio album, concluding one of Britpop's defining acts.

Cultural Milestones

• 1942: Temptations bass singer Melvin Franklin (born David Melvin English) was born in Montgomery, Alabama. His low notes anchored one of Motown's biggest groups.
• 1985: Ricky Wilson of the B-52s died of AIDS at 32. It shocked fans and highlighted how misunderstood the disease still was.
• 1987: Christmas songs received a modern makeover with the all-star album A Very Special Christmas. Featuring singers such as Madonna, Whitney Houston, and Run-D.M.C., the album's proceeds went to the Special Olympics.
• 1997: Singer John Denver died in a plane crash off Monterey Bay. Known for "Take Me Home, Country Roads" and "Annie's Song," his anthems made him one of the most beloved artists of the 1970s.
• 2013: Pharrell Williams married model Helen Lasichanh.

Notable Recordings and Performances

• 1965: The Beatles recorded "Run For Your Life" and "Norwegian Wood" at Abbey Road. The sessions hinted at a more experimental sound for Rubber Soul.
• 1996: After nearly three decades in the vault, The Rolling Stones finally released their 1968 all-star BBC special Rock and Roll Circus. Featuring The Who, Lennon, and Jethro Tull, it became a time capsule of late '60s rock.

Industry Changes and Challenges

• 1944: Police interfered at Frank Sinatra's Paramount Theater show in New York to control the teenage crowd. The so-called Columbus Day Riot became one of the earliest examples of modern pop hysteria, long before Beatlemania.
• 2009: Michael Jackson's posthumous single "This Is It" was released to promote the concert documentary of the same name. Arriving just months after his death, the song gave fans one more chance to hear new music from the King of Pop.