This Day in Top 40 History: March 10

Breakthrough Hits and Milestones

• 2001: Singer Pink performed at MTV Icon: Janet Jackson, a television special that honored Janet Jackson in Los Angeles, California.
• 2017: Laura Marling dropped her sixth studio LP, Semper Femina. It featured nine tracks, including “Wild Fire,” “Soothing,” and “Nothing, Not Nearly.” While none of these cracked the Top 40 on major charts in the U.K. and the U.S., the album peaked at No. 5 in the former. 
• 2017: The Shins launched Heartworms, their fifth studio album. It stalled at No. 20 and No. 19 on the Billboard 200 and the U.K. Official Albums chart, respectively. Standout tracks from the set included “So Now What” and “Name For You,” which charted within the Top 40 on Billboard's Hot Rock & Alternative Songs and Alternative Airplay charts.
• 2020: Post Malone performed at the Frank Erwin Center at the University of Texas at Austin for his Runaway Tour.
• 2023: Miley Cyrus released her eighth studio album, Endless Summer Vacation. The album's lead single, "Flowers," later reached No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 and was the longest-running single by a female solo artist in the U.K.

Cultural Milestones

• 1977: Robin Thicke was born to Growing Pains star Alan Thicke and “Friends & Lovers” singer Gloria Loring. With his parents' support, Thicke started pursuing music at an early age. This helped him hone his singing skills and made way for the release of big hits such as “Blurred Lines,” which reached the summit of the Hot 100. 
• 1987: Emeli Sandé was born in Sunderland, England. She has written songs for a string of artists, including Chipmunk and Alesha Dixon. Additionally, she has placed some Top 40 singles on Billboard's Hot 100, including “Next to Me” and "Beneath Your Beautiful,” her collaboration with Labrinth. 
• 1994: The Puerto Rican rapper, singer, and songwriter Bad Bunny was born. His real name is Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasio, and he rose to stardom with songs hitting the Billboard Hot 100 early in his career. He grew to become one of the most popular artists on the music scene.
• 2009: “Wonderwall” singer Ryan Adams and Mandy Moore exchanged vows in a private ceremony in Savannah, Georgia. The couple,  however, separated in 2015 and finalized their divorce in 2016.
• 2023: Singer Meghan Trainor released the music video for her song "Mother." For dramatic effect, she had reality superstar Kris Jenner appear in the video. 
• 2024: Justin Timberlake and his wife Jessica Biel arrived at the Vanity Fair Oscar Party at the Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts in Beverly Hills, California. Several celebrities, including Ice Spice and Brazilian singer Anitta, attended this stunning event.

Notable Recordings and Performances

• 1966: The Beach Boys began recording “God Only Knows” at Hollywood's Western Recorders. Upon release, the track peaked at No. 2 in the U.K. Despite receiving a ton of positive reviews in the U.S., it almost missed the Top 40 on the Hot 100, peaking at No. 39. 
• 2000: Bob Dylan knocked it out of the park at the Sun Theater in Anaheim, California, performing hits such as “Dignity” and “Things Have Changed.” This show was part of Dylan's Never Ending Tour. This trek, which started in June 1988,  has spanned over three decades and seen him play over 3,000 concerts across multiple continents, including North America and Asia.
• 2009: Lady Gaga sang "Just Dance" on the TV show The View.
• 2011: As part of her Monster Ball Tour, Lady Gaga performed at Value City Arena in Columbus, Ohio.
• 2019: Pop star Mariah Carey had to cancel her performance at the Neal S. Blaisdell Arena in Honolulu, Hawaii, due to COVID-19. In her previous 2016 show in Hawaii, she sold out all three shows, selling more than 21,000 tickets.

Industry Changes and Challenges

• 1988: Andy Gibb of the Bee Gees died from heart muscle inflammation. Gibb had a previous addiction to cocaine, which weakened his heart.
• 2003: Johnny Cash, who had a history of respiratory issues due to autonomic neuropathy, checked into the Baptist Hospital in Nashville, Tennessee, to be treated for pneumonia. The “Understand Your Man” singer was released on April 3 but died in the same facility in September of the same year. 
• 2005: Michael Jackson appeared in court in pajamas to stand trial for child molestation. As per sources, he was over an hour late because he had first checked into a hospital for treatment of an aching back. The “Billie Jean” hitmaker was acquitted on all child abuse charges when his trial ended in June of the same year.  
• 2020: Sabrina Carpenter made her Broadway debut in the musical Mean Girls. She only got to perform for two nights before the doors of Broadway closed due to COVID-19 pandemic restrictions.
• 2021: Mariah Carey filed a petition through her company, Lotion, LLC, to trademark the phrase “Queen of Christmas.” The “All I Want For Christmas” hitmaker wanted to use the title for her offerings, including music, fragrances, and cosmetics. A number of singers, including Elizabeth Chan, opposed the filing, leading to its denial.