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Brian Briefing
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1986 - Poolside - Nu Zhooz
40 Years Ago - 1986 Nu Shooz released their third album Poolside. Husband and wife John Smith and Valerie Day form the band, working with Jeff Lorber. "I Can't Wait" their biggest hit was written in like 15 minutes and peaked at #3, #38 AC, #1 Club, #2 R&B. "Point of No Return" made #28, #1 Club, #36 R&B.
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8 hours ago1 min read


2001 - Survivor - Destiny's Child
25 Years Ago - 2001 Destiny's Child released their third album Survivor. The album was the first with Farrah Franklin and Michelle Williams after LeToya Luckett and LaTavia Robertson left the group. Beyoncé had a hand in writing and co-producing all the songs. "Independent Women Part 1" was done for the soundtrack of the Charlie's Angels movie. It was a #1 smash on any chart it appeared on. It was the first track to the album. Destiny's Child was a threesome for the rest of t
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4 days ago1 min read


4/30/26 - Bugs Bunny, Seagulls, and Mayo is an Instrument
Thursday 4/30/26 Celebrate: Adopt a Shelter Pet Day Day of the child Hairstyle Appreciation Day International Jazz Day National Animal Advocacy Day National Bubble Tea Day National Honesty Day National Military Brats Day National Mr. Potato Head Day National PrepareAthon! Day Spank Out Day Thank You Thursday National Oatmeal Cookie Day - they can make your day miserable if you don't look close enough and expect a Chocolate Chip Cookie. Why can't Chocolate Chips be in the Oatm
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5 days ago4 min read


1991 - Cooleyhighharmony - Boyz II Men
35 Years Ago - 1991 Boyz II Men released their debut album Cooleyhighharmony. "Motownphilly" features Michael Bivins and peaked at #3, #4 R&B/Hip Hop. "It So Hard To Say Goodbye to Yesterday" made #2 and #1 R&B. "Uhh Ahh" made #16 and #1 R&B. "Please Don't Go" made #49 and #8 R&B. "End of the Road" to say it was huge is an understatement. 13 weeks at #1 (a then record) It was the #1 song of 1992 and also won Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals[6] and Best R&B S
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6 days ago1 min read


2001 - All For You - Janet Jackson
25 Years Ago - 2001 Janet Jackson released her seventh album All For You. "All for You" was a seven-week #1 and Year-End #1. It also won Best Dance Recording at the Grammys. In the US it made radio airplay history, as it was added to every pop, rhythmic and urban radio station on its first week of release. It was also #1 Club, R&B, Pop Airplay. #3 Rhythmic and #28 Adult Pop Airplay. "Someone to Call My Lover" made #3 Hot 100 and Pop Airplay, #1 Club, #11 R&B, #12 Rhythmic Air
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Apr 271 min read


1991 - Power of Love - Luther Vandross
35 Years Ago - 1991 Luther Vandross released his seventh album Power of Love . Luther is in the 2026 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame class. "Power of Love/Love Power" is a medley of a new song and one from 1968 from the Sandpebbles. It picked up Grammys for Best Male R&B Vocal Performance and Best R&B Song. It peaked at #4, #3 AC, #1 R&B. "Don't Want to Be a Fool" peaked at #9, #5 AC, #4 R&B. "Rush" made #73 and #6 R&B. "Sometimes It's Only Love' made #9 on the AC and R&B Charts.
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Apr 261 min read


1996 - Return of the Mac - Mark Morrison
30 Years Ago - 1996 Mark Morrison released his debut album Return of the Mac. It was a bigger hit in the UK but the title track was huge here. It peaked at #2, #4 R&B, #1 Rhythmic Top 40, #3 Top 40/Mainstream.
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Apr 251 min read


1986 - The Way It Is - Bruce Hornsby & The Range
40 Years Ago - 1986 Bruce Hornsby and the Range released their debut album The Way It Is. The album was a smash and led to them winning the Grammy Award for Best New Artist. It was originally released to the New Age market, but when Pop radio started paying attention, the album was remixed and re-released on December 20th. "Every Little Kiss" actually was the first release in May of 1986 and peaked at #72, #37 AC, and #18 Mainstream rock. It was re-released after the success
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Apr 241 min read


1996 - New Beginning - SWV
30 Years Ago - 1996 SWV released their second album New Beginning. "You're the One" made #5, #1 R&B/Hip Hop, #3 Rhythmic Airplay "Use Your Heart" was the first song produced by the Neptunes (Chad Hugo & Pharrell Williams.) It peaked at #22, #6 R&B, #19 Rhythmic. "It's All About U" made #61, #32 R&B, #30 Rhythmic.
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Apr 201 min read


1981 - Don't Say No - Billy Squire
45 Years Ago - 1981 Billy Squire released his second album Don't Say No. The album was a smash and stayed on the chart for over two years. "The Stroke" peaked at #17, #3 Mainstream Rock "In the Dark" made #35 and #7 Mainstream Rock "My Kinda Lover" (you can see he always danced poorly) made #45 and #31 Mainstream Rock.
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Apr 131 min read


1981 - Street Songs - Rick James
35 Years Ago - 1981 Rick James released his fifth album Street Songs. At the 1982 Grammy Awards he was nominated for Best Male Rhythm and Blues Vocal Performance for the album while being the first African American male artist to be nominated in the Best Male Rock Vocal Performance category for the song The sheer star power of this album. Mary Jane Girls, Teena Marie, Narada Michael Walden, Gerald Albright, Stevie Wonder plays harmonica, backing vocals from Ja'net Dubois wh
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Apr 101 min read


4/10/26 - Middle Kids, Milk, and Tony Host
Friday 4/10/26 Celebrate: ASPCA Day Encourage a Young Writer Day Global Work From Home Day Golfer's Day National Cinnamon Crescent Day National Dive Bar Day National Farm Animals Day National Hug Your dog Day Poet in a Cupcake Day Safety Pin Day Siblings Day – New in Theaters You, Me & Tuscany - Comedy with Nia Vardalos, Halle Bailey, Marco Calvani, Isabella Ferrari, Lorenzo de Moor, Aziza Scott, and Regé-Jean Page. Faces of Death - Horror film with Dacre Montgomery, Jermaine
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Apr 103 min read


1986 - Debut - New Kids on the Block
40 Years Ago - 1986 New Kids on the Block released their sel-titled debut album. When it was originally released it didn't garner any attention. After the "Hangin' Tough" album "Didn't I (Blow Your Mind)" was released as a single. It is a remake of a Delfonics song from 1969 where it made #10 and #3 R&B. Their version made #8, #34 R&B, #12 AC in 1989. (Sorry fans..I think this is pure slop.)
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Apr 21 min read


2001 - Gorillaz - Gorillaz
25 Years Ago - 2001 Gorillaz released their debut self-titled album. A cartoon band. "Clint Eastwood" peaked at #57, #3 Alternative Airplay, #32 Pop Airplay. "19-2000" made #23 Alternative Airplay and #34 Pop Airplay.
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Mar 291 min read


1991 - Vagabond Heart - Rod Stewart
35 Years Ago - 1991 Rod Stewart released his sixteenth album Vagabond Heart . "It Takes Two" is a duet with Tina Turner and was used in Pepsi commercials. It did not have any chart action in the US. "Rhythm of My Heart" peaked at #5. #2 AC, #13 Mainstream Rock. "The Motown Song" features most of the Toto crew and made #10, #3 AC. "Broken Arrow" is a cover of the Robbie Robertson 1988 song and made #20, #3 AC. The album also features “Have I Told You Lately” that Rod would ta
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Mar 281 min read


1986 - 5150 - Van Halen
40 Years Ago - 1986 Van Halen released their seventh album 5150. The first with Sammy Hagar as lead singer. The album was named after Eddie Van Halen's home studio, 5150, in turn named after a California law enforcement term for a mentally disturbed person (a reference to Section 5150 of the California Welfare and Institutions Code). This was also their first #1 album. The nickname for the band Van Hagar popped up and even Warner Brothers asked them to consider renaming the
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Mar 241 min read


1986 - Please - Pet Shop Boys
40 Years Ago - 1986 Pet Shop Boys released their debut album Please. The album's title was chosen so that people could go into a record shop and say "Can I have the Pet Shop Boys album, please?" "West End Girls" peaked at #1 Hot 100 and Club, #26 AC, #36 R&B, #37 Mainstream Rock. "Love Comes Quickly" made #62 and #10 Club. "Opportunities (Let's Make Lots of Money)" made #10 and #3 Club "Suburbia" made #70 and #46 Club.
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Mar 231 min read


1981 - Fancy Free - Oak Ridge Boys
45 Years Ago - 1981 Oak Ridge Boys released their seventh album Fancy Free. "Elvira" written in 1965 and a #72 hit for Dallas Frazier. The Boys took it to ##5, E8 AC, and #1 Country. The song won them a Grammy for Best Country Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal. (It seems back in the day that every comedian at the Comedy Club would make an "Elmira" joke to this song. sigh) "(I'm Settin') Fancy Free" made #3 Country and #17 AC.
bribriny
Mar 221 min read


1986 - Rapture - Anita Baker
35 Years Ago - 1986 Anita Baker released her second album Rapture. The album won the Grammy for Best Female R&B Vocal Performance. "Watch Your Step" made #23 R&B. "Sweet Love" won a Grammy for Best R&B Song. This was her big breakthrough peaking at #8, #3 AC, #2 R&B. "Caught Up in the Rapture" made #37, #9 AC, #6 R&B. "Same Ole Love (365 Days a Year)" peaked at #44, #8 R&B, #6 AC. "No One in the World" was a Dionne Warwick song from 1985. It peaked at #44, #9 AC, #5 R&B.
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Mar 201 min read


3/17/26 - Happy St. Patrick's Day!! Plus - The Flattest States
Tuesday 3/17/26 Happy St. Patrick's Day, a global festival honoring Irish culture and its patron saint. What began as a religious feast day in Ireland has evolved into a worldwide celebration featuring parades, the color green, and unique traditions. Most of the celebrations and revelry are and Irish-American creation. There are more people in the United States who claim Irish ancestry than the entire population of Ireland itself. The first parade was in Boston in 1737. The w
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Mar 173 min read

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