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1991 - Homebase - DJ Jazzy Jeff & the Fresh Prince
35 Years Ago - 1991 DJ Jazzy Jeff & the Fresh Prince released their fourth album Homebase. "Summertime" peaked at #4, #1 Rap and #1 R&B. It won a Grammy Award for Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group "Ring My Bell" made #20 and #22 R&B. It samples Anita Ward's 1979 #1 smash of the same name. "The Things That U Do" made #43 R&B.
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Jul 241 min read


7/20/26- Jell-O Salads, Wilderkind, and Happiness Report (we aren't so)
Monday 7/20/26 Celebrate: Global Hug Your Kids Day International Chess Day Moon Day - 1969 Neil Armstrong walked on the moon. One giant step for (a) man, one giant leap for mankind. Nap Day National Fortune Cookie Day National Get Out of the Doghouse Day Space Exploration Day Ugly Truck Contest Day World Jump Day – Today's Useless Fact of the Day - Today is National Lollipop Day. The exact term "lollipop" was first recorded in the late 18th century in England, where it origi
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Jul 203 min read


1981 - Bella Donna - Stevie Nicks
45 Years Ago - 1981 Stevie Nicks released her debut solo album Bella Donna. The album reached #1 and reached platinum status in less than three months. "Stop Draggin' My Heart Around" is a duet with Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers and peaked at #3 and #2 Mainstream Rock. "Leather and Lace" is a duet with Don Henley (who was romantic with Stevie in 1977 & 1978) and charted #6, #10 AC, and #26 Mainstream Rock "Edge of Seventeen" made #11 and #4 Mainstream Rock. "After the Glitt
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Jul 191 min read


2006 - As Cruel as School Children - Gym Class Heroes
20 Years Ago - 2006 Gym Class Heroes released their third album As Cruel as School Children. Lead singer Travie McCoy was born and raised in Geneva, NY. Interpolating Supertramp's "Breakfast in America," "Cupid's Chokehold" f/Patrick Stump of Fall Out Boy, peaked at #4, #18 Adult Pop Airplay, and #1 Pop Airplay. "Clothes Off" interpolating "We Don't Have to Take Our Clothes Off" by Jermaine Stewart, made #46 and #20 Pop Airplay.
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Jul 181 min read


1981 - Escape - Journey
45 Years Ago - 1981 Journey released their seventh album Escape. The album sold at least ten million in the US, making it the band's most successful studio album and biggest right behind their Greatest Hits. This was the first album with Jonathan Cain. "Who's Crying Now" peaked at #4 Hot 100 and Mainstream Rock, #14 AC "Don't Stop Believin'" made #9, #8 Mainstream Rock "Open Arms" peaked #2, #35 Mainstream Rock, #7 AC. "Still They Ride" charted #19, #47 Mainstream Rock, #37 A
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Jul 151 min read


1981 - 4 - Foreigner
40 Years Ago - 1981 Foreigner released their fourth album 4. The number was not only their fourth album, but the band was now a foursome. The album was produced by Mutt Lange. "Urgent" has some synth work from a then unknown Thomas Dolby. The song made #4, #1 Mainstream Rock, and even #32 Club. "Waiting for a Girl Like You" peaked at #2, #1 Mainstream Rock, and #5 AC. "Juke Box Hero" charted #26 and #3 Mainstream Rock. Also #1 on my college dorm floor! "Break It Up" made #26
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Jul 51 min read


1991 - Peaceful Journey - Heavy D & the Boyz
35 Years Ago - 1991 Heavy D & the Boyz released their third album Peaceful Journey. "Is It Good to You" peaked #32 and #13 R&B/Hip Hop. "Now That We Found Love" is a cover of the O'Jays 1973 song and Third World #47 1978 hit. They took it to #11, #2 Club, #5 R&B/Hip Hop, and #4 Rap. It features Aaron Hall.
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Jul 41 min read


1991 - Into The Great Wide Open - Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers
35 Years Ago - 1991 Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers released their eighth album Into the Great Wide Open. Jeff Lynne of ELO was the producer just like Tom's last album Full Moon Fever. "Learning to Fly" spent six weeks at #1 Mainstream Rock, and peaked at #28 Hot 100 and #36 AC. "Into the Great Wide Open" made #4 Mainstream Rock and #92 Hot 100.
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Jul 31 min read


1986 - Touch Me - Samantha Fox
40 Years Ago - 1986 Samantha Fox released her debut album Touch Me. The record company was looking for a British Madonna. "Touch Me (I Want Your Body)" peaked at #4 and #41 Club. "Do Ya Do Ya (Wanna Please Me)" only made #87. (yea..you've never heard this)
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Jul 11 min read


1986 - True Blue - Madonna
40 Years Ago - 1986 Madonna released her third album True Blue. With Confessions II coming out July 3rd it's good to revisit Madonna here. This album remains Madonna's best-selling studio album, the best-selling album of 1986, the best-selling album of the 1980s by a female artist, and one of the best-selling albums of all time, with sales exceeding 25 million copies worldwide. "Live to Tell" was also featured in her then husband Sean Penn's At Close Range and hit #1 Hot 100
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Jun 301 min read


6-29-26 - Irritating Pop Music, Gas Pump Arrow, and Dumb Criminal
Monday 6/29/26 Celebrate: Feasts of Saints Peter and Paul Hug Holiday Day National Almond Buttercrunch Day National Camera Day National Darts Day National Waffle Iron Day Please Take My Children to Work Day -- The Weekend's Box Office 1. Toy Story 5 $70.0M 2. Supergirl $38.0M 3. Obsession $9.8M 4. Jackass: Best and Last $8.4M 5. Disclosure Day $8.1M -- Bird watchers (aka birders) in the U.S. spend just over $100 billion on traveling and equipment every year. Great app to get
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Jun 292 min read


1996 - Secrets - Toni Braxton
30 Years Ago - 1996 Toni Braxton released her second album Secrets. It was a worldwide smash! "You're Makin' Me High" peaked at #1 Hot 100, Club, and R&B. It also made #6 Pop Airplay, #2 Rhythmic Airplay and #28 Adult Pop Airplay. "Un-Break My Heart" won the Grammy for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance and sold like hotcakes making it one of the best selling singles of all time. It was an 11 week #1. #1 also at AC, Club (even though it's about heartbreak, it's a killer danc
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Jun 201 min read


1986 - The Thin Red Line - Glass Tiger
40 Years Ago - 1986 Glass Tiger released their debut album The Thin Red Line. "Don't Forget Me (When I'm Gone)" with Bryan Adams on backing vocals. Peaked at #2, #30 AC, #17 Mainstream Rock. "Someday" made #7 and #4 AC. "I Will Be There" charted #34 and #21 Mainstream Rock.
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Jun 111 min read


1981 - In the Pocket - Commodores
45 Years Ago - 1981 Commodores released their ninth album In the Pocket. This was the last to feature Lionel Richie as he went off to a solo career. "Lady (You Bring Me Up)" charted #8, #13 AC, #5 R&B. "Oh No" peaked at #4, #5 AC and R&B. It was also featured in the 1982 movie The Last American Virgin. "Why You Wanna Try Me" made #66 and #42 R&B.
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Jun 91 min read


1986 - Invisible Touch - Genesis
40 Years Ago - 1986 Genesis released their thirteenth album Invisible Touch. Genesis became the first band and foreign act to have five singles from one album reach the top five on the US Billboard Hot 100, with "Invisible Touch" being their first and only song to reach No. 1 on the charts. "Invisible Touch" also made #3 AC, #1 Mainstream Rock. "Throwing It All Away" charted #4, #1 AC and Mainstream Rock. "In Too Deep" peaked at #3, #1 AC, #25 Mainstream Rock. "Land of Confu
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Jun 61 min read


1986 - Back in the High Life - Steve Winwood
40 Years Ago - 1986 Steve Winwood released his fourth album Back in the High Life. It won a Grammy for Best Engineered Non-Classical Album and was his biggest record at that time. "Higher Love" was his first #1 and earned 2 Grammy Awards for Record of the Year and Best Male Pop Vocal Performance. It also made #7 AC and #1 Mainstream Rock. Whitney Houston covered it in 1990 as a bonus track on the Japanese edition of I'm Your Baby Tonight and Kygo remixed it in 2019 for a #1 C
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Jun 11 min read


1991 - Electronic - Electronic
35 Years Ago - 1991 Electronic released their debut album Electronic. It consisted of Bernard Sumner from Joy Division and New Order and Johnny Marr from the Smiths. "Getting Away with It" featured Neil Tennant and Chris Lowe of the Pet Shop Boys. It peaked at #38, #7 Club, #4 Alternative Airplay. "Get the Message" made #1 Alternative Airplay and #8 Club. "Tighten Up" made #6 Alternative Airplay. "Feel Every Beat" made #27 Alternative Airplay and #28 Club. "Disappointed" also
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May 291 min read


1986 - Raising Hell - Run D.M.C.
40 Years Ago - 1986 Run-D.M.C. released their third album Raising Hell. It was the first Platinum and multi-Platinum hip-hop record. It is widely considered to be one of the greatest and most important albums in the history of hip-hop music and culture. it was nominated for a Grammy Award, making Run-D.M.C. the first hip-hop act to receive a nomination. "My Adidas" made #5 R&B/Hip Hop and #33 Rap "Walk This Way" peaked at #4, #8 R&B, #6 Club. "You Be Illin'" made #29, #12 R&B
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May 281 min read


1981 - Mecca for Moderns - The Manhattan Transfer
45 Years Ago - 1981 The Manhattan Transfer released their sixth album Mecca for Moderns. This is one of my favorite bands and albums. "The Boy from New York City" peaked at #7 and #4 AC, and won the group a Grammy for Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals. The song was originally a #8 hit for the Ad Libs in 1964. "Smile Again" peaked at #41 AC. "Until I Met You (Corner Pocket)" also earned them a Grammy for Best Jazz Vocal Performance, Duo or Group. This is a vo
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May 251 min read


1996 - Backstreet Boys - Backstreet Boys (European version)
30 Years Ago - 1996 Backstreet Boys released their self-titled debut album in Germany. We saw the release of the album in August of 1997. It has songs from both this album and their Backstreet's Back album from 1997. This will be the order of the European releases.(US hits only) "We've Got It Goin' On" failed to have any interest in the US. The album was shelved and only released in Europe. Eventually peaking at #69, #31 club, #35 Pop Airplay. "I'll Never Break Your Heart" pe
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May 81 min read

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