This Week in Music History: September 20-26
Fall has officially begun, but the end of summer doesn’t mean the end of incredible music. This week, we look back at a few Grammy winners — new and old — and their breakthrough moments.
September 23, 1949: The Boss is Born
Photo by Slaven Vlasic / Getty Images
It was September 23 in the year 1949 that a star was born. Ok, well, a baby was born who thirty years later grew into the man we now know as The Boss. Yes, Libra Bruce Springsteen is one of the nation’s most well-known rockers of all time, but it wasn’t always that way. Springsteen’s debut and second albums, 1973’s Greetings from Asbury Park, N.J. and The Wild, the Innocent & the E Street Shuffle, were favorites of critics but didn’t garner much attention from the public. It wasn’t until two years later, in the summer of ‘75, that things finally clicked with Born to Run. While it wasn’t a huge chart success, the record really launched Springsteen’s career and is considered one of the best rock albums of all time. As he turns 66 and Born to Run turns 40, The Boss continues to remain one of the most important rock stars in U.S. history. So happy birthday Bruce, from all of us here at iHeartRadio!
September 25, 2005: Anthony Hamilton Hits the Charts
Photo by Carlo Allegri / Getty Images
Now let’s move from one Grammy winner to another: this week also holds a special place in the heart of R&B singer Anthony Hamilton. Like Springsteen, Hamilton’s first studio album wasn’t an immediate success. Released in 1996, XTC — which featured single “Nobody Else” — performed only moderately well. But this week in 2004 things changed for Hamilton, as “Charlene,” the first single off of his second release Comin’ From Where I’m From, made a showing in the Top 10 of the Urban chart for the very time. His biggest chart success to date, “Charlene” set Anthony Hamilton up for the fruitful career he’s led thus far.
September 26, 2009: Kings of Leon Go for the Crown
Photo by Stephen Lovekin / Getty Images
Sticking with the theme of Grammy winners, one of the rock tracks in recent history hit No. 1 on the charts this week in 2009. The Nashville-based Kings of Leon also found success on a later album, in their case the band’s third record, Because of the Times. Released in 2007, the record featured several successful singles, most notably “Use Somebody.” Six years ago this week, “Use Somebody” officially went to No. 1 on the Top 40 chart. The track also went on to top the Alternative, Hot AC, and Triple A charts, and even won Grammys for Record of the Year, Best Rock Performance by a Duo or Group, and Best Rock Song.
