This Week in Billboard Chart History: In 1995, Madonna Began Her Longest No. 1 Hot 100 Run With ‘Take a Bow’
Plus, remembering feats by Mariah Carey, Dolly Parton & Spice Girls.
Your weekly recap celebrating significant milestones from more than seven decades of Billboard chart history.
Feb. 19, 2000
Mariah Carey scored her 15th Billboard Hot 100 No. 1 (of 18 to date) with the gospel-tinged “Thank God I Found You,” featuring Joe and 98 Degrees.
Feb. 20, 1988
30 years ago: After charting three uptempo freestyle top 10s, Expose celebrated its sole Billboard Hot 100 No. 1 with ballad “Seasons Change.” The girl group would impressively send its first seven singles to the chart’s top 10.
Also on Feb. 20, 1988: Rihanna was born. Happy birthday!
Feb. 21, 1981
Country icon Dolly Parton topped the Billboard Hot 100 with “9 to 5,” the theme to the workplace comedy film in which she starred. (Chart geeks, take note: the song never ranked at No. 9 nor 5 throughout its Hot 100 run.)
Feb. 22, 1997
The Spice Girls dashed to the top of the Billboard Hot 100 with their debut pop culture smash “Wannabe.” While they’re largely best known for the bubbly track, they followed with six more consecutive top 20 hits over the next two years.
Feb. 23, 2002
Ja Rule notched his second Billboard Hot 100 – and featured artist Ashanti earned her first, in her first visit to the chart – as “Always on Time” clocked its first of two weeks on top.
Feb. 24, 1973
Roberta Flack crowned the Billboard Hot 100 with “Killing Me Softly With His Song.” The Fugees’ cover ruled R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay for five weeks in 1996.
Feb. 25, 1995
What’s Madonna‘s longest-leading Billboard Hot 100 No. 1? It’s not any of her signature ’80s songs like “Like a Virgin” or “Material Girl” (the latter of which peaked at No. 2). Nope, it’s ballad “Take a Bow,” which, on this date, began its seven-week command.
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