This Week In Billboard Chart History: Guns N’ Roses Celebrate ‘Sweet’ Success
This week in 1988, the rockers ruled with their breakthrough classic. Plus, remembering key chart feats for Rick Nelson, Selena and Bryan Adams.
Your weekly recap celebrating significant milestones from more than seven decades of Billboard chart history
Aug. 4, 1958
Happy 56th birthday, Billboard Hot 100! The U.S. songs chart of record launched, ranking – as it does today – the most popular hits nationwide each week. Ricky Nelson‘s “Poor Little Fool” was the chart’s first No. 1 song. (Current leader “Rude” by MAGIC! is No. 1 number 1,037.)
Aug. 5, 1995
A decidedly more bitter than sweet Billboard 200 coronation: Selena‘s Dreaming of You debuted at No. 1, four months after her murder. Two years later, Selena’s self-titled biopic would become a box office hit and mark the breakthrough for the actress in the title role, Jennifer Lopez.
Aug. 6, 1988
Spurred by the Billboard Hot 100 No. 1 “Sweet Child O’ Mine,” Guns N’ Roses rocked to the top of the Billboard 200 in its 50th week with their classic breakthrough, Appetite for Destruction.
Aug. 7, 2004
Ten years ago today, Ashlee Simpson‘s Autobiography bowed atop the Billboard 200. Take that, sis: Jessica Simpson has peaked at a high of “only” No. 2 on the chart, with In This Skin, also in 2004. Ashlee returned to the top with I Am Me in 2005.
Aug. 8, 1992
Olympic memories: Madonna‘s “This Used to Be My Playground,” from the Olympics-themed 1992 album Barcelona Gold, finished first on the Billboard Hot 100.
Aug. 9, 2003
Alan Jackson‘s “It’s Five O’Clock Somewhere” began an eight-week reign on Hot Country Songs, the longest of his 26 career No. 1s. His singing and drinking buddy on the track? Jimmy Buffett. (And, did you know that Buffett worked as Billboard‘s Nashville correspondent in the early ’70s? Cheers to us!)
Aug. 10, 1991
Bryan Adams‘ “(Everything I Do) I Do It for You” remained atop the Billboard Hot 100, racking a seven-week reign in all. His summer smash from the movie “Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves” went on to become not only Billboard‘s No. 1 song of the summer of 1991, but the top title of the entire year.
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