Pick a Day

Music History Events: Record Breakers

October 13, 2023 Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour opens in theaters, blowing away box office records to become the top-grossing concert film of all time. The film documents her wildly popular Eras Tour using footage shot during three Los Angeles shows in August.More

August 5, 2017 Sam Hunt's "Body Like a Back Road" lands at #1 on the Country chart for the 25th week, breaking the record previously held by Florida Georgia Line's "Cruise."

August 4, 2017 "Despacito" becomes the most-watched YouTube video ever, passing the Wiz Khalifa/Charlie Puth collaboration "See You Again" with nearly 3 billion views in just seven months. The mark holds until 2020, when "Baby Shark" overtakes it.

July 10, 2017 With nearly 2.9 billion views, "See You Again" by Wiz Khalifa and Charlie Puth breaks the record for most-viewed video on YouTube, overtaking "Gangnam Style" by PSY. In August, it is overtaken by "Despacito."

October 7, 2016 The Rolling Stones play the first night of the Desert Trip festival, which also features Bob Dylan, Paul McCartney, Neil Young, Roger Waters and the Who. The six-day (split over two weekends) event rakes in $160 million, making it the highest-earning music festival ever.More

May 21, 2016 Following the release of his album Views, Drake places a record 20 songs on the Hot 100, besting Justin Bieber's mark of 17 on December 5, 2015.

May 14, 2016 Following the release of Beyoncé's Lemonade, all 12 tracks on the album debut on the Hot 100, breaking Taylor Swift's 2010 record for most songs on the chart at the same time by a female artist.More

August 28, 2011 Beyoncé reveals her pregnancy during the MTV Video Music Awards, setting Twitter on fire.More

July 16, 2011 "Party Rock Anthem" by LMFAO hits #1 after first appearing on the Hot 100 on February 12 at #78. Thanks to a captivating video, the song starts the "shufflin'" dance craze and spends a staggering 68 weeks on the chart (six at #1), which is longer than any other chart-topper.More

May 3, 2010 "I Gotta Feelin'" by The Black Eyed Peas reaches 5,561,000 downloads, making it the best-selling digital song of all time, surpassing Flo-Rida's "Low." It eventually sells 8 million digital copies and retains the record as streaming replaces downloads.

August 15, 2009 On the first UK gig of their 360 tour, U2 breaks the Wembley Stadium Attendance record when 88,000 show up. Their "claw" set design allows more fans to fit in the stadium and breaks Rod Stewart's record of 83,000 set in 1995.

October 31, 2008 In Notttingham, England, 1,227 people in zombie garb perform the dance from Michael Jackson's "Thriller" video, setting a new Guinness World Record for largest gathering of zombies. The stunt pushes the song back into the UK chart, where it lands at #35.

August 23, 2008 Madonna starts her Sticky & Sweet Tour (supporting her album Hard Candy) with a show at Cardiff, Wales. Her first excursion under her Live Nation contract, it breaks the record she set on her 2006 Confessions Tour for biggest-selling tour by a solo artist: the 85 dates earn about $408 million, second only to The Rolling Stones' A Bigger Bang Tour at $558 million.

June 17, 2008 With Tha Carter III, Lil Wayne becomes the first artist since 50 Cent in 2005 to sell more than 1 million copies of an album in a single week. It goes on to sell 3 million.

March 3, 2008 Chumbawamba break the record for longest album title with their 160-word release The Boy Bands Have Won...More

September 15, 2007 At 17 years and one month old, Soulja Boy boy becomes the youngest artist to write, produce and perform a #1 Hot 100 hit when "Crank That" goes to the top. The record was previously held by Debbie Gibson, who was 17 years and 9 months old when "Foolish Beat" went to #1 in 1988.

August 26, 2007 The Rolling Stones wrap up their A Bigger Bang tour at the O2 Arena in London. The tour lasted two years and sets a new record with a gross of $558 million.

September 16, 2006 65-year-old Bob Dylan becomes the oldest person to top Billboard's Albums chart when Modern Times goes to #1.

June 17, 2006 Shakira lands her first #1 hit on the Hot 100 when her single "Hips Don't Lie," featuring Wyclef Jean, reaches the top of the tally. It also breaks the record for the most-played pop song in a single week when it's aired on American radio 9,637 times.More

May 1, 2006 Guinness certifies a new world record for most guitarists playing at the same time when 1,581 axepeople simultaneously perform the Jimi Hendrix version of "Hey Joe" in Wrocław, Poland.

April 30, 2005 Cher wraps up her Living Proof: The Farewell Tour with a show at the Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles. Running nearly three years, the tour brings in over $200 million, making it the highest earning tour in history for a female artist, a record that stands until Madonna's 2008-2009 Sticky & Sweet Tour. Retirement doesn't suit Cher: She tours again in 2014 and in 2018.

October 3, 2004 Teenage English soul star Joss Stone becomes the youngest female solo artist to top the British albums survey as Mind Body & Soul debuts at #1. The 17-year-old's second release, and first full-length album, bows ahead of Top 10 entries by Marilyn Manson, Tom Jones and Brian Wilson. Billie Eilish sets a new mark in 2019 when she hits #1 with When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go? two months younger than when Stone took the top spot.

November 9, 2002 Madonna breaks The Beatles' record for most Top 10 hits on the Hot 100 when "Die Another Day" goes to #8, giving her 35 Top 10 hits on the chart.

March 30, 2002 Ashanti dominates the American Top 10, with her Ja Rule collaboration "Always On Time" at #4, her Fat Joe duet "What's Luv?" at #5, and her solo track "Foolish" at #9. The #1 song, "Ain't It Funny" by Jennifer Lopez, contains some lyrics written by Ashanti.More

January 27, 2001 "Independent Women Part I" by Destiny's Child tops the US Hot 100 for the 11th consecutive week, a record for an all-girl group.

May 30, 2000 Eminem's second major-label album, The Marshall Mathers LP, becomes the fastest-selling rap album ever when it sells 1.76 million copies in its debut week.More

May 16, 2000 Britney Spears' second album, Oops!… I Did It Again, is released. It sells 1.3 million copies in its first week, setting a new record for best-selling debut by a female artist.More

March 21, 2000 With the release of their third album, No Strings Attached, 'N Sync smashes the Backstreet Boys' record for first-week sales with 2.4 million copies sold - almost double the amount BSB garnered with their 1999 album, Millennium. 'N Sync's record holds for 15 years until Adele pushes more than 3 million units of 25.More

November 9, 1999 Fiona Apple releases her second album. The title is 90 words long, so it is usually listed as When The Pawn....More

December 1, 1997 Using a technique called circular breathing, Kenny G sets the Guinness World Record for longest note held on a wind instrument when he keeps it going for 45 minutes and 47 seconds. In 2017, the Nigerian player Femi Kuti breaks the record, going 51:35.