Music History Today: July 25, 2021

July 25, 1987: "Something So Strong" by Crowded House peaks at number 7 on the US music chart.

"Something So Strong," written by Neil Finn and Mitchell Froom and performed by Crowded House, was released as their eponymous debut album's fifth and final single. 

Crowded House

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The track lends its title to the book, Crowded House: Something So Strong (1997), by Australian biographer Chris Bourke. According to Bourke, "Something So Strong", was the first song written by Finn specifically for Crowded House.

Read more: Wikipedia

July 25, 1960: The Ventures "Walk Don't Run" enters the US Pop chart and introduces the instrumental Surf sound to Rock 'n' Roll.

Formed in the Seattle, Washington, area in 1958, the Ventures established their own label to market their recordings, and their efforts paid off in 1960 when the single “Walk—Don’t Run” became a hit. In 1964 the song was reworked with a more distinct “surf” sound and again was a success. 

Read more: Britannica

July 25, 1970: The Carpenters "Close To You" topped the US music chart became the first of twenty US Top 40 hits for the brother and sister team. 

While every artist’s No.1 is significant, “Close To You”’s success was a major milestone for more than the usual reasons. First of all, the duo’s first album, Offering, released just seven months earlier, failed to chart at all. 

Karen and Richard Carpenter

And that album’s single, a wistful ballad reimagining of The Beatles’ “Ticket to Ride,” stalled on the Hot 100 at just No.54. So, the Carpenters’ future was anything but certain at A&M. 

Read more: U Discover Music

 

July 25, 1981: Air Supply, the first Australian band to top the Billboard Pop chart, scored their first number 1 song with "The One That You Love." 

Air Supply have only had one #1 hit, but for about four years in the early ’80s, they were consistent monster hitmakers. 

Air Supply

Air Supply landed eight singles in the top 10 of the Billboard Hot 100, all between 1980 and 1983. They were money in the bank. 

Read more: Stereogum

 

July 25, 1992: Tom Cochrane, former lead singer of Red Rider cracked the Top 10 as a solo artist with "Life Is A Highway."

Tom Cochrane is still trying to unpack how the success of "Life Is a Highway" forever changed his career. Topping the Canadian charts for six weeks, the furiously optimistic single burst onto radio in 1991 and helped carry its album Mad Mad World to sales heights reached by few Canadian artists. 

Read more: The Star

 

Something So Strong
Crowded House

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