Music History Today: May 16, 2022

May 16, 1992:  "One" by U2 peaks at Number 10 on the US music chart.

Axl Rose of Guns N' Roses once said he considered One to be "one of the greatest songs that has ever been written." In a 2003 special edition of Q magazine, it was voted the best song of all time. 

Bono of U2

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It remains a touchstone for the band members, too. "If I was to pick one song which encapsulates everything about who and what we are, it would have to be One," drummer Larry Mullen Jr once told me. 

Read more: BBC

May 16, 1964: Danny Williams has a US Top 10 hit when "White on White" peaks at Number 9.

"White on White" by British singer Danny Williams was a top ten hit in the U.S. It's sung by the narrator, witnessing the wedding of his former girlfriend to another man. He plans to kiss the bride, and do everything politely, in accepting the fact, that she does not belong to the narrator. 

Read more: Wikipedia

May 16, 1970: The Four Tops powered up Billboard's Hot 100 chart, from Number 76 to 47, with "It's All in the Game."

"It's All in the Game" was most successfully recorded by Tommy Edwards in 1958. The Four Tops had a number five hit in the United Kingdom. and their version peaked at number six on the US soul charts and number 24 on the Billboard Hot 100. 

Read more: Wikipedia

May 16, 1981: Santana entered the Top 40 of the US singles chart with "Winning."

Winning, written by leading song-smith Russ Ballard, placed well on the charts in 1981, including #17 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, and #2 on the Billboard Mainstream Rock chart. 

Santana 1981

Although it didn’t contain many of the classic Santana elements (prominent Latin percussion, extended instrumental passages, etc.), it was a well-crafted song that sat comfortably in the era. 

Read more: Ultimate Santana

May 16, 1987:  The acapella group The Nylons began climbing the US Top 100 with what would become their biggest hit there, "Kiss Him Goodbye."

The Nylons signed with Attic Records in 1981, just two years after forming in Toronto. The a cappella group's self-titled debut appeared in 1982, as did One Size Fits All. After 1984's Seamless, the Nylons hit the Top 30 with a remake of Steam's "Na Na Hey Hey Kiss Him Goodbye." 

Read more: Allmusic

 

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