Music History Today: October 31, 2022

October 31, 2009: "Paparazzi" by Lady Gaga peaked at Number 6 on Billboard's Hot 100.

"Paparazzi" by Lady Gaga is from her debut studio album, The Fame.

(sign up to follow by email)

It topped their US Dance Club Songs and US Mainstream Top 40 charts. The accompanying video won two awards at the 2009 MTV Video Music Awards for Best Art Direction and Best Special Effects.  

Read more: Wikipedia

October 31, 1960:  The Drifters took the Number 1 spot on the R&B chart with "Save The Last Dance For Me." 

Written by Doc Pomus and Mort Shuman, "Save the Last Dance for Me" has been covered by several artist including Dalida, The DeFranco Family, Emmylou Harris, Dolly Parton, and Michael Bublé. In the song, the narrator tells his lover she is free to mingle and socialize throughout the evening, but to make sure to save him the dance at the end of the night. 

Read more: Wikipedia

October 31, 1981: Dan Fogelberg had his third Top 10 hit on the Billboard Hot 100 when "Hard to Say" reached Number 7.

Dan Fogelberg wrote "Hard to Say" while recovering from surgery. The song features backing vocals by singer Glenn Frey of the Eagles. It also spent three weeks at Number 2 on the Billboard adult contemporary chart. 

Read more: Wikipedia

October 31, 1998: Cher debuted at Number 1 in the U.K. with "Believe." 

Cher's "Believe" spent seven weeks on top the music chart, becoming the biggest UK hit by a solo female artist.

 

Thanks to this song, intentionally distorted Auto-Tuned vocals became known as the "Cher effect." Kid Rock actually beat her to it, using Auto-Tune in this manner on his song "Only God Knows Why," released a few months earlier.  

Read more: Songfacts

October 31, 2004:  Robbie Williams had the top U.K. album with Greatest Hits.

Robbie Williams began his career in the boy band Take That. They had six Number 1 singles and three Number 1 albums. His first solo album, Life Thru a Lens, got a lukewarm reception from critics. But his single from it, "Angels," sold more than 800,000 copies and spent over three months in the top 10. 

Read more: Biography

 

Paparazzi
Lady Gaga