It’s May 24th and these are some of the things that happened on this day in pop music history:
- In 1997, Spice went to No. 1 on the Billboard 200, making the Spice Girls the first British act to top the chart with a debut album. With tracks like “Wannabe,” “Say You’ll Be There” and “2 Become 1,” it spent five non-consecutive weeks at No. 1.
- In 2016, Canada’s The Tragically Hip announced on its website that frontman Gord Downie was diagnosed with terminal brain cancer. The band said it would embark on a final tour, which ended in Downie’s hometown Kingston, Ont. The singer died in October 2017.
- In 2006, Taylor Hicks earned more votes than Katharine McPhee to win Season 5 of American Idol.
- In 1997, Hanson’s debut single “MMMbop” started a three-week run at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100.
- In 1975, Earth, Wind & Fire topped the Billboard Hot 100 with "Shining Star.” The song, which went on to win a Grammy, would be the group’s only No. 1 hit.
And that’s what popped on this day.