On this day in 1983: The Police kicked off the North American leg of their Synchronicity 107-date world tour at Comiskey Park, Chicago, Illinois. The Police also went to #1 on the US album chart with ‘Synchronicity’, which spent a total of seventeen weeks at #1.
On this day in 1984: The Cars released ‘Drive’ from their Heartbeat City album as a single. Upon its release, ‘Drive’ would become The Cars’ highest charting single when it peaked at #3 on the U.S, singles chart. The song is associated with the 1985 Live Aid event, where it was performed by Benjamin Orr during the Philadelphia concert and previously, the song was used as the background music to a montage of clips depicting the contemporaneous Ethiopian famine during the London event, which was introduced by David Bowie.
On this day in 1988: Richard Marx went to #1 on the U.S. singles chart with “Hold On To the Nights.” It would spend one week in the top spot. It was the fourth and final single released from his self titled debut album, and his first to reach #1 on the U.S. singles chart.
Written by Richard Marx, “Hold On to the Nights” reached the Billboard Hot 100 #1 position on July 23, 1988, preventing Def Leppard’s “Pour Some Sugar On Me” from reaching the top spot that same week. The song was on the chart for twenty-one weeks, and left the chart at number 91. The song also reached #3 on the Adult Contemporary Chart.
Here’s a look at the Top 20 on the U.S. singles chart from this day back in 1988:
1 5 HOLD ON TO THE NIGHTS –•– Richard Marx – 10 (1)
2 3 POUR SOME SUGAR ON ME –•– Def Leppard – 14 (2)
3 4 NEW SENSATION –•– INXS – 11 (3)
4 6 ROLL WITH IT –•– Steve Winwood – 7 (4)
5 1 THE FLAME –•– Cheap Trick – 16 (1)
6 8 HANDS TO HEAVEN –•– Breathe – 15 (6)
7 9 MAKE ME LOSE CONTROL –•– Eric Carmen – 10 (7)
8 2 MERCEDES BOY –•– Pebbles – 12 (2)
9 14 SIGN YOUR NAME –•– Terence Trent D’Arby – 9 (9)
10 11 RUSH HOUR –•– Jane Wiedlin – 12 (10)
11 19 1-2-3 –•– Gloria Estefan & Miami Sound Machine – 8 (11)
12 17 PARENTS JUST DON’T UNDERSTAND –•– D.J. Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince – 10 (12)
13 7 NITE AND DAY –•– Al B. Sure! – 16 (7)
14 21 I DON’T WANNA GO ON WITH YOU LIKE THAT –•– Elton John – 6 (14)
15 22 JUST GOT PAID –•– Johnny Kemp – 11 (15)
16 18 PARADISE –•– Sade – 11 (16)
17 24 DO YOU LOVE ME –•– The Contours – 8 (17)
18 23 I DON’T WANNA LIVE WITHOUT YOUR LOVE –•– Chicago – 8 (18)
19 12 LOST IN YOU –•– Rod Stewart – 12 (12)
20 25 THE COLOUR OF LOVE –•– Billy Ocean – 9 (20)
