JUL 17-23: Historic events this week from Billy Joel, Genesis, Guns N’ Roses, The Police and Fleetwood Mac
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JULY 18, 2008: BILLY JOEL’S “LAST PLAY AT SHEA”
Billy Joel played the final concerts at Shea Stadium on July 16th & 18th, before the stadium was closed on September 28, 2008.
The shows were documented in the 2010 concert film The Last Play at Shea and featured guest appearances from Paul McCartney, Steven Tyler, Roger Daltrey, Garth Brooks and Tony Bennett.
The 35-song set ended with Billy Joel & Paul McCartney performing The Beatles’ “Let It Be”.
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JULY 19, 1986: GENESIS HAVE FIRST US #1 SINGLE
After scoring four #1 hits across three solo albums, Phil Collins continues his steak on the 13th album from Genesis.
The title track from Invisible Touch was Genesis’ first single to go #1 in the US.
“Invisible Touch” spent time at #1 on the US Hot 100, US Cashbox and US Mainstream Rock charts.
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JULY 21, 1987: GUNS N’ ROSES’ DEBUT LP
Guns N’ Roses did very well for themselves with their debut album, Appetite for Destruction, boasting three top 10 singles:
“Welcome to the Jungle” (#7), “Paradise City” (#5) and “Sweet Child o’ Mine” (#1).
Major albums by Whitney Houston, Michael Jackson and George Michael, as well as the Dirty Dancing soundtrack kept Appetite for Destruction from going to #1 for over a year.
The debut album has sold over 30 million copies worldwide.
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JULY 23, 1983: THE POLICE’S SYNCHRONICITY IS #1
Synchronicity, the final album from The Police, went to #1 a week after its release.
Thanks to “King of Pain”, “Wrapped Around Your Finger” and the massive “Every Breath You Take”, Synchronicity spent 17 non-consecutive weeks at #1, on its way to 8 million copies sold in the US.
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JULY 23, 1977: FLEETWOOD MAC’S RUMOURS IS BACK AT #1
After swapping places with the Eagles and Barry Manilow a few times, Fleetwood Mac were back at #1.
Rumours would spend 31 non-consecutive weeks at the top.
The longest stretch at #1 was an astonishing 19-straight weeks from July 23-November 26, 1977.
