September 14 has been an important date in music history, with major moments involving MTV, Madonna, Eric Clapton, Amy Winehouse, Britney Spears, Taylor Swift, Billie Eilish and many other artists.
On Sept. 14, 1984, aired the first-ever Video Music Awards. Dan Aykroyd and Bette Midler hosted the inaugural ceremony, which featured performances from Madonna, David Bowie, ZZ Top and Tina Turner.
One of the night’s most memorable moments came when Madonna performed her hit song “Like a Virgin.”
Keep reading for more Top 40 history from September 14.
Breakthrough Hits and Milestones
Chart-topping songs and albums often help define an era of music. Here are some notable September 14 milestones:
1974: Eric Clapton reached No. 1 with “I Shot the Sheriff.” It became Clapton’s only No. 1 hit on the Billboard Hot 100. The song was written by Bob Marley.
1991: Paula Abdul reached No. 1 with “The Promise of a New Day.” It was Abdul’s sixth and final chart-topping hit.
2003: Jet released its debut album, Get Born, during the early-2000s back-to-basics rock revival. The album featured the hit “Are You Gonna Be My Girl.”
2018: Carrie Underwood released her sixth studio album, Cry Pretty. The record explored emotional subjects connected to Underwood’s personal life and debuted at No. 1.
Cultural Milestones
Music history is closely connected to the cultural moments surrounding artists and their careers.
1983: Amy Winehouse was born to Janis and Mitch Winehouse in London, England. With singers among her relatives, Winehouse explored different musical genres from an early age. She eventually became one of the most recognizable voices of her generation, releasing albums including Frank and Back to Black. Her signature hit “Rehab” reached No. 9 on the Billboard Hot 100.
2002: Gavin Rossdale and Gwen Stefani married at St. Paul’s Church in London’s Covent Garden. The Bush and No Doubt frontmen shared three sons: Kingston, Zuma and Apollo. The couple separated in 2015, and their divorce was finalized in 2016. Stefani later married Blake Shelton.
2005: Britney Spears and Kevin Federline welcomed their first son, Sean Preston Federline. Their second son, Jayden James Federline, was born on Sept. 12, 2006. Spears filed for divorce from Federline in November 2006. Their subsequent custody dispute ultimately resulted in Federline receiving sole physical custody of their sons.
2013: John Legend and Chrissy Teigen married in Italy. Teigen has also been credited with inspiring Legend to write songs including “All of Me.”
2024: Tickets went on sale for Olivia Rodrigo’s special concert in Manila, Philippines. Proceeds from the Oct. 4 show benefited Rodrigo’s Fund 4 Good, making the concert particularly meaningful as a celebration of her Filipino-American heritage.
Notable Recordings and Performances
September 14 has also featured plenty of memorable concerts, television appearances and other performances.
1976: Bob Dylan’s television special aired around the release of his live album Hard Rain. The concert film featured footage from Dylan’s Rolling Thunder Revue tour.
1981: The Rolling Stones played a secret show at a small club in Worcester, Massachusetts, with thousands of fans reportedly waiting to get inside. The performance came shortly before the band’s tour.
2011: The Ellen DeGeneres Show aired behind-the-scenes footage from Taylor Swift’s Speak Now tour. The program also featured Swift performing “Our Song” at the Staples Center, where DeGeneres joined her onstage.
2011: Chris Brown performed at the Darien Lake Performing Arts Center in Darien Center, New York, as part of his F.A.M.E. Tour. His set included “I Can Transform Ya” and “She Ain’t You.” The tour supported his fourth studio album, F.A.M.E.
2017: Nickelback performed an 18-song set at the Isleta Amphitheater in Albuquerque, New Mexico, while touring in support of Feed the Machine. The set included “How You Remind Me,” “Someday,” “Faraway” and “Photograph.”
2022: Billie Eilish’s Happier Than Ever: The World Tour stopped at Qudos Bank Arena in Sydney, Australia. Eilish performed more than 20 songs, including “when the party’s over,” “Therefore I Am” and “bury a friend.” The tour supported her No. 1 album Happier Than Ever.
Photo by Brendon Thorne/Getty Images
Industry Changes and Challenges
The music industry is constantly evolving as technology, television and culture change.
1998: MTV launched Total Request Live, giving viewers a greater voice in which music videos received attention. The program quickly became a cultural phenomenon and could help boost exposure for songs and albums.
2006: Marianne Faithfull announced that she was battling breast cancer. The diagnosis forced her to postpone an upcoming tour. Faithfull, known for songs including “As Tears Go By” and “Come and Stay With Me,” underwent surgery and recovered. She later survived other serious illnesses, including hepatitis C and COVID-19, before dying in January 2025 at age 78.
2014: A life-size statue of Amy Winehouse was unveiled in London, three years after the singer’s death. Winehouse would have been 31 at the time.
2017: Fergie and Josh Duhamel announced their separation eight years after marrying. The couple said they would continue to love and support their son, Axl Jack Duhamel, who was born in August 2013. Their divorce was finalized in 2019.
September 14’s Place in Music History
From Eric Clapton reaching No. 1 to MTV launching the Video Music Awards, September 14 has produced plenty of memorable moments in music history.
The date connects generations of artists, from Bob Dylan, the Rolling Stones and Madonna to Britney Spears, Taylor Swift, Billie Eilish and Olivia Rodrigo.
Whether you grew up listening to Eric Clapton or watching Total Request Live, there’s something for every music fan in the history books from September 14.