Millennium Hits
Throwback Features
Fresh music stories, throwbacks, release notes, playlist picks, and station updates in one place.
Ricky Martin’s No. 1 Debut Turned Latin Pop Into the Center of the Room
On this day in 1999, Ricky Martin’s self-titled English-language debut bowed at No. 1 on the Billboard 200, turning a months-long wave of momentum into one of the defining pop breakthroughs of the late ’90s.
May 29, 2026
N.W.A’s Efil4zaggin Hit No. 1 and Turned Rap’s Mainstream Moment Into a Flashpoint
On this day in 1991, N.W.A released Niggaz4Life — also known by its backwards cover title Efil4zaggin — a hard-edged follow-up to Straight Outta Compton that became one of the most controversial rap records to top the American album chart.
May 28, 2026
Mariah Carey’s Me. I Am Mariah… The Elusive Chanteuse Arrived on This Day in 2014
On this day in 2014, Mariah Carey released Me. I Am Mariah… The Elusive Chanteuse, a record that arrived after a long, uneven rollout and immediately felt different from the straightforward comeback albums that usually define pop headlines.
May 27, 2026
Eminem’s The Eminem Show Opened in 2002 and Changed the Scale of Rap Stardom
On this day in 2002, Eminem released The Eminem Show, his fourth studio album and one of the defining blockbusters of early-2000s music. Apple Music lists the original album with a May 26, 2002 release date, 20 tracks and a runtime of just over 77 minutes.
May 26, 2026
Black Eyed Peas Released Monkey Business and Took Over 2005 Pop Radio
On this day in 2005, Black Eyed Peas released Monkey Business, the group’s fourth studio album and the record that pushed their pop-rap takeover into full saturation. Apple Music lists Monkey Business with a May 25, 2005 release date and identifies it as an Interscope release.
May 25, 2026
Ryan Cabrera’s “On the Way Down” Brought Early-2000s Pop-Rock Into Full View
On this day in 2004, Ryan Cabrera’s debut single “On the Way Down” was released to U.S. pop and hot adult contemporary radio, setting up one of the most recognizable pop-rock breakouts of the mid-2000s. The song was later included on Cabrera’s major-label album Take It All Away, released through Atlantic Records.
May 24, 2026
Eminem Released The Marshall Mathers LP 26 Years Ago Today
On this day in 2000, Eminem released The Marshall Mathers LP, the album that turned him from a controversial breakout rapper into one of the dominant figures in mainstream music.
May 23, 2026
NSYNC’s “It’s Gonna Be Me” Video Premiered on MTV’s Making the Video 26 Years Ago
On this day in 2000, NSYNC’s toy-store-themed music video for “It’s Gonna Be Me” premiered on MTV’s Making the Video, giving fans a behind-the-scenes look at one of the most memorable pop videos of the TRL era.
May 21, 2026