Top 40 has been the main hit list in the Netherlands since 1965. In the Today section we look back at events in pop music that happened exactly X years ago. In Today’s episode: the heyday of Dutch music in the UK.

The first significant success of a Dutch act in England came in 1970. Shocking Blue’s Venus finished eighth at the time. Six years later, Pussycat’s Mississippi rose to number one in the UK charts, making it the UK’s first number 1 hit of Dutch origin. Pussycat’s success across the North Sea seems to be a multi-year event.

In 1993, 2 Unlimited was the second Dutch act to reach the top spot in the UK. No Limit was at the top of the charts for no less than five weeks. This dance performance would set the tone in the country for all other number 1 hits by Dutch artists. From then until today, all the number 1 hits have been dance songs! After 2 Unlimited, there were number 1s from Doop, the Vengaboys, JXL, Do, Fedde le Grand, DJ Mental Theo’s Bassheads, Afrojack and Eva Simons.

But 2013 was the best year for Dutch dance music in the UK. It started in the winter, when Bingo Players topped the charts for two weeks with Get Up (Rattle). Then they were dethroned by Thrift Shop of Macklemore, Ryan Lewis and Wanz. But the album lasted one week at the top, because then Nicky Romero attacked! In collaboration with Avicii he produced I Could Be The One which reached number 1.

On November 17, 2013 Amstelveen disc jockey Martijn Garritse enters the top spot in the UK. Under the stage name Martin Garrix, his debut single Animal proved to be a treat. Never before have three Dutch artists scored number 1 hits in the UK in one year. This record once again shows that dance music was a very important export product in the Netherlands, especially towards England.

Martin was only 17 years old when he achieved this feat. That made him the youngest Dutchman with a number 1 hit in UK chart history. The title has been in the hands of Do for over eleven years, who scored a UK number 1 hit with Heaven in 2002 when he was 21 years old. According to Martin Garrix, achieving success at the age of 17 is something special. He often performed in clubs where he was not even allowed to enter as a visitor based on his age.

England is not the first country where Martin Garrix has scored number 1. From August to October, Animal has been ranked 1st in the Flemish Ultratop 50 for 9 weeks. In the Netherlands, Animal has never reached first place. Here Martin spent three weeks at number 3 with his instrumental club track. 2013 wasn’t just a top year for Martin Garrix on the international charts. He also achieved first place in the DJ MAG Top 100. Martin was in 40th position. A year later he rose to the top 5 and in 2016 he was even voted the best DJ in the world. Since then he has become an established name in British EDM magazine’s famous DJ rankings.

This also happened on November 17:
Elton John answered November 17, 1970 op his first live album.

Recording took place at A&R studios in New York. It might not be the most logical place when you think of a live album, but the performance he gave was broadcast live on American radio station WABC-FM. Elton sang thirteen songs, including his first two Top 40 hits, Border Song and Your Song. He is accompanied by Dee Murray on bass and Nigel Olsson on drums. Of course, Elton accompanied him on the piano. In later interviews, Elton indicated that he considered this performance to be the best live performance he had ever given.

In fact, there was absolutely no intention to release the performance as an album. However, when the radio broadcast turned out to be so popular and illegal copies were distributed, the record company finally decided to release the album. The album is titled 11-17-70 and is therefore named after the day it was recorded. In the United States, where it is more common to include the month before the day in dates, the album was released as 11-17-70.

The album contains only six songs that Elton sang during his performances. The hits Border Song and Your Song are missing. This would only be redeemed in 2017. In celebration of Record Store Day, the album 11-17-70+ would be released on April 22 of that year. It contains all thirteen songs from the show.

In June 1971, Elton John was in the LP Top 50 simultaneously with no less than four albums: with Elton John’s album, 11-17-70, the soundtrack album Friends and with Tumbleweed Connection. He is the first artist after James Last to achieve this.

Also on this day:
1973: The Hollies scored a number 1 hit with The Day Curly Billy Shot Down Crazy Sam McGee. This was the only number 1 hit for the British band, out of a total of 28 hits.
1990: Peter Schilperoort died at the age of 71. He was the orchestra leader of the Dutch Swing College Band, which had a number 1 hit in 1965 with Letkiss.
1990: Maria McKee had her only number 1 hit with Show Me Heaven. He was also the author of A Good Heart, Feargal Sharkey’s 1986 number one hit.
1997: A special version of Lou Reed’s classic Perfect Day is released. To celebrate the BBC’s 75th anniversary, Reed recorded a new version with over thirty other artists.
2001: The Poemas rose to number 1 with She Makes the Difference. This is a partnership between Van Dik Hout and Acda and de Munnik, who have never been in first place independently of each other.
2004: American music magazine Rolling Stone has The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time published. Bob Dylan’s Like A Rolling Stone tops the list.
2014: Jimmy Ruffin died at the age of 78. He had an American and British top 10 hit in 1980 with Hold On To My Love. He also made the classic film What Became Of The Broken Hearted.
2018: The first edition of the AstroWorld Festival will take place in the American city of Houston. This festival was organized by rapper Travis Scott. The festival will no longer be held after 2021, as ten young people died as a result of bullying in that year’s edition.

Born today:
1938 – Gordon Lightfoot, when he died 84 years old,
1942 – Bob Gaudio, Four season
1944 – Gene Clark, dies at 46, The Byrds | McGuinn, Clark & ​​​​Hillman
1946 – Martin Barre, Jethro Tull
1947 – Rod ClementsLindisfarne
1948 – Iain Sutherland, Brother Sutherland
1955 – Peter Cox, Go west
1957 – Jim Babjak, The Smithereens
1961 – Vince Mendoza,
1963 – BB Queen, Tell me when! | Simmons & Johnson
1965 – Hilvert Roorda, Edwin Evers Band
1966 – Richard Fortus, Guns n’ Roses
1967 -Michael Andrews,
1967 – Ronnie DeVoe, Biv Devoe Bells | New edition
1973 – Lutricia McNeal,
1975 – Caroline Hoffman, Triples
1980 – Isaac Hanson, Hanson
1981 – Maud
1981 – Sarah Harding, at the time of her death at age 39, Girls Aloud
1983 – Sharon Kips,
1991 – Frena, SFB
1992 – Bokoesam,

Today at number 1:
1973 – 1 (3) The Day Billy Curly Shot Down Sam McGee- The Hollies (Polydor), 1 week at number 1
1979 – 1 (1) We Belong To The Night- Ellen Foley (Epic), 3 weeks at number 1
1984 – 1 (1) Purple Rain- Prince and Revolution (Warner), 3 weeks at number 1
1990 – 1 (2) Show Me Heaven- Maria McKee (Epic), 1 week at number 1
2001 – 1 (2) She Makes a Difference – De Poema’s (Sony Music Local), 1 week at number 1
2007 – 1 (1) Dan Volg Je Haar Benen – Jan Smit (Artist & Company), 3 weeks at number 1
2012 – 1 (1) Skyfall- Adele (XL), 5 weeks at number 1
2018 – 1 (1) Lasting Too Long – Davina Michelle (FTV), 3 weeks at number 1

(11/17/2023)