Song: “Love Will Lead You Back” by Taylor Dayne
Reached #1: April 7, 1990 (her first, 1 week)
If Arista Records generalissimo Clive Davis hadn’t redirected this song from Whitney Houston to Taylor Dayne, what would Dayne’s career have been?
That career has really been a tale of two very different paths already, as to pop music fans, Dayne disappeared shortly after this song reached the top of the charts… but to dance fans, she’s always been around, continuing to release a couple of dance singles every few years right up until “Floor On Fire” last year.
She’s done a lot of reality TV (and some acting) since her pop music success… that does seem to be the career arc for a lot of ‘80s singers, doesn’t it?
I’m just glad to see any fellow native Long Islander do well – Billy Joel shouldn’t have all the success from the Island, right?
Tomorrow, an artist who got his first Billboard #1 30 years or so after his first album. Trust me, he didn’t need to hit #1 to validate his success…
Other songs that reached #1 on April 7:
1962 – “Johnny Angel” by Shelley Fabares (her first, 2 weeks)
1973 – “The Night The Lights Went Down In Georgia” by Vicki Lawrence (her first, 2 weeks)
2007 – “Don’t Matter” by Akon (his second, 2 weeks)
