Today's the Day (America song)

"Today's the Day" is a song by America on their 1976 album Hideaway. and written by group member Dan Peek.

"Today's the Day"
Single by America
from the album Hideaway
B-side	"Hideway Part II"
Released	April 28, 1976
Genre	Folk rock
Length	3:15
Label	Warner Bros. 8212
Songwriter(s)	Dan Peek
Producer(s)	George Martin
America singles chronology
"Woman Tonight" (1975) "Today's the Day" (1976) "Amber Cascades" (1976)

Background

According to Dan Peek, "Today's the Day" was the inspiration for the Rod Stewart hit "Tonight's the Night (Gonna Be Alright)" a US #1 single for eight weeks from November 1976 to January 1977 which also afforded Stewart an international smash hit. Peek would recall that one evening when he and his guest Rod Stewart were playing together in Peek's home recording studio, "I played 'Today's the Day', the song I had been working on. Rod said that he liked it and that it gave him an idea for a song. Of course after his recording of 'Tonight's the Night' came out I laughed when I remembered what he'd said. I'm sure I probably smacked my forehead and said, 'Why didn't I think of that?'"^[1]

Reception

Cash Box said the song has "a nice melody that builds to a certain tension" and that "the harmonies here seem to melt into one voice."^[2]

Chart history

"Today's the Day" was released as the album's lead single in April 1976 and it peaked at #23 on the Billboard Hot 100,^[3] making it the most successful single from the album. The final Top 40 hit for America as a trio, "Today's the Day" was also America's third and final #1 on the Billboard Easy Listening chart which it topped for two weeks.^[4] Internationally "Today's the Day" appeared on the charts in Canada (#16),^[5] Australia (#55), and France (#67).

Chart (1976)	Peak position
Canada RPM Top Singles[6]	16
Canada RPM Adult Contemporary[7]	5
US Billboard Hot 100 [8]	23
US Billboard Easy Listening	1
US Cash Box Singles Chart[8]	24
US Record World Singles Chart [8]	33
US Radio & Records Singles Chart	16

See also

• List of number-one adult contemporary singles of 1976 (U.S.)

References

1. Peak, Dan (2004). An American Band: the America Story. Xulon Press. ISBN 1-594679-29-0.
2. "CashBox Singles Reviews" (PDF). Cash Box. May 8, 1976. p. 19. Retrieved 2021-12-11.
3. America, "Today's the Day" US Chart Positions Retrieved March 30, 2015
4. Whitburn, Joel (2002). Top Adult Contemporary: 1961-2001. Record Research. p. 20.
5. America, "Today's the Day" Canadian Chart Position Archived 2015-02-17 at the Wayback Machine Retrieved March 30, 2015
6. "Item Display - RPM - Library and Archives Canada". Collectionscanada.gc.ca. 1976-07-10. Retrieved 2019-03-02.
7. "Item Display - RPM - Library and Archives Canada". Collectionscanada.gc.ca. 1976-07-24. Retrieved 2019-03-02.
8. Whitburn, Joel (2015). The Comparison Book Billboard/Cash Box/Record World 1954-1982. Sheridan Books. p. 15. ISBN 978-0-89820-213-7.