1979 in music
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See also:
Events
- Stevie Wonder uses digital audio recording technology in recording his album Journey through the Secret Life of Plants.
- Ry Cooder releases the first pop/rock record made entirely using digital recording technology, "Bop Til You Drop".
- EMI's first digital recording - at Abbey Road Studios - of a non-classical music track is released - UK jazz-funk duo Morrissey-Mullen covered the Rose Royce hit Love Don't Live Here Anymore. Released as a limited edition vinyl EP.
- Disco reigns supreme in 1979, with several #1 hits from The Bee Gees and Donna Summer that year. Several artists who were not regarded as dance/disco acts, scored major successes by releasing disco singles, including New Wave band Blondie with their first US number one single "Heart of Glass", Rod Stewart with "Do Ya Think I'm Sexy" and rock band Electric Light Orchestra go disco this year with their UK #1 LP Discovery. Country star Kenny Rogers also issues a disco influenced album, entitled Kenny. Hard rock band KISS also has a disco hit this year with "I Was Made For Lovin You".
- The backlash against disco among rock loyalists is also peaking. An anti-disco event in Chicago, Illinois ultimately forced the cancellation of a major league baseball game. When The Knack's song "My Sharona" hit Billboard's #1 for six weeks, many rock critics celebrated the beginning of the end for disco music. While 1979 may have marked the climax of disco, it was also the only popular year for The Knack, who quickly faded into obscurity.
- Kate Bush embarked on her first, and to date, only tour in April. She became the first artist to use a wireless microphone, enabling her to sing and dance at the same time.
- Elton John reunited with lyricist Bernie Taupin after a three-year break. The duos recent songs are recorded in August of 1979, to be released a year later on "21 at 33".
- One event of 1979 which would have later significance was the success of the single "Rapper's Delight" by The Sugarhill Gang, which marked the commercial emergence of hip hop music.
Timeline
- January 1
- Bill Graham closes San Francisco's Winterland Ballroom following a New Year's Eve performance by the Blues Brothers and the Grateful Dead
- During a New Year's Eve concert in Cleveland, Ohio, Bruce Springsteen is injured when a fire-cracker is thrown onstage from the audience
- January 4 - The Star-Club in Hamburg, Germany, best known for its connections to the early days of the Beatles, reopens.
- January 13 - Singer Donny Hathaway dies after falling 15 stories from his hotel room in New York City. According to Hathaway's record company, Atlantic, the singer had been having some psychological problems.
- January 15 - MCA Records purchases ABC Records for a reported $20 million.
- February 7 - The Clash kick off their first concert on their first American tour at the Berkeley Community Theatre outside San Francisco, California. Bo Diddley opens the show and the Clash open their set with the song "I'm So Bored with the U.S.A.".
- February 10 - Rod Stewart's "Do Ya Think I'm Sexy" hits #1 on the Billboard magazine charts, and stays there for 4 weeks.
- February 11 - 43 million viewers watch "Elvis!" on ABC, a made for TV movie starring Kurt Russell as Elvis.
- February 15 - Minnie Riperton appears on the Grammys as a presenter with Stephen Bishop. The Bee Gees collect 4 Grammys for Saturday Night Fever.
- February 23 - Dire Straits begin their first U.S. tour in Boston.
- February 24 - Friedrich Cerha's completion of Alban Berg's opera Lulu is premiered at the Opera Garnier in Paris
- March 2 (to March 4) - Weather Report, the CBS Jazz All-Stars, the Trio of Doom, Fania All-Stars, Stephen Stills, Billy Swan, Bonnie Bramlett, Mike Finnegan, Kris Kristofferson, Rita Coolidge and Billy Joel, plus Cuban acts Irakere, Pacho Alonso, Elena Burke, Los Papines, Tata Güines and Orquesta Aragón play at the historic three-day Havana Jam festival at the Karl Marx Theater, in Havana, Cuba.
- March 21 - The Pretenders sign a contract with Sire Records
- March 5 - MCA Records dissolves ABC Records.
- March 10 - James Brown performs at the Grand Ole Opry
- March 27 - Eric Clapton marries Patti Boyd, ex-wife of Clapton's friend George Harrison
- March 31 - The Eurovision Song Contest, the biggest music festival in the world, takes place for the first time in a country outside Europe - Israel. The show is broadcast live from Jerusalem to Europe and few countries in Asia. The big winner of this night is Israel for the second time after its first victory in 1978. The winning song is "Hallelujah" sung by Gali Atari and the backing group Milk and Honey. A few months after winning the song had been translated into more than 82 languages, and broke a new record by entering the Guinness Book of Records as the most translated song in the world.
- April 6 - Rod Stewart marries Alana Hamilton.
- April 7 - 110,000 people attend the California Music Festival at the L.A. Memorial Coliseum. Performers include Aerosmith, The Boomtown Rats, Cheap Trick, Ted Nugent and Van Halen.
- April 12 - Mickey Thomas replaces Marty Balin as the lead singer of Jefferson Starship
- April 13 - During a concert by Van Halen in Spokane, Washington, David Lee Roth collapses from exhaustion.
- April 22 - The New Barbarians and The Rolling Stones perform two concerts in Oshawa, Ontario to benefit the CNIB, as part of Keith Richards' 1978 sentence for heroin possession.
- April 24 - The New Barbarians open their US tour at Ann Arbor, Michigan.
- May 1 - Elton John becomes the first pop music artist to perform in Israel.
- May 2 - The Who perform their first concert following the death of drummer Keith Moon. The band performed with new drummer Kenny Jones.
- May 5 - "Reunited" by Peaches & Herb hits #1 on the Billboard charts, and stays there for 4 weeks.
- June 1 - Alternative Tentacles record label established by Dead Kennedys frontman Jello Biafra
- June 28 - Bill Haley makes his final studio recordings at Muscle Shoals, Alabama. (He dies in 1981.)
- July 7 - The Bee Gees play to a sold-out crowd at Los Angeles' Dodger Stadium as part of their Spirits Having Flown tour.
- July 12
- Minnie Riperton, singer/songwriter best known for her 1975 #1 hit single "Lovin' You" dies of breast cancer in Los Angeles, at the age of 31.
- "Disco Demolition Night", an anti-disco promotional event for a Chicago rock station involving exploding disco records with a bomb, causes a near-riot between games during a baseball major league doubleheader, forcing the cancellation of the second game.
- July 14 - Donna Summer's "Bad Girls" hits #1 on the Billboard charts, and stays there for five weeks
- July 28 - Aerosmith and Ted Nugent headline the World Series of Rock at Municipal Stadium in Cleveland, Ohio. Also on the bill are Journey, Thin Lizzy, AC/DC and the Scorpions. Following the concert, Aerosmith guitarist Joe Perry quits the group after an argument with bandmates.
- August 4 - 11- British rock band Led Zeppelin played what were to be their last British concerts (until 2007) at Knebworth in Hertfordshire. Total attendances for the two concerts approached 400,000.[citation needed]
- August 25 - "My Sharona" by The Knack hits #1 on the Billboard charts. This is the first time in over a year that a song hits #1 that is not either a disco song or a ballad. It remains at #1 for six weeks.
- September 2 - U2 enters the studio for the first time to record a locally released single.
- September – Patti Smith Group disband.
- October 10 - Joe Perry officially departs Aerosmith.
- November 26 - Bill Haley & His Comets perform at the Royal Drury Lane Theatre in London in a command performance for Queen Elizabeth. This was Haley's final recorded performance of "Rock Around the Clock".
- December 3 - In Cincinnati, Ohio, a stampede for seats at Riverfront Coliseum during a Who concert kills 11 fans (band members were not made aware of the deaths until after the show).
- The Welsh Philharmonia becomes the Orchestra of Welsh National Opera.
- Diamond Head's career begins
- INXS career begins
- Michael Schenker leaves Scorpions during their tour in France and was replaced by Matthias Jabs.
- Marianne Faithfull returns to music after a hiatus
- Solid Gold premieres on television.
Bands formed
- Fishbone
- Was (Not Was)
- Mr & Mrs No Smoking Sign (later to become Severed Heads)
- INXS
- Australian Crawl
- Diamond Head
- A Flock of Seagulls
Bands disbanded
- The Adverts
- Bachman-Turner Overdrive
- The Dead Boys (reform in 1987, 2004 and 2005)
- Emerson, Lake & Palmer (reform in 1991)
- Fairport Convention (reform in 1985)
- Little Feat (reform in 1988)
- Patti Smith Group
- The Runaways
- Teenage Jesus & the Jerks
- Tubeway Army
- X-Ray Spex
- Wild Cherry
Albums released
- The Adventures of the Hersham Boys - Sham 69
- Angel Station - Manfred Mann's Earth Band
- Another Kind of Blues - UK Subs
- Another Taste - A Taste of Honey
- Armed Forces - Elvis Costello & The Attractions
- Are You Ready - Atlanta Rhythm Section
- Astaire - Peter Skellern
- At Budokan - Cheap Trick (live)
- The B-52s - The B-52's
- Back to the Egg - Wings
- Bad Girls - Donna Summer
- Bee Gees Greatest - Bee Gees
- The Best Days of My Life - Johnny Mathis
- The Best of Chic - Chic
- The Best of the Dooleys - The Dooleys
- Best of the J. Geils Band - The J. Geils Band
- The Best of Top of the Pops '79 - Top of the Poppers
- The Billie Jo Spears Singles Album - Billie Jo Spears
- Big Fun - Shalamar
- Birth Comes to Us All - Good Rats
- Black Rose: A Rock Legend - Thin Lizzy
- Bob Dylan at Budokan - Bob Dylan (live)
- Bomber - Motörhead
- Bop till You Drop - Ry Cooder
- The Boss - Diana Ross
- Breakfast in America - Supertramp
- Bridges - John Williams
- Bursting Out - Jethro Tull (live)
- Buy - James Chance & the Contortions
- Can - Can
- The Candidate - Steve Harley
- Candy-O - The Cars
- Carolyne Mas - Carolyne Mas
- Chance Meeting on a Dissecting Table of a Sewing Machine and an Umbrella - Nurse With Wound
- Classic Rock - The Second Movement - London Symphony Orchestra
- Coming Up for Air - Penetration
- Communiqué - Dire Straits
- Cornerstone - Styx
- The Crack - The Ruts
- Crepes and Drapes - Showaddywaddy
- A Curious Feeling - Tony Banks
- Cut - The Slits (debut)
- Cut Above the Rest - Sweet
- Dart Attack - Darts
- David Essex Album - David Essex
- Days in Europa - The Skids
- Deltics - Chris Rea
- Desolation Angels - Bad Company
- A Different Kind of Tension - Buzzcocks
- Discovery - Electric Light Orchestra
- Do It Yourself - Ian Dury & the Blockheads
- Down on the Farm - Little Feat
- Down to Earth - Rainbow
- Dragnet - The Fall
- Drums and Wires - XTC
- Duty Now for the Future - Devo
- Dynasty - Kiss
- Eat to the Beat - Blondie
- The Eddie Cochran Singles Album - Eddie Cochran
- ELO's Greatest Hits - Electric Light Orchestra
- End of the Century - Ramones
- Entertainment! - Gang of Four
- Euroman Cometh - Jean-Jacques Burnel
- Even Serpents Shine - The Only Ones
- Everyone Can Rock & Roll - Bill Haley & His Comets
- Evolution - Journey
- Exposed - Mike Oldfield (live)
- Exposure - Robert Fripp
- Facades - Sad Café
- Fate for Breakfast - Art Garfunkel
- Fear of Music - Talking Heads
- Feets, Don't Fail Me Now - Herbie Hancock
- Feel No Fret - Average White Band
- Fighting Alone - Dixon House Band
- The Fine Art of Surfacing - The Boomtown Rats
- 5 - J. J. Cale
- Flex - Lene Lovich
- Force Majeure - Tangerine Dream
- French Skyline - Earthstar
- Frenzy - Split Enz
- George Harrison - George Harrison
- Ghost Riders in the Sky - Slim Whitman
- Gloryhallastoopid-Parliament
- Go West - Village People
- The Great Rock 'n' Roll Swindle - Sex Pistols (OST)
- Greatest Hits, Vol. 1 - Rod Stewart
- Greatest Hits Volume 2 - ABBA
- Grosses Wasser - Cluster
- Harder ... Faster - April Wine
- Head Injuries - Midnight Oil
- Here - Leo Sayer
- Highway to Hell - AC/DC
- Honest Lullaby - Joan Baez
- Hydra - Toto
- I'm the Man - Joe Jackson
- I Am - Earth, Wind & Fire
- If My Friends Could See Me Now - Linda Clifford
- Imperial Wizard - David Essex
- In the Skies - Peter Green
- In Through the Out Door - Led Zeppelin
- The Incredible Shrinking Dickies - The Dickies
- In Danceland - Carrie Lucas
- Inflammable Material - Stiff Little Fingers
- Into the Music - Van Morrison
- Invasion of the Booty Snatchers - Parlet
- It's Alive - Ramones (live)
- Jardin Au Fou - Hans-Joachim Roedelius
- Joe's Garage: Acts I, II & III - Frank Zappa
- Join Hands - Siouxsie & the Banshees
- Journey through the Secret Life of Plants - Stevie Wonder
- The Kenny Rogers Singles Album - Kenny Rogers
- The Kids Are Alright - The Who (OST)
- L.A. (Light Album) - The Beach Boys
- Last the Whole Night Long - James Last
- Lena's Music Album - Lena Martell
- Lenox Avenue Breakdown - Arthur Blythe
- Life in a Day - Simple Minds (debut)
- Lightning to the Nations - Diamond Head
- Live and Learn - Elkie Brooks
- Live at the Witch Trials - The Fall
- Live Killers - Queen (live)
- Live Rust - Neil Young & Crazy Horse
- Live (X Cert) - The Stranglers (live)
- Living Without Your Love - Dusty Springfield
- Lodger - David Bowie
- London Calling - The Clash (UK Release)
- The Long Run - The Eagles
- Look Sharp! - Joe Jackson (debut)
- Lots Of Luv' - Luv'
- Love Tracks - Gloria Gaynor
- Lovedrive - Scorpions
- Lovehunter - Whitesnake
- Love Lives Forever - Minnie Riperton
- Low Budget - The Kinks
- Machine Gun Etiquette - The Damned
- Made It Through the Rain - Gerard Kenny
- The Magic Is You - Shirley Bassey
- Magnum II - Magnum
- Manifesto - Roxy Music
- Marathon - Santana
- The Mark II Purple Singles - Deep Purple
- Marty Robbins Collection - Marty Robbins
- Metal Box - Public Image Ltd.
- Mick Taylor - Mick Taylor
- Midnight Magic - Commodores
- Mingus - Joni Mitchell
- "Mirrors" - Blue Öyster Cult
- Mission Accomplished But the Beat Goes On - The Rezillos
- Monolith - Kansas
- Moonlight Madness - Teri DeSario
- Morning Dance - Spyro Gyra
- Music Box - Evelyn King
- Mr. Universe - Gillan
- My Father's Eyes - Amy Grant
- New Dimensions - The Three Degrees
- New Horizons - Don Williams
- A Night at Studio 54 - Various artists
- Night in the Ruts - Aerosmith
- Night Owl - Gerry Rafferty
- No Mean City - Nazareth
- No. 1 In Heaven - Sparks
- Not That I'm Biased - Max Boyce
- Oceans of Fantasy - Boney M
- Off the Wall - Michael Jackson
- On Parole - Motörhead
- On the Radio - Greatest Hits Volume 1 & 2 - Donna Summer
- On the Road Again - Roy Wood
- 154 - Wire
- One Step Beyond... - Madness
- One Voice - Barry Manilow
- Orchestral Favorites - Frank Zappa
- Out of a Dream - Reba McEntire
- Overkill - Motörhead
- Pizzazz - Patrice Rushen
- Platinum - Mike Oldfield
- The Pleasure Principle - Gary Numan
- Prince - Prince
- PXR5 - Hawkwind
- Quadrophenia - The Who (OST)
- The Raincoats - The Raincoats
- The Raven - The Stranglers
- Real to Real Cacophony - Simple Minds
- Reality...What a Concept - Robin Williams
- Reality Effect - The Tourists
- Reflections - George Hamilton IV
- Reggatta de Blanc - The Police
- Remote Control - The Tubes
- Repeat When Necessary - Dave Edmunds
- Replicas - Tubeway Army
- Rhapsodies - Rick Wakeman
- Rickie Lee Jones - Rickie Lee Jones
- Rise - Herb Alpert
- Risqué - Chic
- Rock It - Chuck Berry
- Rock 'N' Roll Juvenile - Cliff Richard
- Rock n' Roll Nights - Bachman-Turner Overdrive
- Rock On - Raydio
- Rust Never Sleeps - Neil Young and Crazy Horse
- Sabotage (live) - John Cale
- Satisfied - Rita Coolidge
- Scared to Dance - The Skids
- Secondhand Daylight - Magazine
- Selbstportrait - Hans-Joachim Roedelius
- Semi-Detached Suburban - Manfred Mann
- Setting Sons - The Jam
- Shake Hands with the Devil - Kris Kristofferson
- Sheik Yerbouti - Frank Zappa
- Shooting Stars - Dollar
- Sid Sings - Sid Vicious
- Singles Going Steady - Buzzcocks
- Sky - Sky
- Sleep Dirt - Frank Zappa
- Slim Whitman's 20 Greatest Love Songs - Slim Whitman
- Slow Train Coming - Bob Dylan
- Some Product: Carri on Sex Pistols - Sex Pistols
- Sometimes You Win - Dr. Hook
- Songs of the Seashore - James Galway
- Songs of Love - Anita Ward
- Sound on Sound - Bill Nelson's Red Noise
- The Specials - The Specials
- Spectral Mornings - Steve Hackett
- Spirits Having Flown - Bee Gees
- Spy - Carly Simon
- Stations of the Crass - Crass
- Street Machine - Sammy Hagar
- Strangers in the Night - UFO (live)
- Squeezing Out Sparks - Graham Parker & the Rumour
- Street Life - The Crusaders
- String of Hits - The Shadows
- Strikes - Blackfoot
- Survival" - Bob Marley & The Wailers
- Teenage Warning - Angelic Upstarts
- Thank You Very Much - Reunion Concert at the London Palladium - Cliff Richard and The Shadows
- Thighs and Whispers - Bette Midler
- This Boot Is Made for Fonk-N - Bootsy's Rubber Band
- Together Again - The Dubliners
- Tokyo Tapes (Live) - Scorpions
- Top Priority - Rory Gallagher
- 3D - The Three Degrees
- Three Imaginary Boys - The Cure
- Three on the Trail - Riders in the Sky
- TRB TWO - Tom Robinson Band
- Trillion - Trillion
- Tusk - Fleetwood Mac
- 20 Hottest Hits - Hot Chocolate
- Uncle Jam Wants You -Funkadelic
- Underdog - Atlanta Rhythm Section
- The Undertones - The Undertones
- Unknown Pleasures - Joy Division
- Unleashed in the East - Judas Priest
- The Unrecorded Jasper Carrott - Jasper Carrott
- Van Halen II - Van Halen
- True Luv' - Luv'
- The Very Best of Leo Sayer - Leo Sayer
- Victim of Love - Elton John
- Volcano - Jimmy Buffett
- Voulez-Vous - ABBA
- Walking on Sunshine - Eddy Grant
- The Wall - Pink Floyd
- Wave – Patti Smith Group
- We Are Family - Sister Sledge
- Wet - Barbra Streisand
- Whatever You Want - Status Quo
- You Don't Bring Me Flowers - Neil Diamond
Biggest hit singles
The following songs achieved the highest chart positions in the charts of 1979.
| # | Artist | Title | Year | Country | Chart Entries |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Blondie | Heart of Glass | 1979 |  |
UK 1 - Jan 1979, US BB 1 - Mar 1979, Canada 1 - Mar 1979, Austria 1 - Mar 1979, Switzerland 1 - Feb 1979, Germany 1 - Feb 1979, Australia 1 for 5 weeks Jan 1980, Sweden (alt) 3 - Mar 1979, France 3 - Feb 1979, Australia 3 of 1979, Holland 5 - Feb 1979, Norway 5 - Mar 1979, RYM 8 of 1979, US CashBox 11 of 1979, US BB 1 of 1979, POP 13 of 1979, South Africa 15 of 1979, Italy 29 of 1979, Virgin 29, OzNet 30, Scrobulate 46 of 80s, Germany 54 of the 1970s, RIAA 217, Acclaimed 241, Rolling Stone 255 |
| 2 | Gloria Gaynor | I Will Survive | 1979 | |
UK 1 - Feb 1979, US BB 1 - Jan 1979, US BB 1 of 1979, Canada 1 - Mar 1979, Éire 1 - Mar 1979, POP 2 of 1979, Sweden (alt) 3 - Apr 1979, Holland 4 - Mar 1979, Norway 4 - May 1979, Switzerland 7 - Apr 1979, Scrobulate 8 of disco, Germany 9 - Mar 1979, US CashBox 10 of 1979, France 10 - Mar 1979, South Africa 16 of 1979, Austria 17 - May 1979, Party 24 of 1999, Australia 25 of 1979, Italy 38 of 1979, Europe 66 of the 1970s, RYM 67 of 1978, RIAA 89, OzNet 155, Acclaimed 416, Rolling Stone 489 |
| 3 | M | Pop Muzik | 1979 |  |
US BB 1 - Aug 1979, Sweden (alt) 1 - Jun 1979, Switzerland 1 - Jun 1979, Germany 1 - May 1979, Australia 1 for 3 weeks May 1980, UK 2 - Apr 1979, Austria 2 - Jul 1979, Holland 3 - May 1979, France 3 - Nov 1979, Norway 5 - Jun 1979, South Africa 5 of 1979, Canada 8 - Sep 1979, Australia 10 of 1979, US CashBox 15 of 1979, Italy 18 of 1979, US BB 40 of 1979, POP 40 of 1979, RYM 50 of 1979, Germany 59 of the 1970s, OzNet 888, Acclaimed 1691 |
| 4 | Donna Summer | Hot Stuff | 1979 | |
US BB 1 - Apr 1979, Switzerland 1 - May 1979, Australia 1 for 1 weeks May 1980, Canada 2 - Apr 1979, Sweden (alt) 2 - May 1979, Norway 2 - Jun 1979, France 3 - May 1979, Austria 3 - Jun 1979, US BB 4 of 1979, Scrobulate 5 of disco, Germany 6 - May 1979, POP 6 of 1979, UK 11 - May 1979, US CashBox 14 of 1979, Holland 14 - May 1979, Australia 17 of 1979, Italy 24 of 1979, RYM 88 of 1979, Rolling Stone 103, OzNet 124, Party 210 of 1999, Germany 246 of the 1970s, Acclaimed 717 |
| 5 | The Buggles | Video Killed the Radio Star | 1979 | |
UK 1 - Sep 1979, Sweden (alt) 1 - Nov 1979, Austria 1 - Jan 1980, Switzerland 1 - Nov 1979, Italy 1 of 1980, Éire 1 - Oct 1979, Australia 1 for 7 weeks Oct 1980, France 2 - Nov 1979, Germany 2 - Jan 1980, Holland 17 - Oct 1979, Australia 18 of 1979, RYM 31 of 1979, US BB 39 of 1979, POP 39 of 1979, US BB 40 - Dec 1979, Scrobulate 81 of 80s, Germany 339 of the 1970s, OzNet 344, Acclaimed 1229 |
Chronological table of US and UK Number One hit singles
Other significant singles
- "Accidents Will Happen" - Elvis Costello and the Attractions
- "After the Love Has Gone" - Earth, Wind & Fire
- "Ain't No Stoppin' Us Now" - McFadden & Whitehead
- "Ambition" - Vic Godard and Subway Sect
- "Angel Eyes" - Roxy Music
- "Angeleyes" - ABBA
- "Baby, I Love You" - Ramones
- "Bad Case of Loving You (Doctor Doctor)" - Robert Palmer
- "The Ballad Of Lucy Jordan" - Marianne Faithfull
- "Bang Bang" - B. A. Robertson
- "Bat Out of Hell" - Meat Loaf
- "Big Shot" - Billy Joel
- "Boogie Wonderland" - Earth, Wind & Fire with the Emotions
- "(Boogie Woogie) Dancin' Shoes" - Claudja Barry
- "Born to Be Alive" - Patrick Hernandez
- "Boys Don't Cry" - The Cure
- "Boys Keep Swinging" - David Bowie
- "Breakfast at Sweethearts" - Cold Chisel
- "Breakfast in America" - Supertramp
- "Bright Side of the Road" - Van Morrison
- "Broken Hearted Me" - Anne Murray
- "California Über Alles" - The Dead Kennedys
- "Can You Feel The Force" - The Real Thing
- "Can You Read My Mind" - Maureen McGovern
- "Can't Stand Losing You" - The Police
- "Casanova" - Luv'
- "Chiquitita" - ABBA
- "Come to Me" - France Joli
- "Contact" - Edwin Starr
- "Cool for Cats" - Squeeze
- "Crazy Little Thing Called Love" - Queen
- "Cruel To Be Kind" - Nick Lowe
- "Dance Away" - Roxy Music
- "Dancing Barefoot" – Patti Smith Group
- "Dance the Night Away" - Van Halen
- "Death Disco" - Public Image Ltd.
- "Deeper Than the Night" - Olivia Newton-John
- "The Devil Went Down to Georgia" - Charlie Daniels Band
- "Dim All the Lights" - Donna Summer
- "Disco Nights" - GQ
- "Do Anything You Wanna Do" - Thin Lizzy
- "Do That To Me One More Time" - Captain & Tennille
- "Do You Think I'm Disco?" - Steve Dahl & Teenage Radiation
- "Does Your Mother Know" - ABBA
- "Don't Bring Me Down" - Electric Light Orchestra
- "Don't Cry Out Loud" - Melissa Manchester
- "Don't Do Me Like That" - Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers
- "Don't Throw Stones" - The Sports
- "Dreaming" - Blondie
- "Driver's Seat" - Sniff 'n' the Tears
- "Dschinghis Khan" - Dschinghis Khan
- "Duchess" - The Stranglers
- "Electricity" - OMD
- "The Eton Rifles" - The Jam
- "Even the Losers" - Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers
- "Every Day Hurts" - Sad Café
- "Everybody's Happy Nowadays" - Buzzcocks
- "Freedom's Prisoner" - Steve Harley
- "The Gambler" - Kenny Rogers
- "Gangsters" - The Specials AKA
- "Gimme! Gimme! Gimme! (A Man After Midnight)" - ABBA
- "Girls Talk" - Dave Edmunds
- "Go West" - Village People
- "Good Times Roll" - The Cars
- "Gonna Get Along Without You Now" - Viola Wills
- "Good Girls Don't" - The Knack
- "Goodbye Girl" - Squeeze
- "Goodbye Stranger" - Supertramp
- "Half The Way" - Crystal Gayle
- "Hallelujah" - Milk and Honey featuring Gali Atari
- "H.A.P.P.Y. Radio" - Edwin Starr
- "He Must Have Been Eighteen" - Dalida
- "He's the Greatest Dancer" - Sister Sledge
- "Heart of the Night" - Poco
- "Heaven Knows" - Donna Summer w/Brooklyn Dreams
- "Helwa Ya Baladi" - Dalida
- "Here Comes the Summer" - The Undertones
- "Highway Song" - Blackfoot
- "Highway to Hell" - AC/DC
- "Hold the Line" - Toto
- "Honesty" - Billy Joel
- "I Have a Dream" - ABBA
- "I Just Fall in Love Again" - Anne Murray (the #1 US Country hit of the year)
- "I Wanna Be Sedated" - Ramones
- "I Want You To Want Me (live)" - Cheap Trick
- "I Want Your Love" - Chic
- "I Was Made For Lovin' You" - Kiss
- "If I Didn't Love You" - Squeeze
- "If I Said You Had a Beautiful Body Would You Hold It Against Me" - The Bellamy Brothers
- "(If Loving You Is Wrong) I Don't Want to Be Right" - Barbara Mandrell
- "If You Remember Me" - Chris Thompson
- "Il faut danser reggae" - Dalida
- "I'll Never Love This Way Again" - Dionne Warwick
- "In the Navy" - Village People
- "Into the Valley" - The Skids
- "Is It Love You're After?" - Rose Royce
- "Is She Really Going Out With Him?" - Joe Jackson
- "Japanese Girls" - Riff Regan
- "Jimmy Jimmy" - The Undertones
- "Just the Way You Are" - Barry White
- "Just What I Needed" - The Cars
- "Just When I Needed You Most" - Randy VanWarmer
- "Kid" - The Pretenders
- "Lady Writer" - Dire Straits
- "Lady" - Little River Band
- "Lay Your Love on Me" - Racey
- "Lead Me On" - Maxine Nightingale
- "Let Me Dance Tonight" - Dalida
- "Let's Go" - The Cars
- "A Little Lovin' (Keeps the Doctor Away)" - The Raes
- "Living On The Front Line" - Eddy Grant
- "The Logical Song" - Supertramp
- "London Calling" - The Clash
- "Lonesome Loser" - Little River Band
- "The Long Run" - Eagles
- "Love Don't Live Here Anymore" - Morrissey-Mullen
- "Love Drive" - Scorpions
- "Love's Gotta Hold on Me" - Dollar
- "Lucky Number" - Lene Lovich
- "The Main Event/Fight" - Barbra Streisand
- "Making Plans for Nigel" - XTC
- "Memory Lane" - Minnie Riperton
- "A Message to You Rudy/Nite Klub" - The Specials
- "Milk and Alcohol" - Dr. Feelgood
- "Monday, Tuesday... Laissez-moi danser" - Dalida
- "Morning Dance" - Spyro Gyra
- "Moskau" - Dschinghis Khan
- "My Forbidden Lover" - Chic
- "My Girl" - Madness
- "Nervous System" - Killing Joke
- "No time to Lose" - Tarney Spencer Band
- "Oliver's Army" - Elvis Costello and the Attractions
- "On My Radio" - The Selecter
- "One Step Beyond" - Madness
- "One Way or Another" - Blondie
- "One Way Ticket" - Eruption
- "On the Inside" - Lynn Hamilton
- "Ooh, Yes I Do" - Luv'
- "Parisienne Walkways" - Gary Moore
- "Please Don't Go" - KC & The Sunshine Band
- "The Prince" - Madness
- "Queen of Hearts" - Dave Edmunds
- "Rapper's Delight" - The Sugarhill Gang
- "Reasons to Be Cheerful (Part 3)" - Ian Dury & the Blockheads
- "Refugee" - Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers
- "Roll Over Beethoven (EP)" - Chuck Berry
- "Roxanne" - The Police
- "Sad Eyes" - Robert John
- "Shake Your Body (Down to the Ground)" - The Jacksons
- "Shake Your Groove Thing" - Peaches & Herb
- "Shape I'm In" - Jo Jo Zep & The Falcons
- "She Believes In Me" - Kenny Rogers
- "Shine a Little Love - Electric Light Orchestra
- "Ships" - Barry Manilow
- "Shooting Star" - Dollar
- "Silly Games" - Janet Kay
- "Since I Don't Have You" - Art Garfunkel
- "Since You Been Gone" - Rainbow
- "Slap and Tickle" - Squeeze
- "Smash It Up" - The Damned
- "Some Girls" - Racey
- "Somethin' Else"/"Friggin' in the Riggin'" - Sex Pistols
- "Somewhere In the Night" - Barry Manilow
- "Song on the Radio" - Al Stewart
- "Sooner Or Later" - Dixon House Band
- "Spiral Scratch (EP)" - Buzzcocks
- "Stop Your Sobbing" - Pretenders
- "Strange Town" - The Jam
- "Street Life" - The Crusaders w/Randy Crawford
- "Stumblin' In" - Suzi Quatro & Chris Norman
- "Sultans of Swing" - Dire Straits (released in 1978)
- "Take Me to the River" - Talking Heads
- "Take On the World" - Judas Priest
- "Talking In Your Sleep" - Crystal Gayle
- "Tears of a Clown"/"Ranking Full Stop" - The Beat
- "The Diary of Horace Wimp" - Electric Light Orchestra
- "The Sound of the Suburbs" - The Members
- "This Night Won't Last Forever" - Michael Johnson
- "Time for Action" - Secret Affair
- "Time Passages" - Al Stewart
- "Train, Train" - Blackfoot
- "Train in Vain" - The Clash
- "Transmission" - Joy Division
- "Turn to Red" - Killing Joke
- "Union City Blue" - Blondie
- "Up the Junction" - Squeeze
- "Voulez-Vous" - ABBA
- "Waiting for an Alibi" - Thin Lizzy
- "Wanted" - The Dooleys
- "We Are Family" - Sister Sledge
- "We Don't Talk Anymore" - Cliff Richard
- "Whatever You Want" - Status Quo
- "Who Were You With in the Moonlight" - Dollar
- "Wonderful Christmastime" - Paul McCartney
- "You Decorated My Life" - Kenny Rogers
- "You Needed Me" - Anne Murray (in the UK; hit #1 in the US in 1978)
- "You're Only Lonely" - J. D. Souther
Published popular music
- "Don't Cry Out Loud" w. Carole Bayer Sager m. Peter Allen
- "The Facts of Life" w.m. Alan Thicke, Gloria Loring, and Al Burton, from the TV series of the same name
- "I'd Rather Leave While I'm In Love" w.m. Carole Bayer Sager & Peter Allen
- "Knots Landing theme" m. Jerrold Immel
- "New York State of Mind" w.m. Billy Joel
- "The Rainbow Connection" w.m. Kenny Ascher & Paul Williams, from the film The Muppet Movie
- Sultans of Swing w.m. Mark Knopfler
Classical music
- Arno Babadjanian - Third String Quartet
- Osvaldas Balakauskas - Symphony no 2
- George Crumb
- Apparition for soprano and amplified piano
- Celestial Mechanics (Makrokosmos IV) for amplified piano (four hands)
- Star-Child (1977, revised 1979) for soprano, antiphonal children's voices, male speaking choir, bell ringers, and large orchestra
- Mario Davidovsky - Pennplay for sixteen players
- Hugh Flynn - Birds
- Jacques Hétu - Bassoon Concerto
- Miloslav Kabelac - Metamorphoses II, for piano and orchestra, op. 58
- William Lloyd Webber - Missa Sanctae Mariae Magdalenae
- Allan Pettersson - Viola Concerto
Opera
- Dominick Argento - Miss Havisham's Wedding Night
- Lorenzo Ferrero - Marilyn
- Libby Larsen - The Silver Fox
Musical theater
- Ain't Misbehavin' (Music: Fats Waller, Lyrics: Various Book: Murray Horwitz & Richard Maltby, Jr.). London production opened at Her Majesty's Theatre on March 22.
- Carmelina (Book: Alan Jay Lerner & Joseph Stein Lyrics: Alan Jay Lerner Music: Burton Lane) Broadway production opened at the St. James Theatre on April 8 and ran for 17 performances. Starring Georgia Brown and Cesare Siepi
- Evita (Music: Andrew Lloyd Webber, Lyrics and Book: Tim Rice). Broadway production opened at the Broadway Theatre on September 25 and ran for 1567 performances
- The King and I London revival opened at the Palladium on June 12 and ran for 538 performances
- My Old Friends (Music, Lyrics and Book: Mel Mandel and Norman Sachs). Off-Broadway production opened at the Orpheum Theatre on January 12 and transferred to the 22 Steps Theatre on Broadway on April 12 for a total run of 154 performances.
- Oklahoma! (Music: Richard Rodgers, Lyrics and Book: Oscar Hammerstein II) - Broadway revival opened at the Palace Theatre on December 13 and ran for 310 performances
- Peter Pan (Music: Mark Charlap, Lyrics and Book: Carolyn Leigh with additional songs, Music: Jule Styne and Lyrics: Betty Comden & Adolph Green). Broadway revival opened at the Lunt-Fontanne Theatre on September 6 and ran for 551 performances.
- Saravà (Music: Mitch Leigh, Lyrics and Book: N. Richard Nash). Broadway production opened at the Mark Hellinger Theatre on February 23 and ran for 140 performances
- Sugar Babies Broadway revue opened at the Mark Hellinger Theatre on October 8 and ran for 1208 performances.
- Sweeney Todd (Music and Lyrics: Stephen Sondheim, Book: Hugh Wheeler) - Broadway production opened at the Uris Theatre on March 1 and ran for 557 performances
- They're Playing Our Song (Music: Marvin Hamlisch, Lyrics: Carole Bayer Sager, Book: Neil Simon). Broadway production opened at the Imperial Theatre on February 11 and ran for 1082 performances
- Tommy London production opened at Queen's Theatre on February 6 and ran for 118 performances
- The Venetian Twins (Music: Terence Clarke, Lyrics and Book: Nick Enright). Opened at the Sydney Opera House Drama Theatre on October 26.
- Whoopee (Music: Walter Donaldson, Lyrics: Gus Kahn, Book: William Anthony McGuire). Broadway revival opened at the ANTA Theatre on February 14 and ran for 212 performances.
Musical films
Births
- January 5 - Kathleen Edwards, singer
- January 10 - Kris Kross, singer-songwriter
- January 16 - Aaliyah Haughton, singer and actress (d. 2001)
- January 20
- Rob Bourdon (Linkin Park)
- Will Young
- February 11 - Brandy Norwood, singer
- February 21 - Jennifer Love Hewitt, singer-songwriter and actress
- March 8 - Tom Chaplin, British singer (Keane)
- March 11
- March 14 - Jacques Brautbar (Phantom Planet)
- March 30 - Norah Jones, American singer-songwriter
- April 10 - Sophie Ellis-Bextor, British singer
- April 11
- April 22 - Daniel Johns (Silverchair)
- April 29
- May 4 - Lance Bass ('N Sync)
- June 5 - Pete Wentz, musician and songwriter
- June 8 - Derek Trucks, guitarist, songwriter
- July 5 - Shane Filan (Westlife)
- July 16 - Ivan Tásler
- July 25 - Amy Adams, singer
- July 26 - Tamyra Gray, singer
- August 20 - Jamie Cullum, jazz pianist and singer
- August 27 - Jon Siebels (Eve 6)
- August 31 - Yuvan Shankar Raja, film composer and singer
- September 3 - Jason McCaslin (Sum 41)
- September 6 - Foxy Brown, rapper
- September 8 - Pink, singer
- October 9 - Alex Greenwald (Phantom Planet)
- October 12 - Jordan Pundik (New Found Glory)
- October 15 - Jaci Velasquez, Latin pop singer
- October 17 - Nick Cannon, actor and rapper
- October 24 - Ben Gillies (Silverchair)
- November 5 - Nick Giggler (Mest)
- November 10 - Chris Joannou (Silverchair)
- December 26 - Chris Daughtry, rock guitarist, singer and songwriter
- December 31 - Bob Bryar (My Chemical Romance)
Deaths
- January 5 - Charles Mingus, jazz musician, 56 (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis)
- January 13 - Donny Hathaway, singer, 33 (suicide)
- January 14 - Marjorie Lawrence, soprano
- February 2 - Sid Vicious, punk rocker, 21 (heroin overdose)
- March 5 - Alan Crofoot, operatic tenor and host of Mr Piper, 49 (suicide)
- March 22 - Walter Legge, record producer
- April 10 - Nino Rota, composer
- April 29 - Julia A. Perry, composer and conductor
- June 5 - Jack Haley, Wizard of Oz star
- June 29 - Lowell George, singer, songwriter and guitarist, founder of Little Feat, 34 (heart attack)
- July - Pedro Flores, composer
- July 3 - Louis Durey, composer
- July 6 - Van McCoy, singer, 35 (heart attack)
- July 12 - Minnie Riperton, singer, 31 (breast cancer)
- July 16 - Alfred Deller, countertenor
- August 19 - Dorsey Burnette, Rockabilly singer, 46 (heart attack)
- August 25 - Stan Kenton, bandleader
- September 6 - Guy Bolton, English librettist
- September 27 - Gracie Fields, actress and singer
- October 1 - Roy Harris, composer
- October 13 - Rebecca Helferich Clarke, viola player and composer
- October 22 - Nadia Boulanger
- November 11 - Dimitri Tiomkin, film composer and conductor
- November 30 - Joyce Grenfell, actress and singer-songwriter
- December 30 - Richard Rodgers, composer and songwriter
- date unknown - Nansi Richards, harpist