The examples and perspective in this article may not represent a worldwide view of the subject. Please improve this article and discuss the issue on the talk page. (November 2009) List of years in music (Table) … 1969 • 1970 • 1971 • 1972 • 1973 • 1974 • 1975 •    1976 • 1977 • 1978 – 1979 – 1980 • 1981 • 1982 •    1983 • 1984 • 1985 • 1986 • 1987 • 1988 • 1989 … Related time period or subjects … 1976 • 1977 • 1978 – 1979 – 1980 • 1981 • 1982 … … 1940s • 1950s • 1960s – 1970s – 1980s • 1990s • 2000s … … 19th century – 20th century – 21st century … Art Archaeology Architecture Literature Music Science more See also: Record labels established in 1979 1979 in music (UK) 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 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 9 - The Music for UNICEF Concert in held in New York City at the United Nations starring The Bee Gees. 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 2 - Sex Pistols bassist Sid Viscious is found dead after an overdose. 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 5 - MCA Records dissolves ABC Records. March 10 - James Brown performs at the Grand Ole Opry. March 21 - The Pretenders sign a contract with Sire Records March 23 - Van Halen releases their second album, Van Halen II 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 a few countries in Asia. The big winner of this night is Israel for the second time in a row. 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 2 - The Who perform their first concert following the death of drummer Keith Moon. The band performed with new drummer Kenny Jones. 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 - "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 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. September 1 - INXS perform for the first time, at the Oceanview Hotel in Umina, New South Wales. September 2 - U2 enters the studio for the first time to record a locally released single. October 10 - Joe Perry officially leaves Aerosmith. November 26 - Bill Haley & His Comets perform at the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane, 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. Michael Schenker leaves Scorpions during their tour in France and was replaced by Matthias Jabs. Marianne Faithfull marries Ben Brierly of The Vibrators and returns to recording. Solid Gold makes its television début. Bands formed

See Musical groups established in 1979 Bands disbanded See Musical groups disestablished in 1979 Albums released Contents: Top • January • February • March • April • May • June • July • August • September • October • November • December January Day Album Artist Notes 5 Armed Forces Elvis Costello & The Attractions - Look Sharp! Joe Jackson - 19 Sleep Dirt Frank Zappa - - Accept Accept - The Def Leppard E.P. Def Leppard EP Living Without Your Love Dusty Springfield - No Mean City Nazareth - Spirits Having Flown Bee Gees - Strangers in the Night UFO Live February Day Album Artist Notes 2 Inflammable Material Stiff Little Fingers - 19 Frenzy Split Enz - 19 George Harrison George Harrison - 21 Live (X Cert) The Stranglers Live 22 If You Knew Suzi Suzi Quatro - 25 Lovedrive Scorpions - 26 The Great Rock 'n' Roll Swindle Sex Pistols Soundtrack - At Budokan Cheap Trick Live Force Majeure Tangerine Dream - Sinful Angel - March Day Album Artist Notes 3 Sheik Yerbouti Frank Zappa - 9 Angel Station Manfred Mann's Earth Band - Cool for Cats Squeeze - Even Serpents Shine The Only Ones - 10 Life in a Day Simple Minds - 16 Bitanga i princeza Bijelo dugme - Live at the Witch Trials The Fall - 17 Desolation Angels Bad Company - 19 L.A. (Light Album) The Beach Boys - 23 Van Halen II Van Halen - 24 Overkill Motörhead - 27 You're Never Alone with a Schizophrenic Ian Hunter - 29 Breakfast in America Supertramp - 30 Secondhand Daylight Magazine - - Fate for Breakfast Art Garfunkel - Go West Village People - Just a Game Triumph - Manifesto Roxy Music - Rickie Lee Jones Rickie Lee Jones - Rock n' Roll Nights Bachman–Turner Overdrive - Squeezing Out Sparks Graham Parker and The Rumour - State of Shock Ted Nugent - April Day Album Artist Notes 5 Evolution Journey - 6 Euroman Cometh Jean-Jacques Burnel - 13 Black Rose: A Rock Legend Thin Lizzy - 20 My Father's Eyes Amy Grant - 23 Bob Dylan at Budokan Bob Dylan Live Voulez-Vous ABBA - 25 Bad Girls Donna Summer - 30 We Are Family Sister Sledge - - It's Alive Ramones Live The Message Is Love Barry White - A Million Vacations Max Webster - New England New England - Replicas Gary Numan and Tubeway Army - Y The Pop Group - May Day Album Artist Notes 4 Orchestral Favorites Frank Zappa - 11 Three Imaginary Boys The Cure - 17 Wave Patti Smith Group - 18 Do It Yourself Ian Dury & The Blockheads - Lodger David Bowie - 21 Saxon Saxon - 23 Diana Ross Diana Ross - Dynasty Kiss - 30 Where I Should Be Peter Frampton - - Discovery Electric Light Orchestra - Let Me Be Good to You Lou Rawls - Mick Taylor Mick Taylor - Monolith Kansas - Narita Riot Japan Remote Control The Tubes - Rhapsodies Rick Wakeman - Spectral Mornings Steve Hackett - The Undertones The Undertones - Lots Of Luv' Luv' - June Day Album Artist Notes 8 Back to the Egg Wings - The Kids Are Alright The Who Soundtrack Shades in Bed The Records - 13 Candy-O The Cars - 15 Communiqué Dire Straits - PXR5 Hawkwind - 23 No Exit The Angels - 26 Live Killers Queen Live - Another Taste A Taste of Honey - Exposure Robert Fripp - Labour of Lust Nick Lowe - Mingus Joni Mitchell - Mirrors Blue Öyster Cult - Repeat When Necessary Dave Edmunds - Spy Carly Simon - Unknown Pleasures Joy Division - July Day Album Artist Notes 2 Rust Never Sleeps Neil Young and Crazy Horse - 6 The B-52's The B-52's - 16 I Am Earth, Wind & Fire - 17 Exposed Mike Oldfield Live 20 Nine Lives REO Speedwagon - 27 Highway to Hell AC/DC - 28 Down to Earth Rainbow - 30 Risqué Chic - - Duty Now for the Future Devo - Honest Lullaby Joan Baez - Labour of Lust Nick Lowe - The Original Disco Man James Brown - Shake Hands with the Devil Kris Kristofferson - August Day Album Artist Notes 3 Fear of Music Talking Heads - Some Product: Carri on Sex Pistols Sex Pistols Interview collage 10 Off the Wall Michael Jackson - 15 In Through the Out Door Led Zeppelin - 17 Drums and Wires XTC - Street Machine Sammy Hagar - 20 Slow Train Coming Bob Dylan - 27 Degüello ZZ Top - - Born Again Randy Newman - 5 J.J. Cale - Into the Music Van Morrison - September Day Album Artist Notes 7 Join Hands Siouxsie and the Banshees - Low Budget The Kinks - New Values Iggy Pop - 11 Kost u grlu Riblja Čorba - 14 Stormwatch Jethro Tull - 16 Top Priority Rory Gallagher - 17 Joe's Garage, Act I Frank Zappa - 21 Dream Police Cheap Trick - The Raven The Stranglers - 24 The Long Run Eagles - 25 One Voice Barry Manilow - Solid State Survivor Yellow Magic Orchestra - - Cut The Slits - Boogie Motel Foghat - A Different Kind of Tension Buzzcocks - Entertainment! Entertainment - Marathon Santana - No. 1 In Heaven Sparks - Oceans of Fantasy Boney M. - 154 Wire - Out of a Dream Reba McEntire - The Pleasure Principle Gary Numan - Recent Songs Leonard Cohen - Satisfied Rita Coolidge - Singles Going Steady Buzzcocks Compilation Unleashed in the East Judas Priest Live October Day Album Artist Notes 2 Survival Bob Marley & The Wailers - 5 I'm the Man Joe Jackson - Quadrophenia Soundtrack The Who Soundtrack Reggatta de Blanc The Police - 9 The Fine Art of Surfacing The Boomtown Rats - 12 Fire It Up Rick James - Greatest Hits, Vol. 1 Rod Stewart Compilation 13 Victim of Love Elton John - 19 Damn the Torpedoes Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers - Prince Prince - Tusk Fleetwood Mac - 26 Dragnet The Fall - In the Heat of the Night Pat Benatar - 27 Bomber Motörhead - 29 Greatest Hits Volume 2 ABBA Compilation 30 Journey through the Secret Life of Plants Stevie Wonder - - Bee Gees Greatest Bee Gees Compilation Broken English Marianne Faithfull - Cornerstone Styx - A Curious Feeling Tony Banks - Cut Above the Rest Sweet - Down on the Farm Little Feat - Eat to the Beat Blondie - Flirtin' with Disaster Molly Hatchet - Here Leo Sayer - Hydra Toto - Lovehunter Whitesnake - Magnum II Magnum - Mr. Universe Gillan - Mix-Up Cabaret Voltaire - Specials The Specials - Survivors Samson - Thighs and Whispers Bette Midler - Wet Barbra Streisand - Whatever You Want Status Quo - November Day Album Artist Notes 9 The Soundhouse Tapes Iron Maiden EP 17 Setting Sons The Jam - 19 Joe's Garage, Acts II & III Frank Zappa - Live Rust Neil Young & Crazy Horse Live 23 Metal Box Public Image Ltd. - Platinum Mike Oldfield - 30 The Wall Pink Floyd - - ELO's Greatest Hits Electric Light Orchestra Compilation Machine Gun Etiquette The Damned - Night in the Ruts Aerosmith - One Step Beyond... Madness - December Day Album Artist Notes 14 London Calling The Clash - 15 Sid Sings Sid Vicious - - The Best of Top of the Pops '79 Top of the Poppers - Earthquake Electric Sun - Les Plus Grands Succès De Chic: Chic's Greatest Hits Chic - Quiet Life Japan - Sabotage/Live John Cale Live True Luv' Luv' - 20 Jazz Funk Greats Throbbing Gristle - The Adventures of the Hersham Boys - Sham 69 Another Kind of Blues - UK Subs Are You Ready - Atlanta Rhythm Section The Audience with Betty Carter - Betty Carter Bad Girls - Donna Summer The Beatles Concerto - John Rutter The Best Days of My Life - Johnny Mathis The Best of the Dooleys - The Dooleys Best of the J. Geils Band - The J. Geils Band The Billie Jo Spears Singles Album - Billie Jo Spears Big Fun - Shalamar Birth Comes to Us All - Good Rats Bop till You Drop - Ry Cooder Breaking Loose - Helix Bridges - John Williams Buona domenica - Antonello Venditti Buy - James Chance & the Contortions California - Gianna Nannini Can - Can The Candidate - Steve Harley 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 A Classy Pair Ella Fitzgerald and Count Basie Coming Up for Air - Penetration The Crack - The Ruts Crepes and Drapes - Showaddywaddy Dart Attack - Darts David Essex Album - David Essex Days in Europa - The Skids Deltics - Chris Rea Disco Nights - GQ Digital III at Montreux - Ella Fitzgerald, Count Basie and Joe Pass The Eddie Cochran Singles Album - Eddie Cochran Everyone Can Rock & Roll - Bill Haley & His Comets Facades - Sad Café Feets, Don't Fail Me Now - Herbie Hancock Feel No Fret - Average White Band Fighting Alone - Dixon House Band French Skyline - Earthstar Gamma 1 - Gamma Ghost Riders in the Sky - Slim Whitman Gloryhallastoopid-Parliament Grosses Wasser - Cluster Hair Soundtrack - Various Artists - Soundtrack Half Machine Lip Moves - Chrome Harder ... Faster - April Wine Head Injuries - Midnight Oil I Love to Sing the Songs I Sing - Barry White Identify Yourself - The O'Jays If My Friends Could See Me Now - Linda Clifford Images at Twilight - Saga Imperial Wizard - David Essex In the Skies - Peter Green The Incredible Shrinking Dickies - The Dickies In Danceland - Carrie Lucas Invasion of the Booty Snatchers - Parlet Jardin Au Fou - Hans-Joachim Roedelius The Kenny Rogers Singles Album - Kenny Rogers Last the Whole Night Long - James Last Lena's Music Album - Lena Martell Lenox Avenue Breakdown - Arthur Blythe Live! Go for What You Know - Pat Travers Band Live and Learn - Elkie Brooks Lo Pasado, Pasado - José José Love Tracks - Gloria Gaynor Love Lives Forever - Minnie Riperton Lubbock (On Everything) - Terry Allen Madam Butterfly - Tavares Made It Through the Rain - Gerard Kenny The Magic Is You - Shirley Bassey The Mark II Purple Singles - Deep Purple Marty Robbins Collection - Marty Robbins Masterjam - Rufus Midnight Magic - Commodores Mission Accomplished But the Beat Goes On - The Rezillos Moonlight Madness - Teri DeSario Morning Dance - Spyro Gyra Muddy "Mississippi" Waters - Live - Muddy Waters - Live Music Box - Evelyn King New Dimensions - The Three Degrees New Horizons - Don Williams A Night at Studio 54 - Various artists Night Owl - Gerry Rafferty Not That I'm Biased - Max Boyce On Parole - Motörhead On the Radio - Greatest Hits Volume 1 & 2 - Donna Summer On the Road Again - Roy Wood Orchestral Favorites - Frank Zappa A Perfect Match Ella Fitzgerald and Count Basie Pizzazz - Patrice Rushen Present Tense - Shoes 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 Rise - Herb Alpert Rock It - Chuck Berry Rock 'N' Roll Juvenile - Cliff Richard Rock On - Raydio Runners in the Night - Desmond Child and Rouge The Roches - The Roches Scared to Dance - The Skids Selbstportrait - Hans-Joachim Roedelius Semi-Detached Suburban - Manfred Mann Shooting Stars - Dollar Silent Cries and Mighty Echoes - Eloy Sky - Sky Slim Whitman's 20 Greatest Love Songs - Slim Whitman Sometimes You Win - Dr. Hook Songs of the Seashore - James Galway Songs of Love - Anita Ward Sound on Sound - Bill Nelson's Red Noise Star Trek: The Motion Picture - Jerry Goldsmith - Soundtrack Stations of the Crass - Crass Street Life - The Crusaders Strikes - Blackfoot String of Hits - The Shadows Take Heart - Juice Newton Tales of the Unexpected - Mahogany Rush Teenage Head - Teenage Head Teenage Warning - Angelic Upstarts Thank You Very Much - Reunion Concert at the London Palladium - Cliff Richard and The Shadows This Boot Is Made for Fonk-N - Bootsy's Rubber Band Together Again - The Dubliners 3D - The Three Degrees TRB TWO - Tom Robinson Band The End of the Century Vol. 1 - Triceratops 20 Hottest Hits - Hot Chocolate Uncle Jam Wants You -Funkadelic Underdog - Atlanta Rhythm Section The Unrecorded Jasper Carrott - Jasper Carrott The Very Best of Leo Sayer - Leo Sayer Volcano - Jimmy Buffett Walking on Sunshine - Eddy Grant 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 US number one singles and artist (weeks at number one) UK number one singles and artist (weeks at number one) "Le Freak" - Chic (2 weeks in 1978 + 4 weeks in 1979) "Too Much Heaven" - Bee Gees (2) "Da Ya Think I'm Sexy?" - Rod Stewart (4) "I Will Survive" - Gloria Gaynor (3) "Tragedy" - Bee Gees (2) "What a Fool Believes" - The Doobie Brothers (1) " Knock on Wood" - Amii Stewart (1) "Heart of Glass" - Blondie (1) "Reunited" - Peaches & Herb (4) "Hot Stuff" - Donna Summer (3) "Love You Inside Out" - Bee Gees (1) "Ring My Bell" - Anita Ward (2) "Bad Girls" - Donna Summer (5) "Good Times" - Chic (1) "My Sharona" - The Knack (6) "Sad Eyes" - Robert John (1) "Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough" - Michael Jackson (1) "Rise" - Herb Alpert (2) "Pop Muzik" - M (1) "Heartache Tonight" - The Eagles (1) "Still" - Commodores (1) "No More Tears (Enough is Enough)" - Barbra Streisand & Donna Summer (2) "Babe" - Styx (2) "Escape (The Piña Colada Song)" - Rupert Holmes (2 weeks in 1979 + 1 week in 1980) Also see: Hot 100 No. 1 Hits of 1979 "Y.M.C.A." - Village People (3) best selling single of the year "Hit Me With Your Rhythm Stick" - Ian Dury and The Blockheads (1) " Heart of Glass" - Blondie (4) " Tragedy" - Bee Gees (2) "I Will Survive" - Gloria Gaynor (4) "Bright Eyes" - Art Garfunkel (6) "Sunday Girl" - Blondie (3) "Ring My Bell" - Anita Ward (2) "Are 'Friends' Electric?" - Tubeway Army (4) "I Don't Like Mondays" - The Boomtown Rats (4) "We Don't Talk Anymore" - Cliff Richard (4) "Cars" - Gary Numan (1) "Message in a Bottle" - The Police (3) "Video Killed the Radio Star" - The Buggles (1) "One Day At A Time" - Lena Martell (3) "When You're in Love with a Beautiful Woman" - Dr. Hook (3) "Walking on the Moon" - The Police (1) "Another Brick in the Wall, Part II" - Pink Floyd (3 weeks in 1979 + 2 weeks in 1980) 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 "Babylon's Burning" - The Ruts "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 "Bela Lugosi's Dead" - Bauhaus "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 "Comfortably Numb" - Pink Floyd "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 "Fire" - The Pointer Sisters "Freedom's Prisoner" - Steve Harley "The Gambler" - Kenny Rogers "Gangsters" - The Special AKA "Get Over You" - The Undertones "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 Stranger" - Supertramp "Green Light" - Cliff Richard "Half The Way" - Crystal Gayle "Hallelujah" - Milk and Honey featuring Gali Atari "H.A.P.P.Y. Radio" - Edwin Starr "Harmony In My Head" - Buzzcocks "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 "Hot Shot" - Cliff Richard "(If Loving You Is Wrong) I Don't Want to Be Right" - Barbara Mandrell "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 Said You Had a Beautiful Body Would You Hold It Against Me" - The Bellamy Brothers "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 "In A Rut" - The Ruts "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 "Jumping Someone Else's Train" - The Cure "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 "Lotta Love" - Nicolette Larson "Love Don't Live Here Anymore" - Morrissey-Mullen "Love Drive" - Scorpions "Love's Gotta Hold on Me" - Dollar "Love Song" - The Damned "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 "Music Box Dancer" - Frank Mills "My Forbidden Lover" - Chic "My Girl" - Madness "My Life" - Billy Joel "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 Baby Baby" - Linda Ronstadt "Ooh, Yes I Do" - Luv' "Parisienne Walkways" - Gary Moore "Playground Twist" - Siouxsie and the Banshees "Please Don't Go" - KC & The Sunshine Band "The Prince" - Madness "Promises" - Eric Clapton "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 "Rock With You" - Michael Jackson "Rodrigo's Guitar Concerto" - The Shadows "Roll Over Beethoven (EP)" - Chuck Berry "Roxanne" - The Police "Run Like Hell - Pink Floyd "Sad Eyes" - Robert John "Sail On" - Commodores "Shake Your Body (Down to the Ground)" - The Jacksons "Shake Your Groove Thing" - Peaches & Herb "Shape I'm In" - Jo Jo Zep & The Falcons "Sharing The Night Together" - Dr. Hook "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) "Life During Wartime (song)" - Talking Heads "Take On the World" - Judas Priest "Take The Long Way Home - Supertramp "Talking In Your Sleep" - Crystal Gayle "Tears of a Clown"/"Ranking Full Stop" - The Beat "The Cost of Living (EP)" - The Clash "The Diary of Horace Wimp" - Electric Light Orchestra "The Sound of the Suburbs" - The Members "The Staircase (Mystery)" - Siouxsie and the Banshees "Theme from the Deerhunter (Cavatina)" - The Shadows "This Night Won't Last Forever" - Michael Johnson "Time for Action" - Secret Affair "Time Passages" - Al Stewart "Train, Train" - Blackfoot "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 "When You're Young" - The Jam "Who Were You With in the Moonlight" - Dollar "Wonderful Christmastime" - Paul McCartney "Y.M.C.A" - Village People "You Decorated My Life" - Kenny Rogers "You Needed Me" - Anne Murray (in the UK; hit #1 in the US in 1978) "You Take My Breath Away" - Rex Smith "You're Only Lonely" - J. D. Souther "You've Got My Number (Why Don't You Use It?)" - The Undertones 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 All That Jazz Hair Roller Boogie Skatetown, U.S.A. The Muppet Movie Radio On The Rose 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 Benji Madden Joel Madden Good Charlotte March 14 - Jacques Brautbar (Phantom Planet) March 30 - Norah Jones, American singer-songwriter April 10 - Sophie Ellis-Bextor, British singer April 11 Chris Gaylor (The All-American Rejects) Sebastien Grainger (Death from Above 1979) April 22 - Daniel Johns (Silverchair) April 29 Jo O'Meara (S Club 7) Matt Tong (Bloc Party) May 4 - Lance Bass ('N Sync) June 5 - Pete Wentz, musician and songwriter June 8 - Derek Trucks, guitarist, songwriter June 26 - Ryan Tedder (OneRepublic) 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 Macy Gray, neo-soul singer September 8 - Pink, singer September 22 - Emilie Autumn, violinist, singer and songwriter October 9 - Alex Greenwald (Phantom Planet) October 12 - Jordan Pundik (New Found Glory) October 15 - Jaci Velasquez, Latin pop singer 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, 71 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, 72 April 10 - Nino Rota, composer, 67 April 29 - Julia Perry, composer and conductor June 5 - Jack Haley, Wizard of Oz star, 80 June 29 - Lowell George, singer, songwriter and guitarist, founder of Little Feat, 34 (heart attack) July 3 - Louis Durey, composer, 91 July 6 - Van McCoy, singer, 35 (heart attack) July 12 - Minnie Riperton, singer, 31 (breast cancer) July 14 - Pedro Flores, composer, 85 July 16 - Alfred Deller, countertenor, 67 August 19 - Dorsey Burnette, Rockabilly singer, 46 (heart attack) August 25 - Stan Kenton, bandleader, 67 September 6 - Guy Bolton, English librettist. 94 September 27 - Gracie Fields, actress and singer, 81 October 1 - Roy Harris, composer, 81 October 13 - Rebecca Helferich Clarke, viola player and composer, 93 October 22 - Nadia Boulanger, French composer, conductor, and music teacher, 92 November 11 - Dimitri Tiomkin, film composer and conductor, 85 November 30 - Joyce Grenfell, actress and singer-songwriter, 69 December 30 - Richard Rodgers, composer and songwriter, 77 date unknown - Nansi Richards, harpist Awards Grammy Awards Grammy Awards of 1979 Eurovision Song Contest Eurovision Song Contest 1979 Japan Music Awards Hideki Saijo for "Young Man (Y.M.C.A.)" Japan Record Awards 21st Japan Record Awards Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Music in 1979