1979 in music

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This is a list of notable events in music that took place in the year 1979.

Specific locations[edit]

Specific genres[edit]

Events[edit]

January–February[edit]

March–April[edit]

May–August[edit]

September–December[edit]

Also in 1979[edit]

Bands formed[edit]

See Musical groups established in 1979

Bands disbanded[edit]

See Musical groups disestablished in 1979

Albums released[edit]

January[edit]

Day Album Artist Notes
5 Armed Forces Elvis Costello & The Attractions
15 Lovedrive Scorpions
16 Accept Accept
19 Sleep Dirt Frank Zappa
22 We Are Family Sister Sledge
25 Take Me Home Cher
26 Bustin' Out of L Seven Rick James
Valley of the Dolls Generation X
- Strangers in the Night UFO Live
The Def Leppard E.P. Def Leppard Debut EP
Nervous Breakdown Black Flag Debut EP
Sinful Angel
Head First The Babys
Look Sharp! Joe Jackson [6]
John Denver John Denver
Life for the Taking Eddie Money
Living Without Your Love Dusty Springfield
Madam Butterfly Tavares
New Kind of Feeling Anne Murray
No Mean City Nazareth

February[edit]

Day Album Artist Notes
2 Inflammable Material Stiff Little Fingers
5 Spirits Having Flown Bee Gees
19 Frenzy Split Enz
20 George Harrison George Harrison
23 Live (X Cert) The Stranglers Live[7]
Scared to Dance The Skids
26 The Great Rock 'n' Roll Swindle Sex Pistols Soundtrack
28 Rickie Lee Jones Rickie Lee Jones
N/A Feets, Don't Fail Me Now Herbie Hancock
Breakfast at Sweethearts Cold Chisel
Don't Throw Stones The Sports
Enlightened Rogues The Allman Brothers Band
The Feeding of the 5000 Crass
Force Majeure Tangerine Dream
Hard Times for Lovers Judy Collins
Under Heaven Over Hell Streetheart

March[edit]

Day Album Artist Notes
1 No. 1 in Heaven Sparks
2 It's Alright with Me Patti LaBelle
5 A Million Vacations Max Webster
9 Angel Station Manfred Mann's Earth Band
Even Serpents Shine The Only Ones
Thriller Eddie and the Hot Rods
15 Fate for Breakfast Art Garfunkel
Half Machine Lip Moves Chrome
16 Breakfast in America Supertramp [8]
Manifesto Roxy Music
Bitanga i princeza Bijelo dugme
Live at the Witch Trials The Fall
19 L.A. The Beach Boys
20 Evolution Journey [9]
23 Van Halen II Van Halen
26 Go West Village People
27 You're Never Alone with a Schizophrenic Ian Hunter
30 Just a Game Triumph
Secondhand Daylight Magazine
N/A Overkill Motörhead
Desolation Angels Bad Company
Sheik Yerbouti Frank Zappa
Airwaves Badfinger
Danger Money U.K.
Feel No Fret Average White Band
I Love You So Natalie Cole
Remote Control The Tubes
Rock n' Roll Nights Bachman–Turner Overdrive
Squeezing Out Sparks Graham Parker and The Rumour

April[edit]

Day Album Artist Notes
4 Replicas Tubeway Army
Cool for Cats Squeeze
6 Euroman Cometh Jean-Jacques Burnel
10 I Love to Sing the Songs I Sing Barry White
13 Black Rose: A Rock Legend Thin Lizzy
20 Life in a Day Simple Minds [10]
Gimme Some Neck Ron Wood
Million Mile Reflections The Charlie Daniels Band
My Father's Eyes Amy Grant
Y The Pop Group
23 Bob Dylan at Budokan Bob Dylan Live
Voulez-Vous ABBA
25 Bad Girls Donna Summer
N/A Blue Kentucky Girl Emmylou Harris
It's Alive Ramones Live
Mission Accomplished But the Beat Goes On The Rezillos Live
New Chautauqua Pat Metheny
New England New England
Strikes Blackfoot

May[edit]

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
Shades in Bed The Records
Lodger David Bowie
21 Saxon Saxon
22 Where There's Smoke... Smokey Robinson
23 The Boss Diana Ross
Dynasty Kiss
24 Great Balls of Fire Dolly Parton
30 Where I Should Be Peter Frampton
N/A
The Bells Lou Reed
Flag James Taylor
In the Skies Peter Green
The Undertones The Undertones
Infinite Rider on the Big Dogma Michael Nesmith
Let Me Be Good to You Lou Rawls
Monolith Kansas
Narita Riot Japan
Rhapsodies Rick Wakeman
Rock 'n' Roll High School Various Artists Soundtrack
Shot Through the Heart Jennifer Warnes
Spectral Mornings Steve Hackett
State of Shock Ted Nugent

June[edit]

Day Album Artist Notes
1 Discovery Electric Light Orchestra [11]
This Boot Is Made for Fonk-N Bootsy's Rubber Band
5 I Am Earth, Wind & Fire [12]
Best of The J. Geils Band The J. Geils Band
8 Back to the Egg Wings
The Kids Are Alright The Who Soundtrack
Shades in Bed The Records
Labour of Lust Nick Lowe
Repeat When Necessary Dave Edmunds
11 Get the Knack The Knack
13 Candy-O The Cars
Mingus Joni Mitchell
15 Communiqué Dire Straits
PXR5 Hawkwind
Silent Letter America
Unknown Pleasures Joy Division
19 Mirrors Blue Öyster Cult
22 Live Killers Queen Live
Mick Taylor Mick Taylor
25 Secret Omen Cameo
N/A Spy Carly Simon
Another Taste A Taste of Honey
Armageddon Prism
Door, Door The Boys Next Door
Exposure Robert Fripp
Life and Love Leon Russell
Night Owl Gerry Rafferty
One for the Road Willie Nelson and Leon Russell
Secrets Robert Palmer
No Exit The Angels
Si todo hiciera Crack Crack
Survivors Samson
Touch the Sky Carole King

July[edit]

Day Album Artist Notes
2 Rust Never Sleeps Neil Young and Crazy Horse
6 The B-52's The B-52's
10 Low Budget The Kinks US
13 Screaming Targets Jo Jo Zep & The Falcons
20 Nine Lives REO Speedwagon
27 Highway to Hell AC/DC
Exposed Mike Oldfield Live[13]
John Cougar John Cougar
30 Risqué Chic
N/A Bop till You Drop Ry Cooder
Can Can
Circles & Seasons Pete Seeger
Duty Now for the Future Devo
First Under the Wire Little River Band
Fool Around Rachel Sweet US version
Gamma 1 Gamma
Honest Lullaby Joan Baez
Midnight Magic Commodores
No Promises...No Debts Golden Earring
The Original Disco Man James Brown
Shake Hands with the Devil Kris Kristofferson
New Values Iggy Pop

August[edit]

Day Album Artist Notes
1 String of Hits The Shadows
Volcano Jimmy Buffett
3 Down to Earth Rainbow [14]
Fear of Music Talking Heads
Some Product: Carri on Sex Pistols Sex Pistols Interview collage
10 Ghostown The Radiators
Off the Wall Michael Jackson
13 Chicago 13 Chicago
17 Drums and Wires XTC
Rose Royce IV: Rainbow Connection Rose Royce
Slow Train Coming Bob Dylan
22 In Through the Out Door Led Zeppelin [15]
The Rose Bette Midler Soundtrack to 1979 film
27 In the Heat of the Night Pat Benatar
30 Big Fun Shalamar
N/A 5 J.J. Cale
Born Again Randy Newman
Children of the Sun Billy Thorpe
Into the Music Van Morrison

September[edit]

Day Album Artist Notes
4 Flying Colors Trooper
6 La Diva Aretha Franklin
Ladies' Night Kool & the Gang
7 Join Hands Siouxsie and the Banshees
The Pleasure Principle Gary Numan
Rock 'n' Roll Juvenile Cliff Richard
Cut The Slits
11 Head Games Foreigner
Kost u grlu Riblja Čorba
14 Stormwatch Jethro Tull
17 Joe's Garage Act I Frank Zappa
Unleashed in the East Judas Priest Live
21 Boogie Motel Foghat
Dream Police Cheap Trick
The Raven The Stranglers
Uncle Jam Wants You Funkadelic
24 The Long Run Eagles
26 Three U2 EP
25 Entertainment! Gang of Four
One Voice Barry Manilow
Singles Going Steady Buzzcocks Compilation
Solid State Survivor Yellow Magic Orchestra
27 Recent Songs Leonard Cohen
28 Eat to the Beat Blondie [16]
N/A Top Priority Rory Gallagher
Eve The Alan Parsons Project
154 Wire
Night Rains Janis Ian
A Different Kind of Tension Buzzcocks
The Glow Bonnie Raitt
Kenny Kenny Rogers
Live and Sleazy Village People Double LP; one disc live, one disc studio
Marathon Santana
New Picnic Time Pere Ubu -
Night After Night U.K. Live
Quadrophenia The Who Soundtrack[17]
Oceans of Fantasy Boney M.
Legends of the Lost and Found Harry Chapin Live
Out of a Dream Reba McEntire
Power Play Dragon
Satisfied Rita Coolidge
Street Machine Sammy Hagar
This Heat This Heat

October[edit]

Day Album Artist Notes
1 Return to Base Slade
2 Survival Bob Marley & The Wailers
5 Reggatta de Blanc The Police [18]
I'm the Man Joe Jackson
Partners in Crime Rupert Holmes
8 A Curious Feeling Tony Banks
9 The Fine Art of Surfacing The Boomtown Rats
12 Tusk Fleetwood Mac [19]
Bomber Motörhead [20]
Days in Europa The Skids
Greatest Hits, Vol. 1 Rod Stewart Compilation
15 On the Radio: Greatest Hits Volumes I & II Donna Summer Compilation
16 Fire It Up Rick James
The Message Is Love Barry White
19 Prince Prince
Damn the Torpedoes Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers
One Step Beyond... Madness
The Specials The Specials
22 Prisoner Cher
23 You Know How to Love Me Phyllis Hyman
Mix-Up Cabaret Voltaire
26 Dragnet The Fall
29 Greatest Hits Volume 2 ABBA Compilation
30 Stevie Wonder's Journey Through "The Secret Life of Plants" Stevie Wonder
N/A Victim of Love Elton John
Cornerstone Styx
Bee Gees Greatest Bee Gees Compilation
On Parole Motörhead [21]
Broken English Marianne Faithfull
Cut Above the Rest Sweet
Flirtin' with Disaster Molly Hatchet
Harder ... Faster April Wine
Head Injuries Midnight Oil
Here Leo Sayer
I'll Always Love You Anne Murray
Images at Twilight Saga
Keep the Fire Kenny Loggins
Lovehunter Whitesnake
Magnum II Magnum
Mr. Universe Gillan
Primal Park Mondo Rock
Reality Effect The Tourists
Reproduction The Human League
Rockin' into the Night 38 Special
Thighs and Whispers Bette Midler
Wet Barbra Streisand
Whatever You Want Status Quo

November[edit]

Day Album Artist Notes
1 Freedom at Point Zero Jefferson Starship
2 Machine Gun Etiquette The Damned
6 Pretty Paper Willie Nelson Christmas
9 The Soundhouse Tapes Iron Maiden EP
16 Night in the Ruts Aerosmith
Setting Sons The Jam
Emerson, Lake and Palmer in Concert Emerson, Lake & Palmer [22]
19 Joe's Garage Acts II & III Frank Zappa
Live Rust Neil Young & Crazy Horse Live
23 Live! Coast to Coast Teddy Pendergrass Live
Metal Box Public Image Ltd.
Platinum Mike Oldfield
The Raincoats The Raincoats
28 Gloryhallastoopid Parliament
30 The Wall Pink Floyd
N/A Hydra Toto
Brass Construction 5 Brass Construction
Degüello ZZ Top
Down on the Farm Little Feat
English Garden Bruce Woolley and the Camera Club
ELO's Greatest Hits Electric Light Orchestra Compilation
Get Wet Mental As Anything
Masterjam Rufus
New York–London–Paris–Munich M
No Nukes: The Muse Concerts for a Non-Nuclear Future Various Artists Triple Live LP
Not Like Everybody Else! Jimmy and the Boys
Phoenix Dan Fogelberg
Real to Real Cacophony Simple Minds
The Reels The Reels
Sometimes You Win Dr. Hook
We're the Best of Friends Natalie Cole & Peabo Bryson

December[edit]

Day Album Artist Notes
14 London Calling The Clash
20 Christopher Cross Christopher Cross Warner Bros.
27 Adventures in Utopia Utopia
31 Score Carol Lloyd
N/A 20 Jazz Funk Greats Throbbing Gristle
Sid Sings Sid Vicious
Quiet Life Japan International
September Morn Neil Diamond
Les Plus Grands Succès De Chic: Chic's Greatest Hits Chic
Sabotage/Live John Cale Live

Release date unknown[edit]

Biggest hit singles[edit]

The following songs achieved the highest chart positions in the charts of 1979.[23]

# Artist Title Year Country Chart entries
1 Blondie Heart of Glass 1979 United States 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, Netherlands 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 1978 United States UK 1 – Feb 1979, US BB 1 – Jan 1979, US BB 1 of 1979, Canada 1 – Mar 1979, Republic of Ireland 1 – Mar 1979, POP 2 of 1979, Sweden (alt) 3 – Apr 1979, Netherlands 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 United Kingdom 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, Netherlands 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 United States 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, Netherlands 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 Patrick Hernandez Born to Be Alive 1979 France Sweden (alt) 1 – Jul 1979 (20 weeks), France (SNEP) 1 – Feb 1979 (5 months), France 1 – Mar 1979 (5 weeks), Austria 1 – Apr 1979 (6 weeks), Norway 1 – Jul 1979 (17 weeks), Belgium 1 – Jan 1979 (18 weeks), Germany 1 – Mar 1979 (6 months), Canada RPM 1 for 2 weeks – Aug 1979, New Zealand 1 for 2 weeks – Oct 1979, RIANZ 1 – Sep 1979 (14 weeks), Australia 1 for 5 weeks – Oct 1979, France 1 for 15 weeks – Mar 1979, Germany 1 for 5 weeks – May 1979, France (InfoDisc) 4 of the 1970s (peak 1, 30 weeks, 1,412k sales estimated, 1979), US Gold (certified by RIAA in Nov 1979), Germany Gold (certified by BMieV in 1979), Netherlands 5 – Feb 1979 (18 weeks), Switzerland 5 – Feb 1979 (13 weeks), Australia 5 of 1979, Springbok 6 – Aug 1979 (11 weeks), Italy 7 of 1979, UK 10 – Jun 1979 (14 weeks), POP 11 of 1979, Canada 12 – Jul 1979 (6 weeks), US BB 15 of 1979, US Billboard 16 – Jun 1979 (19 weeks), Record World 19 – 1979, Germany 20 of the 1970s (peak 1 25 weeks), Brazil 32 of 1979, Scrobulate 68 of disco, US Radio 108 of 1979 (peak 16 5 weeks), RYM 200 of 1979, UK Silver (certified by BPI in Sep 1979), Global 7 (10 M sold) – 1979

Chronological list of US and UK number-one hit singles[edit]

US number-one singles and artist
(weeks at No. 1)

UK number-one singles and artist
(weeks at No. 1)

Top 40 Chart hit singles[edit]

Song title Artist(s) Release date(s) US UK Highest chart position Other Chart Performance(s)
"99" Toto December 1979 26 n/a 26 (US) 17 (Canada) - 97 (Australia)
"Accidents Will Happen" Elvis Costello and the Attractions May 1979 101 28 28 (UK) n/a
"After the Love Has Gone" Earth, Wind & Fire July 1979 2 4 2 (US) See chart performance entry
"Ain't No Stoppin' Us Now" McFadden & Whitehead April 1979 13 5 1 (U.S. Billboard Hot R&B) See chart performance entry
"Angel Eyes" Roxy Music August 1979 n/a 4 4 (UK, Belgium) See chart performance entry
"Angeleyes" ABBA July 1979 64 3 37 (US Adult Contemporary [Billboard]) - 76 (US Cashbox Top 100 Singles) n/a
"Baby I'm Burning" Dolly Parton January 1979 25 n/a 1 (Canada Country Singles) See chart performance entry
"Baby It's You" Promises February 1979 n/a n/a 1 (New Zealand) 2 (Australia) - 4 (West Germany) - 12 (Belgium)
"Bad Case of Loving You (Doctor, Doctor)" Robert Palmer July 1979 14 61 1 (Canada) See chart performance entry
"The Ballad of Lucy Jordan" Marianne Faithfull October 1979 n/a 48 2 (Austria) See chart performance entry
"Better Love Next Time" Dr. Hook October 1979 12 8 7 (Ireland) See chart performance entry
"Big Shot" Billy Joel January 1979 14 n/a 13 (Canada) 13 (U.S. Cash Box Top 100) - 36 (New Zealand) - 91 (Australia)
"Boogie Wonderland" Earth, Wind & Fire with the Emotions May 1979 6 4 2 (France, Norway, US Hot Soul Singles) See chart performance entry
"Born to Be Alive" Patrick Hernandez January 1979 16 10 1 (13 Countries) See chart performance entry
"Boys Keep Swinging" David Bowie April 1979 n/a 7 7 (UK) 16 (Netherlands) - 18 (Belgium) - 19 (Ireland) - 51 (Spain) - 85 (Australia)
"Breakfast in America" Supertramp June 1979 62 9 6 (Ireland) See chart performance entry
"Broken Hearted Me" Anne Murray September 1979 12 n/a 15 (Canada) 1 (Canada Country Tracks) - 1 (Canada Adult Contemporary) - 1 (US Hot Country Singles [Billboard]) - 1 (US Adult Contemporary [Billboard])
"Can't Stand Losing You" The Police June 1979 n/a 2 2 (United Kingdom) See chart performance entry
"Casanova" Luv' April 1979 n/a n/a 2 (Austria, Denmark, Europe, Netherlands) See chart performance entry
"Chuck E.'s In Love" Rickie Lee Jones April 1979 4 18 4 (United States) See chart performance entry
"Computer Games" Mi-Sex September 1979 n/a n/a 1 (Australia) 2 (Canada) - 5 (New Zealand) - 16 (Austria) - 44 (Netherlands) - 61 (US Hot Dance Club Songs)
"Cool For Cats" Squeeze March 1979 n/a 2 2 (United Kingdom) 5 (Australia) - 11 (New Zealand) - 33 (Netherlands (Single Top 100)) - 39 (Netherlands (Dutch Top 40))
"Crazy Little Thing Called Love" Queen October 1979 1 2 1 (4 countries) See chart performance entry
"Chiquitita" ABBA January 1979 29 2 1 (5 countries) See chart performance entry
"The Cost of Living" The Clash May 1979 n/a 22 22 (United Kingdom) 24 (Ireland)
"Crazy Love" Poco January 1979 17 n/a 17 (United States) 1 (US Billboard Adult Contemporary) - 7 (US Radio & Records chart) - 15 (Canada RPM Top Singles) - 73 (Australia)
"Cruel to Be Kind" Nick Lowe August 1979 12 12 12 (Australia, United Kingdom, United States) 12 (Canada RPM Top Singles, U.S. Cash Box Top 100) - 34 (New Zealand)
"Dance Away" Roxy Music April 1979 44 2 1 (Ireland) 8 (Netherlands) - 10 (New Zealand) - 12 (Belgium) - 20 (Sweden) - 30 (West Germany) - 75 (Canada) - 92 (Australia)
"Dance the Night Away" Van Halen April 1979 15 n/a 15 (United States) 28 (Canada)
"Dancin' Shoes" Nigel Olsson January 1979 18 n/a 18 (United States) 62 (Australia)
"The Devil Went Down to Georgia" Charlie Daniels Band May 1979 3 14 3 (United States) 1 (Canada Country Tracks, US Billboard Hot Country Songs) - 4 (US Cash Box Top 100) - 5 (Canada) - 13 (New Zealand) - 14 (Australia, Ireland, United Kingdom) - 25 (Netherlands Dutch Top 20) - 30 (US Billboard Adult Contemporary)
"The Diary of Horace Wimp" Electric Light Orchestra July 1979 n/a 8 8 (United Kingdom) 10 (Ireland) - 48 (Australia) - 52 (West Germany)
"Dim All the Lights" Donna Summer August 1979 2 29 2 (United States) See chart entry performance
"Disco Nights (Rock-Freak)" GQ February 1979 12 42 12 (United States) 1 (US Billboard Hot Soul Singles) - 3 (US Billboard Dance Club Songs) - 97 (Australia)
"Do Anything You Want To" Thin Lizzy June 1979 81 14 14 (United Kingdom) 25 (Ireland)
"Do That to Me One More Time" Captain & Tennille October 1979 1 7 1 (Belgium, Netherlands, South Africa, United States) See chart performance entry
"Does Your Mother Know" ABBA April 1979 19 4 1 (Belgium, Europe) See chart performance entry
"Don't Bring Me Down" Electric Light Orchestra August 1979 4 3 1 (Canada) See chart entry performance
"Don't Cry Out Loud" Melissa Manchester January 1979 10 n/a 9 (Canada) 2 (Canada RPM Adult Contemporary) - 9 (US Billboard Adult Contemporary) - 10 (US Cash Box Top 100) - 57 (Australia) [Released in October 1978 and continued charting in 1979]
"Don't Do Me Like That" Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers November 1979 10 n/a 3 (Canada) 7 (U.S. Cash Box Top 100) - 17 (New Zealand)
"Don't Stop Til You Get Enough Michael Jackson July 1979 1 3 1 (8 countries) See chart performance entry
"Dream Police" Cheap Trick September 1979 26 n/a 5 (Australia) 7 (New Zealand) - 9 (Canada) - 37 (Netherlands Dutch Top 40) - 79 (Japan)
"Dreaming" Blondie September 1979 27 2 2 (United Kingdom) See chart entry performance
Driver's Seat" Sniff 'n' the Tears May 1979 15 42 1 (Netherlands [Dutch Top 40]/[Single Top 100] See chart entry performance
"Dschinghis Khan" Dschinghis Khan March 1979 n/a n/a 1 (West Germany) 3 (Norway, Switzerland) - 5 (Finland) - 8 (Austria) - 20 (Belgium)
"Every Day Hurts" Sad Café August 1979 n/a 3 3 (United Kingdom) 78 (Australia)
"Fire" The Pointer Sisters March 1979 2* 34 1 (4 countries) See chart entry performance *1978 in US
"Get Used to It" Roger Voudouris March 1979 22 n/a 4 (Australia) 18 (US Billboard Adult Contemporary) - 22 (US Cash Box Top 100) - 20 (New Zealand) - 45 (Canada)
"Gimme! Gimme! Gimme! (A Man After Midnight)" ABBA October 1979 n/a 3 1 (6 countries) See chart entry performances
"Girls Talk" Dave Edmunds May 1979 65 4 4 (United Kingdom) 9 (Australia) - 11 (Ireland) - 18 (Canada) - 65 (US Cash Box Top 100)
"Go West" Village People June 1979 45 15 12 (Belgium) 13 (Canada) - 14 (US Billboard Dance Club Songs) - 15 (Ireland, United Kingdom) - 29 (Netherlands [Single Top 100]) - 31 (Netherlands [Dutch Top 40)] - 41 (Canada)
"Gold" John Stewart May 1979 5 43 4 (Canada) 5 (Australia) - 6 (US Cash Box Top 100) - 13 (New Zealand) - 42 (US Billboard Adult Contemporary)
"Good Times" Chic June 1979 1 5 1 (Canada, United States) See chart entry performance
"Goodbye Stranger" Supertramp March 1979 15 57 6 (Canada) See chart entry performance
"Goodnight Tonight" Wings June 1979 5 5 1 (Canada) See chart entry
"Half The Way" Crystal Gayle September 1979 15 n/a 1 (Canada) 2 (Canadian Adult Contemporary Tracks) - 2 (US Billboard Hot Country Songs) - 4 (South Africa) - 9 (US Billboard Adult Contemporary) - 56 (Canada)
"Halfway Hotel" Voyager April 1979 n/a 33 33 (United Kingdom) 15 (Australia)
"Hallelujah" Milk and Honey, including Gali Atari April 1979 n/a 5 1 (Finland, Ireland, Israel, Norway, Sweden) See chart performance entry
"He's the Greatest Dancer" Sister Sledge February 1979 9 6 6 (Canada, United Kingdom) See chart performance entry
"Heaven Knows" Donna Summer w/Brooklyn Dreams January 1979 4 34 3 (Canada) See chart performance entry
"Highway to Hell" AC/DC July 1979 47 56 14 (Belgian) See chart performance entry
"Honesty" Billy Joel May 1979 24 n/a 1 (France) See chart performance entry
"I Have a Dream" ABBA December 1979 n/a 2 1 (Austria, Belgium, Netherlands [Dutch Top 40)/[Single Top 100), Switzerland) 2 (Ireland) - 3 (South Africa) - 64 (Australia)
"I Know a Heartache When I See One" Jennifer Warnes June 1979 19 n/a 19 (United States) 10 (U.S. Billboard Hot Country Songs) - 12 (Canada RPM Country) - 14 (U.S. Billboard Adult Contemporary) - 21 (U.S. Cash Box Top 100) - 46 (Canada RPM Top Singles)
"I Just Fall in Love Again" Anne Murray January 1979 12 58 1 (Canada) 1 (Canadian RPM Country Tracks, Canadian RPM Adult Contemporary, U.S. Billboard Hot Country Songs, U.S. Billboard Hot Adult Contemporary Tracks) - 46 (Australia)
"I Want You To Want Me (live)" Cheap Trick April 1979 7 29 1 (Belgium, Japan, Netherlands [Dutch Top 40]) 2 (Canada) - 3 (U.S. Cash Box top 100) - 15 (Austria) - 18 (West Germany) - 23 (New Zealand)
"I Was Made For Lovin' You" Kiss May 1979 11 50 1 (Belgium, Canada, France, Netherlands [Dutch Top 40]/[Single Top 100], New Zealand) See chart performance entry
"I Will Survive" Gloria Gaynor October 1979 1 1 1 (Ireland, United Kingdom, United States) See chart performance entry
"If I Said You Had a Beautiful Body Would You Hold It Against Me" The Bellamy Brothers March 1979 39 3 3 (United Kingdom) 1 (U.S. Billboard Hot Country Songs) - 11 (Netherlands [Dutch Top 40]) - 17 (New Zealand) - 24 (Canadian RPM Country Tracks)
"(If Loving You Is Wrong) I Don't Want to Be Right" Barbara Mandrell February 1979 31 n/a 31 (United States) 1 (U.S. Billboard Hot Country Songs) - 6 (U.S. Billboard Adult Contemporary)
"In the Navy" Village People March 1979 3 n/a 1 (Belgium, Canada, Netherlands [Dutch Top 40]/[Single Top 100]) See chart performance entry
"Is She Really Going Out with Him?" Joe Jackson April 1979 21 13 8 (Ireland) 9 (Canada) - 15 (Australia) - 18 (New Zealand) - 46 (Netherlands [Single Top 100)]
"Lucky Number" Lene Lovich January 1979 n/a 3 2 (Australia) See chart performance entry
"This Is It" Kenny Loggins October 1979 11 n/a 9 (Canada) See chart performance entry
"Tusk" Fleetwood Mac September 1979 8 6 3 (Australia) See chart performance entry
"Video Killed the Radio Star" The Buggles September 1979 40 1 1 (11 countries) See chart performance entry
"We Don't Talk Anymore" Cliff Richard July 1979 7 1 1 (11 countries) See chart performance entry
"Weekend" Earth and Fire November 1979 n/a n/a 1 (7 countries) See chart performance entry
"Who Listens to the Radio" The Sports November 1979 45 n/a 35 (Australia) An original 45 version charted in Australia in November 1978. The Album version charted in the US a year later
"You Decorated My Life" Kenny Rogers September 1979 7 n/a 7 (United Kingdom) See chart performance entry
"You're Only Lonely" J.D. Souther September 1979 7 n/a 7 (United States) 1 (U.S. Billboard Adult Contemporary) - 2 (Canadian RPM Adult Contemporary) - 12 (Canadian RPM Country Tracks) - 17 (Australia) - 18 (Canadian RPM Top Singles) - 60 (U.S. Billboard Hot Country Singles)
"You've Lost That Loving Feeling" Long John Baldry and Kathi McDonald June 1979 89 n/a 2 (Australia) 37 (New Zealand) - 45 (Canada)

Other Chart hit singles[edit]

Notable singles[edit]

Song title Artist(s) Release date(s) Other Chart Performance(s)
"Bela Lugosi's Dead" Bauhaus August 1979 n/a
"Boys Don't Cry" The Cure July 1979 99 (Australia)
"California über alles" Dead Kennedys June 1979 4 (UK Indie Chart)
"Death Disco" Public Image Ltd June 1979 20 (UK Singles Chart)
"Jumping Someone Else's Train" The Cure November 1979 n/a
"Life During Wartime" Talking Heads September 1979 80 (US Billboard Hot 100)
"Mittageisen" Siouxsie and the Banshees September 1979 47 (UK Singles Chart)
"Playground Twist" Siouxsie and the Banshees June 1979 28 (UK Singles Chart)
"Rapper's Delight" The Sugarhill Gang September 1979 (#36 US: first rap song to hit Billboard's Top 40)
"Shivers" The Boys Next Door May 1979 n/a
"The Staircase (Mystery)" Siouxsie and the Banshees March 1979 24 (UK Singles Chart)
"They Don't Know" Kirsty MacColl June 1979 n/a
"Transmission" Joy Division October 1979 n/a
"Typical Girls" / "I Heard It Through the Grapevine" The Slits September 1979 60 (UK singles Chart)

Other Notable singles[edit]

Published popular music[edit]

Classical music[edit]

  • Arno Babadjanian – Third String Quartet
  • Milton Babbitt
    • An Elizabethan Sextette, for six female voices
    • Images, for saxophone and tape
    • Paraphrases, for ten instruments
  • Osvaldas Balakauskas – Symphony No. 2
  • Pascal Bentoiu – Symphony No. 5, Op. 26
  • Luciano BerioScena
  • Harrison Birtwistle... agm ..., for sixteen voices and three instrumental ensembles
  • John Cage
    • Hymns and Variations, for twelve amplified voices
    • Roaratorio for tape
  • 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 DavidovskyPennplay for sixteen players
  • Peter Maxwell Davies
    • Black Pentecost, for mezzo-soprano, baritone, and orchestra, Op. 82
    • Kirkwall Shopping Songs, for young voices and instruments, Op. 85
    • Nocturne, for alto flute solo, Op. 84
    • Quiet Memory of Bob Jennings, for violin, viola, and cello, WoO 135
    • Salome, concert suite from the ballet, Op. 80b
    • Solstice of Light, cantata for tenor, SATB chorus, and organ, Op. 83
  • Morton Feldman
    • String Quartet No. 1
    • Violin and Orchestra
  • Hugh FlynnBirds
  • Philip Glass
  • Alexander Goehr
    • Babylon the Great Is Fallen, cantata, Op. 40
    • Chaconne for organ, Op. 34a
    • Das Gesetz der Quadrille, Op. 41
    • Sinfonia, Op. 42
  • Cristóbal Halffter
    • Officium defunctuorum, for orchestra and chorus
    • Violin Concerto No. 1
  • Jacques Hétu – Bassoon Concerto
  • Vagn Holmboe
    • Violin Concerto No. 2
    • Notater for 3 trombones (alto, tenor, baritone) and tuba
    • Konstateringer for choir
    • Guitar Sonata No. 1
    • Guitar Sonata No. 2
    • Accordion Sonata No. 1
    • Bogtrykkemaskinen for violin and piano
  • Miloslav KabelacMetamorphoses II, for piano and orchestra, Op. 58
  • Wojciech Kilar
    • Fanfare for mixed choir and orchestra
    • Hoary Fog (Siwa mgła), for baritone and orchestra
  • Witold LutosławskiNovelette for orchestra
  • William Lloyd WebberMissa Sanctae Mariae Magdalenae
  • Tomás Marco
    • Aria de la batalla, for organ
    • Tartessos, for four percussionists
  • Richard MealeViridian, for orchestra
  • Paul Moravec
    • Ave Verum Corpus, for SATB chorus
    • Missa Miserere, for SATB chorus and orchestra
    • Pater Noster, for SATB chorus
  • Ștefan NiculescuSincronie for flute, oboe and bassoon
  • Allan Pettersson – Viola Concerto
  • Steve Reich
  • R. Murray Schafer
    • Beauty and the Beast, from Patria 3, for alto with masks and string quartet
    • Felix's Girls, from Patria 3, for SATB quartet or choir
    • Gamelan, from Patria 3, for SATB, SASA, or TBTB solo quartet or choir
    • Hear Me Out from Patria 3, for four speaking voices
    • Music for Wilderness Lake, for twelve trombones and small rural lake
    • Ontario Variations on a theme by Jack Behrens (one variation), for piano, contribution to collective work by Ontario composers
  • Peter Sculthorpe
    • Four Little Pieces, for piano duet
    • Mangrove, for orchestra
    • Requiem, for cello alone
  • Denis SmalleyThe Pulses of Time, electronic music
  • Roger Smalley – String Quartet
  • Michael Tippett – Triple Concerto for violin, viola, and cello
  • Anatol Vieru
    • Concerto for violin, cello, and orchestra
    • Iosif si fratii sai, for eleven instruments and tape
  • Malcolm WilliamsonFanfarade, for orchestra
  • Charles Wuorinen
    • Fortune, for clarinet, violin, cello, and piano
    • Joan's, for flute, clarinet, violin, cello, and piano
    • The Magic Art, instrumental masque, for chamber orchestra
    • Percussion Duo, for mallet instruments and piano
    • Psalm 39, for baritone and guitar
    • String Quartet No. 2
    • Three Songs, for tenor and piano
  • Iannis Xenakis
    • Anémoessa, for SATB chorus of 42 or 84 voices and orchestra
    • Dikhthas, for violin and piano
    • Palimpsest, for cor anglais, bass clarinet, bassoon, horn, percussion, piano, and string quintet

Opera[edit]

Jazz[edit]

Musical theatre[edit]

Musical films[edit]

Births[edit]

Deaths[edit]

Awards[edit]

See also[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ "Simple Minds setlist at The Old Grey Whistle Test". setlist.fm.
  2. ^ "Kate Bush's only tour: pop concert or disappearing act?". The Guardian. May 13, 2010.
  3. ^ a b "Tubeway Army". Official Charts.
  4. ^ "AIR Studio Ruins". Atlas Obscura. June 6, 2018. Retrieved October 13, 2023.
  5. ^ "Gary Numan". Official Charts.
  6. ^ Strong, Martin C. (2000). The Great Rock Discography (5th ed.). Edinburgh: Mojo Books. pp. 485–486. ISBN 1-84195-017-3.
  7. ^ Twomey, Chris (1992). The Stranglers - The Men They Love To Hate. EMI Records Ltd. p. 76.
  8. ^ "BPI certification".
  9. ^ "RIAA certifications".
  10. ^ "News / Singles" (PDF). Music Week. April 14, 1979. pp. 4, 48. Retrieved June 19, 2022.
  11. ^ "BPI certifications for ELO".
  12. ^ "BPI".
  13. ^ "British album certifications - Mike Oldfield - Exposed". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved July 8, 2022.
  14. ^ Popoff, Martin (2016). The Deep Purple Family (2nd ed.). Wymer Publishing. p. 259. ISBN 978-1-908724-42-7.
  15. ^ "RIAA".
  16. ^ "BPI".
  17. ^ "The Great Rock Discography". p. 896.
  18. ^ "BPI".
  19. ^ "BPI certifications".
  20. ^ "Bomber certification".
  21. ^ Strong, Martin Charles (1995). The Great Rock Discography. p. 569. ISBN 9780862415419.
  22. ^ "In Concert".
  23. ^ Songs from the Year 1979
  24. ^ "Maestro's wife to honor him with academy". Mehr News Agency. June 30, 2015. Retrieved October 17, 2019.
  25. ^ Culture, Desk (March 27, 2018). "Happy birthday, Shakib Khan". Daily Sun. Retrieved January 14, 2020.
  26. ^ Bob Macken; Peter Fornatale; Bill Ayres (January 1, 1980). The Rock Music Source Book. Anchor Books. p. 631. ISBN 978-0-385-14139-0.
  27. ^ Tobler, John (1992). NME Rock 'N' Roll Years (1st ed.). London: Reed International Books Ltd. p. 322. CN 5585.
  28. ^ Griffin, Helga M. (1986). "Lawrence, Marjorie Florence (1907–1979)". Australian Dictionary of Biography. Vol. 10. Melbourne, Vic: Melbourne University Press. pp. 14–15. Retrieved June 30, 2009.
  29. ^ Medina, David; Lombardi, Frank (February 1, 2015). "Punk rocker Sid Vicious dies of an overdose in 1979". New York Daily News. nydailynews.com. Retrieved May 6, 2017.
  30. ^ "Alcohol, medication may have led to tenor's suicide". The Calgary Herald. March 7, 1979. p. B18. Retrieved February 6, 2013.
  31. ^ Baker's Biographical Dictionary of Musicians, Seventh Edition, Revised by Nicolas Slonimsky, Schirmer Books, New York, 1984, page 1178
  32. ^ Walter Legge; Alan Sanders (May 21, 1998). Walter Legge: words and music. Duckworth. p. 255. ISBN 978-0-7156-2774-7.
  33. ^ Stanley Sadie (1980). The New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians. Macmillan Publishers. p. 335. ISBN 978-0-333-23111-1.
  34. ^ F. Maurice Speed; Speed (November 1, 1979). Film Review: 1979–1980. Penguin Group (USA) Incorporated. p. 168. ISBN 978-0-8015-2632-9.
  35. ^ allmusic "Angus MacLise"
  36. ^ Greene, David (1986). Greene's Biographical Encyclopedia of Composers. London: Collins. p. 1164. ISBN 978-0-00434-363-1.
  37. ^ Lavezzoli, Peter (2007). The Dawn of Indian Music in the West. London: Continuum. p. 126. ISBN 978-0-82642-819-6.

External links[edit]