The Ultimate 1978 in music - American History Information Guide and Reference

Contents

1 Events

2 Albums released

3 Chronological Table of US and UK Number One Hit Singles

4 Other significant singles

5 Published popular music

Events

January 14 - The Sex Pistols played their final show (until a 1996 reunion) at San Francisco's Winterland
April 22 - The Blues Brothers make their first appearance on Saturday Night Live. The duo of Jake & Elwood Blues (John Belushi and Dan Aykroyd) was introduced by Paul Shaffer (as Don Kirschner ) and performed "Hey Bartender".
April 26 - Ringo Starr's, Ringo, a musical version of The Prince and the Pauper airs on American television. Starr's fellow former Beatle George Harrison provides the narration.
May 6 - The Knack forms
July - The Dead Kennedys form.
August 26 - The first Canada Jam Festival is held in Ontario, featuring sets by the Doobie Brothers, the Commodores, Kansas, Dave Mason and the Atlanta Rhythm Section.
November 27 - Def Leppard's permanent drummer Rick Allen joins the band at the age of 15.

Sony introduces the first portable stereo, which is called the Walkman.
Gary Busey stars in The Buddy Holly Story, which won the Academy Award for Best Music, Original Song Score and Its Adaptation or Best Adaptation Score, and was nominated for Best Actor in a Leading Role (Busey) and Best Sound.
The Beatles spoof, "The Rutles - All You Need Is Cash" airs on television.
The Eagles' 5-star record, "Hotel California" was nominated for a Grammy award
Kenny Rogers continues his highly successful solo career with the single (and album) "The Gambler" and will go on to star in no less than 5 movies based around the song.
Steve Martin performs the original "King Tut" on Saturday Night Live. The song is later released as a single and becomes a hit for the comedian.
In the UK, singles sales are at their all-time high this year, boosted by the simultaneous peak of the disco and punk phenomena and the success of singles from the movie Grease.
The Feelies' musical career starts
Van Halen's musical career begins
The Beastie Boys form
The Pretenders form
Social Distortion form

Albums released

Big Star's The Third Album - Big Star
#1 Record/Radio City - Big Star
Never Say Die - Black Sabbath
Parallel Lines - Blondie
Don't Look Back - Boston
Stage (live album) - David Bowie
Heaven Tonight - Cheap Trick
Génération 78 / Voilà pourquoi je chante / Ça me fait rêver - Dalida
Running on Empty - Jackson Browne
Social Living - Burning Spear
The Kick Inside - Kate Bush
Give 'Em Enough Rope - The Clash
From the Inside - Alice Cooper
This Year's Model - Elvis Costello and the Attractions
Birth Of The Cool - Miles Davis
New Boots And Panties - Ian Dury and the Blockheads
Peter Gabriel II - Peter Gabriel
Along the Red Ledge - Hall & Oates
All Mod Cons - The Jam
The Stranger - Billy Joel
Misfits - The Kinks
Waiting For Columbus - Little Feat
Jesus Of Cool - Nick Lowe
Kaya - Bob Marley and the Wailers
One World - John Martyn
London Town - Paul McCartney & Wings
Once Upon A Time In The West - Ennio Morricone
Grease - Original Soundtrack
Saturday Night Fever - Original Soundtrack
The Modern Dance - Pere Ubu
City To City - Gerry Rafferty
Some Girls - The Rolling Stones
Hemispheres - Rush
Stranger In Town - Bob Seger and the Silver Bullet Band
The Scream - Siouxsie and the Banshees
Darkness On The Edge Of Town - Bruce Springsteen
More Songs About Bulidings And Food - Talking Heads
Talking Heads'77 - Talking Heads
Live And Dangerous - Thin Lizzy
Van Halen - Van Halen
But Seriously Folks - Joe Walsh
Who Are You - The Who
Chairs Missing - Wire
Germ Free Adolescent - X-Ray Spex
The Gambler - Kenny Rogers

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)

"How Deep Is Your Love" - Bee Gees (2 weeks in 1977 + 1 week in 1978)

"Baby Come Back" - Player (3)
"Stayin' Alive" - Bee Gees (4)
"(Love Is) Thicker Than Water" - Andy Gibb (2)
"Night Fever" - Bee Gees (8), best selling single of the year
"If I Can't Have You" - Yvonne Elliman (1)
"With A Little Luck" - Paul McCartney & Wings (2)
"Too Much, Too Little, Too Late" - Johnny Mathis & Deniece Willams (1)
"You're The One That I Want" - John Travolta & Olivia Newton-John (1)
"Shadow Dancing" - Andy Gibb (7)
"Miss You" - Rolling Stones (1)
"Three Times A Lady" - Commodores (2)
"Grease" - Frankie Valli (2)
"Boogie Oogie Oogie" - A Taste of Honey (3)
"Kiss You All Over" - Exile (4)
"Hot Child In The City" - Nick Gilder (1)
"You Needed Me" - Anne Murray (1)
"MacArthur Park" - Donna Summer (3)
"You Don't Bring Me Flowers" - Barbra Streisand & Neil Diamond (2)
"Le Freak" - Chic (2 weeks in 1978 + 4 weeks in 1979)

"Mull Of Kintyre/Girl's School" - Paul McCartney & Wings (5 weeks in 1977 + 4 weeks in 1978)
"Up Town Top Ranking" - Althia & Donna (1)
"Figaro" - Brotherhood of Man (1)
"Take A Chance On Me" - ABBA (3)
"Wuthering Heights" - Kate Bush (4)
"Matchstalk Men And Matchstalk Cats And Dogs" - Brian & MIchael (3)
"Night Fever" - Bee Gees (2)
"Rivers Of Babylon" - Boney M (5) best selling single of the year
"You're The One That I Want" - John Travolta & Olivia Newton-John (9)
"Three Times A Lady" - Commodores (5)
"Dreadlock Holiday" - 10cc (1)
"Summer Nights" - John Travolta & Olivia Newton-John (7)
"Rat Trap" - Boomtown Rats (2)
"Do Ya Think I'm Sexy" - Rod Stewart (1)
"Mary's Boy Child/Oh My Lord" - Boney M (4)

Other significant singles

"Eagle" - ABBA
"Take A Chance On Me" - ABBA
"Isn't It Time" - The Babys
"Never Say Die" - Black Sabbath
"Denis" - Blondie
"Hanging On The Telephone" - Blondie
"(Don't Fear) The Reaper" - Blue Öyster Cult
"Rasputin" - Boney M
"Stay" - Jackson Browne
"Ever Fallen In Love" - The Buzzcocks
"Goodnight Tonight" - Paul McCartney & Wings
"I Don't Mind" - The Buzzcocks
"Love You More" - The Buzzcocks
"Promises" - The Buzzcocks
"What Do I Get?" - The Buzzcocks
"My Best Friend's Girl" - The Cars
"Promises" - Eric Clapton
"Wonderful Tonight" - Eric Clapton
"White Man In Hammersmith Palais" - The Clash
"Many Rivers To Cross" - Jimmy Cliff
"Génération 78" - Dalida & Bruno Guillain
"Quant s'arrêtent les violons" - Dalida
"Ça me fait rêver" - Dalida & Bruno Guillain
"Voilà pourquoi je chante" - Dalida
"Le Lambeth Walk" - Dalida
"Hit Me With Your Rhythm Stick" - Ian Dury and the Blockheads
"Got To Get You Into My Life" - Earth Wind and Fire
"ELO(EP)" - Electric Light Orchestra
"Mr.Blue Sky" - Electric Light Orchestra
"Sweet Talkin'Woman" - Electric Light Orchestra
"Wild West Hero" - Electric Light Orchestra
"Sign Of The Times" - Bryan Ferry
"Rhiannon" - Fleetwood Mac
"Follow You Follow Me" - Genesis
"Nobody's Scared" - Vic Goddard and the Subway Sect
"Instant Replay" - Dan Hartman
"Forever Autumn" - Justin Hayward
"Jilted John" - Jilted John
"Just The Way You Are" - Billy Joel
"Carry On Wayward Son" - Kansas
"I'm Every Woman" - Chaka Khan
"Is This Love?" - Bob Marley and the Wailers
"Dancing In The City" - Marshall Hain
"Two Out Of Three Ain't Bad" - Meatloaf
"You Took The Words Right Out Of My Mouth" - Meatloaf
"Airport" - The Motors
"Native New Yorker" - Odyssey
"Best Of Both Worlds" - Robert Palmer
"Every Kinda People" - Robert Palmer
"Public Image" - Public Image Limited
"Fat Bottomed Girls" - Queen
"She Believes In Me" - Kenny Rogers
"The Gambler" - Kenny Rogers
"Hong Kong Garden" - Siouxsie and the Banshees
"Oh Carol" - Smokie
"Renegade" - Styx
"Psycho Killer" - Talking Heads
"More Than A Woman" - Tavares
"(You Gotta Walk)Don't Look Back" - Peter Tosh
"Only You Can Rock Me" - UFO
"Teenage Kicks" - The Undertones
"Life's Been Good" - Joe Walsh
"Eve Of The War" - Jeff Wayne
"Just The Way You Are" - Barry White
"Who Are You" - The Who
"Lovely Day" - Bill Withers
"I Just Wanna Stop" - Gino Vannelli
"Raining In My Heart" - Leo Sayer

Published popular music

"Another Suitcase In Another Hall" w. Tim Rice m. Andrew Lloyd Webber from the musical Evita
"Dallas theme song" m. Jerrold Immel
"Don't Cry For Me, Argentina" w. Tim Rice m. Andrew Lloyd Webber from the musical Evita
"Grease" w.m. Barry Gibb from the film Grease
"Honesty" w.m. Billy Joel
"Hopelessly Devoted To You" w.m. John Farrar from the film Grease
"My Life" w.m. Billy Joel
"Only The Good Die Young" w.m. Billy Joel
"Sultans Of Swing" w.m. Mark Knopfler
"Thank You For Being a Friend" w.m. Andrew Gold
"Three Times A Lady" w.m. Lionel Richie
"You Don't Bring Me Flowers" w. Alan Bergman, Marilyn Bergman & Neil Diamond m. Neil Diamond

Classical music

Malcolm Arnold - Symphony No. 8
Alexandre Rabinovitch-Barakovsky - Requiem pour une marée noire

Opera

Robert Ashley - Perfect Lives
György Ligeti - Le grand macabre
Aulis Sallinen - The Red Line (Punainen viiva )

Musical theater

Ain't Misbehavin' Broadway revue opened at the Longacre Theatre on May 9 and ran for 1604 performances
The Best Little Whorehouse In Texas opened at the Entermedia Theatre on April 17 and ran for 85 performances. (Moved to Broadway in 1979)
Eubie Broadway revue opened at the Ambassador Theatre on September 20 and ran for 439 performances
Evita (Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice) - London production opened at the Prince Edward Theatre on June 21
Hello Dolly (Jerry Herman) - Broadway revival opened at the Lunt-Fontanne Theatre on March 5 and ran for 152 performances
I'm Getting My Act Together and Taking It On The Road Off-Broadway production opened at the Anspacher Theater on June 14 and ran for 1165 performances
Timbuktu Broadway production opened at the Mark Hellinger Theatre on March 1 and ran for 243 performances
On The Twentieth Century Broadway production opened at the St. James Theatre on February 19 and ran for 460 performances