1978 in music
This is a list of notable events in music that took place in the year 1978
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| By genre |
| By topic |
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Electric Light Orchestra in 1978
Specific locations
Specific genres
Events
January–April
- January 14 – The Sex Pistols play their final show (until a 1996 reunion) at San Francisco's Winterland Ballroom.
- January 16 – Elton John appears on this week's People (magazine) without his trademark glasses. John will still wear glasses occasionally for the next ten years until wearing them permanently again.
- January 21 – As Saturday Night Fever becomes a cultural phenomenon, the soundtrack hits #1 on the Billboard Charts, where it will stay until July.
- January 23 – Terry Kath, guitarist and founding member of rock band Chicago, dies from an accidental gunshot wound to the head from a gun he thought was unloaded, in Woodland Hills, Los Angeles; he is 32 years old.
- January 25
- Electric Light Orchestra kick off their "Out of the Blue" world tour in Honolulu, Hawaii.
- Bob Dylan makes his directorial debut in the surrealist film Renaldo and Clara, shot during his Rolling Thunder Revue tour.
- January 26 – Workers at EMI's record processing plant in England refuse to press copies of The Buzzcocks's second single "What Do I Get?" because of its flipside, "Oh Shit!". The single is eventually pressed and goes on to become the band's first hit.
- January 28 – By request, Ted Nugent autographs his name into a fan's arm with a bowie knife in Philadelphia.
- February 4 – Elton John appears as the guest star on The Muppet Show.
- February 10 – Van Halen debuts with a self-titled album; Eddie Van Halen introduces a powerful new sound and technique to world, while David Lee Roth is ushered in as the front man.
- March 18 – California Jam II is held at the Ontario Motor Speedway in California. Over 300,000 fans come to see Ted Nugent, Aerosmith, Santana, Dave Mason, Foreigner, Heart and more.
- April 7 - Prince debuts with album For You. It was released by Warner Bros. Records. All tracks were produced, arranged, composed, and performed by Prince.
- April 22
- In the Eurovision Song Contest in Paris, France, victory goes to Israel's entry "A-Ba-Ni-Bi", performed by Izhar Cohen & The Alphabeta.
- The "One Love Peace Concert" is held in Kingston, Jamaica, headlined by Bob Marley, making his first concert appearance since December 1976.
- Steve Martin performs the original "King Tut" on Saturday Night Live; also this night, The Blues Brothers make their first appearance on the show.
May–July
- May 6 – The Knack is formed (first album released in 1979).
- May 13 – Barry Gibb becomes the only songwriter in history to have written 4 consecutive #1 singles on Billboard's Hot 100 Chart.
- May 18 – The Buddy Holly Story, starring Gary Busey, is released. It would win the Academy Award for Best Music, Original Song Score and Its Adaptation or Best Adaptation Score, and earn a nomination for Best Actor in a Leading Role (Busey) and Best Sound.
- May 25 – In a performance used for The Kids Are Alright, The Who play their last show with Keith Moon.
- June 7 - Prince´s debut single Soft and Wet is released by Warner Bros. Records.
- June 10 – The Rolling Stones begin their 25-date US summer tour in Lakeland, Florida.
- June 13 – The Cramps play a free concert for patients at the Napa State Mental Hospital.
- June 16 – The film adaptation of the musical Grease, opens in theaters and is a box office hit.
- June 20 – Grace Slick splits with Jefferson Starship the day after a disastrous concert in Hamburg, Germany, in which a heavily intoxicated Slick verbally abused the crowd and groped various fans and bandmates.
- June 29 – Peter Frampton is nearly killed in a car accident in The Bahamas, suffering multiple broken bones, a concussion, and muscle damage.
- July 1 – The first Texxas Jam is held over the July 4 long weekend at the Cotton Bowl in Dallas. The first day features Ted Nugent, Aerosmith, Frank Marino and Mahogany Rush, Heart, Journey, Head East, Atlanta Rhythm Section, Eddie Money, Van Halen and Walter Egan. Sunday consists of Willie Nelson headlining his sixth annual Fourth of July picnic.
- July 19 – Dead Kennedys play their first concert, at the Mabuhay Gardens in San Francisco, California.
- July 21 – Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band, a much-hyped musical film starring Peter Frampton and the Bee Gees performing the music of The Beatles, opens in theaters. The film is savaged by critics and proves a box office disappointment.
- July 29 – Glenn Goins, one of the lead vocalists for the band Parliament-Funkadelic dies of Hodgkin's lymphoma at age of 24.
- July 30 – Thin Lizzy officially announces that Gary Moore has replaced Brian Robertson on guitar.
August–December
- August 26 – 80,000 concertgoers attend Mosport Speedway in Ontario for the "Canada Jam Festival", featuring sets by the Doobie Brothers, Commodores, Kansas, Village People, Dave Mason, the Atlanta Rhythm Section and Triumph.
- August 28 – 67,000 Funk fans assembled at Soldier Field in Chicago, Illinois to attend the first annual Funk Festival, billed as "One Nation Under A Groove", featuring A Taste of Honey (band), Parlet, Con Funk Shun, the Bar-Kays, and Parliament-Funkadelic.
- September 7 – The Who drummer Keith Moon dies in a central London flat after a prescription drug overdose at the age of 32.
- September 14–16 – The Grateful Dead perform three shows in Giza, Egypt, very close to the Sphinx and Great Pyramid.
- October 12 – Nancy Spungen, the American girlfriend of Sex Pistols bassist Sid Vicious, is found dead in a New York hotel room of a stab wound. Sid is arrested and charged with her murder.
- October 24 – Rolling Stones guitarist Keith Richards pleads guilty to a reduced charge of possessing heroin in Toronto in 1977. The more serious charge of drug trafficking is dropped and Richards is given a one-year suspended sentence as well as ordered to play a charity concert for the blind.[1]
- October 29 – Michael Schenker plays his final show with UFO in Stanford, California before leaving the group to rejoin Scorpions.
- November 21 – French pop star Dalida performed a concert at New York's Carnegie Hall.
- November 25
- A now sober Alice Cooper releases the album From the Inside, which tells of his stay in rehab for alcoholism.
- Aerosmith cuts a concert short after Steven Tyler suffers cuts to his face from a bottle that shatters upon hitting a stage monitor.
- Donna Summer becomes the first female artist of the modern rock era to have the number one single (Mac Arthur Park) and album (Live and More) on Billboard charts simultaneously.
- November 27 – Def Leppard's permanent drummer Rick Allen joins the band at the age of 15.
- December 2 The seventh edition of the OTI Festival, the Latin American spin-off of the Eurovision Song Contest takes place in Santiago, Chile. The winning country is Brazil, represented by Denisse de Kalafe with her song "El amor...Cosa tan rara" (Love...Such a strange thing)
- December 31
- Matthias Jabs joins Scorpions, replacing Uli Jon Roth.
- The seventh annual New Year's Rockin' Eve special airs on ABC, with performances by Barry Manilow, Village People, Chuck Mangione, Tanya Tucker and Rick James.
- CBS airs New Year's Eve with Guy Lombardo for the final time, nearly two years after the band leader's death and ending a 22-year run that began in 1956.
- The Winterland Ballroom venue in San Francisco closes with a New Year's Eve performance by the Grateful Dead, New Riders of the Purple Sage and the Blues Brothers.
- Iron Maiden records a demo, consisting of four songs, at Spaceward Studios in Cambridge which would eventually become The Soundhouse Tapes.
Also in 1978
- 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 five movies based around the song.
- 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.
- Mozambique holds its first National Dance Festival, involving half a million people.
- November – Iron Maiden hires lead singer Paul Di'Anno.
- New Edition formed in 1978 in Massachusetts, USA.
Bands disbanded
- See Category:Musical groups disestablished in 1978
Albums released
January
| Day | Album | Artist | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | White Hot | Angel | |
| 18 | Excitable Boy | Warren Zevon | |
| 19 | Pastiche | The Manhattan Transfer | |
| 20 | City to City | Gerry Rafferty | |
| Infinity | Journey | ||
| White Music | XTC | ||
| 27 | Bootsy? Player of the Year | Bootsy's Rubber Band | |
| Attention Shoppers! | Starz | ||
| Double Live Gonzo! | Ted Nugent | Live | |
| Endless Wire | Gordon Lightfoot | ||
| I'm Ready | Muddy Waters | ||
| Level Headed | Sweet | ||
| The Modern Dance | Pere Ubu | ||
| Open Fire | Ronnie Montrose | ||
| Quarter Moon in a Ten Cent Town | Emmylou Harris | ||
| Street Player | Rufus | ||
| Ten Years of Gold | Kenny Rogers | Compilation | |
| Waylon & Willie | Waylon Jennings and Willie Nelson |
February
| Day | Album | Artist | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 | Earth | Jefferson Starship | |
| 10 | It Begins Again | Dusty Springfield | |
| Stained Class | Judas Priest | ||
| Van Halen | Van Halen | ||
| 11 | Nina Hagen Band | Nina Hagen Band | |
| 17 | Crossing the Red Sea with The Adverts | The Adverts | |
| The Kick Inside | Kate Bush | ||
| 18 | Tell Us the Truth | Sham 69 | |
| 24 | Watch | Manfred Mann's Earth Band | |
| 25 | Casino | Al Di Meola | |
| 27 | Macho Man | Village People | |
| All This and Heaven Too | Andrew Gold | ||
| Animal Games | London | ||
| Bring It Back Alive | Outlaws | Live | |
| British Lions | Mott the Hoople | ||
| Drastic Plastic | Be-Bop Deluxe | ||
| Easter Island | Kris Kristofferson | ||
| Even Now | Barry Manilow | ||
| Frank Marino and Mahogany Rush – Live | Mahogany Rush | Live | |
| Impeckable | Budgie | ||
| It Happened One Bite | Dan Hicks | ||
| Let's Keep It That Way | Anne Murray | ||
| Plastic Letters | Blondie | ||
| Street Action | Bachman–Turner Overdrive | ||
| Street Hassle | Lou Reed | ||
| What Do You Want from Live | The Tubes | Live |
March
April
| Day | Album | Artist | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | Double Platinum | Kiss | Remix |
| 7 | For You | Prince | |
| Hermit of Mink Hollow | Todd Rundgren | ||
| The Last Waltz | The Band | Soundtrack | |
| 8 | Saga | Saga | |
| 9 | Long Live Rock 'n' Roll | Rainbow | |
| 10 | Heavy Horses | Jethro Tull | |
| 13 | Almighty Fire | Aretha Franklin | |
| 14 | Grease: The Original Soundtrack from the Motion Picture | Various Artists | Soundtrack |
| 15 | Mutiny Up My Sleeve | Max Webster | |
| 20 | Come Get It! | Rick James | |
| 21 | Bad Boy | Ringo Starr | |
| 22 | Magazine | Heart | Re-issue with re-recordings |
| 25 | Showdown | The Isley Brothers | |
| Adventure | Television | ||
| Boys in the Trees | Carly Simon | ||
| Cats Under the Stars | Jerry Garcia Band | ||
| FM | Various Artists | Soundtrack | |
| Future Bound | Tavares | ||
| I Would Like to See You Again | Johnny Cash | ||
| A Live Record | Camel | Live | |
| The Only Ones | The Only Ones | ||
| Please Don't Touch | Steve Hackett | ||
| Rainbow Takeaway | Kevin Ayers | ||
| Stardust | Willie Nelson | ||
| V2 | The Vibrators |
May
June
July
| Day | Album | Artist | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Under Wraps | Shaun Cassidy | |
| 12 | Nightwatch | Kenny Loggins | |
| 17 | Cheryl Lynn | Cheryl Lynn | |
| 16 | Heartbreaker | Dolly Parton | |
| 20 | Touchdown | Bob James | |
| 21 | Can't Stand the Rezillos | The Rezillos | |
| More Songs About Buildings and Food | Talking Heads | ||
| 23 | Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band | Various Artists | Soundtrack |
| Alicia Bridges | Alicia Bridges | ||
| Americana | Leon Russell | ||
| Dream of a Child | Burton Cummings | ||
| Hobo with a Grin | Steve Harley | ||
| Love or Something Like It | Kenny Rogers | ||
| Nightflight to Venus | Boney M | ||
| Norma Jean | Norma Jean Wright | ||
| Out of Reach | Can | ||
| We'll Sing in the Sunshine | Helen Reddy |
August
| Day | Album | Artist | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | Don't Look Back | Boston | |
| 7 | Roberta Flack | Roberta Flack | |
| 11 | C'est Chic | Chic | |
| 18 | Who Are You | The Who | |
| 21 | Along the Red Ledge | Hall & Oates | |
| 28 | Are We Not Men? We Are Devo! | Devo | Debut album |
| 31 | Live and More | Donna Summer | Double LP; 3 sides live, 1 side studio |
| All Night Long | Sammy Hagar | Live | |
| Chairs Missing | Wire | ||
| Danger Zone | Player | ||
| Do It All Night | Curtis Mayfield | ||
| Frozen in the Night | Dan Hill | ||
| Is It Still Good To Ya | Ashford & Simpson | ||
| Jass-Ay-Lay-Dee | Ohio Players | ||
| Kingdom of Madness | Magnum | ||
| Luxury You Can Afford | Joe Cocker | ||
| Rose Royce III: Strikes Again! | Rose Royce | ||
| Sir Army Suit | Klaatu | ||
| Tokyo Tapes | Scorpions | Live | |
| Twin Sons of Different Mothers | Dan Fogelberg and Tim Weisberg | ||
| Well Kept Secret | Juice Newton | ||
| White, Hot and Blue | Johnny Winter | ||
| Who Do Ya (Love) | KC and the Sunshine Band | ||
| With Luv' | Luv' |
September
October
November
December
| Day | Album | Artist | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Minute by Minute | The Doobie Brothers | |
| 2 | Directstep | Herbie Hancock | |
| Quiet Riot II | Quiet Riot | Japan | |
| 3 | Back to Earth | Cat Stevens | |
| 4 | D.o.A: The Third and Final Report of Throbbing Gristle | Throbbing Gristle | |
| 8 | Public Image: First Issue | Public Image Ltd | |
| 9 | American Dreams | Jesse Colin Young | |
| 15 | Here, My Dear | Marvin Gaye | |
| 17 | Destiny | The Jacksons | |
| Back to the Bars | Todd Rundgren | Live | |
| Équinoxe | Jean Michel Jarre | ||
| Natural Act | Kris Kristofferson and Rita Coolidge |
Release Date Unknown
Biggest hit singles
The following songs achieved the highest chart positions in the charts of 1978.
| # | Artist | Title | Year | Country | Chart entries |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Bee Gees | Stayin' Alive | 1977 | .svg.png){kind=small}  | US BB 1 – Dec 1977, Canada 1 – Jan 1978, Netherlands 1 – Feb 1978, France 1 – Feb 1978, Italy 1 of 1978, Australia 1 for 7 weeks Jan 1979, US CashBox 2 of 1978, Austria 2 – Apr 1978, Switzerland 2 – Mar 1978, Germany 2 – Mar 1978, Scrobulate 2 of disco, Sweden (alt) 3 – Mar 1978, UK 4 – Feb 1978, Norway 4 – Mar 1978, Australia 4 of 1978, South Africa 4 of 1978, US BB 8 of 1978, POP 8 of 1978, AFI 9, OzNet 9, Party 13 of 2007, RYM 34 of 1977, Europe 36 of the 1970s, 80 in 2FM list, RIAA 94, Acclaimed 98, Germany 100 of the 1970s, Rolling Stone 189 |
| 2 | John Travolta & Olivia Newton-John | You're the One That I Want | 1978 |  | UK 1 – May 1978, US BB 1 – Apr 1978, Canada 1 – Apr 1978, Netherlands 1 – May 1978, Sweden (alt) 1 – Jul 1978, Switzerland 1 – Jul 1978, Norway 1 – Jul 1978, Australia 1 of 1978, Germany 1 – Jun 1978, Republic of Ireland 1 – Jun 1978, Australia 1 for 2 weeks Apr 1979, Austria 2 – Jul 1978, France 5 – May 1978, US CashBox 9 of 1978, Italy 12 of 1978, POP 15 of 1978, US BB 17 of 1978, Germany 17 of the 1970s, South Africa 17 of 1978, TOTP 20, Poland 26 – Jul 1998, Global 33 (5 M sold) – 1978, Europe 72 of the 1970s, RYM 153 of 1978 |
| 3 | Village People | Y.M.C.A. | 1978 | | UK 1 – Nov 1978, Netherlands 1 – Dec 1978, Sweden (alt) 1 – Dec 1978, Austria 1 – Jan 1979, Switzerland 1 – Dec 1978, Germany 1 – Jan 1979, Republic of Ireland 1 – Jan 1979, Australia 1 for 5 weeks Oct 1979, POP 1 of 1979, US BB 2 – Nov 1978, Canada 2 – Dec 1978, Norway 2 – Jan 1979, US BB 3 of 1979, France 3 – Dec 1978, Party 03 of 1999, US CashBox 4 of 1979, Global 7 (10 M sold) – 1978, Australia 15 of 1979, Germany 23 of the 1970s, Scrobulate 38 of disco, Europe 86 of the 1970s, RIAA 86, RYM 95 of 1978, Acclaimed 1662 |
| 4 | Boney M | Rivers of Babylon | 1978 |  | UK 1 – Apr 1978, Netherlands 1 – Apr 1978, Sweden (alt) 1 – May 1978, France 1 – May 1978, Austria 1 – May 1978, Switzerland 1 – Apr 1978, Norway 1 – May 1978, Germany 1 – Apr 1978, Republic of Ireland 1 – May 1978, Australia 1 for 6 weeks Apr 1979, South Africa 1 of 1978, Australia 3 of 1978, Germany 3 of the 1970s, TOTP 8, US BB 30 – Jul 1978, Italy 36 of 1978, RYM 77 of 1978, Global 100 (5 M sold) – 1978, OzNet 867 |
| 5 | Bee Gees | Night Fever | 1978 | | UK 1 – Apr 1978, US BB 1 – Feb 1978, US CashBox 1 of 1978, Canada 1 – Feb 1978, France 1 – Apr 1978, Republic of Ireland 1 – Apr 1978, Norway 2 – May 1978, Germany 2 – May 1978, Netherlands 3 – Apr 1978, Switzerland 3 – May 1978, Austria 4 – Jun 1978, Sweden (alt) 5 – May 1978, US BB 10 of 1978, POP 11 of 1978, South Africa 12 of 1978, Italy 29 of 1978, Scrobulate 39 of 70s, RYM 59 of 1978, Party 77 of 1999, Germany 94 of the 1970s, Europe 96 of the 1970s, OzNet 894, Acclaimed 2046 |
Chronological table of US and UK number one hit singles
Other significant singles
- "A Man I'll Never Be – Boston
- "A-Ba-Ni-Bi" – Izhar Cohen & The Alphabeta
- "Airport" – The Motors
- "Ain't Talkin' 'Bout Love" – Van Halen
- "Alive Again" – Chicago
- "All the Nice Boys and Girls in the World" – Riff Regan
- "Alternative Ulster" – Stiff Little Fingers
- "Ambition" – Subway Sect
- "An Ideal for Living" – Joy Division
- "Another Girl, Another Planet" – The Only Ones
- "Another Night on the Road" – Sherbet
- "Are You Old Enough" – Dragon
- "Art-I-Ficial" – X-Ray Spex
- "B-A-B-Y" – Rachel Sweet
- "Baby Hold On" – Eddie Money
- "Babylon's Burning" – The Ruts
- "Baker Street" – Gerry Rafferty
- "Because the Night" – Patti Smith Group
- "Best of Both Worlds" – Robert Palmer
- "Blame It on the Boogie" – The Jacksons
- "Blue Collar Man (Long Nights)" – Styx
- "Bluer Than Blue" – Michael Johnson
- "Brown Girl in the Ring" – Boney M
- "Ça me fait rêver" – Dalida & Bruno Guillain
- "Ça plane pour moi" – Plastic Bertrand
- "Can We Still Be Friends" – Todd Rundgren
- "Can't Smile Without You" – Barry Manilow
- "Can't Stand Losing You" – The Police
- "Can't Take the Hurt Anymore" – Cliff Richard
- "Chameleon Army" – Pink Lady
- "Charles (EP)" – The Skids
- "Clash City Rockers" – The Clash
- "Coming Home" – Marshall Hain
- "Copacabana (At the Copa)" – Barry Manilow
- "Damaged Goods (EP)" – Gang Of Four
- "Dance with Me" – Peter Brown
- "Dancing In the City" – Marshall Hain
- "David Watts" – The Jam
- "Davy's On the Road Again" – Manfred Mann's Earth Band
- "Deep in the Motherlode" – Genesis
- "Déjà Vu" – Dionne Warwick
- "Denis" – Blondie
- "Detroit 442" – Blondie
- "Don't Cry for Me Argentina" – The Shadows
- "Don't Look Back" – Boston
- "(You Gotta Walk) Don't Look Back" – Peter Tosh
- "Down in the Tube Station at Midnight" – The Jam
- "Driver's Seat" – Sniff 'n' the Tears
- "Dust in the Wind" – Kansas
- "Ebony Eyes" – Bob Welch
- "Eagle" – ABBA
- "Ego" – Elton John
- "Eve of the War" – Alchemist
- "Ever Fallen in Love (With Someone You Shouldn't've)" – Buzzcocks
- "Everybody Dance" – Chic
- "An Everlasting Love" – Andy Gibb
- "Every Kinda People" – Robert Palmer
- "Every 1's a Winner" – Hot Chocolate
- "FM (No Static at All)" – Steely Dan
- "Feels So Good" – Chuck Mangione
- "5–7–0–5" – City Boy
- "Flash Light" –Parliament
- "Floral Dance" – Terry Wogan
- "Fly At Night" – Chilliwack
- "Follow You, Follow Me" – Genesis
- "Fool (If You Think It's Over)" – Chris Rea
- "Forever Autumn" – Justin Hayward
- "The Gambler" – Kenny Rogers
- "Génération 78" – Dalida & Bruno Guillain
- "Germfree Adolescents" – X-Ray Spex
- "Give Me Everything" – Magazine
- "Goodnight Tonight" – Paul McCartney and Wings
- "Got to Get You into My Life" – Earth, Wind & Fire
- "Grease" – Frankie Valli
- "Hammer Horror" – Kate Bush
- "Hanging on the Telephone" – Blondie
- "Heartless" – Heart
- "Here You Come Again" – Dolly Parton
- "Hey Deanie" – Shaun Cassidy
- "Hit Me with Your Rhythm Stick" – Ian Dury & The Blockheads
- "Hold the Line" – Toto
- "Hollywood Nights" – Bob Seger and the Silver Bullet Band
- "Hong Kong Garden" – Siouxsie and the Banshees
- "Hopelessly Devoted to You" – Olivia Newton-John
- "Hot Blooded" – Foreigner
- "Hot Child In The City" - Nick Gilder
- "Hot Legs/I Was Only Joking" – Rod Stewart
- "How Much I Feel" – Ambrosia
- "How You Gonna See Me Now" – Alice Cooper
- "Human Fly" – The Cramps
- "I Don't Mind" – Buzzcocks
- "(I Don't Wanna Go to) Chelsea" – Elvis Costello and the Attractions
- "I Just Wanna Stop" – Gino Vannelli
- "I Love the Nightlife (Disco 'Round)" – Alicia Bridges
- "I Love the Sound of Breaking Glass" – Nick Lowe
- "I Was Made for Dancin'" – Leif Garrett
- "Identity" – X-Ray Spex
- "If the Kids Are United" – Sham 69
- "If You Can't Give Me Love" – Suzi Quatro
- "I'm Every Woman" – Chaka Khan
- "Imaginary Lover" – Atlanta Rhythm Section
- "Instant Replay" – Dan Hartman
- "Is This Love" – Bob Marley & The Wailers
- "I've Had Enough" – Wings
- "Isn't It Time" – The Babys
- "It's a Heartache" – Bonnie Tyler
- "Jilted John" – Jilted John
- "Jocko Homo" – Devo
- "Just the Way You Are" – Billy Joel
- "Just What I Needed" – The Cars
- "Just When I Needed You Most" – Randy Van Warmer
- "Khe Sanh" – Cold Chisel
- "Le Lambeth Walk" – Dalida
- "Last Dance" – Donna Summer
- "Lay Down Sally" – Eric Clapton
- "Life's Been Good" – Joe Walsh
- "Light Up Your Love" – Ronney Abramson
- "A Little Lovin' (Keeps the Doctor Away)" – The Raes
- "A Little More Love" – Olivia Newton-John
- "Lotta Love" – Nicolette Larson
- "Love de Luxe" – The Shadows
- "Love Is Like Oxygen" – Sweet
- "Love Will Find a Way" – Pablo Cruise
- "Love You More" – Buzzcocks
- "Magnet and Steel" – Walter Egan
- "Mamas Don't Let Your Babies Grow Up to Be Cowboys" – Waylon Jennings & Willie Nelson
- "The Man with the Child in His Eyes" – Kate Bush
- "Many Rivers to Cross" – Jimmy Cliff
- "Many Too Many" – Genesis
- "Monster" – Pink Lady
- "More Than a Woman" – Tavares
- "Mr. Blue Sky" – Electric Light Orchestra
- "My Angel Baby" – Toby Beau
- "My Best Friend's Girl" – The Cars
- "My Life" – Billy Joel
- "Native New Yorker" – Odyssey
- "Never Say Die" – Black Sabbath
- "New York Groove" – Ace Frehley
- "Nice 'n' Sleazy" – The Stranglers
- "Nobody's Scared" – Subway Sect
- "Northern Lights" – Renaissance
- "No Time To Be 21" – The Adverts
- "Oh Carol" – Smokie
- "One Nation Under a Groove" – Funkadelic
- "Only You Can Rock Me" – UFO
- "(Our Love) Don't Throw it All Away" – Andy Gibb
- "Paradise by the Dashboard Light" – Meat Loaf
- "Part-Time Love" – Elton John
- "Please Remember Me" – Cliff Richard
- "Promises" – Buzzcocks
- "Promises" – Eric Clapton
- "Prove It All Night" – Bruce Springsteen
- "Public Image" – Public Image Limited
- "Pump It Up" – Elvis Costello and the Attractions
- "Radio Radio" – Elvis Costello and the Attractions
- "Raining in My Heart" – Leo Sayer
- "Rasputin" – Boney M
- "Ready Steady Go" – Generation X
- "Ready to Take a Chance Again" – Barry Manilow
- "Reminiscing" – Little River Band
- "Renegade" – Styx
- "Right Down the Line" – Gerry Rafferty
- "Rivers of Babylon" – Boney M
- "Rising Free (EP)" – Tom Robinson Band
- "Rock Lobster" – The B-52's
- "Roxanne" – The Police
- "Runaway" – Jefferson Starship
- "Runnin' with the Devil" – Van Halen
- "Shame" – Evelyn King
- "She Believes In Me" – Kenny Rogers
- "Shot by Both Sides" – Magazine
- "Sign of the Times" – Bryan Ferry
- "Sing for the Day" – Styx
- "Sometimes When We Touch" – Dan Hill
- "Songbird" – Barbra Streisand
- "Song for Guy – Elton John
- "Southpaw" – Pink Lady
- "Stay" – Jackson Browne
- "Still In Love with You" – Dragon
- "Still the Same" – Bob Seger
- "Straight On" – Heart
- "Stuff Like That" – Quincy Jones
- "Suburban Boy" – Dave Warner's From the Suburbs
- "Substitute" – Clout
- "Sultans of Swing" – Dire Straits
- "Summer Nights" – John Travolta & Olivia Newton-John
- "Summer Night City" – ABBA
- "Sunday Girl" – Blondie
- "Surfin Bird" – The Cramps
- "Suspect Device" – Stiff Little Fingers
- "Sweet, Sweet Smile" – The Carpenters
- "Sweet Talkin' Woman" – Electric Light Orchestra
- "Take a Chance on Me" – ABBA
- "Take Me I'm Yours" – Squeeze
- "Take Me to the River" – Talking Heads
- "Talking In Your Sleep" – Crystal Gayle
- "Teenage Kicks" – The Undertones
- "Thank God It's Friday" – Love & Kisses
- "The Day the World Turned Day-Glo" – X-Ray Spex
- "There's No Way Out of Here" – David Gilmour
- "Think It Over" – Cheryl Ladd
- "Thunder Island" – Jay Ferguson
- "Time Passages" – Al Stewart
- "Too Good to Be True" – Tom Robinson Band
- "Too Much Heaven" – Bee Gees
- "Top of the Pops" – The Rezillos
- "Tommy Gun" – The Clash
- "Toumei Ningen" – Pink Lady
- "Trojan Horse" – Luv'
- "Turn to Stone" – Electric Light Orchestra
- "Twist à Saint-Tropez" – Telex
- "Two Out of Three Ain't Bad" – Meat Loaf
- "Uganda Stomp" – Battered Wives
- "United/Zyklon B Zombie" – Throbbing Gristle
- "Up Against the Wall" – Tom Robinson Band
- "Use ta Be My Girl" – O'Jays
- "Voilà pourquoi je chante" – Dalida
- "Walking In the Rain" – Cheetah
- "Walk Right Back" – Anne Murray
- "Warrior In Woolworth's" – X-Ray Spex
- "Werewolves of London" – Warren Zevon
- "What a Waste" – Ian Dury & The Blockheads
- "What Do I Get?" – Buzzcocks
- "Whenever I Call You Friend" – Kenny Loggins
- "Where Were You?" – The Mekons
- "(White Man) In Hammersmith Palais" – The Clash
- "Who Are You" – The Who
- "Who Does Lisa Like" – Rachel Sweet
- "Wide Open (EP)" – The Skids
- "Wild West Hero" – Electric Light Orchestra
- "Wonderful Tonight" – Eric Clapton
- "Wuthering Heights" – Kate Bush
- "Y.M.C.A." – Village People
- "Yes, He Lives!" – Cliff Richard
- "You Belong to Me" – Carly Simon
- "You're In My Heart (The Final Acclaim)" – Rod Stewart
- "You're the Greatest Lover" – Luv'
- "You Took the Words Right Out of My Mouth" – Meat Loaf
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 introduced by Olivia Newton-John in 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
- "You're the One That I Want" w.m. John Farrar introduced by Olivia Newton-John and John Travolta in the film Grease
Classical music
- John Adams (composer) – Shaker Loops, for string septet
- Malcolm Arnold – Symphony No. 8
- Peter Maxwell Davies – Salome, ballet in two acts
- Jacob Druckman – Viola Concerto
- Henri Dutilleux – Timbres, espace, mouvement
- Arvo Pärt – Spiegel im Spiegel
- Alexandre Rabinovitch-Barakovsky – Requiem pour une marée noire
- Steve Reich – Music for a Large Ensemble
- Iannis Xenakis – Mycènes Alpha
Opera
- Robert Ashley – Perfect Lives
- Lorenzo Ferrero – Rimbaud, ou le fils du soleil
- Vivian Fine – The Women in the Garden
- György Ligeti – Le Grand Macabre
- Krzysztof Penderecki – Paradise Lost (libretto by Christopher Fry)
- Aulis Sallinen – The Red Line (Punainen viiva)
Ballet
- Lorenzo Ferrero – Invito a nozze
Jazz
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. The show moved to Broadway in June 1978, and ran for 1584 performances.
- 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
Musical films
Births
- January 3 – Kimberley Locke, American singer
- January 4 – Mai Meneses, Spanish singer-songwriter and guitarist
- January 5 – Karnail Pitts, American rapper (d. 1999)
- January 9 – A. J. McLean, American singer (Backstreet Boys)
- January 12
- Kris Roe, American rock guitarist and singer (The Ataris)
- Jeremy Camp, American Christian guitarist and singer
- January 17 – Ricky Williams, English singer
- January 20 – Sid Wilson, American rock turntablist (Slipknot, DJ Starscream)
- January 21
- Nokio the N-Tity, American singer-songwriter and producer (Dru Hill)
- Phil Stacey, American singer
- January 23 – E. Kidd Bogart, American music executive, television producer, music publisher and songwriter
- January 31 – Ibolya Oláh, Hungarian singer
- February 1 – Jeff Conrad (Phantom Planet)
- February 12 – Brian Chase (Yeah Yeah Yeahs)
- February 14 – Ryan Griffiths, guitarist (The Vines)
- February 19 – Immortal Technique Underground rapper
- February 22 – Jenny Frost, British singer (Atomic Kitten)
- February 24 – John Nolan, American rock lead singer (Straylight Run)
- February 28 – Jeanne Cherhal, French singer-songwriter
- March 10 – Benjamin Burnley, American musician
- March 12 – Claudio Sanchez, American singer/songwriter (Coheed & Cambria)
- March 19 – Lenka, Australian singer and actress
- March 21 – Kevin Federline, American (Britney Spears, Shar Jackson)
- March 30 – Simon Webbe, English singer (Blue)
- March 31 – Tony Yayo, American rapper
- April 6 – Myleene Klass, English singer (Hear'Say), pianist, media personality and model
- April 7 – Duncan James, English singer (Blue)
- April 9 – Rachel Stevens, English singer, songwriter, actress, television presenter, model and businesswoman (S Club 7)
- April 11 – Thomas Thacker, Canadian singer
- April 12 – Guy Berryman, Scottish rock bass player (Coldplay)
- April 15 – Chris Stapleton, American country musician
- April 16 – Jody Marie Gnant, American singer-songwriter and pianist
- April 21
- Jukka Nevalainen, Finnish drummer (Nightwish)
- Branden Steineckert (The Used, Rancid)
- April 22 – Jason Stollsteimer, American lead singer and guitarist (The Von Bondies)
- May 3 – Paul Banks, American rock vocalist (Interpol)
- May 12 – Wilfred Le Bouthillier, Canadian singer
- May 21 – Adam Gontier, Canadian-born rock musician (Three Days Grace)
- May 22 – Katie Price, English media personality, model, singer, author, and businesswoman.
- May 23 – Scott Raynor, American rock musician (Blink-182)
- May 25 – Adam Gontier, Canadian singer, songwriter and musician (Former member of Three Days Grace and member of Saints Asonia)
- May 29 – Adam Rickitt, British actor, singer and model
- May 30 – Kianna Alarid, American indie rock singer and bass guitarist (Tilly and the Wall)
- June 6
- Carl Barât, English rock singer and guitarist (The Libertines, Dirty Pretty Things)
- Joy Enriquez, American singer and actress
- June 7 – Tony Ahn, South Korean singer
- June 9 – Matthew Bellamy, English musician, singer and songwriter (Muse)
- June 10 – Shane West, American actor, punk rock musician and songwriter
- June 13 – Jason Michael Carroll, American country musician
- June 19 – Mía Maestro, Argentine actress and singer-songwriter
- June 24
- Ariel Pink, American singer-songwriter, musician, producer (Atheif)
- Emppu Vuorinen, Finnish guitarist and songwriter (Nightwish, Brother Firetribe, Altaria and Barilari)
- June 27 – Lolly, English singer
- June 29
- Sam Farrar (Phantom Planet)
- Nicole Scherzinger, American recording artist, television personality and performer (The Pussycat Dolls)
- July 10
- Jesse Lacey, singer/musician, member of Brand New and Taking Back Sunday
- Ray Kay, Norwegian director, music video director and photographer
- July 16 – T. J. Jackson (singer), American singer and member 3T
- July 17
- Panda Bear, American singer-songwriter and keyboard player (Animal Collective and Jane)
- Trevor McNevan, Canadian singer-songwriter (Thousand Foot Krutch and FM Static)
- Émilie Simon, French singer-songwriter
- July 18 – Annie Mac, Irish-born DJ and broadcast presenter
- August 1 – Dhani Harrison, English musician and son of George Harrison of The Beatles
- August 7
- Jamey Jasta, American rock singer (Hatebreed)
- Justin Young (singer, born 1978), American Hawaiian singer-songwriter, musician and significant other of Colbie Caillat
- August 15 – Tim Foreman, American rock bassist (Switchfoot)
- August 18 – Andy Samberg, American actor, comedian, filmmaker and musician, member of The Lonely Island and spouse of Joanna Newsome
- August 22 – James Corden, English actor, writer, producer, comedian, television host and singer
- August 23 – Julian Casablancas, American indie rock singer-songwriter and record producer (The Strokes)
- August 28
- Max Collins (Eve 6)
- Jess Margera, American drummer (CKY)
- August 30 – Maino, rapper
- September 6 – Cisco Adler, American musician
- Foxy Brown (rapper) American-Trinidadian rapper
- September 9 – Johnny Shentall, English singer
- September 11 – Ben Lee, Australian singer
- September 20
- Patrizio Buanne, Italian singer
- Sarit Hadad, Israeli pop singer
- DJ White Shadow, American music producer and DJ (Lady Gaga)
- September 30 – Steve Klein (New Found Glory)
- October 2 – Ayumi Hamasaki, Japanese singer
- October 3 – Jake Shears, American singer
- October 7 – Alison Balsom, English classical trumpeter
- October 9 – Nicky Byrne, Irish singer (Westlife)
- October 14 – Usher, American singer, dancer and actor
- October 20 – Kira, German singer
- October 27 – Vanessa-Mae, British violinist
- November 6 – Taryn Manning, American actress, singer-songwriter and fashion designer (Boomkat)
- November 9 – Sisqó, American singer
- November 10 – Eve, American rapper
- November 11 – Aaron Bruno, American singer, songwriter, musician and multi-instrumentalist (Awolnation, Under the Influence of Giants, Home Town Hero)
- November 13 – Nikolai Fraiture, American rock bassist (The Strokes)
- November 16 – Carolina Parra (Cansei de Ser Sexy)
- November 18 – Andris Nelsons, Latvian conductor
- November 22 – Karen O, South Korean-born American singer, songwriter, musician and record producer (Yeah Yeah Yeahs)
- November 23 – Alison Mosshart, American singer, songwriter and artist, lead vocalist of The Kills and The Dead Weather
- November 25 – Shiina Ringo, Japanese singer and musician
- November 30
- Clay Aiken, American singer
- Gael García Bernal, Mexican film actor, director, singer, musician, model and producer
- December 1 – Brad Delson, American alternative rock guitarist (Linkin Park)
- December 2
- Nelly Furtado, Canadian/Portuguese singer, songwriter, record producer, instrumentalist
- Chris Wolstenholme, English alternative rock bass guitarist ((Muse))
- December 9, – Jesse Metcalfe, American singer and actor
- December 13 – laza Morgan, Jamaican-American singer and rapper
- December 15
- Ned Brower, American rock drummer (Rooney)
- Mark Jansen, Dutch guitarist, vocalist and songwriter (After Forever, Epica, MaYaN)
- December 21
- Maya Jupiter, Mexican/Turkish Australian rapper, songwriter, MC and radio personality
- Shaun Morgan, South African singer, songwriter, musician, guitarist (Seether)
- December 23 – Esthero, Canadian singer-songwriter
- December 24 – Tonedeff, American rapper
- December 28
- John Legend, American singer-songwriter, actor, musician and actor
- Phonte, American rapper
- December 29
- Steve Kemp, British musician (Hard-Fi)
- LaToya London, American R&B and soul singer
Deaths
- January 3 – Jack Oakie, 74, actor in many musical films of the 1940s
- January 23
- Terry Kath, 31, Chicago guitarist and vocalist (unintentional self-inflicted gunshot )
- Vic Ames, 52, Ames Brothers
- January 31 – Gregory Herbert, Blood, Sweat & Tears saxophonist
- February 7 – Dimitrie Cuclin, 82, composer and musicologist
- March 4 – Joe Marsala, 71, clarinetist and songwriter
- March 11 – Claude François, 39, singer-songwriter (electrocuted)
- March 17 – Malvina Reynolds, 77, US folk/blues singer-songwriter
- March 18 – Peggy Wood, 86, actress and singer
- March 21 – Louis Cottrell, Jr., 67, saxophonist and clarinet player (b. 1911)
- April 3 – Ray Noble, 74, composer and bandleader
- April 21 – Sandy Denny, 31, folk singer (Fairport Convention) (cerebral haemorrhage)
- May 1 – Aram Khachaturian, 74, composer
- May 5 – Ján Móry, 85, Slovak composer
- May 26 – Tamara Karsavina, 93, ballerina
- July 14 – Maria Grinberg, 69, pianist
- July 29 – Glenn Goins, 24, Parliament Funkadelic guitarist and singer (Hodgkin's lymphoma)
- August 1 – Rudolf Kolisch, 82, Viennese and American violinist and quartet leader
- August 14 – Joe Venuti, 74, US jazz violinist
- August 24 – Louis Prima, 67, jazz musician
- September 6 – Tom Wilson, 47, producer
- September 7 – Keith Moon, 32, drummer of The Who (drug overdose)
- September 24 – Ruth Etting, 80, US "torch" singer
- October 6 – Johnny O'Keefe, 43, Australian Singer
- October 9 – Jacques Brel, 49, singer-songwriter
- October 12 – Nancy Spungen, 20, girlfriend of Sid Vicious
- October 23 – Maybelle Carter née Addington, 69, US country singer and musician, member of the Carter Family
- November 12 – Howard Swanson, 71, composer
- November 18 – Lennie Tristano, 59, jazz pianist
- December 3 – William Grant Still, 83, composer
- December 27 – Chris Bell, 27, singer-songwriter (auto accident)
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References
- Flippo, Chet (November 30, 1978). "Keith Richards Guilty – But Free". Rolling Stone. Retrieved November 14, 2013.
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