American Top 40 1979

Whatever you were doing in 1979 and whoever you were doing it with (or to), these are the songs you were doing it to, presented by the host who played the hits from coast to coast , Casey Kasem!

Music News from 1979

First wave of the "New Wave": The Cars and the Talking Heads at the end of 1978 were only the beginning. This alternative new sound known as "Punk" or "New Wave" furthered the evolution of rock by mixing some of the Rockabilly beats with new "techno" sound that would become widespread in Pop hits during the 1980's. Other artists catching the new wave in '79 included Blondie, with their number one hit Heart of Glass, and Joe Jackson, and Nick Lowe from England. New Wave ushered in the second "British Invasion" in rock history during the following decade.

"The answer is: LeFreak by Chic"...Casey Kasem declared one day during his popular radio show American Top 40. What was the question? It was: which song moved in and out of the number one spot the most times? This was Kasem's number one question asked via listener mail (from which he picked a trivia question to answer on his show each week). Many songs, especially during the 70's and early 80's, would move into the number one spot, fall out, then return to number one. LeFreak was the only song to do it twice during its chart run, giving it 3 different turns at the top! It fell out for one week on December 16, 1978 for the Neil Diamond/Barbra Streisand duet You Don't Bring Me Flowers. LeFreak returned to the top for the last 2 weeks of '78, then yielded to the Bee Gees' Too Much Heaven for the first 2 weeks of '79. Then, on January 20, 1979, it pulled the BIG stunt by moving back into the lead position for a third time, spending 3 weeks there. A remarkable feat for one song!

Tragedy in Cincinnati: December 12, 1979 was a sad day for the Rock world as 11 fans were crushed to death before The Who appeared in concert at Riverfront Coliseum in Cincinnati. Fans waited outside the coliseum doors on a frigid December day and rushed inside as the doors opened to be the first to get good seats. Eleven of them met an untimely death in the stampede. The trouble stemmed from the "festival" seating at the arena. Instead of designating the seat number on each ticket, fans came to the venue on a first-come, first-serve basis. This tragic event led to the Cincinnati City Council outlawing festival seating for future concerts. This event became the story line for an episode of the popular TV show "WKRP in Cincinnati" during that season.

Top 40 Hits in 1979: All of the songs that hit the weekly Top 40 pop charts in 1979, according to Billboard Magazine.

[ ]--Original Date of Entry Into Top 40
( )--Peak Position on Chart

Too Much Heaven--Bee Gees [see 1978] (#1)
Le Freak--Chic [see 1978] (#1)
My Life--Billy Joel [see 1978] (#3)
You Don't Bring Me Flowers--Barbra Streisand & Neil Diamond [see 1978] (#1)
I Love The Night Life--Alicia Bridges [see 1978] (#5)
Sharing The Night Together--Dr. Hook [see 1978] (#6)
Y.M.C.A.--Village People [see 1978] (#2)
Hold The Line--Toto [see 1978] (#5)
(Our Love) Don't Throw It All Away--Andy Gibb [see 1978] (#9)
Ooh Baby Baby--Linda Ronstadt [see 1978] (#7)
Promises--Eric Clapton [see 1978] (#9)
How You Gonna See Me Now--Alice Cooper [see 1978] (#12)
A Little More Love--Olivia Newton·John [see 1978] (#3)
We've Got Tonight--Bob Seger [see 1978] (#13)
September--Earth, Wind, & Fire [see 1978] (#8)
Every 1's A Winner--Hot Chocolate [see 1978] (#6)
Lotta Love--Nicolette Larson [see 1978] (#8)
Please Come Home For Christmas--The Eagles [see 1978] (#18)
New York Groove--Ace Frehley [see 1978] (#13)
Fire--Pointer Sisters [see 1978] (#2)
I'm Every Woman--Chaka Khan [see 1978] (#21)
Shake It--Ian Matthews [see 1978] (#13)
I Just Wanna Stop--Gino Vannelli [see 1978] (#4)
I Was Made For Dancing--Leif Garrett [see 1978] (#10)
Bicycle Race / Fat Bottomed Girls--Queen [see 1978] (#24)
Time Passages--Al Stewart [see 1978] (#7)
Do You Think I'm Sexy--Rod Stewart [see 1978] (#1)
Don't Hold Back--Chanson [see 1978] (#21)
Instant Replay--Dan Hartman [see 1978] (#29)
I Will Be In Love With You--Livingston Taylor [see 1978] (#30)
Somewhere In The Night--Barry Manilow [1/6] (#9)
Soul Man--Blues Brothers [1/6] (#14)
A Man I'll Never Be--Boston [see 1978] (#31)
The Gambler--Kenny Rogers [see 1978] (#16)
My Best Friend's Girl--The Cars [see 1978] (#35)
Take Me To The River--Talking Heads [see 1978] (#26)
Don't Cry Out Loud--Melissa Manchester [1/6] (#10)
MacArthur Park--Donna Summer [see 1978] (#1)
Home And Dry--Gerry Rafferty [1/6] (#28)
Got To Be Real--Cheryl Lynn [1/6] (#12)
No Tell Lover--Chicago [1/13] (#14)
Baby I'm Burnin'--Dolly Parton [1/13] (#25)
Shattered--Rolling Stones [1/13] (#31)
Love Don't Live Here Anymore--Rose Royce [1/13] (#32)
Blue Morning, Blue Day--Foreigner [1/20] (#15)
I Will Survive--Gloria Gaynor [1/20] (#1)
One Last Kiss--J. Geils Band [1/20] (#35)
You Took The Words Right Out Of My Mouth--Meatloaf [1/20] (#39)
Heaven Knows--Donna Summer & Brooklyn Dreams [1/20] (#4)
You Need A Woman Tonight--Captain & Tennille [1/27] (#40)
Lady--Little River Band [1/27] (#10)
Dancin' Shoes--Nigel Olsson [1/27] (#18)
Shake Your Groove Thing--Peaches & Herb [1/27] (#5)
Every Time I Think Of You--The Babys [2/3] (#13)
What You Won't Do For Love--Bobby Caldwell [2/3] (#9)
You Thrill Me--Exile [2/3] (#40)
Tragedy--Bee Gees [2/10] (#1)
What A Fool Believes--Doobie Brothers [2/10] (#1)
Haven't Stopped Dancin' Yet--Gonzalez [2/10] (#26)
You Can Do It--Dobie Gray [2/10] (#37)
I Just Fall In Love Again--Anne Murray [2/10] (#12)
Crazy Love--Poco [2/10] (#17)
Forever In Blue Jeans--Neil Diamond [2/17] (#20)
Sultans Of Swing--Dire Straits [2/17] (#4)
Stormy--Santana [2/17] (#32)
Song On The Radio--Al Stewart [2/17] (#29)
You Make Me Feel Mighty Real--Sylvester [2/17] (#36)
Knock On Wood--Amii Stewart [2/24] (#1)
Maybe I'm A Fool--Eddie Money [2/24] (#22)
Stumblin' In--Suzi Quatro & Chris Norman [2/24] (#4)
Big Shot--Billy Joel [3/3] (#14)
I Don't Know If It's Right--Evelyn "Champagne" King [3/3] (#23)
Music Box Dancer--Frank Mills [3/3] (#3)
Every Which Way But Loose--Eddie Rabbitt [3/3] (#30)
Living It Up, Friday Night--Bell & James [3/10] (#15)
I Want Your Love--Chic [3/10] (#7)
Chase--Georgio Moroder [3/10] (#33)
He's The Greatest Dancer--Sister Sledge [3/10] (#9)
Heart Of Glass--Blondie [3/17] (#1)
Precious Love--Bob Welch [3/17] (#19)
Busting Loose (Part 1)--Chuck Brown & The Soul Searchers [3/17] (#34)
Take Me Home--Cher [3/17] (#8)
Dog & Butterfly--Heart [3/17] (#34)
Superman--Herbie Mann [3/17] (#26)
Love Ballad--George Benson [3/24] (#18)
Watch Out For Lucy--Eric Clapton [3/24] (#40)
Rubber Biscuit--Blues Brothers [3/31] (#37)
Blow Away--George Harrison [3/31] (#16)
I Got My Mind Made Up (You Can Get It Girl)--Instant Funk [3/31] (#20)
Shake Your Body (Down To The Ground)--Jacksons [3/31] (#7)
Reunited--Peaches & Herb [3/31] (#1)
In The Navy--Village People [3/31] (#3)
Goodnight Tonight--Wings [3/31] (#5)
Crazy Love--Allman Brothers Band [4/7] (#29)
Love Is The Answer--England Dan & John Ford Coley [4/7] (#10)
Love Takes Time--Orleans [4/7] (#11)
Roxanne--Police [4/7] (#32)
Renegade--Styx [4/7] (#16)
Roller--April Wine [4/14] (#34)
Rock 'N Roll Fantasy--Bad Company [4/14] (#13)
Disco Nights (Rock Freak)--GQ [4/14] (#12)
Happiness--Pointer Sisters [4/14] (#30)
Love You Inside Out--Bee Gees [4/21] (#1)
Sweet Lui-Louise--Ironhorse [4/21] (#36)
Just When I Needed You Most--Randy VanWarmer [4/21] (#4)
Hot Stuff--Donna Summer [4/28] (#1)
Hot Number--Foxy [4/28] (#21)
Don't You Write Her Off--McGuinn, Clark, & Hillman [4/28] (#33)
Logical Song--Supertramp [4/28] (#6)
Such A Woman--Tycoon [4/28] (#26)
Get Used To It--Roger Voudouris [4/28] (#21)
Deeper Than The Night--Olivia Newton·John [5/5] (#11)
Old Time Rock And Roll--Bob Seger [5/5] (#28)
I Who Have Nothing--Sylvester [5/5] (#40)
Honesty--Billy Joel [5/12] (#24)
Chuck E's In Love--Rickie Lee Jones [5/12] (#4)
(If Loving You Is Wrong) I Don't Wanna Be Right--Barbara Mandrell [5/12] (#31)
Makin' It--David Naughton [5/12] (#5)
She Believes In Me--Kenny Rogers [5/12] (#5)
We Are Family--Sister Sledge [5/12] (#2)
You Take My Breath Away--Rex Smith [5/12] (#10)
Ain't Love A Bitch--Rod Stewart [5/12] (#22)
Minute By Minute--Doobie Brothers [5/19] (#14)
Saturday Night, Sunday Morning--Thelma Houston [5/19] (#34)
It Must Be Love--Alton McClain & Destiny [5/19] (#32)
A Little Bit Of Soap--Nigel Olsson [5/19] (#34)
Ring My Bell--Anita Ward [5/26] (#1)
I Want You To Want Me--Cheap Trick [5/26] (#7)
Boogie Wonderland--Earth, Wind, & Fire with the Emotions [5/26] (#6)
Dance The Night Away--Van Halen [5/26] (#15)
When You're In Love With A Beautiful Woman--Dr. Hook [6/2] (#6)
Shine A Little Love--Electric Light Orchestra [6/2] (#8)
Ain't No Stoppin' Us Now--McFadden & Whitehead [6/2] (#13)
Gold--John Stewart [6/2] (#5)
Does Your Mother Know--ABBA [6/9] (#19)
Good Timin'--Beach Boys [6/9] (#40)
Bad Girls--Donna Summer [6/9] (#1)
Shakedown Cruise--Jay Ferguson [6/9] (#31)
I Can't Stand It No More--Peter Frampton [6/9] (#14)
You Can't Change That--Raydio [6/9] (#9)
Do It Or Die--Atlanta Rhythm Section [6/16] (#19)
I Was Made For Lovin' You--Kiss [6/16] (#11)
Don't Ever Wanna Lose You--New England [6/16] (#40)
In The Heart Of The Night--Poco [6/16] (#20)
Days Gone Down--Gerry Rafferty [6/16] (#17)
Mama Can't Buy You Love--Elton John [6/23] (#9)
People Of The Southwind--Kansas [6/23] (#23)
Shadows In The Moonlight--Anne Murray [6/23] (#25)
One Way Or Another--Blondie [6/30] (#24)
Sad Eyes--Robert John [6/30] (#1)
Up On The Roof--James Taylor [6/30] (#28)
Weekend--Wet Willie [6/30] (#29)
Getting Closer--Wings [6/30] (#20)
Good Times--Chic [7/7] (#1)
Is She Really Going Out With Him--Joe Jackson [7/7] (#21)
Married Men--Bette Midler [7/7] (#40)
Lead Me On--Maxine Nightingale [7/7] (#5)
The Main Event / Fight--Barbra Streisand [7/7] (#3)
If I Said You Had A Beautiful Body--Bellamy Brothers [7/14] (#39)
Suspicions--Eddie Rabbitt [7/14] (#13)
The Devil Went Down To Georgia--Charlie Daniels Band [7/21] (#3)
Kiss In The Dark--Pink Lady [7/21] (#37)
My Sharona--The Knack [7/21] (#1)
Let's Go--The Cars [7/28] (#14)
After The Love Has Gone--Earth, Wind, & Fire [7/28] (#2)
Heaven Must Have Sent You--Bonnie Pointer [7/28] (#11)
Morning Dance--Spyro Gyra [7/28] (#24)
I'll Never Love This Way Again--Dionne Warwick [7/28] (#5)
Highway Song--Blackfoot [8/4] (#26)
Born To Be Alive--Patrick Hernandez [8/4] (#16)
Lonesome Loser--Little River Band [8/4] (#6)
Hot Summer Nights--Night [8/4] (#18)
Goodbye Stranger--Supertramp [8/4] (#15)
Don't Bring Me Down--Electric Light Orchestra [8/11] (#4)
I Do Love You--GQ [8/11] (#20)
Different Worlds--Maureen McGovern [8/11] (#18)
Bad Case Of Lovin' You--Robert Palmer [8/11] (#14)
Oh Well--Rockets [8/11] (#30)
Sail On--Commodores [8/18] (#4)
You're Gonna Make Me Love Somebody Else--The Jones Girls [8/18] (#38)
Cruel To Be Kind--Nick Lowe [8/18] (#12)
The Boss--Diana Ross [8/18] (#19)
Driver's Seat--Sniff 'N The Tears [8/18] (#15)
Girl Of My Dreams--Bram Tchaikovsky [8/18] (#37)
Rise--Herb Alpert [8/25] (#1)
Lovin', Touchin', Squeezin'--Journey [8/25] (#16)
Pop Muzik--M [8/25] (#1)
Hold On--Triumph [8/25] (#38)
Saturdaynight--Herman Brood & His Wild Romance [9/1] (#35)
Don't Stop Til You Get Enough--Michael Jackson [9/1] (#1)
Youngblood--Rickie Lee Jones [9/1] (#40)
What'cha Gonna Do With My Love--Stephanie Mills [9/1] (#22)
Spooky--Atlanta Rhythm Section [9/8] (#17)
Where Were You When I Was Falling In Love--Lobo [9/8] (#23)
Get It Right Next Time--Gerry Rafferty [9/8] (#21)
Ain't That A Shame--Cheap Trick [9/15] (#35)
Dependin' On You--Doobie Brothers [9/15] (#25)
Dim All The Lights--Donna Summer [9/15] (#2)
Dirty White Boy--Foreigner [9/22] (#12)
Good Girls Don't--The Knack [9/22] (#11)
Rolene--Moon Martin [9/22] (#30)
You Decorated My Life--Kenny Rogers [9/22] (#7)
I Know A Heartache When I See One--Jennifer Warnes [9/22] (#19)
Arrow Through Me--Wings [9/22] (#29)
Come To Me--France Joli [9/29] (#15)
This Night Won't Last Forever--Michael Johnson [9/29] (#19)
Please Don't Go--K.C. & The Sunshine Band [9/29] (#1)
Midnight Wind--John Stewart [9/29] (#28)
Gotta Serve Somebody--Bob Dylan [10/6] (#24)
Hold On--Ian Gomm [10/6] (#18)
Good Friends--Mary MacGregor [10/6] (#39)
Found A Cure--Ashford & Simpson [10/13] (#36)
Still--Commodores [10/13] (#1)
Tusk--Fleetwood Mac [10/13] (#8)
So Good So Right--Brenda Russell [10/13] (#30)
Heartache Tonight--The Eagles [10/13] (#1)
Fins--Jimmy Buffet [10/20] (#35)
Rainbow Connection--Kermit The Frog [10/20] (#25)
Ships--Barry Manilow [10/20] (#9)
Broken Hearted Me--Anne Murray [10/20] (#12)
You're Only Lonely--J.D. Souther [10/20] (#7)
Babe--Styx [10/20] (#1)
If You Remember Me--Chris Thompson & Night [10/20] (#17)
Enough Is Enough--Barbra Streisand & Donna Summer [10/27] (#1)
Dream Police--Cheap Trick [10/27] (#26)
Street Life--The Crusaders [10/27] (#36)
Victim Of Love--Elton John [10/27] (#31)
Please Don't Leave--Lauren Wood [10/27] (#24)
Dreaming--Blondie [11/3] (#27)
Better Love Next Time--Dr. Hook [11/3] (#12)
Half The Way--Crystal Gayle [11/3] (#15)
Take The Long Way Home--Supertramp [11/3] (#10)
Do That To Me One More Time--Captain & Tennille [11/10] (#1)
I Need A Lover--John Cougar [11/10] (#28)
Ladies' Night--Kool & The Gang [11/10] (#8)
Cool Change--Little River Band [11/10] (#10)
I Want You Tonight--Pablo Cruise [11/10] (#19)
Escape (The Piña Colada Song)--Rupert Holmes [11/10] (#1)
Send One Your Love--Stevie Wonder [11/10] (#4)
Damned If I Do--Alan Parsons Project [11/17] (#27)
We Don't Talk Anymore--Cliff Richard [11/17] (#7)
Confusion--Electric Light Orchestra [11/17] (#37)
Cruisin'--Smokey Robinson [11/17] (#4)
Head Games--Foreigner [11/24] (#14)
Jane--Jefferson Starship [11/24] (#14)
This Is It--Kenny Loggins [11/24] (#11)
Pretty Girls--Melissa Manchester [11/24] (#39)
Rock With You--Michael Jackson [11/24] (#1)
If You Want It--Niteflyte [11/24] (#37)
Wait For Me--Daryl Hall & John Oates [12/1] (#18)
Love Pains--Yvonne Elliman [12/1] (#34)
Coward Of The County--Kenny Rogers [12/1] (#3)
Chiquitita--ABBA [12/8] (#29)
Third Time Lucky (The First Time I Was a Fool)--Foghat [12/8] (#23)
Don't Let Go--Issac Hayes [12/8] (#18)
I Wanna Be Your Lover--Prince [12/8] (#11)
The Long Run--The Eagles [12/8] (#8)
Don't Do Me Like That--Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers [12/8] (#10)
Video Killed The Radio Star--The Buggles [12/15] (#40)
Deja Vu--Dionne Warwick [12/15] (#15)
I Still Have Dreams--Richard Furay [12/15] (#39)
Train, Train--Blackfoot [12/22] (#38)
Sara--Fleetwood Mac [12/22] (#7)
Rotation--Herb Alpert [12/22] (#30)
Yes, I'm Ready--Teri DeSario with K.C. [12/22] (#2)