See also:
Events
- Disco reigned supreme in 1979, with several #1 hits from The Bee Gees and Donna Summer that year. Several artists who were not regarded as dance/disco acts, scored major successes by releasing disco singles, including New Wave band Blondie with their first US number one single "Heart of Glass", Rod Stewart with "Do Ya Think I'm Sexy" and rock band Electric Light Orchestra went disco this year with their UK #1 LP Discovery. Country star Kenny Rogers also issued a disco influenced album, entitled Kenny. Hard Rock band KISS also had a disco hit this year with "I Was Made For Lovin You".
- The backlash against disco among rock loyalists was also peaking. An anti-disco event in Chicago, Illinois ultimately forced the cancellation of a major league baseball game. When The Knack's song "My Sharona" hit Billboard's #1 for six weeks, many rock critics gushed that the band was "the next Beatles" and celebrated the beginning of the end for disco music. While 1979 may have marked the climax of disco, it was also the only popular year for The Knack, who quickly faded into obscurity.
- Kate Bush embarked on her first, and to date, only tour in April. She became the first artist to use a wireless microphone, enabling her to sing and dance at the same time.
Timeline
- January 1
- January 4 - The Star-Club in Hamburg, Germany, best known for its connections to the early days of the Beatles, reopens.
- January 13 - Singer Donny Hathaway dies after falling 15 stories from his hotel room in New York City. According to Hathaway's record company, Atlantic, the singer had been having some psychological problems.
- January 15 - MCA Records purchases ABC Records for a reported $20 million.
- February 3 - Dead Man's Curve, a made-for-TV-movie about surf-rock singers Jan & Dean, airs on US television
- The Strange Case Of Alice Cooper, featuring footage from the Mad House Rock Tour, is filmed.
- February 7 - The Clash kick off their first concert on their first American tour at the Berkeley Community Theatre outside San Francisco, California. Bo Diddley opens the show and the Clash open their set with the song "I'm So Bored with the U.S.A.".
- February 10 - Rod Stewart's "Do Ya Think I'm Sexy" hits #1 on the Billboard magazine charts, and stays there for 4 weeks.
- February 11 - 43 million viewers watch "Elvis!" on ABC, a made for TV movie starring Kurt Russell as Elvis.
- February 15 - Minnie Riperton appears on the Grammys as a presenter with Stephen Bishop. The Bee Gees collect 4 Grammys for Saturday Night Fever.
- February 23 - Dire Straits begin their first U.S. tour in Boston.
- February 24 - Friedrich Cerha's completion of Alban Berg's opera Lulu is premiered at the Opera Garnier in Paris
- March 21 - The Pretenders sign a contract with Sire Records
- March 5 - MCA Records dissolves ABC Records.
- March 10 - James Brown performs at the Grand Ole Opry
- March 27 - Eric Clapton marries Patti Boyd, ex-wife of Clapton's friend George Harrison
- March 31 - The Eurovision Song Contest, the biggest music festival in the world, takes place for the first time in a country outside Europe - Israel. The show is broadcast live from Jerusalem to Europe and few countries in Asia. The big winner of this night is Israel for the second time after its first victory in 1978. The winning song is "Hallelujah" sang by Gali Atari and the backing group Milk and Honey. A few months after winning the song had been translated into more than 82 languages, and broke a new record by entering the Guinness Book of Records as the most translated song in the world.
- April 6 - Rod Stewart marries Alana Hamilton.
- April 7 - 110,000 people attend the California Music Festival at the L.A. Memorial Coliseum. Performers include Aerosmith, The Boomtown Rats, Cheap Trick, Ted Nugent and Van Halen.
- April 12 - Mickey Thomas replaces Marty Balin as the lead singer of Jefferson Starship
- April 13 - During a concert by Van Halen in Spokane, Washington, David Lee Roth collapses from exhaustion.
- April 22 - The New Barbarians and The Rolling Stones perform two concerts in Oshawa, Ontario to benefit the CNIB, as part of Keith Richards' 1978 sentence for heroin possession.
- April 24 - The New Barbarians open their US tour at Ann Arbor, Michigan.
- May 1 - Elton John becomes the first pop music artist to perform in Israel.
- May 2 - The Who perform their first concert following the death of drummer Keith Moon. The band performed with new drummer Kenny Jones.
- May 5 - "Reunited" by Peaches and Herb hits #1 on the Billboard charts, and stays there for 4 weeks.
- June 1 - Alternative Tentacles record label established by Dead Kennedys frontman Jello Biafra
- June 28 - Bill Haley makes his final studio recordings at Muscle Shoals, Alabama. (He dies in 1981.)
- July 7 - The Bee Gees play to a sold-out crowd at Los Angeles' Dodger Stadium as part of their Spirits Having Flown tour.
- July 12
- Minnie Riperton, singer/songwriter best known for her 1975 #1 hit single "Lovin' You" dies of breast cancer in Los Angeles, she was 31.
- "Disco Demolition Night", an anti-disco promotional event for a Chicago rock station involving exploding disco records with a bomb, causes a near-riot between games during a baseball major league doubleheader, forcing the cancellation of the second game.
- July 14 - Donna Summer's "Bad Girls" hits #1 on the Billboard charts, and stays there for five weeks
- August 4 - 11- British rock band Led Zeppelin played what were to be their last British concerts at Knebworth in Hertfordshire. Total attendances for the two concerts approached 400,000.citation needed
- August 25 - "My Sharona" by The Knack hits #1 on the Billboard charts. This is the first time in over a year that a song hits #1 that is not either a disco song or a ballad. It remains at #1 for six weeks.
- September 2 - U2 enters the studio for the first time to record a locally released single.
- September – Patti Smith Group disband.
- October 10 - Joe Perry officially departs Aerosmith.
- November 26 - Bill Haley & His Comets perform at the Royal Drury Lane Theatre in London in a command performance for Queen Elizabeth. This was Haley's final recorded performance of "Rock Around the Clock".
- December 3 - In Cincinnati, Ohio, a stampede for seats at Riverfront Coliseum during a Who concert kills 11 fans (band members were not made aware of the deaths until after the show).
- The Welsh Philharmonia becomes the Orchestra of Welsh National Opera.
- Diamond Head's career begins
- INXS career begins
- Michael Schenker leaves Scorpions during their tour in France and was replaced by Matthias Jabs.
- The Feelies' musical career begins
- Marianne Faithfull returns to music after a hiatus
- Solid Gold premieres on television.
- Bad Brains forms
- Fishbone forms
- Was (Not Was) forms
- Mr & Mrs No Smoking Sign forms in Sydney (later to become Severed Heads)
- The Runaways disband
- Return to Forever disband
- Bachman-Turner Overdrive disbands
Albums released
Biggest hit singles
The following songs achieved the highest chart positions in the charts of 1979.
| # |
Artist |
Title |
Year |
Country |
Chart Entries |
| 1 |
Blondie |
Heart of Glass |
1979 |
 |
UK 1 - Jan 1979, US BB 1 - Mar 1979, Canada 1 - Mar 1979, Austria 1 - Mar 1979, Switzerland 1 - Feb 1979, Germany 1 - Feb 1979, Australia 1 for 5 weeks Jan 1980, Sweden (alt) 3 - Mar 1979, France 3 - Feb 1979, Australia 3 of 1979, Holland 5 - Feb 1979, Norway 5 - Mar 1979, RYM 8 of 1979, US CashBox 11 of 1979, US BB 13 of 1979, POP 13 of 1979, South Africa 15 of 1979, Italy 29 of 1979, Virgin 29, OzNet 30, Scrobulate 46 of 80s, Germany 54 of the 1970s, RIAA 217, Acclaimed 241, Rolling Stone 255 |
| 2 |
Gloria Gaynor |
I Will Survive |
1979 |
|
UK 1 - Feb 1979, US BB 1 - Jan 1979, US BB 1 of 1979, Canada 1 - Mar 1979, Éire 1 - Mar 1979, POP 2 of 1979, Sweden (alt) 3 - Apr 1979, Holland 4 - Mar 1979, Norway 4 - May 1979, Switzerland 7 - Apr 1979, Scrobulate 8 of disco, Germany 9 - Mar 1979, US CashBox 10 of 1979, France 10 - Mar 1979, South Africa 16 of 1979, Austria 17 - May 1979, Party 24 of 1999, Australia 25 of 1979, Italy 38 of 1979, Europe 66 of the 1970s, RYM 67 of 1978, RIAA 89, OzNet 155, Acclaimed 416, Rolling Stone 489 |
| 3 |
M |
Pop Muzik |
1979 |
 |
US BB 1 - Aug 1979, Sweden (alt) 1 - Jun 1979, Switzerland 1 - Jun 1979, Germany 1 - May 1979, Australia 1 for 3 weeks May 1980, UK 2 - Apr 1979, Austria 2 - Jul 1979, Holland 3 - May 1979, France 3 - Nov 1979, Norway 5 - Jun 1979, South Africa 5 of 1979, Canada 8 - Sep 1979, Australia 10 of 1979, US CashBox 15 of 1979, Italy 18 of 1979, US BB 40 of 1979, POP 40 of 1979, RYM 50 of 1979, Germany 59 of the 1970s, OzNet 888, Acclaimed 1691 |
| 4 |
Donna Summer |
Hot Stuff |
1979 |
|
US BB 1 - Apr 1979, Switzerland 1 - May 1979, Australia 1 for 1 weeks May 1980, Canada 2 - Apr 1979, Sweden (alt) 2 - May 1979, Norway 2 - Jun 1979, France 3 - May 1979, Austria 3 - Jun 1979, US BB 4 of 1979, Scrobulate 5 of disco, Germany 6 - May 1979, POP 6 of 1979, UK 11 - May 1979, US CashBox 14 of 1979, Holland 14 - May 1979, Australia 17 of 1979, Italy 24 of 1979, RYM 88 of 1979, Rolling Stone 103, OzNet 124, Party 210 of 1999, Germany 246 of the 1970s, Acclaimed 717 |
| 5 |
Buggles |
Video Killed the Radio Star |
1979 |
|
UK 1 - Sep 1979, Sweden (alt) 1 - Nov 1979, Austria 1 - Jan 1980, Switzerland 1 - Nov 1979, Italy 1 of 1980, Éire 1 - Oct 1979, Australia 1 for 7 weeks Oct 1980, France 2 - Nov 1979, Germany 2 - Jan 1980, Holland 17 - Oct 1979, Australia 18 of 1979, RYM 31 of 1979, US BB 39 of 1979, POP 39 of 1979, US BB 40 - Dec 1979, Scrobulate 81 of 80s, Germany 339 of the 1970s, OzNet 344, Acclaimed 1229 |
Chronological table of US and UK Number One hit singles
Other significant singles
Published popular music
Classical music
Opera
Musical theater
- Ain't Misbehavin' (Music: Fats Waller, Lyrics: Various Book: Murray Horwitz & Richard Maltby, Jr.). London production opened at Her Majesty's Theatre on March 22.
- Evita (Music: Andrew Lloyd Webber, Lyrics and Book: Tim Rice). Broadway production opened at the Broadway Theatre on September 25 and ran for 1567 performances
- The King and I London revival opened at the Palladium on June 12 and ran for 538 performances
- My Old Friends (Music, Lyrics and Book: Mel Mandel and Norman Sachs). Off-Broadway production opened at the Orpheum Theatre on January 12 and transferred to the 22 Steps Theatre on Broadway on April 12 for a total run of 154 performances.
- Oklahoma! (Music: Richard Rodgers, Lyrics and Book: Oscar Hammerstein II) - Broadway revival opened at the Palace Theatre on December 13 and ran for 310 performances
- Peter Pan (Music: Mark Charlap, Lyrics and Book: Carolyn Leigh with additional songs, Music: Jule Styne and Lyrics: Betty Comden & Adolph Green)). Broadway revival opened at the Lunt-Fontanne Theatre on September 6 and ran for 551 performances.
- Saravà (Music: Mitch Leigh, Lyrics and Book: N. Richard Nash). Broadway production opened at the Mark Hellinger Theatre on February 23 and ran for 140 performances
- Sugar Babies Broadway revue opened at the Mark Hellinger Theatre on October 8 and ran for 1208 performances.
- Sweeney Todd (Music and Lyrics: Stephen Sondheim, Book: Hugh Wheeler) - Broadway production opened at the Uris Theatre on March 1 and ran for 557 performances
- They're Playing Our Song (Music: Marvin Hamlisch, Lyrics: Carole Bayer Sager, Book: Neil Simon). Broadway production opened at the Imperial Theatre on February 11 and ran for 1082 performances
- Tommy London production opened at Queen's Theatre on February 6 and ran for 118 performances
- The Venetian Twins (Music: Terence Clarke, Lyrics and Book: Nick Enright). Opened at the Sydney Opera House Drama Theatre on October 26.
- Whoopee (Music: Walter Donaldson, Lyrics: Gus Kahn, Book: William Anthony McGuire). Broadway revival opened at the ANTA Theatre on February 14 and ran for 212 performances.
Musical films
Births
- January 5 - Kathleen Edwards, singer
- January 10 - Kris Kross
- January 16 - Aaliyah Haughton (d. 2001)
- January 20 - Rob Bourdon, Linkin Park, Will Young
- February 11 - Brandy Norwood
- February 21 - Jennifer Love Hewitt
- February 22 - David Ansell
- March 8 - Tom Chaplin, British singer (Keane)
- March 11 - Benji Madden,Joel Madden Good Charlotte
- March 14 - Jacques Brautbar, Phantom Planet
- March 30 - Norah Jones, American singer-songwriter
- April 10 - Sophie Ellis-Bextor, British singer
- April 11
- April 22 - Daniel Johns, Silverchair
- April 29
- May 4 - Lance Bass, 'N Sync
- June 5 - Pete Wentz
- June 8 - Derek Trucks, guitarist, songwriter
- July 5 - Shane Filan, Westlife
- July 25 - Amy Adams, singer
- July 26 - Tamyra Gray, singer
- August 20 - Jamie Cullum
- August 27 - Jon Siebels, Eve 6
- September 3 - Jason McCaslin, Sum 41
- September 6 - Foxy Brown, rapper
- September 8 - Pink
- October 3 - Shannyn Sossamon, actress and musician
- October 9 - Alex Greenwald, Phantom Planet
- October 12 - Jordan Pundik, New Found Glory
- October 15 - Jaci Velasquez
- October 17 - Nick Cannon
- October 24 - Ben Gillies, Silverchair
- November 5 - Nick Giggler, Mest
- November 10 - Chris Joannou, Silverchair
- December 26 - Chris Daughtry
- December 31 - Bob Bryar, My Chemical Romance
Deaths
- January 5 - Charles Mingus
- January 13 - Donny Hathaway, singer
- January 14 - Marjorie Lawrence, soprano
- February 2 - Sid Vicious, punk rocker, 21
- March 22 - Walter Legge, record producer
- April 10 - Nino Rota, composer
- April 29 - Julia A. Perry, composer and conductor
- June 5 - Jack Haley, Wizard of Oz star
- June 29 - Lowell George, singer, songwriter and guitarist. Founder of the band Little Feat.
- July - Pedro Flores, composer
- July 3 - Louis Durey, composer
- July 6 - Van McCoy, singer, 35
- July 12 - Minnie Riperton, singer, 31
- July 16 - Alfred Deller, countertenor
- August 19 - Dorsey Burnette
- August 25 - Stan Kenton, bandleader
- September 6 - Guy Bolton, English librettist
- September 27 - Gracie Fields, actress and singer
- October 1 - Roy Harris, composer
- October 13 - Rebecca Helferich Clarke, viola player and composer
- October 22 - Nadia Boulanger
- November 11 - Dimitri Tiomkin, film composer and conductor
- November 30 - Joyce Grenfell, actress and singer-songwriter
- December 30 - Richard Rodgers, composer and songwriter
- date unknown - Nansi Richards, harpist
Awards
Grammy Awards
Country Music Association Awards
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