List of UK top-ten singles in 1979
Art Garfunkel (pictured in 2017) had the best-selling single of 1979 with "Bright Eyes ", which spent six weeks at number-one.
Blondie secured three top 10 singles this year, including two number-ones: "Heart of Glass " and "Sunday Girl ".
Cliff Richard achieved his tenth UK number-one single in August 1979 with "We Don't Talk Anymore ", which became the third best selling single of the year.
The UK Singles Chart is one of many music charts compiled by the Official Charts Company that calculates the best-selling singles of the week in the United Kingdom.[ 1] Before 2004, the chart was only based on the sales of physical singles.[ 2] [ 3] This list shows singles that peaked in the Top 10 of the UK Singles Chart during 1979 , as well as singles which peaked in 1978 and 1980 but were in the top 10 in 1979. The entry date is when the single appeared in the top 10 for the first time (week ending, as published by the Official Charts Company, which is six days after the chart is announced).
One-hundred and forty-one singles were in the top ten in 1979. Nine singles from 1978 remained in the top 10 for several weeks at the beginning of the year, while "Day Trip to Bangor (Didn't We Have a Lovely Time) " by Fiddler's Dram , "Wonderful Christmastime " by Paul McCartney and "Brass in Pocket " by The Pretenders were all released in 1979 but did not reach their peak until 1980. "Song for Guy " by Elton John , "Lay Your Love on Me " by Racey and "Y.M.C.A. " by The Village People were the singles from 1978 to reach their peak in 1979. Thirty-two artists scored multiple entries in the top 10 in 1979. Dire Straits , The Jam , Madness , The Police and The Specials were among the many artists who achieved their first UK charting top 10 single in 1979.
The 1978 Christmas number-one , "Mary's Boy Child – Oh My Lord " by Boney M. , remained at number-one for the first two weeks of 1979. The first new number-one single of the year was "YMCA " by The Village People . Overall, eighteen different singles peaked at number-one in 1979, with Blondie , Gary Numan and The Police (2) having the joint most singles hit that position.
Background
Multiple entries
One-hundred and forty-one singles charted in the top 10 in 1979, with one-hundred and thirty-one singles reaching their peak this year.
Thirty-two artists scored multiple entries in the top 10 in 1979. ABBA secured the record for most top 10 hits in 1979 with five hit singles.
Gary Numan was one of a number of artists with two top-ten entries, including the number-one single "Cars ". Barbra Streisand , Edwin Starr , Ian Dury and the Blockheads , Paul McCartney and The Specials were among the other artists who had multiple top 10 entries in 1979.
Chart debuts
Fifty-three artists achieved their first top 10 single in 1979, either as a lead or featured artist. Of these, eight went on to record another hit single that year: Amii Stewart , B. A. Robertson , Gary Numan , Gibson Brothers , Sister Sledge , The Specials , Squeeze and Supertramp . Earth, Wind and Fire and The Police both had two other entries in their breakthrough year.
The following table (collapsed on desktop site) does not include acts who had previously charted as part of a group and secured their first top 10 solo single.
Songs from films
Original songs from various films entered the top 10 throughout the year. These included "Bright Eyes " (from Watership Down ) and "Theme From "The Deer Hunter" (Cavatina) " (The Deer Hunter ).
Best-selling singles
Art Garfunkel had the best-selling single of the year with "Bright Eyes ". The single spent nine weeks in the top 10 (including six weeks at number one) and was certified platinum by the BPI . "Heart of Glass " by Blondie came in second place. Cliff Richard 's "We Don't Talk Anymore ", "I Don't Like Mondays " from The Boomtown Rats and "When You're in Love with a Beautiful Woman " by Dr. Hook made up the top five. Singles by Gloria Gaynor , Tubeway Army , Roxy Music , Blondie ("Sunday Girl ") and Lena Martell were also in the top ten best-selling singles of the year.
Top-ten singles
Key
Symbol
Meaning
‡
Single peaked in 1978 but still in chart in 1979.
♦
Single released in 1979 but peaked in 1980.
(#)
Year-end top-ten single position and rank
Entered
The date that the single first appeared in the chart.
Peak
Highest position that the single reached in the UK Singles Chart.
Entries by artist
Gary Numan (pictured in 2011) achieved three UK top 10 singles this year, two of which reached number-one. As the frontman of Tubeway Army , he spent four weeks at the top spot in June and July with "Are "Friends" Electric? ", while he topped the chart on his own in September with "Cars ".
Elvis Costello (pictured in 2021) secured his highest-charting UK single in 1979 with "Oliver's Army ", featuring his band The Attractions , which spent three weeks at number two in March.
American-born singer Lene Lovich achieved her only UK top 10 hit this year with "Lucky Number ", which spent five weeks in the top 10, peaking at number three.
The following table shows artists who achieved two or more top 10 entries in 1979, including singles that reached their peak in 1978 or 1980. The figures include both main artists and featured artists, while appearances on ensemble charity records are also counted for each artist. The total number of weeks an artist spent in the top ten in 1979 is also shown.
Entries
Artist
Weeks
Singles
5
ABBA
21
"Angeleyes "/"Voulez-Vous ", "Chiquitita ", "Does Your Mother Know ", "Gimme! Gimme! Gimme! (A Man After Midnight) ", "I Have a Dream "
4
Electric Light Orchestra
11
"Confusion "/"Last Train to London ", "Don't Bring Me Down ", "Shine a Little Love ", "The Diary of Horace Wimp "
3
Blondie
20
"Dreaming ", "Heart of Glass ", "Sunday Girl "
Boney M. [H]
7
"Hooray! Hooray! It's a Holi-Holiday ", "Mary's Boy Child - Oh My Lord ", "Painter Man "
Chic [H]
10
"Good Times ", "I Want Your Love ", "Le Freak "
Earth, Wind & Fire
16
"After the Love Has Gone ", "Boogie Wonderland ", "September "
Gary Numan
16
"Are "Friends" Electric? ", "Cars ", "Complex "
Michael Jackson [I]
10
"Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough ", "Off the Wall ", "Shake Your Body (Down to the Ground) "
The Police
14
"Can't Stand Losing You ", "Message in a Bottle ", "Walking on the Moon "
Sex Pistols
11
"C'mon Everybody ", "Silly Thing ", "Somethin' Else "/"Friggin' in the Riggin' "
The Three Degrees
12
"My Simple Heart", "The Runner", "Woman in Love "
2
Amii Stewart
6
"Knock on Wood ", "Light My Fire/137 Disco Heaven "
BA Robertson
7
"Bang Bang ", "Knocked It Off "
Barbra Streisand [H]
6
"No More Tears (Enough is Enough) ", "You Don't Bring Me Flowers "
Bee Gees [H]
8
"Too Much Heaven ", "Tragedy "
The Blockheads
11
"Hit Me With Your Rhythm Stick ", "Reasons to Be Cheerful, Part 3 "
The Commodores
5
"Sail On ", "Still "
Darts
4
"Duke of Earl ", "Get It"
The Dooleys
8
"The Chosen Few", "Wanted "
Edwin Starr
7
"Contact ", "H.A.P.P.Y. Radio "
Gary Moore [J]
3
"Parisienne Walkways ", "Waiting for an Alibi "
Gibson Brothers
5
"Ooh, What a Life ", "Que Sera Mi Vida (If You Should Go) "
Ian Dury
11
"Hit Me With Your Rhythm Stick ", "Reasons to Be Cheerful, Part 3 "
Paul McCartney [K] [L]
5
"Goodnight Tonight ", "Wonderful Christmastime "
Queen
7
"Crazy Little Thing Called Love ", "Don't Stop Me Now "
Racey [M]
11
"Lay Your Love on Me ", "Some Girls "
Roxy Music
12
"Angel Eyes ", "Dance Away "
The Shadows
9
"Don't Cry for Me Argentina ", "Theme from The Deer Hunter (Cavatina) "
Sister Sledge
4
"He's the Greatest Dancer ", "We Are Family "
The Specials
4
"A Message to You Rudy "/"Nite Klub", "Gangsters "
Squeeze
10
"Cool for Cats ", "Up the Junction "
Supertramp
5
"Breakfast in America ", "The Logical Song "
The Village People [M]
10
"In the Navy ", "Y.M.C.A. "
See also
Notes
a "Day Trip to Bangor (Didn't We Have a Lovely Time)" reached its peak of number-three on 5 January 1980 (week ending).
b "Car 67" re-entered the top 10 at number 7 on 3 February 1979 (week ending) for 3 weeks.
c Tenpole Tudor are only featured on "Who Killed Bambi". The song was released as a double-A side single in the United Kingdom with "Silly Thing".
d "Hallelujah" was Israel 's winning entry at the Eurovision Song Contest in 1979 .
e "Parisienne Walkways" re-entered the top 10 at number 10 on 2 June 1979 (week ending).
f "H.A.P.P.Y. Radio" re-entered the top 10 at number 9 on 30 June 1979 (week ending).
g Only Paul McCartney was credited for "Wonderful Christmastime" but the rest of his group, Wings, were featured in the promotional music video.
h Figure includes single that peaked in 1978.
i Figure includes a top 10 hit with the group The Jacksons.
j Figure includes a top 10 hit with the group Thin Lizzy.
k Figure includes a top 10 hit with the group Wings.
l Figure includes single that peaked in 1980.
m Figure includes single that first charted in 1978 but peaked in 1979.
References
General
Specific
External links
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