1978 in music

January–April

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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 17 – Simple Minds make their very first live performance at Glasgow's Satellite City.^[1]
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.
February 23 – The 20th Annual Grammy Awards are presented in Los Angeles, hosted by John Denver. Fleetwood Mac's Rumours wins Album of the Year, the Eagles' "Hotel California" wins Record of the Year and, in a rare tie, Barbra Streisand's "Evergreen (Love Theme from A Star Is Born)" and Debby Boone's "You Light Up My Life" both collectively win Song of the Year. Boone also wins Best New Artist.
March 11 – Kate Bush tops the UK Singles Chart with "Wuthering Heights", becoming the first-ever female artist to top the chart with a self-penned song.^[2]
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 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

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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 tourinLakeland, 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 BowlinDallas. 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 15 – The Picnic at Blackbushe Aerodrome, Camberley, Surrey, England, a concert featuring Bob Dylan, Eric Clapton and Joan Armatrading, attracts some 200,000 people.^[3]
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

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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 26 – 67,000 Funk fans assembled at Soldier FieldinChicago, Illinois to attend the first annual Funk Festival, billed as "One Nation Under A Groove", featuring A Taste of Honey, 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 21 – Founder members John Taylor and Nick Rhodes name their newly formed band Duran Duran after the character "Dr. Durand Durand" from the sci-fi film Barbarella the day after the film had been broadcast on BBC 1.^[4]
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.^[5]
October 29 – Michael Schenker plays his final show with UFOinStanford, California before leaving the group to rejoin Scorpions.
November – Iron Maiden hires lead singer Paul Di'Anno.
November 21 – French pop star Dalida performs 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 – Soviet orchestral conductor defects to the Netherlands while on tour there.
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

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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.
New Edition formed in Massachusetts, USA.
Rolnicka Praha children's choir is founded in Prague, Czech Republic.

See Category:Musical groups disestablished in 1978

January

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Day	Album	Artist	Notes
2	We All Know Who We Are	Cameo
3	Level Headed	Sweet
3	White Hot	Angel
18	Excitable Boy	Warren Zevon
19	Pastiche	The Manhattan Transfer
20	City to City	Gerry Rafferty
20	White Music	XTC
27	Bootsy? Player of the Year	Bootsy's Rubber Band
30	Infinity	Journey
?	Attention Shoppers!	Starz
	Endless Wire	Gordon Lightfoot
	I'm Ready	Muddy Waters
	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

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Day	Album	Artist	Notes
6	Earth	Jefferson Starship
10	British Lions	British Lions
	It Begins Again	Dusty Springfield
	Stained Class	Judas Priest
	Van Halen	Van Halen
	Waiting for Columbus	Little Feat	Live
17	Crossing the Red Sea with The Adverts	The Adverts
	Impeckable	Budgie
	The Kick Inside	Kate Bush
24	Watch	Manfred Mann's Earth Band
27	Macho Man	Village People
?	Street Hassle	Lou Reed
	Double Live Gonzo!	Ted Nugent	Live
	Casino	Al Di Meola
	All This and Heaven Too	Andrew Gold
	Animal Games	London
	Bring It Back Alive	Outlaws	Live
	Tell Us the Truth	Sham 69
	Drastic Plastic	Be-Bop Deluxe
	Easter Island	Kris Kristofferson
	Even Now	Barry Manilow
	Frank Marino and Mahogany Rush – Live	Mahogany Rush	Live
	It Happened One Bite	Dan Hicks
	Let's Keep It That Way	Anne Murray
	Plastic Letters	Blondie
	Street Action	Bachman–Turner Overdrive
	What Do You Want from Live	The Tubes	Live

March

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Day	Album	Artist	Notes
2	Quiet Riot	Quiet Riot	Released only in Japan
3	A Song for All Seasons	Renaissance
	Easter	Patti Smith Group
	Southern Winds	Maria Muldaur
	Zappa in New York	Frank Zappa	Live
6	A Biography	John Mellencamp	as Johnny Cougar
10	Northwinds	David Coverdale	^[6]
10	Another Music in a Different Kitchen	Buzzcocks
13	Double Dose	Hot Tuna	Live
	Gettin' the Spirit	Roberta Kelly
	Guilty Until Proven Insane	Skyhooks
17	Double Fun	Robert Palmer
	Generation X	Generation X
	Son of a Son of a Sailor	Jimmy Buffett
	This Year's Model	Elvis Costello and the Attractions
23	Kaya	Bob Marley & The Wailers
31	...And Then There Were Three...	Genesis
31	London Town	Wings
?	Adolescent Sex	Japan
	Champagne Jam	Atlanta Rhythm Section
	First Glance	April Wine
	Hope & Anchor Front Row Festival	Various Artists	Live
	Jesus of Cool	Nick Lowe	titled Pure Pop for Now People in US
	The Rutles	The Rutles	Soundtrack
	Some Things Don't Come Easy	England Dan & John Ford Coley
	Squeeze	Squeeze
	Warmer Communications	Average White Band
	What If	Dixie Dregs

April

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Day	Album	Artist	Notes
7	For You	Prince
	Hermit of Mink Hollow	Todd Rundgren
	The Last Waltz	The Band	Soundtrack
10	Heavy Horses	Jethro Tull
12	FM	Various Artists	Soundtrack
13	Almighty Fire	Aretha Franklin
13	I Would Like to See You Again	Johnny Cash
14	Grease: The Original Soundtrack from the Motion Picture	Various Artists	Soundtrack
14	Long Live Rock 'n' Roll	Rainbow	^[7]
17	Mutiny Up My Sleeve	Max Webster
19	Tasty	Patti LaBelle
20	Come Get It!	Rick James
21	Bad Boy	Ringo Starr
24	Cold Chisel	Cold Chisel
24	Heaven Tonight	Cheap Trick
25	Showdown	The Isley Brothers
28	The Man-Machine	Kraftwerk
?	Double Platinum	Kiss	Compilation
	Saga	Saga
	Magazine	Heart	Re-issue with re-recordings
	Adventure	Television
	You Can Tune a Piano, but You Can't Tuna Fish	REO Speedwagon
	Boys in the Trees	Carly Simon
	Cats Under the Stars	Jerry Garcia Band
	Future Bound	Tavares
	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

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Day	Album	Artist	Notes
2	David Bowie Narrates Prokofiev's Peter and the Wolf	David Bowie with the Philadelphia Orchestra
	We'll Sing in the Sunshine	Helen Reddy
	You're Gonna Get It!	Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers
5	Powerage	AC/DC	UK
5	Stranger in Town	Bob Seger and the Silver Bullet Band
12	Black and White	The Stranglers
16	But Seriously, Folks...	Joe Walsh
16	Livetime	Hall & Oates	Live
19	Misfits	The Kinks
19	Natural Force	Bonnie Tyler
26	David Gilmour	David Gilmour	Solo Debut
?	U.K.	U.K.	Debut
	Pyramid	The Alan Parsons Project
	Eternally Yours	The Saints
	The Image Has Cracked	Alternative TV
	Love Me Again	Rita Coolidge
	Natural High	Commodores
	The Parkerilla	Graham Parker and The Rumour	Live
	Reckless	The Sports
	Songbird	Barbra Streisand
	Stone Blue	Foghat
	Welcome Home	Carole King

June

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Day	Album	Artist	Notes
2	Darkness on the Edge of Town	Bruce Springsteen
	Live and Dangerous	Thin Lizzy	Live
	Peter Gabriel	Peter Gabriel	second album
	Snakebite	Whitesnake	EP^[8]
6	The Cars	The Cars
7	Fame	Grace Jones
9	Octave	The Moody Blues
	Some Girls	The Rolling Stones
	Dire Straits	Dire Straits
	Jeff Wayne's Musical Version of The War of the Worlds	Jeff Wayne
15	Living Room Suite	Harry Chapin
	Street-Legal	Bob Dylan
	Sunlight	Herbie Hancock
19	Thick as Thieves	Trooper
20	Double Vision	Foreigner
?	Face to Face	The Angels
	If I Weren't So Romantic I'd Shoot You	Derringer
	Nested	Laura Nyro
	Obsession	UFO
	Real Life	Magazine
	See Forever Eyes	Prism
	Shadow Dancing	Andy Gibb
	Struck Down	Yesterday and Today
	A Tonic for the Troops	The Boomtown Rats
	We Have Come for Your Children	Dead Boys

July

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Day	Album	Artist	Notes
7	Nightflight to Venus	Boney M
12	Nightwatch	Kenny Loggins
14	More Songs About Buildings and Food	Talking Heads
17	Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band	Various Artists	Soundtrack
	Cheryl Lynn	Cheryl Lynn
	Heartbreaker	Dolly Parton
20	Touchdown	Bob James
21	Can't Stand the Rezillos	The Rezillos
?	Under Wraps	Shaun Cassidy
	Alicia Bridges	Alicia Bridges
	Americana	Leon Russell
	Dream of a Child	Burton Cummings
	Hobo with a Grin	Steve Harley
	I've Always Been Crazy	Waylon Jennings
	Love or Something Like It	Kenny Rogers
	Norma Jean	Norma Jean Wright
	Out of Reach	Can

August

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Day	Album	Artist	Notes
7	Roberta Flack	Roberta Flack
11	C'est Chic	Chic
14	Lanquidity	Sun Ra
15	Don't Look Back	Boston	^[9]
21	Who Are You	The Who	^[10]
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

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Day	Album	Artist	Notes
1	Bloody Tourists	10cc
	The Bride Stripped Bare	Bryan Ferry
	Molly Hatchet	Molly Hatchet
5	Blue Valentine	Tom Waits
5	Skynyrd's First and... Last	Lynyrd Skynyrd	Recorded 1971–'72
8	Stage	David Bowie	Live
	Time Passages	Al Stewart	-
	Systems of Romance	Ultravox
	Tracks on Wax 4	Dave Edmunds
11	Giant for a Day	Gentle Giant
15	Studio Tan	Frank Zappa
18	Ace Frehley	Ace Frehley
	Gene Simmons	Gene Simmons
	Paul Stanley	Paul Stanley
	Peter Criss	Peter Criss
19	All Fly Home	Al Jarreau
19	Living in the USA	Linda Ronstadt
22	Breathless	Camel
	Tormato	Yes
	Bursting Out	Jethro Tull	Live
	Road to Ruin	Ramones
	Love Bites	Buzzcocks
	The Man	Barry White
	One Nation Under a Groove	Funkadelic
	Wet Dream	Richard Wright
23	Parallel Lines	Blondie
25	Cruisin'	Village People
25	Ugly Ego	Cameo
29	Never Say Die!	Black Sabbath
	Green Light	Cliff Richard
	Nicolette	Nicolette Larson
?
	Pieces of Eight	Styx
	Fallen Angel	Uriah Heep
	Flamin' Groovies Now	Flamin' Groovies
	Gillan	Gillan
	Leo Sayer	Leo Sayer
	Mr. Gone	Weather Report
	Ross	Diana Ross
	Back on the Streets	Gary Moore
	Dog & Butterfly	Heart
	O Zambezi	Dragon
	Rough	Tina Turner
	Some Enchanted Evening	Blue Öyster Cult	Live
	Wavelength	Van Morrison
	Weekend Warriors	Ted Nugent
	X	Klaus Schulze
	Feel the Need	Leif Garrett

October

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Day	Album	Artist	Notes
2	Hot Streets	Chicago
2	M.I.U. Album	The Beach Boys
6	25 Years On	Hawkwind	as Hawklords
	Go 2	XTC
	Pleasure and Pain	Dr. Hook
	So Alone	Johnny Thunders
12	Chaka	Chaka Khan
13	52nd Street	Billy Joel
	Comes a Time	Neil Young	^[11]
	Christmas Portrait	The Carpenters	Christmas
	Fool Around	Rachel Sweet	UK version
	If You Want Blood You've Got It	AC/DC	Live
16	A Single Man	Elton John
24	Hemispheres	Rush
27	Slade Alive, Vol. 2	Slade	Live
27	Obscure Alternatives	Japan
30	Pain Killer	Krokus
31	Thoroughfare Gap	Stephen Stills
?	Toto	Toto
	Photo-Finish	Rory Gallagher
	Brass Construction IV	Brass Construction
	Coliseum Rock	Starz
	Don't Cry Out Loud	Melissa Manchester
	If You Can't Stand the Heat...	Status Quo
	Inner Secrets	Santana
	Live! Bootleg	Aerosmith	Live
	Money Talks	The Bar-Kays
	Music for Films	Brian Eno
	New Dimensions	The Three Degrees
	Not Available	The Residents
	Playin' to Win	Outlaws
	Prehistoric Sounds	The Saints
	Private Practice	Dr. Feelgood
	Shiny Beast (Bat Chain Puller)	Captain Beefheart
	Trouble	Whitesnake
	Two for the Show	Kansas	Live
	Pleasure Train	Teri Desario
	You Had to Be There	Jimmy Buffett	Live

November

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Day	Album	Artist	Notes
1	Midnight Oil	Midnight Oil
3	Outlandos d'Amour	The Police	Debut
	Killing Machine	Judas Priest	UK
	All Mod Cons	The Jam
	You Don't Bring Me Flowers	Neil Diamond
10	Jazz	Queen
	Lionheart	Kate Bush
	Give 'Em Enough Rope	The Clash
	Babylon by Bus	Bob Marley & The Wailers	Live
	Germfree Adolescents	X-Ray Spex
13	The Scream	Siouxsie and the Banshees	Debut
15	Barbra Streisand's Greatest Hits Vol. 2	Barbra Streisand	Compilation
15	Shakedown Street	Grateful Dead
17	Love Beach	Emerson, Lake & Palmer	^[12]
17	Dub Housing	Pere Ubu
20	Motor Booty Affair	Parliament
22	Variations	Andrew Lloyd Webber
23	The Best of Earth, Wind & Fire, Vol. 1	Earth, Wind & Fire	Compilation
24	Blondes Have More Fun	Rod Stewart
	Tubeway Army	Tubeway Army
	Yellow Magic Orchestra	Yellow Magic Orchestra
27	Wings Greatest	Wings	Compilation
27	Love Tracks	Gloria Gaynor
28	Briefcase Full of Blues	The Blues Brothers	Live
30	Greatest Hits	Steely Dan	Compilation
?	Destiny	The Jacksons
	Backless	Eric Clapton
	Crazy Moon	Crazy Horse
	Nina Hagen Band	Nina Hagen Band	^[13]
	Crosswinds	Peabo Bryson
	Duck Stab/Buster & Glen	The Residents
	Energy	The Pointer Sisters
	The Gambler	Kenny Rogers
	Greatest Hits	Barry Manilow	Compilation
	Greatest Hits 1974–78	Steve Miller Band	Compilation
	Legend	Poco
	Live: Take No Prisoners	Lou Reed	Live
	Move It On Over	George Thorogood & The Destroyers
	Profile: Best of Emmylou Harris	Emmylou Harris	Compilation
	Rose Tattoo	Rose Tattoo
	Sanctuary	The J. Geils Band
	So Young	Jo Jo Zep & The Falcons	Mini-LP
	TNT	Tanya Tucker

December

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Day	Album	Artist	Notes
1	Incantations	Mike Oldfield	^[14]
	Équinoxe	Jean Michel Jarre
	If You Knew Suzi...	Suzi Quatro
	Minute by Minute	The Doobie Brothers
2	Quiet Riot II	Quiet Riot	Japan
4	D.o.A: The Third and Final Report of Throbbing Gristle	Throbbing Gristle
8	Public Image: First Issue	Public Image Ltd
15	Here, My Dear	Marvin Gaye
	From the Inside	Alice Cooper
	Back to the Bars	Todd Rundgren	Live
	Back to Earth	Cat Stevens
	American Dreams	Jesse Colin Young
	Natural Act	Kris Kristofferson and Rita Coolidge

Release date unknown

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2 Hot – Peaches & Herb
3 Phasis – Cecil Taylor
After the Heat – Eno Moebius Roedelius
Africa Must Be Free by 1983 – Hugh Mundell
Against the Grain – Phoebe Snow
Alive on Arrival – Steve Forbert
Ambient 1: Music for Airports – Brian Eno
Awaiting Your Reply – Resurrection Band
Animal House – Various Artists – Soundtrack
At the Third Stroke – Russ Ballard
At Yankee Stadium – NRBQ
Best Dressed Chicken in Town – Dr. Alimantado
The Best of Bette – Bette Midler
Blam! – The Brothers Johnson
Bloodbrothers – The Dictators
Bobby Caldwell – Bobby Caldwell
Book Early – City Boy
Bruised Orange – John Prine
Burchfield Nines – Michael Franks
Bush Doctor – Peter Tosh
Caravan to Midnight – Robin Trower
Carlene Carter – Carlene Carter
Cecil Taylor Unit – Cecil Taylor
Central Heating – Heatwave
Cha Cha – Herman Brood – Live
Cheryl Ladd – Cheryl Ladd
Chuck Berry Live in Concert – Chuck Berry – Live
Cidade do Salvador – Gilberto Gil
City Lights - Dr. John
Count Basie Meets Oscar Peterson – The Timekeepers – Count Basie and Oscar Peterson
The Cream – John Lee Hooker
Departure from the Northern Wasteland – Michael Hoenig
The Dirt Band - Nitty Gritty Dirt Band
DMZ – DMZ
Dream – Captain & Tennille
Dream Dancing – Ella Fitzgerald
Dream of a Child – Burton Cummings
Durch die Wüste – Hans-Joachim Roedelius
Everybody's Dancin' – Kool & the Gang
Every Time Two Fools Collide – Kenny Rogers & Dottie West
Final Exam – Loudon Wainwright III
Finzi: Cello Concerto, Clarinet Concerto – Yo-Yo Ma (Debut)
Fool Around – Rachel Sweet
From Rats to Riches – Good Rats
Funk or Walk – The Brides of Funkenstein
Funky Situation – Wilson Pickett
Further Adventures Of – Bruce Cockburn
Génération 78 – Dalida
Get It Out'cha System – Millie Jackson
Get Off – Foxy
Girl Most Likely – Claudja Barry
Golden Country Origins – Bill Haley (pre-Comets recordings)
Grab It for a Second – Golden Earring
Greatest Hits – Captain & Tennille
Guaranteed – Ronnie Drew
Handsworth Revolution – Steel Pulse
Headin' Down into the Mystery Below - John Hartford
Heat in the Street – Pat Travers
Honky Tonk Masquerade – Joe Ely
Hot Dawg - David Grisman
How Long Has This Been Going On? – Sarah Vaughan
I Love My Music – Wild Cherry
If You Knew Suzi... – Suzi Quatro
The Incredible Shrinking Dickies – The Dickies
Instant Replay – Dan Hartman
Janis Ian – Janis Ian

Killin' Time – Gasolin'
Lanquidity – Sun Ra
Life Beyond L.A. – Ambrosia
Life in a Scotch Sitting Room, Vol. 2 – Ivor Cutler
Lights from the Valley – Chilliwack
Live at Last – Steeleye Span
Live Floating Anarchy 1977 – Gong
Live in London – Helen Reddy
Live in the Black Forest – Cecil Taylor
Live Tonite – Prism – live album
The London Concert – Oscar Peterson
Mama Let Him Play – Jerry Doucette
Marcus' Children – Burning Spear
Meanwhile Back in Paris – Streetheart
Midstream – Debby Boone
Midnight Believer – B. B. King
Modra Rijeka – Indexi
Music for 18 Musicians – Steve Reich
Natural Force – Bonnie Tyler
Night Rider – Count Basie and Oscar Peterson
No New York – Various Artists
No Smoke Without Fire – Wishbone Ash
Of Queues and Cures – National Health
The Paris Concert – Oscar Peterson
Pat Metheny Group – Pat Metheny Group
Pleasure Principle – Parlet
Portrait of the Artist as a Young Ram – Ram Jam
Power in the Darkness – Tom Robinson Band
Pronto Monto – Kate and Anna McGarrigle
Raydio – Raydio
Return of the Wanderer – Dion DiMucci
Return to Magenta – Mink DeVille
Salterbarty Tales – Earthstar
Sherbet – Sherbet
Shpritsz – Herman Brood
Sleeper Catcher – Little River Band
So Full of Love – The O'Jays
Solar Music – Live – Grobschnitt
Sounds...and Stuff Like That!! – Quincy Jones
Spyro Gyra – Spyro Gyra
Step II – Sylvester
Strangers in the Wind – Bay City Rollers
Super Blue – Freddie Hubbard
Survivor – Randy Bachman
A Taste of Honey – A Taste of Honey
Thank God It's Friday – Various Artists – Soundtrack
That's Life – Sham 69
There's a Light Beyond These Woods - Nanci Griffith
Third – Big Star
Together Again: For the First Time – Mel Tormé, Buddy Rich
Togetherness – L.T.D.
To the Limit – Joan Armatrading
Totally Hot – Olivia Newton-John
A Touch on the Rainy Side – Jesse Winchester
Truth n' Time – Al Green
Viva – La Düsseldorf
Von Gestern bis Heute – Die Flippers
Way of the Sun – Jade Warrior
Weekend in L.A. – George Benson
Whatever Happened to Benny Santini? – Chris Rea
When I Dream – Crystal Gayle
Who's Happy Now? – Connie Francis
The Wonderful Grand Band – The Wonderful Grand Band
Worlds Away – Pablo Cruise
Yessir, That's My Baby – Count Basie and Oscar Peterson
You Light Up My Life – Johnny Mathis

The following songs achieved the highest chart positions in the charts of 1978.^[15]

#	Artist	Title	Year	Country	Chart entries
1	Bee Gees	Stayin' Alive	1977	/	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

US 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 Williams (1)

"You're The One That I Want" – John Travolta & Olivia Newton-John (1)

"Shadow Dancing" – Andy Gibb (7)

"Miss You" – The 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 (3 weeks in 1978 + 3 weeks in 1979)

UK number one singles and artist
(weeks at number one)

"Mull of Kintyre" / "Girls' School" – Paul McCartney & Wings (5 weeks in 1977 + 4 weeks in 1978)

"Uptown Top Ranking" – Althea & 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 and 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" – The Boomtown Rats (2)

"Do Ya Think I'm Sexy?" – Rod Stewart (1)

"Mary's Boy Child"/"Oh My Lord" – Boney M (4)

Song title	Artist(s)	Release date(s)	US	UK	Highest chart position	Other Chart Performance(s)
"5–7–0–5"	City Boy	August 1978	27	8	8 (United Kingdom)	11 (Australia) - 55 (Canada)
"Airport"	The Motors	June 1978	n/a	4	3 (Israel)	See chart performance entry
"Alive Again"	Chicago	October 1978	14	n/a	11 (Canada)	13 (U.S. Cash Box Top 100) - 39 (US Billboard Hot Adult Contemporary Tracks)
"Are You Old Enough?"	Dragon	August 1978	n/a	n/a	1 (Australia)	6 (New Zealand)
"B-A-B-Y"	Rachel Sweet	December 1978	n/a	35	35 (United Kingdom)	47 (Australia)
"Baby Hold On"	Eddie Money	January 1978	11	n/a	4 (Canada)	5 (U.S. Cash Box Top 100) - 19 (Australia) - 41 (Netherlands [Single Top 100])
"Don't Cry Out Loud"	Melissa Manchester	October	10	n/a	9 (Canada)	2 (Canada RPM Adult Contemporary) - 9 (US Billboard Adult Contemporary) - 10 (US Cash Box Top 100) - 57 (Australia)
"Ça plane pour moi"	Plastic Bertrand	January 1978	47	8	1 (France, Switzerland)	See chart performance entry
"Pump It Up"	Elvis Costello and the Attractions	June 1978	n/a	24	24 (United Kingdom)	55 (Australia)

Other Chart hit singles

edit

"A-Ba-Ni-Bi" – Izhar Cohen & The Alphabeta

"Ain't Talkin' 'Bout Love" – Van Halen

"All the Nice Boys and Girls in the World" – Riff Regan

"Another Night on the Road" – Sherbet (# 10 Australia)

"Babylon's Burning" – The Ruts (# 7 UK)

"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

"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

"The Day the World Turned Day-Glo" – X-Ray Spex

"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

"Eagle" – ABBA

"Ebony Eyes" – Bob Welch

"Ego" – Elton John

"Even Now" – Barry Manilow

"Ever Fallen in Love (With Someone You Shouldn't've)" – Buzzcocks

"An Everlasting Love" – Andy Gibb

"Every 1's a Winner" – Hot Chocolate

"Every Kinda People" – Robert Palmer

"Everybody Dance" – Chic

"Feels So Good" – Chuck Mangione

"Flash Light" –Parliament

"Floral Dance" – Terry Wogan

"Fly At Night" – Chilliwack

"FM (No Static at All)" – Steely Dan

"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

"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 See Red" – Split Enz

"I Was Made for Dancin'" – Leif Garrett

"An Ideal for Living" – Joy Division

"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

"Isn't It Time" – The Babys

"It's a Heartache" – Bonnie Tyler

"I've Had Enough" – Wings

"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

"Know Your Product" – The Saints

"Last Dance" – Donna Summer

"Lay Down Sally" – Eric Clapton

"Le Lambeth Walk" – Dalida

"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

"A Man I'll Never Be" – Boston

"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

"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 Night City" – ABBA

"Summer Nights" – John Travolta & Olivia Newton-John

"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

"There's No Way Out of Here" – David Gilmour

"Think It Over" – Cheryl Ladd

"Thunder Island" – Jay Ferguson

"Time Passages" – Al Stewart

"Tommy Gun" – The Clash

"Too Good to Be True" – Tom Robinson Band

"Too Much Heaven" – Bee Gees

"Top of the Pops" – The Rezillos

"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

"Walk Right Back" – Anne Murray

"Walking In the Rain" – Cheetah

"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

"Who Listens to the Radio" – The Sports

"Wide Open (EP)" – The Skids

"Wild West Hero" – Electric Light Orchestra

"Women in Uniform" – Skyhooks

"Wonderful Tonight" – Eric Clapton

"Wuthering Heights" – Kate Bush

"Yes, He Lives!" – Cliff Richard

"Y.M.C.A." – Village People

"You Belong to Me" – Carly Simon

"You Took the Words Right Out of My Mouth" – Meat Loaf

"You're In My Heart (The Final Acclaim)" – Rod Stewart

"You're the Greatest Lover" – Luv'

Song title	Artist(s)	Release date(s)	Other Chart Performance(s)
"Alternative Ulster"	Stiff Little Fingers	May 1978	n/a
"Ambition"	Subway Sect	November 1978	n/a
"Another Girl, Another Planet"	The Only Ones	April 1978	n/a
"Ever Fallen in Love (With Someone You Shouldn't've)"	Buzzcocks	September 1978	12 (UK Singles Chart)
"I Don't Mind"	Buzzcocks	April 1978	55 (UK Singles Chart)
"I See Red"	Split Enz	December 1978	began charting in 1979
"Know Your Product"	The Saints	February 1978	n/a
"Ready Steady Go"	Generation X	March 1978	47 (UK Singles Chart)
"Rock Lobster"	The B-52's	April 1978	Re-recorded version began charting in 1979
"Teenage Kicks"	The Undertones	October 1978	33 (UK Singles Chart)
"What Do I Get?"	Buzzcocks	February 1978	37 (UK Singles Chart)

Other Notable singles

edit

"Art-I-Ficial" – X-Ray Spex

"Human Fly" – The Cramps

"Lee Remick" – The Go-Betweens

"Promises" - Buzzcocks

"These Boots Are Made For Walking" - The Boys Next Door

"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

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

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)

Lorenzo Ferrero – Invito a nozze

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

January 3 – Kimberley Locke, American singer
January 4 – Mai Meneses, Spanish singer-songwriter and guitarist
January 5 – Karnail Pitts, American rapper (d. 1999)
January 6 – Oksana Lyniv, Ukrainian conductor
January 9 – AJ 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 28 - Big Freedia, American rapper
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 13 – Chris Sligh, American singer
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 6 - Nick Littlemore, Australian musician, record producer, singer and songwriter
May 10 – MC Ride, American rapper, songwriter and visual artist (Death Grips)
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)
- Phil Elverum, An American musician, songwriter, record producer and visual artist, best known for his musical projects The Microphones and Mount Eerie. (Married to deceased Geneviève Castrée, Formerly married to Michelle Williams (actress))
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 25 – Chuckie, Surinamese DJ and producer
June 27 – Lolly, English singer
June 29
- Sam Farrar (Phantom Planet)
- Nicole Scherzinger, American recording artist, television personality and performer (The Pussycat Dolls)
July 9 – Sundance Head, American singer
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, 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
July 20 – Elliott Yamin, American singer
July 31 – Will Champion, English rock drummer (Coldplay)
August 1 – Dhani Harrison, English musician and son of George Harrison of The Beatles
August 6 – Andreas Öberg, Swedish guitarist, songwriter and producer (Eurovision, Taeyeon, Red Velvet, EXO, NCT)
August 7
- Jamey Jasta, American rock singer (Hatebreed)
- Justin Young (singer, born 1978), American Hawaiian singer-songwriter, musician and (former significant other and collaborator of Colbie Caillat, former member of band Gone West)
August 15
- Tim Foreman, American rock bassist (Switchfoot)
- Waleed Aly, Australian lawyer, activist, academic, journalist, comedian, musician and television host
August 18 – Andy Samberg, American actor, comedian, filmmaker and musician, member of The Lonely Island and spouse of Joanna Newsom
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 rapper
September 9 – Johnny Shentall, English singer
September 11 – Ben Lee, Australian singer
September 12 – Ruben Studdard, American singer
September 15 – Charles Grigsby, American singer
September 20
- Patrizio Buanne, Italian singer
- Sarit Hadad, Israeli pop singer
- DJ White Shadow, American music producer and DJ (Lady Gaga)
September 24 - Jack Dishel, Russian-American musician, actor, writer, director, comic and producer. (Married to Regina Spektor)
September 28 – Nikki McKibbin, American singer (d. 2020)
September 30 – Steve Klein (New Found Glory)
October 2 – Ayumi Hamasaki, Japanese singer
October 3 – Jake Shears, American singer
October 5 – James Valentine, American musician
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
- Michael Johns, Australian singer (d. 2014)
October 22 - Ed Droste. American singer-songwriter and musician,
October 27 – Vanessa-Mae, British violinist
October 28 – Justin Guarini, American singer
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
- Coffey Anderson, American singer
- 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

Unknown: Leilani Sen, English singer and television personality

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, pop singer (Ames Brothers)
January 31 – Gregory Herbert, Blood, Sweat & Tears saxophonist
February 7 – Dimitrie Cuclin, 82, composer and musicologist
February 24 – Mrs Mills, 59, honky-tonk pianist
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)

Specific locations

Specific genres

Events

January–April

May–July

August–December

Also in 1978

Bands disbanded

Albums released

January

February

March

April

May

June

July

August

September

October

November

December

Release date unknown

Biggest hit singles

Chronological table of US and UK number one hit singles

Top 40 Chart hit singles

Other Chart hit singles

Notable singles

Other Notable singles

Published popular music

Classical music

Opera

Ballet

Jazz

Musical theater

Musical films

Births

Deaths

Awards

References

External links

Languages