The Top 10 Best Hit Songs of 1979

 

The Top 10 Best Hit Songs of 1979

What’s up guys, it’s Fire, and welcome back to Fire’s Flaming Hot Takes. Today, we’ll be examining the top 10 best hit songs of 1979!!

In my worst list, I highlighted how 1979 was a year where the best and worst list showed some very obvious patterns as to which songs made the lists. This was the year of Disco Demolition Night, an event that killed disco’s mainstream relevance. And yeah, listening to the year-end list for 1979, there was so much disco that it really got tedious to sit through it all. However, in small doses, the disco hits this year were pretty great for the most part. And that’s what makes 1979 such a great year for music in my opinion. Even though disco was incredibly oversaturated here, the abundance of disco hits made for a really fun time when processed in manageable doses. And outside of that...well after Disco Demolition Night the music industry was desperately searching for a new sound for mainstream music, meaning that while we were searching for a new sound, a bunch of boring and cheesy ballads got cranked out; you saw a good number of those on my worst list. This year also saw the continued success of yacht rock from the previous year, a subgenre of soft rock that is basically what you’d imagine a privileged rich white man listening to on his yacht. So spoilers, but this list is flooded with a bunch of disco hits.

Now for my eligibility criteria for this list. Thankfully, as far as I can tell, there weren’t any absurd rules in 1979 that prevented big hits from making the year-end list, so as such, my criteria is the same as it’s been for any of my current year-end lists: the songs had to make the Hot 100 year-end list in 1979 but if the song made a previous year-end list, it has to beat or match its previous standing on the 1979 YE UNLESS the repeat is in the top 20, in which case it’s eligible regardless of its standing compared to the previous year. With that, let’s get this party started with our honorable mentions!!

HM #1: Dr. Hook - Sharing The Night Together (YE: #46, PEAK: #6)

I feel like I like this song way more than I really should - it’s a pretty generic yacht rock song and Dr. Hook’s voice isn’t exactly the strongest - but I don’t know, this song just feels so charming to me. Dr. Hook may not have a strong voice, but he sells this song so sincerely, I think what I appreciate here is the fact that Dr. Hook isn’t oversinging, if any of the singers on my worst list were to try singing this instead, they’d overemphasize every single word with forced “sincerity” that makes the whole song pretentious. Yeah, this is a pretty great and underrated song.

HM #2: Michael Jackson - Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough (YE: #91, PEAK: #1)

I mean, come on, it’s fucking Michael Jackson. I shouldn’t have to justify putting this song on this list with that fact alone, but while “Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough” isn’t my favorite song I’ve heard from him when you have a discography with classics like “Rock With You”, “Thriller”, and “Billie Jean” just to name a few, I still think this is a great song. The disco beat is tight as hell, and every little touch here just rules, the strings that open up the song and return time and time again, Michael Jackson’s absolutely fantastic falsetto, and that synth and/or guitar solo, they all just come together so well. If I had to nitpick though, I feel like this song doesn’t really evolve beyond that titular lyric, which gets repeated ad nauseam. Still, this is a pretty great song. But on the topic of established legends in pop music...

HM #3: Earth, Wind & Fire with The Emotions - Boogie Wonderland (YE: #57, PEAK: #6)

Well, you didn’t think I’d just casually forget about Earth, Wind & Fire, did you? But anyways, “Boogie Wonderland” isn’t the most well-known song from Earth, Wind & Fire by any means, but it’s still an incredible song. The song is a disco track literally just about dancing. It just works so well on that premise, creating an incredibly fun song, the disco beat, the charismatic vocals from Earth, Wind & Fire and the incredibly soulful backing vocals from The Emotions all just sound incredible. It can’t be emphasized enough how much effortless chemistry the vocalists have here. Incredible song, but speaking of Earth, Wind & Fire...

HM #4: Earth, Wind & Fire - September (YE: #78, PEAK: #8)

You could probably make a credible argument that this is Earth, Wind & Fire’s signature song. And it’s well-deserved too!! I love how happy and funky this song is. The disco groove is tight as hell and the horn embellishments just add to that fun atmosphere. Maurice White and Philip Bailey just have such infectious fun energy in their delivery, especially in the joyful falsetto. This is just a really damn fun song. Love this!!

HM #5: Gloria Gaynor - I Will Survive (YE: #6, PEAK: #1)

Yeah, disco is a genre that is pretty synonymous with queer representation in pop music, and this is arguably one of the biggest gay anthems out there (I’m a dumb straight man please forgive me if I’m wrong here lol). But even away from that context, “I Will Survive” is an excellent song. Musically, it’s a standard disco song with some pretty neat string and sax embellishments, but what really elevates this are the lyrics and Gloria Gaynor herself. The song centers around the narrator getting dumped and even though she’s hurting right now, she will overcome this and survive. It also helps that Gaynor really sells this. She’s such a powerful presence on this song. Hell, with this subject matter, if this was released today, it’d probably be sung by Lizzo!! Yeah, excellent track.

HM #6: Kenny Rogers - The Gambler (YE: #40, PEAK: #13)

This song works really well, largely due to its lyrics. Musically, this might as well be a campfire song, with that sing-songy vocal delivery and that guitar. But what about the lyrics? Well, the song centers around the narrator riding a train and meeting a gambler. This gambler offers to give the narrator some advice in exchange for a sip of his whisky and a cigarette. The advice the gambler gives? Every situation, no matter how good or bad, can be looked at through a positive or negative lens. The trick is to recognize the good in the situation. The narrator is able to use this advice at the end of the song, when the gambler passes away. Sure, witnessing someone pass away could be seen as a bad experience, but on the other hand, it could also be seen as a good thing that he met the gambler because the narrator got some valuable advice that’ll likely help him for the rest of his life. Excellent little track!!

HM #7: Donna Summer - Bad Girls (YE: #2, PEAK: #1)

1979 was a pretty big year for disco diva Donna Summer. She notched 4 entries on the year-end list, and this was the biggest of them. And yeah, this is an incredible song. Donna Summer just exudes so much energy, perfectly complementing the lush-sounding guitars. Even the “toot toot beep beep parts work well here!! This would’ve been higher here, but let’s be real, Donna Summer had better this year, stay tuned.

HM #8: Bee Gees - Tragedy (YE: #16, PEAK: #1)

Now HERE’S where the Bee Gees’ signature Mickey Mouse falsetto really works. And yeah, “Tragedy” is an absolutely incredible song, I love that sizzling bass guitar and the synths, which really build some swell into that chorus. The production overall does a great job at supporting the vocals. But yeah, this is an incredible little song that absolutely kicks a lot of ass!

HM #9: The Jacksons - Shake Your Body (Down To The Ground) (YE: #25, PEAK: #7)

Gee, Michael Jackson getting more than one entry on this list, how so very shocking! All jokes aside though, “Shake Your Body (Down To The Ground)” is just a fun disco jam with that incredibly tight groove, Michael Jackson, as usual, being a charisma goldmine, and those horn embellishments just contributing to the whole fun atmosphere of the track. Not much else to say, just an amazing song.

HM #10: Blondie - Heart Of Glass (YE: #18, PEAK: #1)

Well, Disco Demolition Night might have killed disco in the mainstream, but not before it left a mark on the music industry! You could probably make a solid argument that this song embodied the transition from disco to new wave in the late 70s to early 80s. And yeah, “Heart Of Glass” is an awesome little track. The guitars give this a very good groove and the disco percussion allows this to still feel danceable!! If I were to nitpick for one reason why this song missed the list proper though, I’d say Deborah Harry’s vocals can tend to get a bit tiresome after a bit, and believe me, this was the last cut from the list proper...on that note...

Alright, now for the real gems!

10…So as I said numerous times in my worst list, after Disco Demolition Night, the music industry was desperately searching for a new sound for mainstream music. In the process, it churned out a bunch of boring easy-listening gunk. That said, we also saw some pretty damn solid soft rock, here’s one of those songs!....

10. Al Stewart - Time Passages (YE: #79, PEAK: #7)

Yeah, I just love the production here. That piano sounds so serene and yet still able to support that guitar solo and the strings without being overpowered by them. And that fits the song’s theme, which is about how the mind can drift into “time passages” and dig up memories, whether happy or sad even if you aren’t one to dwell in the past or aren’t super nostalgic. Admittedly, though, Al Stewart’s voice isn’t as strong as I’d prefer, but at the same time, it feels like it was custom-made for this production. Yeah, this is another incredible song.

9...So in my worst list, I highlighted two covers of songs that became hits in 1979 that were pretty fucking awful. So how about a cover from this year that absolutely rules?...

9. Amii Stewart - Knock On Wood (YE: #22, PEAK: #1)

This is such an amazing blend of disco with rock. That chugging beat sounds awesome and Amii Stewart has a great command of the energy here. This is just lively and fun and it hits you like...as the song says, thunder, lightning - it’s frightening. Excellent stuff!!

8...So as I mentioned earlier, there are tons of disco songs coming up and I don’t have much different commentary for each one and I don’t want the list to feel as monotonous to read as the worst list probably was. So for the intros for this list, whenever I feel like I don’t have much unique material to add for the intro to the review, I’m gonna mention a fun fact about the artist who made it instead of any context surrounding the trends around it. So let’s start with this one: The group who made this song had two hits in 1979 and the one that finished higher on the year-end isn’t what’s considered their signature song?...

8. Sister Sledge - He's The Greatest Dancer (YE: #45, PEAK: #9)

If you hear this song for the first time and are wondering why it sounds so familiar, you might recognize it when I say that it was sampled in Will Smith’s “Gettin’ Jiggy With It”. But onto the song itself, it’s glorious, thanks to the slinky and bright guitar from Nile Rodgers and all three members of Sister Sledge just killing it with their vocal performances, they truly sound like they’re put in a trance by this guy’s moves. I think more than anything, I find the way the songwriting here is framed as like an urban legend of disco or something super unique and charming. Incredible little track!!

7...So, I’m gonna immediately deviate from the formula I said I’d try using in the last entry’s intro. Because I think I actually have something substantial to say about this. In my 2021 worst list redux, I put a song that sounded like a commercial jingle without trying and still failing. In other words, Walker Hayes, if you’re gonna do some blatant brand name porn, this is how it’s done...

7. Village People - Y.M.C.A. (YE: #8, PEAK: #2)

I’ll admit I have a bit of nostalgia for this one. I remember when I went to 5th grade science camp, this song played on the last day and we were all doing the dance haha. That said, even separated from that context, “Y.M.C.A.” is an iconic and fun as hell song. Yes, the blatant use of 'YMCA' is obvious and not that different from when Walker Hayes name-dropped Applebees and Wendy’s on “Fancy Like”. Here’s the thing that makes this work, though is Village People sound like they’re actually having the time of their life on this, they just radiate intense positivity and joy, as opposed to Walker Hayes burping and farting all over “Fancy Like” while lowering himself in dignity so much that he didn’t seem to enjoy it anymore. Also, this is important, “Y.M.C.A” actually, you know, SOUNDS GREAT!! I love that guitar that, when combined with the energetic and lively disco percussion, gives this a groove. It’s so joyous that it puts a smile on my face. Incredible stuff!! It’s fun to stay at the YYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY MMMMMMMMMMMMMM CCCCCCCCC AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

6...So did you know that there were eurodance and Hi-NRG hits way back in 1979?...

6. Patrick Hernandez - Born To Be Alive (YE: #70, PEAK: #16)

Okay, Wikipedia doesn’t technically classify this as a eurodance song, but it definitely has that eurodance vibe:

• The sandy percussion that probably just relies on a hi-hat

• The gibberish drop

• The ridiculously upbeat and energetic kick drum

And I mean, it’s a eurodance song that meshes itself with disco’s horn embellishments to make it even more fun. What’s not to love?

5...You might recognize this artist’s name when I say that she was in The Supremes, who made my 1966 best list not once, not twice, but three times. And it’s no secret that this singer has a beautiful voice that can command presence pretty effectively. So I suppose it shouldn’t be a surprise that Diana Ross on a disco song is possibly one of the greatest musical ideas in the history of popular music...

5. Diana Ross - The Boss (YE: #97, PEAK: #19)

Diana Ross really proves on this track that she’s a wonderful fit for disco. Her delivery is commanding and she sings her ass off here. Yeah, not much else to add here. Just another excellent disco hit.

4...So “Heart Of Glass” isn’t the only song on this list blending disco and rock...

4. Electric Light Orchestra - Shine a Little Love (YE: #71, PEAK: #8)

The production sounds wonderful here. The guitars are tight, and they build up with the percussion between the chorus and verses, while the strings add a great swell. Yeah, this is a damn amazing song!!

3...Did you know that “He’s The Greatest Dancer” from earlier on this list was actually originally intended for this group? And honestly with how incredible this song is, I feel that they would’ve slayed that song as well...

3. Chic - Good Times (YE: #20, PEAK: #1)

Honestly, if the top 2 here wasn’t so uncontested for me, this’d easily top this list. “Good Times” is just so fun, The vocalists sound smooth and classy, and Nile Rodgers’ guitar work complements them perfectly. And all of that makes this song, well, a good time (pun intended lol). Yeah, this is a song that makes you believe that happy times are here again, incredible song!! So, what two songs are better?

2..Man, isn’t it nice when one of the absolute biggest hits of the year also happens to be among the best?…

2. Chic - Le Freak (YE: #3, PEAK: #1)

This is a perfect disco song. The production work from Nile Rodgers is once again masterful and the vocalists in Chic somehow sound even smoother and  classier than they did in “Good Times”!! So yeah, this is a note perfect disco song representing everything great about the genre. So what’s better?

1...Roll back to what I said about “Bad Girls”: “This would’ve been higher here, but let’s be real, Donna Summer had better this year, stay tuned.” Yeah, you didn’t think I’d just forget about that right?..

1. Donna Summer - Hot Stuff (YE: #7, PEAK: #1)

“Hot Stuff”, to me, explains why Donna Summer was such a big artist in 1979. She is such a fiery whirlwind of presence and the disco production is utterly fantastic. The production, while not as lively as the other disco hits this year, manages to rise above the rest by being just danceable enough to let Donna Summer ride it effortlessly and yet also not so overbearingly lively that it gets exhausting. Yeah, in a year with a lot of incredible disco hits, this was by far the best of them. “Hot Stuff” by Donna Summer; without question the absolute BEST hit song of 1979!!!!

Alright, that’s the best list done!! This will likely be my last article until my 2024 lists at the end of the year unless I get motivation to do some scattered album reviews or something, barring another Hot 100 rankdown opening up on Pulse (please no lol). So until then, the Spotify playlist with every song mentioned on this list is linked right here. And if you guys have your own lists of the best hit songs of 1979, please feel free to comment them down below!! I’m eager to read those!! And until next time,  remember to keep it Fire!!