1979 in music

This is a list of notable events in music that took place in the year 1979.

List of years in music (table)

Specific locations

Specific genres

Events

January–February

March–April

May–August

September–December

Also in 1979

Bands formed

See Musical groups established in 1979

Bands disbanded

See Musical groups disestablished in 1979

Albums released

January

Day Album Artist Notes
1 Feets, Don't Fail Me NowHerbie Hancock
2 Strangers in the NightUFOLive
5 Armed ForcesElvis Costello & The Attractions
Look Sharp!Joe Jackson
15 LovedriveScorpions
16 AcceptAccept
19 Sleep DirtFrank Zappa
22 We Are FamilySister Sledge
25 Take Me HomeCher
26 Bustin' Out of L SevenRick James
Valley of the DollsGeneration X
N/A Nervous BreakdownBlack FlagEP
The Def Leppard E.P.Def LeppardEP
Head FirstThe Babys
John DenverJohn Denver
Life for the TakingEddie Money
Living Without Your LoveDusty Springfield
Madam ButterflyTavares
New Kind of FeelingAnne Murray
SinfulAngel
No Mean CityNazareth

February

Day Album Artist Notes
2 Inflammable MaterialStiff Little Fingers
5 Spirits Having FlownBee Gees
19 FrenzySplit Enz
20 George HarrisonGeorge Harrison
21 Live (X Cert)The StranglersLive
23 Scared to DanceThe Skids
26 The Great Rock 'n' Roll SwindleSex PistolsSoundtrack
28 Rickie Lee JonesRickie Lee Jones
N/A Enlightened RoguesThe Allman Brothers Band
The Feeding of the 5000Crass
Force MajeureTangerine Dream
Hard Times for LoversJudy Collins
Under Heaven Over HellStreetheart

March

Day Album Artist Notes
1 ManifestoRoxy Music
3 Sheik YerboutiFrank Zappa
9 Angel StationManfred Mann's Earth Band
Even Serpents ShineThe Only Ones
ThrillerEddie and the Hot Rods
15 Fate for BreakfastArt Garfunkel
Half Machine Lip MovesChrome
16 Bitanga i princezaBijelo dugme
Live at the Witch TrialsThe Fall
17 Desolation AngelsBad Company
19 L.A.The Beach Boys
23 Van Halen IIVan Halen
24 OverkillMotörhead
26 Go WestVillage People
27 You're Never Alone with a SchizophrenicIan Hunter
29 Breakfast in AmericaSupertramp
30 Just a GameTriumph
Secondhand DaylightMagazine
N/A AirwavesBadfinger
Danger MoneyU.K.
Feel No FretAverage White Band
I Love You SoNatalie Cole
Remote ControlThe Tubes
Rock n' Roll NightsBachman–Turner Overdrive
No. 1 in HeavenSparks
Squeezing Out SparksGraham Parker and The Rumour

April

Day Album Artist Notes
1 Life in a DaySimple Minds
5 EvolutionJourney
6 Euroman ComethJean-Jacques Burnel
9 Cool for CatsSqueeze
10 I Love to Sing the Songs I SingBarry White
13 Black Rose: A Rock LegendThin Lizzy
20 Gimme Some NeckRon Wood
Million Mile ReflectionsThe Charlie Daniels Band
My Father's EyesAmy Grant
YThe Pop Group
23 Bob Dylan at BudokanBob DylanLive
Voulez-VousABBA
25 Bad GirlsDonna Summer
N/A The BellsLou Reed
Blue Kentucky GirlEmmylou Harris
It's AliveRamonesLive
Mission Accomplished But the Beat Goes OnThe RezillosLive
New ChautauquaPat Metheny
New EnglandNew England
New ValuesIggy Pop
ReplicasTubeway Army
StrikesBlackfoot

May

Day Album Artist Notes
4 Orchestral FavoritesFrank Zappa
8 Three Imaginary BoysThe Cure
13 The UndertonesThe Undertones
17 WavePatti Smith Group
18 Shades in BedThe Records
Do It YourselfIan Dury & The Blockheads
LodgerDavid Bowie
21 SaxonSaxon
22 Where There's Smoke...Smokey Robinson
23 The BossDiana Ross
DynastyKiss
24 Great Balls of FireDolly Parton
30 Where I Should BePeter Frampton
31 DiscoveryElectric Light Orchestra
N/A FlagJames Taylor
In the SkiesPeter Green
Infinite Rider on the Big DogmaMichael Nesmith
Let Me Be Good to YouLou Rawls
MonolithKansas
NaritaRiotJapan
RhapsodiesRick Wakeman
Rock 'n' Roll High SchoolVarious ArtistsSoundtrack
Shot Through the HeartJennifer Warnes
Spectral MorningsSteve Hackett
State of ShockTed Nugent

June

Day Album Artist Notes
1 This Boot Is Made for Fonk-NBootsy's Rubber Band
5 Best of The J. Geils BandThe J. Geils Band
8 Back to the EggWings
The Kids Are AlrightThe WhoSoundtrack
Shades in BedThe Records
9 I AmEarth, Wind & Fire
Labour of LustNick Lowe
Repeat When NecessaryDave Edmunds
11 Get the KnackThe Knack
13 Candy-OThe Cars
MingusJoni Mitchell
15 CommuniquéDire Straits
PXR5Hawkwind
Silent LetterAmerica
Unknown PleasuresJoy Division
19 MirrorsBlue Öyster Cult
22 Live KillersQueenLive
Mick TaylorMick Taylor
23 No ExitThe Angels
N/A Another TasteA Taste of Honey
ArmageddonPrism
ExposureRobert Fripp
Life and LoveLeon Russell
Night OwlGerry Rafferty
One for the RoadWillie Nelson and Leon Russell
SecretsRobert Palmer
SpyCarly Simon
SurvivorsSamson
Touch the SkyCarole King

July

Day Album Artist Notes
2 Rust Never SleepsNeil Young and Crazy Horse
6 The B-52'sThe B-52's
10 Low BudgetThe Kinks
17 ExposedMike OldfieldLive
20 Nine LivesREO Speedwagon
27 Highway to HellAC/DC
John CougarJohn Cougar
28 Down to EarthRainbow
30 RisquéChic
N/A Bop till You DropRy Cooder
CanCan
Circles & SeasonsPete Seeger
Duty Now for the FutureDevo
First Under the WireLittle River Band
Gamma 1Gamma
Honest LullabyJoan Baez
Midnight MagicCommodores
No Promises...No DebtsGolden Earring
The Original Disco ManJames Brown
Shake Hands with the DevilKris Kristofferson

August

Day Album Artist Notes
1 String of HitsThe Shadows
3 Fear of MusicTalking Heads
Some Product: Carri on Sex PistolsSex PistolsInterview collage
10 GhostownThe Radiators
Off the WallMichael Jackson
13 Chicago 13Chicago
17 Drums and WiresXTC
20 Slow Train ComingBob Dylan
20 In Through the Out DoorLed Zeppelin
22 The RoseBette MidlerSoundtrack to 1979 film
27 EveThe Alan Parsons Project
In the Heat of the NightPat Benatar
30 Big FunShalamar
N/A Rose Royce IV: Rainbow ConnectionRose Royce
5J.J. Cale
Born AgainRandy Newman
Into the MusicVan Morrison
VolcanoJimmy Buffett

September

Day Album Artist Notes
4 CutThe Slits
Flying ColorsTrooper
6 Ladies' NightKool & the Gang
La DivaAretha Franklin
7 Join HandsSiouxsie and the Banshees
The Pleasure PrincipleGary Numan
Rock 'n' Roll JuvenileCliff Richard
11 Head GamesForeigner
Kost u grluRiblja Čorba
14 StormwatchJethro Tull
16 Top PriorityRory Gallagher
17 Joe's Garage Act IFrank Zappa
Unleashed in the EastJudas PriestLive
21 Boogie MotelFoghat
Dream PoliceCheap Trick
The RavenThe Stranglers
Uncle Jam Wants YouFunkadelic
22 ThreeU2EP
24 The Long RunEagles
25 Entertainment!Gang of Four
One VoiceBarry Manilow
Singles Going SteadyBuzzcocksCompilation
Solid State SurvivorYellow Magic Orchestra
27 Recent SongsLeonard Cohen
29 Legends of the Lost and FoundHarry ChapinLive
N/A 154Wire
A Different Kind of TensionBuzzcocks
The GlowBonnie Raitt
This HeatThis Heat
KennyKenny Rogers
Live and SleazyVillage PeopleDouble LP; one disc live, one disc studio
MarathonSantana
Night After NightU.K.Live
Oceans of FantasyBoney M.
Out of a DreamReba McEntire
SatisfiedRita Coolidge
Street MachineSammy Hagar

October

Day Album Artist Notes
1 Return to BaseSlade
2 Reggatta de BlancThe Police
SurvivalBob Marley & The Wailers
5 I'm the ManJoe Jackson
Partners in CrimeRupert Holmes
QuadropheniaThe WhoSoundtrack
8 A Curious FeelingTony Banks
9 The Fine Art of SurfacingThe Boomtown Rats
12 Days in EuropaThe Skids
Greatest Hits, Vol. 1Rod StewartCompilation
TuskFleetwood Mac
13 Victim of LoveElton John
Eat to the BeatBlondie
15 On the Radio: Greatest Hits Volumes I & IIDonna SummerCompilation
16 Fire It UpRick James
The Message Is LoveBarry White
19 CornerstoneStyx
Damn the TorpedoesTom Petty & the Heartbreakers
One Step Beyond...Madness
PrincePrince
The SpecialsThe Specials
22 PrisonerCher
23 Mix-UpCabaret Voltaire
26 DragnetThe Fall
27 BomberMotörhead
29 Greatest Hits Volume 2ABBACompilation
30 Stevie Wonder's Journey Through "The Secret Life of Plants"Stevie Wonder
N/A Bee Gees GreatestBee GeesCompilation
Broken EnglishMarianne Faithfull
Cut Above the RestSweet
Flirtin' with DisasterMolly Hatchet
Harder ... FasterApril Wine
Head InjuriesMidnight Oil
HereLeo Sayer
HydraToto
I'll Always Love YouAnne Murray
Images at TwilightSaga
Keep the FireKenny Loggins
LovehunterWhitesnake
Magnum IIMagnum
Mr. UniverseGillan
Reality EffectThe Tourists
ReproductionThe Human League
Thighs and WhispersBette Midler
WetBarbra Streisand
Whatever You WantStatus Quo

November

Day Album Artist Notes
1 Freedom at Point ZeroJefferson Starship
2 Machine Gun EtiquetteThe Damned
3 The RaincoatsThe Raincoats
6 Pretty PaperWillie NelsonChristmas
9 The Soundhouse TapesIron MaidenEP
16 Night in the RutsAerosmith
17 Setting SonsThe Jam
18 Emerson, Lake and Palmer in ConcertEmerson, Lake & PalmerLive
19 Joe's Garage Acts II & IIIFrank Zappa
Live RustNeil Young & Crazy HorseLive
23 Live! Coast to CoastTeddy PendergrassLive
Metal BoxPublic Image Ltd.
PlatinumMike Oldfield
28 GloryhallastoopidParliament
30 The WallPink Floyd
N/A Brass Construction 5Brass Construction
DegüelloZZ Top
Down on the FarmLittle Feat
English GardenBruce Woolley and the Camera Club
ELO's Greatest HitsElectric Light OrchestraCompilation
MasterjamRufus
New York–London–Paris–MunichM
No Nukes: The Muse Concerts for a Non-Nuclear FutureVarious ArtistsTriple Live LP
PhoenixDan Fogelberg
Real to Real CacophonySimple Minds
Sometimes You WinDr. Hook
We're the Best of FriendsNatalie Cole & Peabo Bryson

December

Day Album Artist Notes
8 On ParoleMotörheadDebut
14 London CallingThe Clash
15 Sid SingsSid Vicious
20 Quiet LifeJapanInternational
22 September MornNeil Diamond
27 Adventures in UtopiaUtopia
31 ScoreCarol Lloyd
N/A 20 Jazz Funk GreatsThrobbing Gristle
The Best of Top of the Pops '79Top of the Poppers
Christopher CrossChristopher Cross
Les Plus Grands Succès De Chic: Chic's Greatest HitsChic
Sabotage/LiveJohn CaleLive

Release date unknown

Biggest hit singles

The following songs achieved the highest chart positions in the charts of 1979.

# Artist Title Year Country Chart entries
1BlondieHeart of Glass1979UK 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, Netherlands 5 – Feb 1979, Norway 5 – Mar 1979, RYM 8 of 1979, US CashBox 11 of 1979, US BB 1 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
2Gloria GaynorI Will Survive1978UK 1 – Feb 1979, US BB 1 – Jan 1979, US BB 1 of 1979, Canada 1 – Mar 1979, Republic of Ireland 1 – Mar 1979, POP 2 of 1979, Sweden (alt) 3 – Apr 1979, Netherlands 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
3MPop Muzik1979US 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, Netherlands 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
4Donna SummerHot Stuff1979US 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, Netherlands 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
5Patrick HernandezBorn to Be Alive1979Sweden (alt) 1 – Jul 1979 (20 weeks), France (SNEP) 1 – Feb 1979 (5 months), France 1 – Mar 1979 (5 weeks), Austria 1 – Apr 1979 (6 weeks), Norway 1 – Jul 1979 (17 weeks), Belgium 1 – Jan 1979 (18 weeks), Germany 1 – Mar 1979 (6 months), Canada RPM 1 for 2 weeks – Aug 1979, New Zealand 1 for 2 weeks – Oct 1979, RIANZ 1 – Sep 1979 (14 weeks), Australia 1 for 5 weeks – Oct 1979, France 1 for 15 weeks – Mar 1979, Germany 1 for 5 weeks – May 1979, France (InfoDisc) 4 of the 1970s (peak 1, 30 weeks, 1,412k sales estimated, 1979), US Gold (certified by RIAA in Nov 1979), Germany Gold (certified by BMieV in 1979), Netherlands 5 – Feb 1979 (18 weeks), Switzerland 5 – Feb 1979 (13 weeks), Australia 5 of 1979, Springbok 6 – Aug 1979 (11 weeks), Italy 7 of 1979, UK 10 – Jun 1979 (14 weeks), POP 11 of 1979, Canada 12 – Jul 1979 (6 weeks), US BB 15 of 1979, US Billboard 16 – Jun 1979 (19 weeks), Record World 19 – 1979, Germany 20 of the 1970s (peak 1 25 weeks), Brazil 32 of 1979, Scrobulate 68 of disco, US Radio 108 of 1979 (peak 16 5 weeks), RYM 200 of 1979, UK Silver (certified by BPI in Sep 1979), Global 7 (10 M sold) – 1979

Chronological table of US and UK number-one hit singles

Other significant singles

Classical music

  • Arno Babadjanian – Third String Quartet
  • Milton Babbitt
    • An Elizabethan Sextette, for six female voices
    • Images, for saxophone and tape
    • Paraphrases, for ten instruments
  • Osvaldas Balakauskas – Symphony No. 2
  • Pascal Bentoiu – Symphony No. 5, Op. 26
  • Luciano BerioScena
  • Harrison Birtwistle… agm …, for sixteen voices and three instrumental ensembles
  • John Cage
    • Hymns and Variations, for twelve amplified voices
    • Roaratorio for tape
  • George Crumb
    • Apparition for soprano and amplified piano
    • Celestial Mechanics (Makrokosmos IV) for amplified piano (four hands)
    • Star-Child (1977, revised 1979) for soprano, antiphonal children's voices, male speaking choir, bell ringers, and large orchestra
  • Mario DavidovskyPennplay for sixteen players
  • Peter Maxwell Davies
    • Black Pentecost, for mezzo-soprano, baritone, and orchestra, Op. 82
    • Kirkwall Shopping Songs, for young voices and instruments, Op. 85
    • Nocturne, for alto flute solo, Op. 84
    • Quiet Memory of Bob Jennings, for violin, viola, and cello, WoO 135
    • Salome, concert suite from the ballet, Op. 80b
    • Solstice of Light, cantata for tenor, SATB chorus, and organ, Op. 83
  • Morton Feldman
    • String Quartet No. 1
    • Violin and Orchestra
  • Hugh FlynnBirds
  • Philip Glass
  • Alexander Goehr
    • Babylon the Great Is Fallen, cantata, Op. 40
    • Chaconne for organ, Op. 34a
    • Das Gesetz der Quadrille, Op. 41
    • Sinfonia, Op. 42
  • Cristóbal Halffter
    • Officium defunctuorum, for orchestra and chorus
    • Violin Concerto No. 1
  • Jacques Hétu – Bassoon Concerto
  • Vagn Holmboe
    • Violin Concerto No. 2
    • Notater for 3 trombones (alto, tenor, baritone) and tuba
    • Konstateringer for choir
    • Guitar Sonata No. 1
    • Guitar Sonata No. 2
    • Accordion Sonata No. 1
    • Bogtrykkemaskinen for violin and piano
  • Miloslav KabelacMetamorphoses II, for piano and orchestra, Op. 58
  • Wojciech Kilar
    • Fanfare for mixed choir and orchestra
    • Hoary Fog (Siwa mgła), for baritone and orchestra
  • Witold LutosławskiNovelette for orchestra
  • William Lloyd WebberMissa Sanctae Mariae Magdalenae
  • Tomás Marco
    • Aria de la batalla, for organ
    • Tartessos, for four percussionists
  • Richard MealeViridian, for orchestra
  • Paul Moravec
    • Ave Verum Corpus, for SATB chorus
    • Missa Miserere, for SATB chorus and orchestra
    • Pater Noster, for SATB chorus
  • Ștefan NiculescuSincronie for flute, oboe and bassoon
  • Allan Pettersson – Viola Concerto
  • Steve Reich
  • R. Murray Schafer
    • Beauty and the Beast, from Patria 3, for alto with masks and string quartet
    • Felix's Girls, from Patria 3, for SATB quartet or choir
    • Gamelan, from Patria 3, for SATB, SASA, or TBTB solo quartet or choir
    • Hear Me Out from Patria 3, for four speaking voices
    • Music for Wilderness Lake, for twelve trombones and small rural lake
    • Ontario Variations on a theme by Jack Behrens (one variation), for piano, contribution to collective work by Ontario composers
  • Peter Sculthorpe
    • Four Little Pieces, for piano duet
    • Mangrove, for orchestra
    • Requiem, for cello alone
  • Denis SmalleyThe Pulses of Time, electronic music
  • Roger Smalley – String Quartet
  • Michael Tippett – Triple Concerto for violin, viola, and cello
  • Anatol Vieru
    • Concerto for violin, cello, and orchestra
    • Iosif si fratii sai, for eleven instruments and tape
  • Malcolm WilliamsonFanfarade, for orchestra
  • Charles Wuorinen
    • Fortune, for clarinet, violin, cello, and piano
    • Joan's, for flute, clarinet, violin, cello, and piano
    • The Magic Art, instrumental masque, for chamber orchestra
    • Percussion Duo, for mallet instruments and piano
    • Psalm 39, for baritone and guitar
    • String Quartet No. 2
    • Three Songs, for tenor and piano
  • Iannis Xenakis
    • Anémoessa, for SATB chorus of 42 or 84 voices and orchestra
    • Dikhthas, for violin and piano
    • Palimpsest, for cor anglais, bass clarinet, bassoon, horn, percussion, piano, and string quintet

Opera

Jazz

Musical theatre

Musical films

Births

Deaths

Awards ceremonies

See also

References

  1. "Mi-Sex". Archived from the original on July 15, 2013. Retrieved March 2, 2014.
  2. "Maestro's wife to honor him with academy". Mehr News Agency. June 30, 2015. Retrieved October 17, 2019.
  3. Culture, Desk (March 27, 2018). "Happy birthday, Shakib Khan". Daily Sun. Retrieved January 14, 2020.
  4. Bob Macken; Peter Fornatale; Bill Ayres (January 1, 1980). The Rock Music Source Book. Anchor Books. p. 631. ISBN 978-0-385-14139-0.
  5. Tobler, John (1992). NME Rock 'N' Roll Years (1st ed.). London: Reed International Books Ltd. p. 322. CN 5585.
  6. Griffin, Helga M. (1986). "Lawrence, Marjorie Florence (1907–1979)". Australian Dictionary of Biography. 10. Melbourne, Vic: Melbourne University Press. pp. 14–15. Retrieved June 30, 2009.
  7. Medina, David; Lombardi, Frank (February 1, 2015). "Punk rocker Sid Vicious dies of an overdose in 1979". New York Daily News. nydailynews.com. Retrieved May 6, 2017.
  8. "Alcohol, medication may have led to tenor's suicide". The Calgary Herald. March 7, 1979. p. B18. Retrieved February 6, 2013.
  9. Baker's Biographical Dictionary of Musicians, Seventh Edition, Revised by Nicolas Slonimsky, Schirmer Books, New York, 1984, page 1178
  10. Walter Legge; Alan Sanders (May 21, 1998). Walter Legge: words and music. Duckworth. p. 255. ISBN 978-0-7156-2774-7.
  11. Stanley Sadie (1980). The New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians. Macmillan Publishers. p. 335. ISBN 978-0-333-23111-1.
  12. F. Maurice Speed; Speed (November 1, 1979). Film Review: 1979–1980. Penguin Group (USA) Incorporated. p. 168. ISBN 978-0-8015-2632-9.
  13. allmusic "Angus MacLise"
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