1978 in music

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Overview of the events of 1978 in musicTemplate:SHORTDESC:Overview of the events of 1978 in music

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 File:Elo 27041978 04 800.jpg
This is a list of notable events in music that took place in the year 1978.

## Events

### January–April

* 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 would still wear glasses occasionally for the next ten years until wearing them permanently again.
* 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 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 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 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.
* 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 that night, The Blues Brothers make their first appearance on the show.

### May–July

* 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 10 – The Rolling Stones begin their 25-date US summer tour in Lakeland, 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 band mates.
* 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 Bowl in Dallas. 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 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

* August 18 – The Who release their eighth studio *Who Are You*. It is The Who's last album with Keith Moon as the drummer; Moon died twenty days after the release of this album.
* 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 28 – 67,000 Funk fans assembled at Soldier Field in Chicago, Illinois to attend the first annual Funk Festival, billed as "One Nation Under A Groove", featuring A Taste of Honey (band), 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 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.
* October 29 – Michael Schenker plays his final show with UFO in Stanford, California before leaving the group to rejoin Scorpions.
* November 21 – French pop star Dalida performed 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 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 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

* 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.
* November, Iron Maiden hires lead singer Paul Di'Anno.

## Bands formed

* *See Category:Musical groups established in 1978*

## Bands disbanded

* *See Category:Musical groups disestablished in 1978*

## Biggest hit singles

The following songs achieved the highest chart positions
in the charts of 1978.

## Chronological table of US and UK number one hit singles

* 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)

* "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)

## Singles released

1. No One Is Innocent / My Way Sex Pistols

## Published popular music

* "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*

## Births

* January 3 – Kimberley Locke, American singer
* January 5 – Karnail Pitts, American rapper (d. 1999)
* January 9 – A. J. 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 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 21 – Kevin Federline, American musician
* 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, British singer (S Club 7)
* April 11 – Thomas Thacker, Canadian singer
* April 12 – Guy Berryman, Scottish rock bass player (Coldplay)
* 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 12 – Wilfred Le Bouthillier, Canadian singer
* May 21 – Adam Gontier, Canadian-born rock musician (Three Days Grace)
* May 23 – Scott Raynor, American rock musician (Blink-182)
* May 29 – Adam Rickitt, British actor, singer and model
* May 30 – Kianna Alarid (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 9 – Matthew Bellamy (Muse)
* June 13 – Jason Michael Carroll, American country musician
* June 19 – Mía Maestro, singer
* June 24
	+ Ariel Pink, American singer-songwriter (Atheif)
	+ Emppu Vuorinen, Finnish guitarist and songwriter (Nightwish, Brother Firetribe, Altaria, and Barilari)
* June 29 – Sam Farrar (Phantom Planet)
* June 27 – Lolly, English singer
* 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
* August 1 – Dhani Harrison, English musician and son of George Harrison of The Beatles
* August 7 – Jamey Jasta, American rock singer (Hatebreed)
* August 15 – Tim Foreman, American rock bassist (Switchfoot)
* August 18 – Quinoline Yellow, Welsh composer and producer
* August 23 – Julian Casablancas (The Strokes)
* August 24 – Darren Robinson (Phantom Planet)
* August 27 – Mase, rapper
* August 28
	+ Max Collins (Eve 6)
	+ Jess Margera, American drummer (CKY)
* August 30 – Maino, rapper
* September 6 – Cisco Adler, American musician
* September 9 – Johnny Shentall, English singer
* September 11 – Ben Lee, Australian singer
* September 20
	+ Patrizio Buanne, Italian singer
	+ Sarit Hadad, Israeli pop singer
* September 30 – Steve Klein (New Found Glory)
* October 2 – Ayumi Hamasaki, Japanese singer
* October 3 – Jake Shears, American singer
* October 9 – Nicky Byrne, Irish singer (Westlife)
* October 14 – Usher, American singer and actor
* October 20
	+ Kira, German singer
	+ R'sonist, Jamaican Hip Hop Producer
* October 27 – Vanessa-Mae, British violinist
* November 9 – Sisqó, American singer
* November 10 – Eve, American rapper
* 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 (Yeah Yeah Yeahs)
* November 25 – Shiina Ringo, Japanese singer and musician
* November 30 – Clay Aiken, American singer
* December 1 – Brad Delson (Linkin Park)
* December 2
	+ Nelly Furtado, Canadian/Portuguese singer, songwriter, record producer, instrumentalist
	+ Christopher Wolstenholme (Muse)
* December 15 – Ned Brower (Rooney)
* December 23 – Esthero, singer-songwriter
* December 24 – Tonedeff, American rapper
* December 29
	+ LaToya London, American singer
	+ Steve Kemp, British musician (Hard-Fi)

## Deaths

* 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, Ames Brothers
* January 31 – Gregory Herbert, Blood, Sweat & Tears saxophonist
* February 7 – Dimitrie Cuclin, 82, composer and musicologist
* 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
* 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 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)

## References

1. ↑ Flippo, Chet (November 30, 1978). "Keith Richards Guilty - But Free". *Rolling Stone*. Retrieved November 14, 2013.

## External links

* Pop Culture Madness 1978 Pop Music Chart