The UK Singles Chart is one of many music charts compiled by the Official Charts Company that calculates the best-selling singles of the week in the United Kingdom. Before 2004, the chart was only based on the sales of physical singles. This list shows singles that peaked in the Top 10 of the UK Singles Chart during

1979 Events January * January 1 ** United Nations Secretary-General Kurt Waldheim heralds the start of the ''International Year of the Child''. Many musicians donate to the ''Music for UNICEF Concert'' fund, among them ABBA, who write the song ...

, as well as singles which peaked in

1978 Events January * January 1 – Air India Flight 855, a Boeing 747 passenger jet, crashes off the coast of Bombay, killing 213. * January 5 – Bülent Ecevit, of Republican People's Party, CHP, forms the new government of Turkey (42nd go ...

and

1980 Events January * January 4 – U.S. President Jimmy Carter proclaims a grain embargo against the USSR with the support of the European Commission. * January 6 – Global Positioning System time epoch begins at 00:00 UTC. * January 9 – ...

but were in the top 10 in 1979. The entry date is when the single appeared in the top 10 for the first time (week ending, as published by the Official Charts Company, which is six days after the chart is announced). One-hundred and forty-one singles were in the top ten in 1979. Nine singles from 1978 remained in the top 10 for several weeks at the beginning of the year, while "

Day Trip to Bangor (Didn't We Have a Lovely Time) "Day Trip to Bangor (Didn't We Have a Lovely Time)" is a single by the folk group Fiddler's Dram. The novelty song was released in 1979 and peaked at number 3 at the start of 1980. The song was written by Debbie Cook and recorded by the lead sin ...

" by

Fiddler's Dram Fiddler's Dram were a British folk band of the late 1970s, most widely known for their 1979 hit single, " Day Trip to Bangor (Didn't We Have a Lovely Time)", which reached no. 3 on the UK Singles Chart. Band members The full-time members of Fi ...

, " Wonderful Christmastime" by Paul McCartney and " Brass in Pocket" by The Pretenders were all released in 1979 but did not reach their peak until 1980. " Song for Guy" by

Elton John Sir Elton Hercules John (born Reginald Kenneth Dwight; 25 March 1947) is a British singer, pianist and composer. Commonly nicknamed the "Rocket Man" after his 1972 hit single of the same name, John has led a commercially successful career a ...

, "

Lay Your Love on Me "Lay Your Love on Me" is a pop song by the British pop group Racey; it was their second single release. The song was written by Nicky Chinn and Mike Chapman, produced by Mickie Most and released in 1978 on the RAK Records label. It was their ...

" by Racey and "

Y.M.C.A. YMCA, sometimes regionally called the Y, is a worldwide youth organization based in Geneva, Switzerland, with more than 64 million beneficiaries in 120 countries. It was founded on 6 June 1844 by George Williams in London, originally ...

" by The Village People were the singles from 1978 to reach their peak in 1979. Thirty-two artists scored multiple entries in the top 10 in 1979.

Dire Straits Dire Straits were a British rock band formed in London in 1977 by Mark Knopfler (lead vocals and lead guitar), David Knopfler (rhythm guitar and backing vocals), John Illsley (bass guitar and backing vocals) and Pick Withers (drums and percuss ...

, The Jam,

Madness Madness or The Madness may refer to: Emotion and mental health * Anger, an intense emotional response to a perceived provocation, hurt or threat * Insanity, a spectrum of behaviors characterized by certain abnormal mental or behavioral patterns * ...

, The Police and The Specials were among the many artists who achieved their first UK charting top 10 single in 1979. The 1978

Christmas number-one In the United Kingdom, Christmas number ones are singles that top the UK Singles Chart in the week in which Christmas Day falls. The singles have often been novelty songs, charity songs or songs with a Christmas theme. Historically, the volume ...

, " Mary's Boy Child – Oh My Lord" by

Boney M. Boney M. was a German-Caribbean vocal group that specialized in disco and funk created by German record producer Frank Farian, who was the group's primary songwriter. Originally based in West Germany, the four original members of the group's o ...

, remained at number-one for the first two weeks of 1979. The first new number-one single of the year was " YMCA" by The Village People. Overall, eighteen different singles peaked at number-one in 1979, with Blondie,

Gary Numan Gary Anthony James Webb (born 8 March 1958), known professionally as Gary Numan, is an English musician. He entered the music industry as frontman of the new wave band Tubeway Army. After releasing two albums with the band, he released his d ...

and The Police (2) having the joint most singles hit that position.

Background

Multiple entries

One-hundred and forty-one singles charted in the top 10 in 1979, with one-hundred and thirty-one singles reaching their peak this year. Thirty-two artists scored multiple entries in the top 10 in 1979. ABBA secured the record for most top 10 hits in 1979 with five hit singles.

was one of a number of artists with two top-ten entries, including the number-one single " Cars". Barbra Streisand, Edwin Starr, Ian Dury and the Blockheads, Paul McCartney and The Specials were among the other artists who had multiple top 10 entries in 1979.

Chart debuts

Fifty-two artists achieved their first top 10 single in 1979, either as a lead or featured artist. Of these, eight went on to record another hit single that year:

Amii Stewart Amy Paulette "Amii" Stewart (born January 29, 1956) is an American disco and soul singer and dancer who found prominence with her 1979 U.S. Billboard number 1 hit cover of Eddie Floyd's song " Knock on Wood", often considered a classic of the ...

B. A. Robertson Brian Alexander Robertson (born 12 September 1956) is a Scottish musician, composer and songwriter. He had a string of hits in the late 1970s and early 1980s characterised by catchy pop tunes and jaunty humorous lyrics, including " Knocked It ...

, Gibson Brothers,

Sister Sledge Sister Sledge is an American musical vocal group from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Formed in 1971, the group consisted of sisters Debbie, Joni, Kim, and Kathy Sledge. The siblings achieved international success at the height of the disco era. ...

, The Specials, Squeeze and Supertramp. Earth, Wind and Fire and The Police both had two other entries in their breakthrough year. The following table (collapsed on desktop site) does not include acts who had previously charted as part of a group and secured their first top 10 solo single.

Songs from films

Original songs from various films entered the top 10 throughout the year. These included " Bright Eyes" (from '' Watership Down'') and " Theme From ''"The Deer Hunter"'' (Cavatina)" ('' The Deer Hunter'').

Best-selling singles

Art Garfunkel had the best-selling single of the year with " Bright Eyes". The single spent nine weeks in the top 10 (including six weeks at number one) and was certified platinum by the BPI. " Heart of Glass" by Blondie came in second place. Cliff Richard's " We Don't Talk Anymore", " I Don't Like Mondays" from The Boomtown Rats and "

When You're in Love with a Beautiful Woman "When You're in Love with a Beautiful Woman" is an internationally successful single by Dr. Hook. It was recorded at Muscle Shoals Sound Studio, Alabama. Written by Even Stevens, who followed producer Ron Haffkine into the studio bathroom to pitch ...

" by Dr. Hook made up the top five. Singles by

Gloria Gaynor Gloria Gaynor ( née Fowles; born September 7, 1943) is an American singer, best known for the disco era hits "I Will Survive" (1978), " Let Me Know (I Have a Right)" (1979), " I Am What I Am" (1983), and her version of "Never Can Say Goodbye" ( ...

Tubeway Army Tubeway Army were a London-based new wave band led by lead singer Gary Numan. Formed at the height of punk rock in 1977 the band gradually changed to an electronic sound. They were the first band of the electronic era to have a synthesiser-b ...

, Roxy Music, Blondie (" Sunday Girl") and

Lena Martell Lena Martell (born Helen Thomson; 15 May 1940) is a Scottish singer, with a long career in theatre, television and musicals. She has recorded thirty albums which include the number one UK single with " One Day at a Time" in 1979. Biography Marte ...

were also in the top ten best-selling singles of the year.

Top-ten singles

;Key

Entries by artist

The following table shows artists who achieved two or more top 10 entries in 1979, including singles that reached their peak in 1978 or 1980. The figures include both main artists and featured artists, while appearances on ensemble charity records are also counted for each artist. The total number of weeks an artist spent in the top ten in 1979 is also shown.

Notes

* "Day Trip to Bangor (Didn't We Have a Lovely Time)" reached its peak of number-three on 5 January 1980 (week ending). * "Car 67" re-entered the top 10 at number 7 on 3 February 1979 (week ending) for 3 weeks. * "Hallelujah" was Israel's winning entry at the

Eurovision Song Contest The Eurovision Song Contest (), sometimes abbreviated to ESC and often known simply as Eurovision, is an international songwriting competition organised annually by the European Broadcasting Union (EBU), featuring participants representing pr ...

. * "Parisienne Walkways" re-entered the top 10 at number 10 on 2 June 1979 (week ending). * "H.A.P.P.Y. Radio" re-entered the top 10 at number 9 on 30 June 1979 (week ending). * Only Paul McCartney was credited for "Wonderful Christmastime" but the rest of his group, Wings, were featured in the promotional music video. * Figure includes single that peaked in 1978. * Figure includes a top 10 hit with the group The Jacksons. * Figure includes a top 10 hit with the group Thin Lizzy. * Figure includes a top 10 hit with the group Wings. * Figure includes single that peaked in 1980. * Figure includes single that first charted in 1978 but peaked in 1979.

References

General * Specific

External links

1979 singles chart archive
at the Official Charts Company (click on relevant week) {{UK Music Charts United Kingdom Top 10 singles