Disco fever, soft-rock ballads, and the rise of the Bee Gees. Ranked by cumulative Billboard Hot 100 performance, these are the singles that ruled the American charts across the 1970s.
The full ranking
Disco fever, soft-rock ballads, and the rise of the Bee Gees. Ranked by cumulative Billboard Hot 100 performance, these are the singles that ruled the American charts across the 1970s.
You Light Up My Life (Debby Boone)
It spent 10 weeks at No. 1, the longest Hot 100 chart-topping run of the entire decade, and was the biggest single of the 1970s.
Tonight's the Night (Rod Stewart)
An eight-week No. 1 that closed out 1976 and dominated into early 1977.
Le Freak (Chic)
A disco landmark that spent six nonconsecutive weeks at No. 1 and became one of the best-selling singles in Atlantic Records history.
How Deep Is Your Love (Bee Gees)
The first of the Bee Gees' Saturday Night Fever-era hits spent three weeks at No. 1 and a then-record 17 consecutive weeks in the top ten.
I Just Want to Be Your Everything (Andy Gibb)
The youngest Gibb brother's debut single was a four-week No. 1 and Billboard's No. 1 song of 1977.
Silly Love Songs (Wings)
Paul McCartney's Wings spent five weeks at No. 1, making it Billboard's top single of 1976.
Let's Get It On (Marvin Gaye)
A two-week No. 1 and one of the most enduring soul recordings of the era.
Night Fever (Bee Gees)
From Saturday Night Fever, it spent eight weeks at No. 1 and helped the soundtrack become one of the best-selling albums ever.
Tie a Yellow Ribbon Round the Ole Oak Tree (Tony Orlando and Dawn)
A four-week No. 1 and Billboard's biggest single of 1973.
Shadow Dancing (Andy Gibb)
It spent seven weeks at No. 1 and was Billboard's No. 1 song of 1978, giving Andy Gibb two entries in the decade's top ten.
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