How well do you know the hit songs of 1978?

Do you recall these Seventies smashes?

In 1978, disco was reaching its cultural peak. What started as a haven for marginalized, underrepresented club-goers was quickly commercialized and commodified by the masses. It's a tale as old as time, but at least this one left us with some serious jams.

In '78, we had Jimmy Carter and the Star Wars Holiday Special. Bob Newhart and Carol Burnett both saw their shows come to an end, as did Scooby-Doo. We did, however, get Mork and Mindy, Fantasy Island, and Taxi. The times, they were, it seems, a-changin'.

Maybe you witnessed it all firsthand, or maybe you caught up in the history books. Whether this brings great memories or fills in cultural blindspots, we hope you have fun with this quiz. Find out how well you can recall these hit songs that charted in 1978. Make sure to share your score in the comments!

The questions and answers here are pulled from the Billboard Year-End Hot 100 singles of 1978, but hey, no peeking! 

  1. The Billboard Hot 100 #1 song of the year belonged to "Shadow Dancing," a solo cut from which Gibb brother?
  2. Speaking of the Gibb brothers, "Stayin' Alive" hit #1 for four weeks in February. What was that single's B-Side?
  3. Kasey Cisyk's "You Light Up My Life" was re-recorded by which singer, scoring a #1 hit in '78?
  4. "Miss You" by the Rolling Stones was released in '78. Drummer Charlie Watts cited the sounds of which city as an influence to the song's four-on-the-floor sound?
  5. "Baby Come Back" was a #1 hit on the Billboard Hot 100 for which musical act?
  6. Which 1978 Olivia Newton-John single was NOT a part of the Grease soundtrack?
  7. Speaking of Grease, Frankie Vallie had a hit with the soundtrack's title track. Who wrote the song "Grease?"
  8. Finish these Steely Dan lyrics: "They call Alabama the Crimson Tide. Call me..."
  9. Which song was the most commercially successful (in the United States) off the Wings album "London Town?"
  10. Chic's "Dance, Dance, Dance (Yowsah, Yowsah, Yowsah)" featured backing vocals from which of the following singers?
  11. According to the Randy Newman song that reached #2 on the Billboard Hot 100, who has "no reason?"
  12. Gerry Rafferty scored a #2 hit with which geographically inclined tune?
  13. Which "Bat Out of Hell" single charted the highest on the Billboard Top 100?

How well do you know the hit songs of 1978?

Your Result...

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Pellentesque nec ante ipsum. Mauris viverra, urna et porta sagittis, lorem diam dapibus diam, et lacinia libero quam id risus.
 
Are you sure you want to delete this comment?
Close

152 Comments

Gunsmoked 3 hours ago
11/13 That Bee Gee's 45 B side question , hats off if you got that one correct.
Bought the album but no 45's
Doggonnit 1 day ago
remembering how many years ago? Seems like just yesterday
SheriHeffner 6 days ago
7 out of 13. I hated Paradise By The Dashboard Light. The only movie I went to see was Grease. I was too young to see the raunchy Saturday Night Fever. It was IMO one of the most disgusting, nasty movie I ever saw when I finally was old enough to see. I used to have a crush on John Travolta but that movie make me stop.
Jerryfan 9 days ago
11/13 I missed the two songs about Grease.
dmirarh 9 days ago
You got 8 out of 13, thought I would have done better.
Zip 10 days ago
6/13
70's music(or fashion) never moved me. And it shows.

"Damn! I hate the 70's!" -Gus Borden, Get A Life
SheriHeffner Zip 6 days ago
You and me both. I loathed the damn 70s.
KellyO 10 days ago
Graduated high school in ‘78 so this was easy for me. Somedays I miss 1978.
Giggity 10 days ago
7/13.. Happy that I got Olivia Newton-John, Steely Dan and Randy Newman questions correct..
JayBurd 11 days ago
6 if 13.....I was very busy that year drinking...only thing I remember for sure is that I got married and I still am to the same woman ...
Giggity JayBurd 10 days ago
Congrats to the both of you!! Our wagon was hitched 42 years ago..
JayBurd Giggity 9 days ago
Congratulations to y'all as well!
Moverfan JayBurd 7 days ago
My folks got married May 28, 1960...they'd have been married sixty-three years tomorrow (and I came along three weeks and a day before their second anniversary).
SheriHeffner Moverfan 6 days ago
Tell them.Happy Anniversary from me. My.parents would have been.married 62 years on June 3rd. But he died almost eleven years ago.
JayBurd Moverfan 6 days ago
Tell them Happy Anniversary and Congratulations for me please
graceful1970 12 days ago
You got 10 out of 13
Bee Gees? More like A+ Gees! Great job!!
Are you sure you want to delete this comment?