How well do you know the hit songs of 1978?

Do you recall these Seventies smashes?

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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...

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161 Comments

TonyClifton 8 months ago
I was a radio DJ in 1978, and back in those days, the hit song was printed on both sides of the 45...one side was in mono (for the AM stations) and one side was in stereo (for the FM stations). So I never had any idea what was printed on the flipside of a record, like the Bee Gees' "Stayin Alive." :-(
metv1717 TonyClifton 6 months ago
Interesting Tony, I never heard that before, thanks.
WilliamJorns 10 months ago
The only one I missed was #7. I didn't know that Barry Gibb wrote "Grease" for the movie. Well, now I do...
Gunsmoked 10 months 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 10 months ago
remembering how many years ago? Seems like just yesterday
Farnsworth 10 months ago
Blew that one pretty much 🤣
SheriHeffner 10 months 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 10 months ago
11/13 I missed the two songs about Grease.
dmirarh 10 months ago
You got 8 out of 13, thought I would have done better.
Zip 11 months 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 10 months ago
You and me both. I loathed the damn 70s.
KellyO 11 months ago
Graduated high school in ‘78 so this was easy for me. Somedays I miss 1978.
WilliamJorns KellyO 10 months ago
Hey, sometimes I miss that year too. In fact, I miss the '70's as a whole.
Giggity 11 months ago
7/13.. Happy that I got Olivia Newton-John, Steely Dan and Randy Newman questions correct..
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