Every new year brings a new round of great music for us to enjoy for decades to come, but few can boast having as good a release catalogue as the year 1979. Maybe folks were trying to squeeze the last bit of creative juice out of the 1970s. Perhaps the old and the new blended in a rare, incredible way as the world transitioned into the 1980s.
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Whatever the case, we’d argue 1979 was one of the best years for music of all time across all genres, styles, and countries. Here are seven songs that prove our point—and yes, narrowing it down to seven was incredibly difficult.
“Another Brick in the Wall, pt. 2” by Pink Floyd
One of Pink Floyd’s most iconic pieces of music came out on November 30, 1979. The groovy protest song against oppressive and corporally violent school systems is still enjoying regular airplay on radio stations and playlists around the world, and it’s easy to see why. Everyone, even the most studious of us, can relate to the feeling of wanting to break free from “thought control” and “dark sarcasm in the classroom.”
“The Devil Went Down to Georgia” by Charlie Daniels
1979 was a fantastic year for country music, too, as exemplified by Charlie Daniels’ single from Million Mile Reflections, “The Devil Went Down to Georgia”. Daniels’ lightning-fast fiddle playing helps narrate the two main characters: the major-key Johnny and the minor-key Devil. Featuring recitative-esque verses and an earworm chorus, the song became the Charlie Daniels Band’s biggest hit by far.
“Rock With You” by Michael Jackson
Narrowing down which late 1970s Michael Jackson song to include on this list of great music from 1979 was no easy task, but we stand by our decision to go with “Rock With You”. One of many great tracks from Jackson’s fifth studio album, Off the Wall, the vibey track blends elements of disco, pop, and R&B, highlighting the all-time best era of Michael Jackson.
“Crazy Little Thing Called Love” by Queen
Queen had countless hits that deserve recognition, but “Crazy Little Thing Called Love” stands alone in its ability to cater to all music lovers. A little bit of rock, a little bit of pop, even a little bit of country if you consider the swinging, shuffling beat—it’s a true testament to the band’s ability to deliver catchy pop music as well as they could deliver powerful rock ‘n’ roll.
“Rapper’s Delight” by The Sugarhill Gang
1979 was one of the best years of music, thanks in no small part to Sugarhill Gang, an American hip-hop trio that released their iconic, genre-defining track, “Rapper’s Delight”, in September of that year. The song effectively put hip-hop on the map, graduating the term from a cool get-together in the city to a bona fide genre. The musical style has continued to evolve over the decades and now dominates the charts today.
“Hot Stuff” by Donna Summer
Regardless of how you feel about disco, you can probably hum at least the chorus of “Hot Stuff” with relative ease. Donna Summer was one of the best in disco music, and 1979 was a great year for her to show off. While disco lost some of its sheen in the following decade, it’s experiencing a resurgence with artists like Sabrina Carpenter and Dua Lipa in the 2020s.
“Don’t Bring Me Down” by Electric Light Orchestra
We’ll close our list of great music from 1979 with Electric Light Orchestra’s “Don’t Bring Me Down”. Another great example of blending genres, this kind-of rock, kind-of pop song has one of the catchiest hooks of the decade, and not just because no one knew what Jeff Lynne was singing when he said, “Don’t bring me dooooown, groos? Bruce?” Whatever you’re singing at that part of the song, the most important point is that you’re singing.
Photo by Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images
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