Remember how good the music was back in 1979, particularly when it came to classic rock? It was a fine year for the genre, and plenty of rock hits from that year touched on punk, new wave, and more experimental sounds that made them all the more unique. If you were a 70s kid, you probably remember when these songs first graced your ears.
“London Calling” by The Clash from ‘London Calling’
When punk rock was fading in popularity in the UK and giving way to post-punk, The Clash dropped this absolutely iconic rock hit in 1979. “London Calling” is still their signature song after all these years, and it’s a very of-the-time track about war, police brutality, and culture. Upon its release, this memorable track peaked at No. 11 in the UK and No. 30 on the Billboard Hot Dance Club Play chart in the US.
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“Life During Wartime” by Talking Heads from ‘Fear Of Music’
Talking Heads decided to step into a more dance-punk sound with this funky new wave hit from 1979. “Life During Wartime” was the first single off the band’s album Fear Of Music, and it didn’t quite make it to “hit” status on the pop charts. The song peaked at No. 80 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, and that’s pretty wild to me. This is easily one of their greatest songs, and its futuristic, apocalyptic sound isn’t totally unlike The Clash’s hit on this list.
“Another Brick In The Wall Pt. 2” by Pink Floyd from ‘The Wall’
This one’s a classic entry on our list of rock songs from 1979, and it’s a track that even casual Pink Floyd fans still enjoy to this very day. Written by Roger Waters, “Another Brick In The Wall Pt. 2” rivals its predecessor in this three-part composition, and it remains one of the band’s most successful songs in their native UK. The second part of the song is a protest tune of sorts about violent punishment in schools, as well as abusive schooling of children in general. It made it all the way to No. 1 in quite a few countries, including the UK, US, Canada, and many more.
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More The List
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English musician, singer, songwriter, and composer Paul McCartney records the Lennon-McCartney composition 'Thingumybob' with the Black Dyke Mills Band in Saltaire, City of Bradford, West Yorkshire, 30th June 1968. (Photo by Tony Evans/Timelapse Library Ltd./Getty Images) -
Reba McEntire performign on the Oprah Winfrey Show in Chicago, Illinois, October 8, 1991. (Photo by Paul Natkin/Getty Images) -
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – Garth Brooks performing at the 1998 Billboard Music Awards in Las Vegas, NV. (Photo by Frank Micelotta/Getty Images) -
English singer Dusty Springfield (1939-1999), performs on the set of her TV show 'Dusty' at BBC Television Centre in London, circa 1967. The show ran for two series between August 1966 and September 1967. (Photo by David Redfern/Redferns) -
Photo by Paul Natkin/Getty Images -
MINNEAPOLIS, MN – AUGUST 29: Elvis Costello performs at the Orpheum Theatre in Minneapolis, Minnesota on August 29, 1984. (Photo by Jim Steinfeldt/Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images)
