Overview of the events of 1978 in music
Electric Light Orchestra in 1978This is a list of notable events in music that took place in the year 1978.
Specific locations
Specific genres
Events
January–April January 14 – The Sex Pistols play their final show (until a 1996 reunion) at San Francisco's Winterland Ballroom .January 16 – Elton John appears on this week's People (magazine)January 17 – Simple Minds make their very first live performance at Glasgow's Satellite City.[1] January 21 – As Saturday Night Fever Billboard Charts , where it will stay until July.January 23 – Terry Kath , guitarist and founding member of rock band Chicago , dies from an accidental gunshot wound to the head from a gun he thought was unloaded, in Woodland Hills, Los Angeles ; he is 32 years old.January 25 January 26 – Workers at EMI's record processing plant in England refuse to press copies of The Buzzcocks 's second single "What Do I Get? " because of its flipside, "Oh Shit!". The single is eventually pressed and goes on to become the band's first hit.January 28 – By request, Ted Nugent autographs his name into a fan's arm with a bowie knife in Philadelphia.February 4 – Elton John appears as the guest star on The Muppet Show .February 10 – Van Halen debuts with a self-titled album ; Eddie Van Halen introduces a powerful new sound and technique to world, while David Lee Roth is ushered in as the front man.February 23 – The 20th Annual Grammy Awards are presented in Los Angeles , hosted by John Denver . Fleetwood Mac 's Rumours Album of the Year , the Eagles ' "Hotel California " wins Record of the Year and, in a rare tie, Barbra Streisand 's "Evergreen (Love Theme from A Star Is Born) " and Debby Boone 's "You Light Up My Life " both collectively win Song of the Year . Boone also wins Best New Artist .March 11 – Kate Bush tops the UK Singles Chart with "Wuthering Heights ", becoming the first-ever female artist to top the chart with a self-penned song.[2] March 18 – California Jam II is held at the Ontario Motor Speedway in California. Over 300,000 fans come to see Ted Nugent , Aerosmith , Santana , Dave Mason , Foreigner , Heart and more.April 22
May–July May 6 – The Knack is formed (first album released in 1979).May 13 – Barry Gibb becomes the only songwriter in history to have written 4 consecutive #1 singles on Billboard's Hot 100 Chart.May 18 – The Buddy Holly Story Gary Busey , is released. It would win the Academy Award for Best Music, Original Song Score and Its Adaptation or Best Adaptation Score , and earn a nomination for Best Actor in a Leading Role (Busey) and Best Sound .May 25 – In a performance used for The Kids Are Alright The Who play their last show with Keith Moon .June 7 - Prince's debut single Soft and Wet is released by Warner Bros. Records. June 10 – The Rolling Stones begin their 25-date US summer tour in Lakeland, Florida .June 13 – The Cramps play a free concert for patients at the Napa State Mental Hospital.June 16 – The film adaptation of the musical Grease June 20 – Grace Slick splits with Jefferson Starship the day after a disastrous concert in Hamburg , Germany, in which a heavily intoxicated Slick verbally abused the crowd and groped various fans and bandmates.June 29 – Peter Frampton is nearly killed in a car accident in The Bahamas , suffering multiple broken bones, a concussion, and muscle damage.July 1 – The first Texxas Jam is held over the July 4 long weekend at the Cotton Bowl in Dallas . The first day features Ted Nugent, Aerosmith, Frank Marino and Mahogany Rush , Heart , Journey , Head East , Atlanta Rhythm Section , Eddie Money , Van Halen and Walter Egan . Sunday consists of Willie Nelson headlining his sixth annual Fourth of July picnic.July 15 – The Picnic at Blackbushe Aerodrome , Camberley , Surrey, England, a concert featuring Bob Dylan , Eric Clapton and Joan Armatrading , attracts some 200,000 people.[3] July 19 – Dead Kennedys play their first concert, at the Mabuhay Gardens in San Francisco, California.July 21 – Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band Peter Frampton and the Bee Gees performing the music of The Beatles , opens in theaters. The film is savaged by critics and proves a box office disappointment.July 29 – Glenn Goins , one of the lead vocalists for the band Parliament-Funkadelic dies of Hodgkin's lymphoma at age of 24.July 30 – Thin Lizzy officially announces that Gary Moore has replaced Brian Robertson on guitar.
August–December August 26 – 80,000 concertgoers attend Mosport Speedway in Ontario for the "Canada Jam Festival ", featuring sets by the Doobie Brothers , Commodores , Kansas , Village People , Dave Mason , the Atlanta Rhythm Section and Triumph .August 26 – 67,000 Funk fans assembled at Soldier Field in Chicago, Illinois to attend the first annual Funk Festival, billed as "One Nation Under A Groove", featuring A Taste of Honey , Parlet , Con Funk Shun , the Bar-Kays , and Parliament-Funkadelic .September 7 – The Who drummer Keith Moon dies in a central London flat after a prescription drug overdose at the age of 32.September 14 –16 – The Grateful Dead perform three shows in Giza, Egypt, very close to the Sphinx and Great Pyramid .October 12 – Nancy Spungen , the American girlfriend of Sex Pistols bassist Sid Vicious , is found dead in a New York hotel room of a stab wound. Sid is arrested and charged with her murder.October 21 – Founder members John Taylor and Nick Rhodes name their newly formed band Duran Duran after the character "Dr. Durand Durand" from the sci-fi film Barbarella [4] October 24 – Rolling Stones guitarist Keith Richards pleads guilty to a reduced charge of possessing heroin in Toronto in 1977. The more serious charge of drug trafficking is dropped and Richards is given a one-year suspended sentence as well as ordered to play a charity concert for the blind.[5] October 29 – Michael Schenker plays his final show with UFO in Stanford, California before leaving the group to rejoin Scorpions .November – Iron Maiden hires lead singer Paul Di'Anno . November 21 – French pop star Dalida performs a concert at New York's Carnegie Hall .November 25 A now sober Alice Cooper releases the album From the Inside Aerosmith cuts a concert short after Steven Tyler suffers cuts to his face from a bottle that shatters upon hitting a stage monitor.Donna Summer becomes the first female artist of the modern rock era to have the number one single (Mac Arthur Park) and album (Live and More) on Billboard charts simultaneously.November 27 – Def Leppard 's permanent drummer Rick Allen joins the band at the age of 15.December – Soviet orchestral conductor defects to the Netherlands while on tour there. December 2 – The seventh edition of the OTI Festival , the Latin American spin-off of the Eurovision Song Contest takes place in Santiago , Chile . The winning country is Brazil , represented by Denisse de Kalafe with her song "El amor...Cosa tan rara" (Love...Such a strange thing)December 31
Also in 1978 Kenny Rogers continues his highly successful solo career with the single (and album) "The Gambler" and will go on to star in no less than five movies based around the song.In the UK, singles sales are at their all-time high this year, boosted by the simultaneous peak of the disco and punk phenomena and the success of singles from the movie Grease Mozambique holds its first National Dance Festival, involving half a million people.New Edition formed in Massachusetts, USA. Rolnicka Praha children's choir is founded in Prague, Czech Republic.
Bands disbanded
Albums released
January
February
March
April
May
June
July
August
September
October
November
December
Release date unknown
Biggest hit singles The following songs achieved the highest chart positions
in the charts of 1978.[15]
Chronological table of US and UK number one hit singles US number one singles and artist
UK number one singles and artist
Top 40 Chart hit singles
Other Chart hit singles
Notable singles
Other Notable singles
Published popular music
Classical music
Opera
Ballet
Jazz
Musical theater
Musical films
Births January 3 – Kimberley Locke , American singerJanuary 4 – Mai Meneses , Spanish singer-songwriter and guitaristJanuary 5 – Karnail Pitts , American rapper (d. 1999)January 6 – Oksana Lyniv , Ukrainian conductorJanuary 9 – AJ McLean , American singer (Backstreet Boys )January 12 Kris Roe, American rock guitarist and singer (The Ataris ) Jeremy Camp , American Christian guitarist and singerJanuary 17 – Ricky Williams , English singerJanuary 20 – Sid Wilson , American rock turntablist (Slipknot , DJ Starscream )January 21 January 23 – E. Kidd Bogart , American music executive, television producer, music publisher and songwriterJanuary 28 - Big Freedia , American rapperJanuary 31 – Ibolya Oláh , Hungarian singerFebruary 1 – Jeff Conrad (Phantom Planet )February 12 – Brian Chase (Yeah Yeah Yeahs )February 14 – Ryan Griffiths , guitarist (The Vines )February 19 – Immortal Technique Underground rapperFebruary 22 – Jenny Frost , British singer (Atomic Kitten )February 24 – John Nolan , American rock lead singer (Straylight Run )February 28 – Jeanne Cherhal , French singer-songwriterMarch 10 – Benjamin Burnley , American musicianMarch 12 – Claudio Sanchez , American singer/songwriter (Coheed & Cambria )March 19 – Lenka , Australian singer and actressMarch 21 – Kevin Federline , American (Britney Spears , Shar Jackson )March 30 – Simon Webbe , English singer (Blue)March 31 – Tony Yayo , American rapperApril 6 – Myleene Klass , English singer (Hear'Say ), pianist, media personality and modelApril 7 – Duncan James , English singer (Blue)April 9 – Rachel Stevens , English singer, songwriter, actress, television presenter, model and businesswoman (S Club 7 )April 11 – Thomas Thacker , Canadian singerApril 12 – Guy Berryman , Scottish rock bass player (Coldplay )April 13 – Chris Sligh , American singerApril 15 – Chris Stapleton , American country musicianApril 16 – Jody Marie Gnant , American singer-songwriter and pianistApril 21 April 22 – Jason Stollsteimer , American lead singer and guitarist (The Von Bondies )May 3 – Paul Banks , American rock vocalist (Interpol )May 6 - Nick Littlemore , Australian musician, record producer, singer and songwriterMay 10 – MC Ride , American rapper, songwriter and visual artist (Death Grips )May 12 – Wilfred Le Bouthillier , Canadian singerMay 21 – Adam Gontier , Canadian-born rock musician (Three Days Grace )May 22 – Katie Price , English media personality, model, singer, author, and businesswoman.May 23 May 25 – Adam Gontier , Canadian singer, songwriter and musician (Former member of Three Days Grace and member of Saints Asonia)May 29 – Adam Rickitt , British actor, singer and modelMay 30 – Kianna Alarid , American indie rock singer and bass guitarist (Tilly and the Wall )June 6 June 7 – Tony Ahn , South Korean singerJune 9 – Matthew Bellamy , English musician, singer and songwriter (Muse)June 10 – Shane West , American actor, punk rock musician and songwriterJune 13 – Jason Michael Carroll , American country musicianJune 19 – Mía Maestro , Argentine actress and singer-songwriterJune 24 June 25 – Chuckie , Surinamese DJ and producerJune 27 – Lolly , English singerJune 29 July 9 – Sundance Head , American singerJuly 10 July 16 – T. J. Jackson , American singer and member 3TJuly 17 July 18 – Annie Mac , Irish-born DJ and broadcast presenterJuly 20 – Elliott Yamin , American singerJuly 31 – Will Champion , English rock drummer (Coldplay )August 1 – Dhani Harrison , English musician and son of George Harrison of The Beatles August 6 – Andreas Öberg , Swedish guitarist, songwriter and producer (Eurovision , Taeyeon , Red Velvet , EXO, NCT)August 7 August 15 August 18 – Andy Samberg , American actor, comedian, filmmaker and musician, member of The Lonely Island and spouse of Joanna Newsom August 22 – James Corden , English actor, writer, producer, comedian, television host and singerAugust 23 – Julian Casablancas , American indie rock singer-songwriter and record producer (The Strokes )August 28 August 30 – Maino , rapperSeptember 6 – Cisco Adler , American musicianSeptember 9 – Johnny Shentall , English singerSeptember 11 – Ben Lee , Australian singerSeptember 12 – Ruben Studdard , American singerSeptember 15 – Charles Grigsby , American singerSeptember 20 September 24 - Jack Dishel , Russian-American musician, actor, writer, director, comic and producer. (Married to Regina Spektor )September 28 – Nikki McKibbin , American singer (d. 2020)September 30 – Steve Klein (New Found Glory )October 2 – Ayumi Hamasaki , Japanese singerOctober 3 – Jake Shears , American singerOctober 5 – James Valentine , American musicianOctober 7 – Alison Balsom , English classical trumpeterOctober 9 – Nicky Byrne , Irish singer (Westlife )October 14 – Usher , American singer, dancer and actorOctober 20 October 22 - Ed Droste . American singer-songwriter and musician,October 27 – Vanessa-Mae , British violinistOctober 28 – Justin Guarini , American singerNovember 6 – Taryn Manning , American actress, singer-songwriter and fashion designer (Boomkat )November 9 – Sisqó , American singerNovember 10 – Eve, American rapperNovember 11 – Aaron Bruno , American singer, songwriter, musician and multi-instrumentalist (Awolnation, Under the Influence of Giants, Home Town Hero)November 13 – Nikolai Fraiture , American rock bassist (The Strokes )November 16 – Carolina Parra (Cansei de Ser Sexy )November 18 – Andris Nelsons , Latvian conductorNovember 22 – Karen O , South Korean-born American singer, songwriter, musician and record producer (Yeah Yeah Yeahs )November 23 – Alison Mosshart , American singer, songwriter and artist, lead vocalist of The Kills and The Dead Weather November 25 – Shiina Ringo , Japanese singer and musicianNovember 30 December 1 – Brad Delson , American alternative rock guitarist (Linkin Park )December 2 December 9 , – Jesse Metcalfe , American singer and actorDecember 13 – laza Morgan , Jamaican-American singer and rapperDecember 15 December 21 Maya Jupiter , Mexican/Turkish Australian rapper, songwriter, MC and radio personalityShaun Morgan , South African singer, songwriter, musician, guitarist (Seether)December 23 – Esthero , Canadian singer-songwriterDecember 24 – Tonedeff , American rapperDecember 28 John Legend , American singer-songwriter, actor, musician and actorPhonte , American rapperDecember 29 Unknown: Leilani Sen , English singer and television personality
Deaths January 3 – Jack Oakie , 74, actor in many musical films of the 1940sJanuary 23 January 31 – Gregory Herbert , Blood, Sweat & Tears saxophonistFebruary 7 – Dimitrie Cuclin , 82, composer and musicologistFebruary 24 – Mrs Mills , 59, honky-tonk pianistMarch 4 – Joe Marsala , 71, clarinetist and songwriterMarch 11 – Claude François , 39, singer-songwriter (electrocuted)March 17 – Malvina Reynolds , 77, US folk/blues singer-songwriterMarch 18 – Peggy Wood , 86, actress and singerMarch 21 – Louis Cottrell, Jr. , 67, saxophonist and clarinet player (b. 1911)April 3 – Ray Noble , 74, composer and bandleaderApril 21 – Sandy Denny , 31, folk singer (Fairport Convention ) (cerebral haemorrhage)May 1 – Aram Khachaturian , 74, composerMay 5 – Ján Móry , 85, Slovak composerMay 26 – Tamara Karsavina , 93, ballerinaJuly 14 – Maria Grinberg , 69, pianistJuly 29 – Glenn Goins , 24, Parliament Funkadelic guitarist and singer (Hodgkin's lymphoma )August 1 – Rudolf Kolisch , 82, Viennese and American violinist and quartet leaderAugust 14 – Joe Venuti , 74, US jazz violinistAugust 24 – Louis Prima , 67, jazz musicianSeptember 6 – Tom Wilson , 47, producerSeptember 7 – Keith Moon , 32, drummer of The Who (drug overdose)September 24 – Ruth Etting , 80, US "torch" singerOctober 6 – Johnny O'Keefe , 43, Australian SingerOctober 9 – Jacques Brel , 49, singer-songwriterOctober 12 – Nancy Spungen , 20, girlfriend of Sid Vicious October 23 – Maybelle Carter née Addington, 69, US country singer and musician, member of the Carter Family November 12 – Howard Swanson , 71, composerNovember 18 – Lennie Tristano , 59, jazz pianistDecember 3 – William Grant Still , 83, composerDecember 27 – Chris Bell , 27, singer-songwriter (auto accident)
Awards
References ^ "simpleminds.com 14 Jan, 2022 Out Now – Act Of Love". simpleminds.com . January 14, 2022. Retrieved January 20, 2022 . ^ "Kate Bush's only tour: pop concert or disappearing act?". The Guardian . May 13, 2010. ^ "The Picnic at Blackbushe Aerodrome 1978". www.ukrockfestivals.com . Retrieved October 8, 2022 . ^ "Duran Duran – The Early Days Chapter 1". durancompilations.com. Retrieved May 26, 2022 . ^ Flippo, Chet (November 30, 1978). "Keith Richards Guilty – But Free". Rolling Stone . Retrieved November 14, 2013 . ^ Popoff, Martin (2016). The Deep Purple Family (2nd ed.). Wymer Publishing. p. 234. ISBN 978-1-908724-42-7 ^ Popoff, Martin (2016). The Deep Purple Family (2nd ed.). Wymer Publishing. p. 234. ISBN 978-1-908724-42-7 ^ Popoff, Martin (2016). The Deep Purple Family, vol 1 (2nd ed.). Wymer Publishing. p. 237. ISBN 978-1-908724-42-7 ^ "RIAA certifications". Recording Industry Association of America ^ "RIAA certifications". ^ "BPI". ^ "BRIT Certified". Bpi.co.uk . Retrieved May 24, 2023 . ^ "Nina Hagen Band Album" (in German). offiziellecharts.de. Retrieved April 2, 2022 . ^ "BPI". ^ Songs from the Year 1978
External links Wikimedia Commons has media related to Music in 1978 .
Pop Culture Madness 1978 Pop Music Chart 
