THE First 100 BILLBOARD DISCO CHART No. 1s. More: tomorrow.
Caffè Lattè looks back on:
60 YEARS
OF THE
BILLBOARD
DISCO/DANCE
CHART
Billboard began ranking the top Disco and Dance tracks in 1974. Six decades of dancefloor favourites have kept us in discotheques and clubs to this day. This is a focus on the first 100 number ones on that chart which span the Disco Era:
THE FIRST 100 NUMBER ONE TRACKS
Oct. 26th, 1974: The Disco Chart debuts in Billboard.
61.
LAST DANCE / AFTER DARK/ THANK GOD IT’S FRIDAY/ TAKE IT TO THE ZOO
Donna Summer / Pattie Brooks/ Love And Kisses/ Sunshine 6 weeks
This Disco #1 consists of selected tracks from the ‘Thank God It’s Friday’ motion picture soundtrack. Key track “Last Dance” collected an Academy Award for Best Original Song. This gave Donna Summer her 6th chart-topper. It was also the second #1 for Love And Kisses and the only one for Pattie Brooks and Sunshine. Summer starred in the film.
62.
BOOGIE OOGIE OOGIE
A Taste Of Honey 3 weeks
The sole Disco Chart #1 for the disco group from Los Angeles. Won the Nest New Artist Grammy in 1978. A Taste of Honey reformed as a duo in 1980 comprised of Janice Johnson and Hazel Payne.
63.
HOT SHOT
Karen Young 2 weeks
The first chart entry for the Pennsylvanian singer remains her only Disco Chart #1. The disco singer died in 1991 aged 39.
64.
DANCE (DISCO HEAT) / YOU MAKE ME FEEL (MIGHTY REAL)
Sylvester 6 weeks
Disco singer / songwriter born Sylvester James in Los Angeles. Scored a second Disco Chart #1 with “Someone Like You” in 1987. Sylvester died of AIDS in 1988 aged 41.
65.
KEEP ON JUMPIN’ / IN THE BUSH
Musique 2 weeks
The only Disco Chart #1 for the disco trio. Had one other entry: “Love Massage” in 1979 which reached #15.
66.
INSTANT REPLAY {all cuts}
Dan Hartman 1 week
The singer / songwriter / producer / multi-instrumentalist from Pennsylvania achieved 3 Disco Chart #1s beginning with all of the tracks on his ‘Instant Replay’ album. The title track was a Pop Chart hit single.
67.
MACARTHUR PARK SUITE
Donna Summer 5 weeks
Consisting of an entire side of her double album ‘Live And More’, this was the studio content. Built around the Jimmy Webb composition “MacArthur Park”, it merged seamlessly into “One Of A Kind”, “Heaven Knows” and “MacArthur Park (Reprise)”. This increased her lead as the most successful Disco Chart act, with 7 number ones.
68.
LE FREAK / I WANT YOUR LOVE / CHIC CHEER
Chic 7 weeks
Second Disco Chart #1 for the R&B/ Funk / Disco group. “Good Times / My Feet Keep Dancing / My Forbidden Lover” followed, peaking at #3. Bernard Edwards and Nile Rodgers were busy throughout the 1980s as writer/ producers/ session musicians on projects by superstars such as Diana Ross, David Bowie, Madonna, Duran Duran and Power Station. The two re-formed Chic in 1992. “Chic Mystique” reached #1 that year. Edwards died of pneumonia in 1996 aged 43. Drummer Tony Thompson passed away in 2003 aged 48.
1979
69.
CONTACT
Edwin Starr 1 week
Before the arrival of Disco, Starr had achieved a Pop #1 with “War” in 1970. “Contact” was his only Disco Chart #1. He died of a heart attack in 2003.
70.
FLY AWAY {all cuts}
Voyage 1 week
Second Disco Chart #1 for the French group. Key track on the ‘Fly Away’ album was “Souvenirs”. Third entry “I Love You Dancer / Do It Again” reached #17 in 1980 and marked the act’s final appearance.
