THE First 100 BILLBOARD DISCO CHART No. 1s. More: Sunday.

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. 26^th, 1974:         The Disco Chart debuts in Billboard.

 

51.

VILLAGE PEOPLE {all cuts}

Village People 7 weeks

The disco group’s debut album topped the chart with key tracks “San Francisco (You’ve Got Me)” and “Fire Island”. This would be the act’s only Disco Chart #1, but it did reach #4 with ‘Macho Man’ {all cuts} in 1978 as well as peaking at #2 for 2 weeks with “Y.M.C.A. / Hot Cop”.

52.

DANCE, DANCE, DANCE (YOWSAH, YOWSAH, YOWSAH) / EVERYBODY DANCE / YOU CAN GET BY

Chic 8 weeks

This disco/ funk group formed in New York around the pivotal members Nile Rodgers and Bernard Edwards. The tracks listed together were all included on the self-titled debut album.

53.

ONCE UPON A TIME {all cuts}

Donna Summer 5 weeks

1977 ended with the fifth visit to #1 for Donna Summer, reinforcing her lead for having the most number ones. ‘Once Upon A Time’ was the first double album to have all of its cuts top the Disco Chart. Among its key tracks are: “I Love You”, “Fairy Tale High” and “Rumour Has It”.  

1978

54.

SUPERNATURE / GIVE ME LOVE / LOVE IS HERE

Cerrone 4 weeks

It is fitting that Cerrone followed a #1 produced by Giorgio Moroder. The two were fundamental pioneers of the Euro-Disco sound; Moroder emerging from Germany and Cerrone from France. The 3 tracks jointly topped the Disco Chart as the latter’s only #1.

55.

LET’S ALL CHANT / LOVE EXPRESS

Michael Zager 1 week

Born in New Jersey, this was the only Disco Chart #1 for the keyboardist/ producer.

56.

DANCE LITTLE DREAMER / RISKY CHANGES

Bionic Boogie 3 weeks

Only Disco Chart #1 for Gregg Diamond who created Bionic Boogie. Born in Pennsylvania, the disco producer died in 1999. As Bionic Boogie, he enjoyed 2 more Top 10 hits: ‘Star Cruiser’ {all cuts} and ‘Hot Butterfly’ {all cuts}. He then charted as Gregg Diamond’s Starcruiser and Gregg Diamond Bionic Boogie in 1979 and 1980 respectively.

57.

ROMEO & JULIET

Alec R. Costandinos

& The Syncophonic Orchestra 1 week

Born Alexandre Kouyoumdjam in Cairo, Egypt, he relocated to France and became a leading disco producer, creating the acts Love And Kisses, Paris Connection and Sphinx.”Romeo & Juliet” was a disco adaptation of Shakespeare’s literary classic. He also charted with “The Hunchback Of Notre Dame” in 1978.

58.

COME INTO MY HEART {all cuts}

USA-European Connection 2 weeks

Only Disco Chart #1 for the female trio.

59.

VOYAGE {all cuts}

Voyage 3 weeks

First visit to the top of the Disco Chart for the European disco group. ‘Voyage’ was the act’s debut album release. Among its key tracks is “From East To West”.

60.

IF MY FRIENDS COULD SEE ME NOW / GYPSY LADY / RUNAWAY LOVE

Linda Clifford 5 weeks

“If My Friends Could See Me Now” was from the musical “Sweet Charity”. She peaked at #11 with a disco remake of the Simon & Garfunkel hit “Bridge Over Troubled Water”.