60 YEARS OF THE BILLBOARD DISCO CHART - TheFirst 100  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. 26^th, 1974:      

   

The Disco Chart debuts in Billboard.

1980

91.

THE SECOND TIME AROUND

Shalamar 1 week

The first Disco Chart #1 of the 1980s was by the R&B/ dance trio formed in Los Angeles consisting by the time of this hit of Jody Watley, Jeffrey Daniels and Howard Hewett.

92.

VERTIGO / RELIGHT MY FIRE / FREE RIDE

Dan Hartman 6 weeks

Second Disco Chart #1 from Dan Hartman. He performed lead vocals on these tracks from his ‘Relight My Fire’ album. “Free Ride” was a #14 Pop hit for The Edgar Winter Group in 1973. Hartman scored a third and final #1 with “We Are The Young” in 1985. He died in 1994 of a brain tumour aged 43,

93.

AND THE BEAT GOES ON / CAN YOU DO THE BOOGIE / OUT THE BOX

The Whispers 2 weeks

R&B / dance group from Los Angeles that placed 9 entries on the Disco Chart. This selection of tracks was featured on the album ‘The Whispers’ and is the act’s only #1.         

94.

FUNKYTOWN / ALL NIGHT DANCING

Lipps, Inc.  4 weeks [non-consecutive]

The only Disco Chart #1 for the funk/ dance project from Minneapolis. Assembled by producer / songwriter/ multi-instrumentalist Steven Greenberg. Lead vocalist on the tracks is Cynthia Johnson. The act had 6 Disco Chart entries, including #4 “How Long / Tight Pair” and #8 “Addicted To The Night / Choir Practice”.

95.

HIGH ON YOUR LOVE / HOT HOT (GIVE IT ALL YOU GOT)

Debbie Jacobs 1 week

This track interrupted the reign at the top of “Funkytown” for a week. Lipps, Inc. then resumed another 2 weeks at #1. Debbie Jacobs was a black singer from Baltimore who also peaked at #6 in 1979 on the Disco Chart with “Undercover Lover / Don’t You Want My Love”.

96.

STOMP!

The Brothers Johnson 3 weeks

Only Disco Chart #1 from brothers George and Louis Johnson from L.A. The R&B/ funk duo split up in 1982.

97.

A LOVER’S HOLIDAY / THE GLOW OF LOVE / SEARCHING

Change 9 weeks

The second longest running Disco Chart #1 was achieved by the European- American formed in Italy by producers Jacques Fred Petrus and Mauro Malavasi. Luther Vandross handled lead vocals on many tracks. This #1 consisted of songs from the album ‘The Glow Of Love’. In 1981, Change scored a second visit to the top with “Paradise/ Hold Tight / Heaven Of My Life”, ruling for 5 weeks.

98.

TAKE YOUR TIME (DO IT RIGHT)

S.O.S. Band 4 weeks [non-consecutive]

The funk / R&B/ disco group from Atlanta, Georgia began its time at the Disco Chart summit for 2 weeks before being toppled by Stacy Lattisaw. A week later, its reign resumed for a further 2 weeks. The group peaked at #3 with “Just Be Good To Me” in 1983  and at #2 with “No Lies” in 1987.

99.

DYNAMITE / JUMP TO THE BEAT

Stacy Lattisaw 1 week

Born in Washington D.C., this was the only Disco Chart #1 for the singer who accrued 5 entries through to 1987. The 2 songs that made up this number one were from the LP ‘Let Me Be Your Angel’.

100.

UPSIDE DOWN / I’M COMING OUT

Diana Ross 5 weeks [non-consecutive]

The third Disco Chart #1 for the singer/ actress consisted of two tracks from the ‘Diana’ album. The LP was written and produced by Nile Rodgers and Bernard Edwards from Chic. This number one’s time at the top was interrupted for one week by “Fame / Red Light / Hot Lunch Jam” from the hit film ‘Fame’. Ross amassed more Disco Chart #1s with: “Swept Away” (2 weeks in 1984), “Take Me Higher” (1 week in 1995) and with remixes of past hits “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough”, “I’m Coming Out / Upside Down”, “The Boss” and “Love Hangover”.