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

71.

I WILL SURVIVE / SUBSTITUTE / ANYBODY WANNA PARTY? / I SAID YES

Gloria Gaynor 3 weeks

The Disco Chart’s first act at the top returned with a third #1. “I Am What I Am” peaked at #3 in 1983. Gaynor had 2 more #1s: “Just Keep Thinking About You” (2001) and “I Never Knew” (2002).

72.

KEEP ON DANCIN’ / DO IT AT THE DISCO / LET’S LOVEDANCE TONIGHT

Gary’s Gang 1 week

The sole Disco Chart #1 for the disco group from New York. These tracks were from the ‘Keep On Dancin’” album.

73.

DA YA THINK I’M SEXY?

Rod Stewart 3 weeks

Rocker that dabbled with disco for this Pop #1 smash. He later charted with “Passion”, “Young Turks”, “Baby Jane” and “Infatuation”.

74.

I GOT MY MIND MADE UP (YOU CAN GET IT GIRL)

Instant Funk 1 week

The only Disco Chart #1 for the disco group from Philadelphia.

75.

HE’S THE GREATEST DANCER / WE ARE FAMILY

Sister Sledge 2 weeks

Chic’s Bernard Edwards and Nile Rodgers wrote and produced these two dancefloor classics for the Sledge sisters. This was the only Disco Chart #1 for Debra, Kathy, Joni and Kim.

76.

DANCER / DANCE TO DANCE

Gino Soccio 6 weeks

First of 2 Disco Chart #1s by the Canadian disco singer / multi-instrumentalist. His second was “Try It Out / Hold Tight” which also topped the chart for 6 weeks in 1981.

77.

RING MY BELL

Anita Ward 1 week

Only Disco Chart #1 by the disco singer from Memphis, Tennessee. The disc also topped Billboard’s Pop and Soul charts.

78.

HOT STUFF / BAD GIRLS

Donna Summer 7 weeks

The two Pop #1 hits from Donna Summer’s ‘Bad Girls’ LP became her eighth #1 on the Disco Chart. “Dim All The Lights” was her next chart entry before she secured her ninth chart-topping floorfiller.

79.

BORN TO BE ALIVE

Patrick Hernandez 3 weeks

Only Disco Chart #1 for the French disco singer/ songwriter. He had one other entry: “Disco Queen” in 1979.

80.

I’VE GOT THE NEXT DANCE

Deniece Williams 1 week

Born Deniece Chandler in Gary, Indiana, this was the first Disco Chart #1 for the R&B singer / songwriter. She scored her second with “Let’s Hear It For The Boy” in 1984.