Saturday, August 31, 2024

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.Bush - CBS - UK - S CBS 12 6791

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.Edwin Starr – Contact / Music Brings ...

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.

 

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