I am doing some research on music from 1979 and was curious on what some of you felt were the best singles from that year. This I what I have so far for the best singles from that year...

001. The Clash-London Calling
002. Pink Floyd-Another Brick In The Wall
003. Bauhaus-Bela Lugosi's Dead
004. Led Zeppelin-All Of My Love
005. The Police-Message In A Bottle
006. The Knack-My Sherona
007. The Sugarhill Gang-Rapper's Delight
008. The Cure-Boys Don't Cry
009. AC/DC-Highway To Hell
010. Blondie-Dreaming
011. Cheap Trick-Dream Police
012. Gloria Gaynor-I Will Survive
013. Elvis Costello-Oliver's Army
014. XTC-Making Plans For Nigel
015. Michael Jackson-Don't Stop Til You Get Enough
016. Talking Heads-Life During Wartime
017. Tom Petty-Don't Do Me Like That
018. Chic-Good Times
019. ELO-Don't Bring Me Down
020. Joe Jackson-Is She Really Going Out With Him?
021. Madness-One Step Beyong
022. Nick Lowe-Cruel To Be Kind
023. Rod Stewart-Do Ya Think I'm Sexy
024. Queen-A Crazy Little Thing Called Love
025. Tubeway Army-Are 'friends' electric?

The best 1979 single is without a doubt Marianne Faithfull's "Ballad of Lucy Jordan". So incredibly beautiful it takes my breath away every time.

"My sharona" is the ultimate power-pop song. I dig this song !!!!!

American baseball fans probably think of "We Are Family," which was the the ubiquitous theme song of Willie Stargell and the victorious Pittsburgh Pirates.

Maybe not the best song of the year, but the one I remember the most. I agree with Dumbangel about My Sharona.

There should be a bit of Joy Division in there - New Dawn Fades,Transmission or something - was Teenage Kicks 1979? Anyway that punk/indie stuff from Britain was the best then

I think Slick is trying to focus only on hit singles.

But here are some more songs that came out in 1979 some hits, some underground hits, some are not hits at all. Teenage Kicks did come out in 79.

Gary Numan- Cars
Tom Petty- Here Comes My Girl, Even the Losers, Refugee, don't Do Me Like That
Supertramp- The Logical Song, Breakfast in America
Specials- A Message To You Rudy
Neil Young- My My Hey Hey (Out of the Blue)
Police- Walking on the Moon
Fleetwood Mac- Tusk
Gang of Four- Damaged Goods, Return the Gift, I Found That Essence is Rare
Talking Heads- Life During Wartime, Heaven, Cities






If not:

Gang of Four- Damaged Goods, I Found That Essence is Rare

Oops forgot to erase that...

my top 26 of '79

1 ) Undertones - Teenage Kicks
2 ) Donna Summer - Dim All the Lights
3 ) Michael Jackson - Rock With You
4 ) diodes - tired of waking up tired
5 ) Public Image - Poptones
6 ) Undertones - Get over You
7 ) chic - Good Times
8 ) Pink Floyd - Comfortably Numb
9 ) Wire - Map ref 41 deg north 93 deg west
10 ) Marianne Faithfull - The ballad of lucy jordan
11 ) Nick Lowe - Skin Deep
12 ) The Fall - Repetition
13 ) Dave Edmunds - Girls Talk
14 ) Pretenders - Brass in Pocket
15 ) Ian Dury - Reasons to be Cheerful
16 ) XTC - Making Plans for Nigel
17 ) Gang of Four - I found that essence rare
18 ) Graham Parker - Nobody Hurts You
19 ) Joe Jackson - Got the time
20 ) Cheap Trick - Surrender
21 ) Buzzcocks - I believe
22 ) magazine - rhythm of cruelty
23 ) ian hunter - cleveland rocks
24 ) diamond head - am I evil
25 ) cliff richard - we don't talk anymore (that's the only time you'll ever see his name on one of my lists)
26 ) Specials - doesn't make it alright

Here is a list of songs that I came up with for 1979. They were either released in '79 or were most relevant (chartwise) during that year.

ABBA-Chiquitia
ABBA-Voulez-Vouz
ABBA-Does Your Mother Know
ABBA-Gimme! Gimme! Gimme!
AC/DC-Highway To Hell
AC/DC-Girl’s Got Rhythm
AC/DC-Touch Too Much
APRIL WINE-Roller
B-52’s-Rock Lobster
BAD COMPANY-Rock ‘N Roll Fantasy
THE BABY’S-Every Time I Think Of You
BAUHAUS-Bela Lugosi’s Dead
PAT BENETAR-Heartbreaker
BLONDIE-Heart Of Glass
BLONDIE-One Way Or Another
BLONDIE-Dreaming
BLONDIE-Union City Blue
BLONDIE-Sunday Girl
BLUES BROTHERS-Soul Man
BOSTON-Feelin’ Satisfied
JIMMY BUFFETT-Fins
THE BUGGLES-Video Killed The Radio Star
THE BUZZCOCKS-Everybody’s Happy Nowadays
THE CARS-Good Times Roll
THE CARS-Moving In Stereo
THE CARS-Let’s Go
THE CARS-It’s All I Can Do
CHEAP TRICK-I Want You To Want Me
CHEAP TRICK-Dream Police
CHEAP TRICK-Voices
CHEAP TRICK-Ain’t That A Shame
CHIC-Good Times
CHIC-I Want Your Love
ERIC CLAPTON-Watch Out For Lucy
THE CLASH-English Civil War
THE CLASH-London Calling
THE CLASH-Spanish Bombs
THE CLASH-Death Or Glory
ELVIS COSTELLO-(What’s So Funny ‘Bout) Peace, Love & Understanding
ELVIS COSTELLO-Oliver’s Army
ELVIS COSTELLO-Accidents Will Happen
THE CURE-Boys Don’t Cry
THE CURE-Jumping Someone Else’s Train
CHARLIE DANIELS BAND-The Devil Went Down To Georgia
DEAD KENNEDYS-California Uber Alles
NEIL DIAMOND-Forever in Blue Jeans
DIRE STRAITS-Sultans Of Swing
DIRE STRAITS-Lady Writer
THE DOOBIE BROTHERS-What A Fool Believes
BOB DYLAN-Gotta Serve Somebody
EARTH WIND & FIRE-After The Love Is Gone
EARTH WIND & FIRE-Boogie Wonderland
THE EAGLES-Heartache Tonight
ECHO & THE BUNNYMEN-The Pictures on the Wall
ELO-Don’t Bring Me Down
ELO-Shine A Little Love
ELO-Confusion
FLEETWOOD MAC-Tusk
FLEETWOOD MAC-Sara
THE FLYING LIZARDS-Money
FOREIGNER-Head Games
FOREIGNER-Dirty White Boy
FOREIGNER-Blue Morning, Blue Day
FUNKADELIC-(Not Just) Knee Deep
GANG OF FOUR-At Home, He’s A Tourist
GLORIA GAYNOR-I Will Survive
EDDIE GRANT-Living on the Frontline
HEART-Dog & Butterfly
RUPERT HOLMES-Escape (The Pina Colada Song)
JOE JACKSON-Is She Really Going Out With Him?
JOE JACKSON-It’s Different For Girls
MICHAEL JACKSON-Don’t Stop ‘Til You Get Enough
MICHAEL JACKSON-Rock With You
THE JAM-Eton Rifles
THE JAM-Strange Town
JEFFERSON STARSHIP-Jane
BILLY JOEL-My Life
BILLY JOEL-Big Shot
BILLY JOEL-Honesty
RICKIE LEE JONES-Chuck E.’s In Love
JOURNEY-Just The Same Way
JOURNEY-Lovin’ Touchin’ Squeezin’
JOURNEY-Too Late
JOURNEY-City of the Angels
JOY DIVISION-Transmission
JOY DIVISION-She’s Lost Control
JOY DIVISION-Disorder
KANSAS-People of the Southwind
THE KINKS-(Wish I Could Fly Like) Superman
KISS-I Was Made For Loving You
KISS-Sure Know Something
THE KNACK-My Sherona
THE KNACK-Good Girls Don’t
KOOL & THE GANG-Ladies Night
LED ZEPPELIN-All My Love
LED ZEPPELIN-Fool In The Rain
LED ZEPPELIN-Hot Dog
LITTLE RIVER BAND-Lonesome Loser
LITTLE RIVER BAND-Lady
NICK LOWE-Cruel To Be Kind
M-Pop Muzik
MADNESS-One Step Beyond
MADNESS-The Prince
MADNESS-My Girl
BOB MARLEY-So Much Trouble in the World
BOB MARLEY-One Drop
JOHN COUGAR MELLENCAMP-I Need a Lover
OMD-Electricity
ROBERT PALMER-Bad Case Of Loving You
PEACHES AND HERB-Reunited
TOM PETTY & THE HEARTBREAKERS-Don’t Do Me Like That
PINK FLOYD-Another Brick In The Wall
POCO-Crazy Love
THE POLICE-Message In A Bottle
THE POLICE-Walking On The Moon
THE PRETENDERS-Stop Your Sobbing
THE PRETENDERS-Kid
P.I.L.-Death Disco
P.I.L.-Memories
QUEEN-Fat Bottom Girls
QUEEN-Bicycle Race
QUEEN-Don’t Stop Me Now
QUEEN-Crazy Little Thing Called Love
RAINBOW-Since You’ve Been Gone
THE RAMONES-Rock ‘N Roll High School
THE RAMONES-Do You Wanna Dance?
REO SPEEDWAGON-Back on the Road Again
SMOKEY ROBINSON-Cruisin’
KENNY ROGERS-The Gambler
ROXY MUSIC-Dance Away
SCORPIONS-Is There Anybody There
SCORPIONS-Can’t Get Enough
SCORPIONS-Loving You, Sunday Morning
SCORPIONS-Holiday
BOB SEGER-Old Time Rock ‘N Roll
SISTER SLEDGE-We Are Family
SIOUXSIE & THE BANSHEES-The Staircase
THE SLITS-Typical Girls
PATTI SMITH GROUP-Dancing Barefoot
SNIFF ‘N THE TEARS-Driver’s Seat
THE SPECIALS-Message To You Rudy
THE SPECIALS-Gangsters
SQUEEZE-Cool For Cats
ROD STEWART-Do Ya Think I’m Sexy
STIFF LITTLE FINGERS-Suspect Device
STYX-Renegade
STYX-Babe
THE SUGARHILL GANG-Rapper’s Delight
DONNA SUMMER-Heaven Knows
DONNA SUMMER-Hot Stuff
DONNA SUMMER-Bad Girls
SUPERTRAMP-The Logical Song
SUPERTRAMP-Goodbye Stranger
SUPERTRAMP-Breakfast In America
SUPERTRAMP-Take The Long Way Home
THE TALKING HEADS-Take Me To The River
THE TALKING HEADS-Life During Wartime
THE TALKING HEADS-I Zimbra
GEORGE THOROGOOD-Who Do You Love
BILLY THORPE-Children of the Sun
TOTO-Hold The Line
TOTO-99
PAT TRAVERS-Boom Boom
TRIUMPH-Lay It On The Line
TRIUMPH-Hold On
TUBEWAY ARMY-Are ‘Friends’ Electric?
VAN HALEN-Dance The Night Away
VAN HALEN-Beautiful Girls
VAN HALEN-Women In Love
THE VILLAGE PEOPLE-Y.M.C.A
ANITA WARD-Ring My Bell
THE WHO-Long Live Rock
WINGS-Goodnight Tonight
WINGS-Getting Closer
WIRE-Outdoor Miner
WIRE-Map Ref. 41N 93W
STEVIE WONDER-Send One Your Love
XTC-Making Plans For Nigel
XTC-Life Begins At The Hop
NEIL YOUNG-Hey, Hey, My, My (Into The Black)
NEIL YOUNG-Powderfinger

Cheryl Lynn - Got To Be Real
Bee Gees - Love You Inside Out

Wow, what a year! Great list, Slick!
Looking back to my all time list I've found that 1979 is the year more represented (well, tied with 1971). Here's my top 12:

1. THE CLASH “Spanish Bombs” (1979).
2. ELVIS COSTELLO & THE ATTRACTIONS “Oliver’s Army” (1979).
3. CAMARÓN “Volando voy” (1979).
4. GLORIA GAYNOR “I Will Survive” (1979).
5. THE SPECIALS “A Message to You Rudy” (1979).
6. THE SUGARHILL GANG “Rapper’s Delight” (1979).
7. PINK FLOYD “Comfortably Numb” (1979).
8. AC/DC “Highway to Hell” (1979).
9. EARTH, WIND & FIRE “Boogie Wonderland” (1979).
10. STANLEY MYERS “Cavatina – Theme from the Deer Hunter” (1979).
11. THE CURE “Boys Don’t Cry” (1979).
12. MADNESS “My Girl” (1979).

Through my brother, I know of a new wave/punk band from Philadelphia called The Reds. Their single Joey is from their first performing year, 1979.

Pretty good music, although fairly unknown. Used to have their debut album on cassette, but somehow that got lost.

My favourites from 1979 :
Electric Light Orchestra - Last train to London
The Knack - My sharona
Buggles - Video killed the radio stars
The Cure - Boys don't cry
Blondie - Heart of glass
Michael Jackson - Don't stop 'til you get enough
Queen - Don't stop me now
Madness - One step beyond
AC/DC - Highway to hell
Supertramp - Goodbye stranger
Chic - Good times
Wings - Goodnight tonight
Eagles - I can't tell you why

Great year !!!

Wow - you guys are more mainstream than I thought...

It's easier to keep track of singles from the mainstream.