The 1970s was a landmark decade for American music that saw the rise of disco, funk, punk, and new wave.
It also marked the emergence of openly gay artists producing mainstream hits following the 1969 Stonewall riots, like Queen’s “We Are the Champions” and the Village People’s “Y.M.C.A.”
To determine the 25 biggest pop hits of the 1970s, including those two, 24/7 Tempo reviewed performance data on the Billboard Hot 100 song charts. Songs were ranked based on an inverse score wherein a week at No. 1 is worth 100 points, a week at No. 2 worth 99 points, and so on, up to a week at No. 100 worth one point. Chart data is current through the week of August 20, 2022. (These are the artists with the most dominant reigns in Billboard history.)
Many of the decade’s most popular songs were by the Bee Gees, including “Stayin’ Alive” and “How Deep Is Your Love” from the 1977 film Saturday Night Fever. The peak years for 70s hits were 1976-1978, producing enduring classics like Debby Boone’s “You Light Up My Life” and Chic’s “Le Freak.”
Billboard chart data shows the 25 top songs of the decade were dominated by dance-pop, disco, and soft rock.
25. Marilyn McCoo & Billy Davis Jr., “You Don’t Have To Be a Star (To Be In My Show)”
> Entered Hot 100: September 11, 1976
> Peak position on Hot 100: #1 (for 1 week)
> Total weeks on Hot 100: 26
24. Samantha Sang, “Emotion”
> Entered Hot 100: November 19, 1977
> Peak position on Hot 100: #3 (for 2 weeks)
> Total weeks on Hot 100: 27
23. Crystal Gayle, “Don’t It Make My Brown Eyes Blue”
> Entered Hot 100: August 13, 1977
> Peak position on Hot 100: #2 (for 3 weeks)
> Total weeks on Hot 100: 26
22. Barbra Streisand, “Evergreen (Love Theme from ‘A Star Is Born’)”
> Entered Hot 100: December 11, 1976
> Peak position on Hot 100: #1 (for 3 weeks)
> Total weeks on Hot 100: 25
21. Andy Gibb, “Shadow Dancing”
> Entered Hot 100: April 15, 1978
> Peak position on Hot 100: #1 (for 7 weeks)
> Total weeks on Hot 100: 25
20. Gary Wright, “Love Is Alive”
> Entered Hot 100: April 17, 1976
> Peak position on Hot 100: #2 (for 2 weeks)
> Total weeks on Hot 100: 27
19. Kenny Nolan, “I Like Dreamin'”
> Entered Hot 100: November 6, 1976
> Peak position on Hot 100: #3 (for 1 week)
> Total weeks on Hot 100: 27
18. Robert John, “Sad Eyes”
> Entered Hot 100: May 19, 1979
> Peak position on Hot 100: #1 (for 1 week)
> Total weeks on Hot 100: 27
17. The Miracles, “Love Machine (Part 1)”
> Entered Hot 100: October 25, 1975
> Peak position on Hot 100: #1 (for 1 week)
> Total weeks on Hot 100: 28
16. Player, “Baby Come Back”
> Entered Hot 100: October 1, 1977
> Peak position on Hot 100: #1 (for 3 weeks)
> Total weeks on Hot 100: 32
15. Morris Albert, “Feelings”
> Entered Hot 100: June 21, 1975
> Peak position on Hot 100: #6 (for 1 week)
> Total weeks on Hot 100: 32
14. Nick Gilder, “Hot Child in the City”
> Entered Hot 100: June 10, 1978
> Peak position on Hot 100: #1 (for 1 week)
> Total weeks on Hot 100: 31
13. Village People, “Y.M.C.A.”
> Entered Hot 100: October 21, 1978
> Peak position on Hot 100: #2 (for 3 weeks)
> Total weeks on Hot 100: 26
12. Chic, “Le Freak”
> Entered Hot 100: October 28, 1978
> Peak position on Hot 100: #1 (for 6 weeks)
> Total weeks on Hot 100: 25
11. Alicia Bridges, “I Love the Nightlife (Disco ’round)”
> Entered Hot 100: July 8, 1978
> Peak position on Hot 100: #5 (for 3 weeks)
> Total weeks on Hot 100: 31
10. Debby Boone, “You Light Up My Life”
> Entered Hot 100: September 3, 1977
> Peak position on Hot 100: #1 (for 10 weeks)
> Total weeks on Hot 100: 25
9. Walter Murphy & The Big Apple Band, “A Fifth Of Beethoven”
> Entered Hot 100: May 29, 1976
> Peak position on Hot 100: #1 (for 1 week)
> Total weeks on Hot 100: 28
8. Bee Gees, “Stayin’ Alive”
> Entered Hot 100: December 10, 1977
> Peak position on Hot 100: #1 (for 4 weeks)
> Total weeks on Hot 100: 27
7. Andy Gibb, “(Love Is) Thicker Than Water”
> Entered Hot 100: November 5, 1977
> Peak position on Hot 100: #1 (for 2 weeks)
> Total weeks on Hot 100: 29
6. Queen, “We Are the Champions”
> Entered Hot 100: October 22, 1977
> Peak position on Hot 100: #4 (for 3 weeks)
> Total weeks on Hot 100: 41
5. Captain & Tennille, “Do That to Me One More Time”
> Entered Hot 100: October 20, 1979
> Peak position on Hot 100: #1 (for 1 week)
> Total weeks on Hot 100: 27
4. Kris Kristofferson, “Why Me”
> Entered Hot 100: April 7, 1973
> Peak position on Hot 100: #16 (for 1 week)
> Total weeks on Hot 100: 38
3. Andy Gibb, “I Just Want To Be Your Everything”
> Entered Hot 100: April 23, 1977
> Peak position on Hot 100: #1 (for 4 weeks)
> Total weeks on Hot 100: 31
2. Paul Davis, “I Go Crazy”
> Entered Hot 100: August 27, 1977
> Peak position on Hot 100: #7 (for 3 weeks)
> Total weeks on Hot 100: 40
1. Bee Gees, “How Deep Is Your Love”
> Entered Hot 100: September 24, 1977
> Peak position on Hot 100: #1 (for 3 weeks)
> Total weeks on Hot 100: 33