List of UK top-ten singles in 1977

Last updated

Wings had the best-selling single of 1977 with "Mull of Kintyre"/"Girls' School", which topped the chart for nine weeks. It was the first single to sell over two million copies in the UK alone and also became the year's Christmas number-one. Paul McCartney with Linda McCartney - Wings - 1976.jpg
Wings had the best-selling single of 1977 with "Mull of Kintyre"/"Girls' School", which topped the chart for nine weeks. It was the first single to sell over two million copies in the UK alone and also became the year's Christmas number-one.
David Soul (pictured in 2013) achieved three top 10 singles this year, including the number-one hits "Don't Give Up on Us" and "Silver Lady", which both finished in the list of the year's top 10 best sellers. David Soul.JPG
David Soul (pictured in 2013) achieved three top 10 singles this year, including the number-one hits "Don't Give Up on Us" and "Silver Lady", which both finished in the list of the year's top 10 best sellers.
Elvis Presley secured three top 10 singles in 1977. Following his death on 16 August, "Way Down" rose to number-one and stayed there for five weeks, eventually becoming the eighth best selling single of the year. In October, a tribute song to Presley, "I Remember Elvis Presley (The King Is Dead)" by Dutch singer Danny Mirror, charted at number four. Elvis Presley 1970.jpg
Elvis Presley secured three top 10 singles in 1977. Following his death on 16 August, "Way Down" rose to number-one and stayed there for five weeks, eventually becoming the eighth best selling single of the year. In October, a tribute song to Presley, "I Remember Elvis Presley (The King Is Dead)" by Dutch singer Danny Mirror, charted at number four.

The UK Singles Chart is one of many music charts compiled by the Official Charts Company that calculates the best-selling singles of the week in the United Kingdom. [1] Before 2004, the chart was only based on the sales of physical singles. [2] [3] This list shows singles that peaked in the Top 10 of the UK Singles Chart during 1977, as well as songs which peaked in 1976 and 1978 but were in the top 10 in 1977. The entry date is when the song appeared in the top 10 for the first time (week ending, as published by the Official Charts Company, which is six days after the chart is announced).

Contents

One-hundred and seventeen songs were in the top ten in 1977. Eleven singles from 1976 remained in the top 10 for several weeks at the beginning of the year, while "It's a Heartache" by Bonnie Tyler and "Love's Unkind" by Donna Summer were both released in 1977 but did not reach their peak until 1978. "Portsmouth by Mike Oldfield, "Living Next Door to Alice" by Smokie and "Dr. Love" by Tina Charles were the songs from 1976 to reach their peak in 1977. Nineteen artists scored multiple entries in the top 10 in 1977. David Soul, Boney M., Deniece Williams, the Sex Pistols and Darts were among the many artists who achieved their first UK charting top 10 single in 1977.

The 1976 Christmas number-one, "When a Child Is Born" by Johnny Mathis, remained at number-one for the first week of 1977. The first new number-one single of the year was "Don't Give Up on Us" by David Soul. Overall, eighteen different songs peaked at number-one in 1977, with ABBA and David Soul (2) having the joint most songs hit that position.

Background

Multiple entries

One-hundred and seventeen singles charted in the top 10 in 1977, with one-hundred and seven singles reaching their peak this year.

Nineteen artists scored multiple entries in the top 10 in 1977. Boney M. and Showaddywaddy shared the record for most top 10 hits in 1977 with four hit singles each. Showaddywaddy's collection including the number-one single "Under the Moon of Love" from the end of the previous year, which remained in the top 10 for the first three weeks of 1977. Boney M. made their top 10 debut in January with the number six hit "Daddy Cool".

American-British actor and singer David Soul made the top 10 on three occasions in 1977, including the second-biggest selling single of the year "Don't Give Up on Us". Disco legend Donna Summer also had a very successful year, also scoring three top 10 entries, including the number-one hit "I Feel Love". Elvis Presley was another artist who had three top 10 entries this year, and following his death in August, he reached number-one for five weeks with his single "Way Down".

The Sex Pistols made their top 10 debut at number two in June with "God Save the Queen", and scored two further entries in 1977 with "Pretty Vacant" and "Holidays in the Sun", which peaked at numbers six and eight respectively.

Brotherhood of Man were one of a number of artists with two top-ten entries, including the number-one single "Angelo". 10cc, Deniece Williams, Leo Sayer, Queen and Rod Stewart were among the other artists who had multiple top 10 entries in 1977.

Chart debuts

Fifty-four artists achieved their first top 10 single in 1977, either as a lead or featured artist. Of these, three went on to record another hit single that year: Deniece Williams, Elkie Brooks and Julie Covington. David Soul, Sex Pistols and The Stranglers all recorded two more top 10 singles in 1977. Boney M. had three other entries in their breakthrough year.

The following table (collapsed on desktop site) does not include acts who had previously charted as part of a group and secured their first top 10 solo single.

ArtistNumber of top 10sFirst entryChart positionOther entries
David Soul 3"Don't Give Up on Us"1"Going In with My Eyes Wide Open" (2), "Silver Lady" (1)
Paul Nicholas 1"Grandma's Party"9
Barry Biggs 1"Sideshow"3
Julie Covington 2"Don't Cry for Me Argentina"1"O.K.?" (10)
David Parton 1"Isn't She Lovely"4
Boney M. 4"Daddy Cool"6"Sunny" (3), "Ma Baker" (2), "Belfast" (8)
Rose Royce 1"Car Wash"9
Heatwave 1"Boogie Nights"2
The Manhattan Transfer 1"Chanson D'Amour"1
The Brothers 1"Sing Me"8
Mr Big 1"Romeo"4
Boz Scaggs 1"What Can I Say"10
Mary MacGregor 1"Torn Between Two Lovers"4
Berni Flint 1"I Don't Want to Put a Hold on You"3
Marilyn McCoo 1"You Don't Have to Be a Star (To Be in My Show)"7
Billy Davis Jr.
Deniece Williams 2"Free"1"That's What Friends Are For" (8)
The Dead End Kids1"Have I the Right?"6
Elkie Brooks 2"Pearl's a Singer"8"Sunshine After the Rain" (10)
Joe Tex 1"Ain't Gonna Bump No More (With No Big Fat Woman)"2
Van McCoy 1"The Shuffle"4
Eagles 1"Hotel California"8
Barbra Streisand 1"Evergreen (Love Theme from A Star Is Born ) 3
Piero Umiliani 1"Mah Nà Mah Nà"8
The Muppets 1"Halfway Down the Stairs"7
Charlotte Cornwell 1"O.K.?"10
Rula Lenska
Sue Jones-Davies
Sex Pistols 3"God Save the Queen"2"Pretty Vacant" (6), "Holidays in the Sun" (8)
Carole Bayer Sager 1"You're Moving Out Today"6
Emerson, Lake & Palmer 1"Fanfare for the Common Man"2
The Stranglers 3"Peaches"8"Something Better Change" (9), "No More Heroes" (8)
Alessi 1"Oh Lori"8
Rita Coolidge 1"We're All Alone"6
The Floaters 1"Float On"1
The Rah Band 1"The Crunch"6
Space 1"Magic Fly"2
Jean-Michel Jarre 1"Oxygène Part IV"4
Meri Wilson 1"Telephone Man"6
The Emotions 1"Best of My Love"4
The Rods 1"Do Anything You Wanna Do"9
La Belle Epoque 1"Black Is Black"2
Patsy Gallant 1"From New York to L.A."2
Yes 1"Wonderous Stories"7
Danny Mirror 1"I Remember Elvis Presley (The King Is Dead)"4
Baccara 1"Yes Sir, I Can Boogie"1
Meco 1"Star Wars Theme/Cantina Band"7
Ram Jam 1"Black Betty"7
Tom Robinson Band 1"2-4-6-8 Motorway"5
Darts 1"Daddy Cool/The Girl Can't Help It"6
Ruby Winters 1"I Will"4
Brighouse and Rastrick Brass Band 1"The Floral Dance"2
Jonathan Richman and The Modern Lovers 1"Egyptian Reggae"5
The Dooleys 1"Love of My Life"9
Notes

Kenny Rogers had his first hit single independent of his group The First Edition, with "Lucille" topping the chart. The Jacksons previously charted as The Jackson 5, their name having been changed in 1976 as Jermaine Jackson was replaced by Randy Jackson in the group. One member of Emerson, Lake and Palmer - Greg Lake - had reached number 2 as a solo artist in 1975 with the Christmas song "I Believe in Father Christmas". Jonathan Richman was lead singer of The Modern Lovers. The group were simply known as The Modern Lovers but changed their name in 1976.

Songs from films

Original songs from various films entered the top 10 throughout the year. These included "Car Wash" (from Car Wash ), "Evergreen (Love Theme from "A Star Is Born" )", ( A Star Is Born ), "Mah Nà Mah Nà" ( Sweden: Heaven and Hell ), "Nobody Does It Better" ( The Spy Who Loved Me ), "Down Deep Inside" ( The Deep ), "How Deep Is Your Love" ( Saturday Night Fever ) and "White Christmas" ( Holiday Inn and White Christmas ).

Best-selling singles

Wings had the best-selling single of the year with "Mull of Kintyre"/"Girls' School". The song spent twelve weeks in the top 10 (including nine weeks at number one) and was certified platinum by the BPI. "Don't Give Up on Us" by David Soul came in second place. Julie Covington's "Don't Cry for Me Argentina", "When I Need You" from Leo Sayer and "Silver Lady" by David Soul made up the top five. Songs by ABBA, Donna Summer, Elvis Presley, Hot Chocolate and Brotherhood of Man were also in the top ten best-selling singles of the year.

Top-ten singles

Key
SymbolMeaning
Single peaked in 1976 but still in chart in 1977.
Single released in 1977 but peaked in 1978.
(#)Year-end top-ten single position and rank
EnteredThe date that the single first appeared in the chart.
PeakHighest position that the single reached in the UK Singles Chart.
Entered
(week ending)
Weeks
in
top
10
SingleArtistPeakPeak reached
(week ending)
Weeks
at
peak
Singles in 1976
20 November 19769"Under the Moon of Love" ‡ Showaddywaddy 14 December 19763
27 November 19767"Somebody to Love" ‡ Queen 211 December 19761
6"Love Me" ‡ Yvonne Elliman 618 December 19761
9"Money, Money, Money" ‡ ABBA 311 December 19764
4 December 19765"Livin' Thing" ‡ Electric Light Orchestra 418 December 19761
11 December 19766"When a Child Is Born" ‡ Johnny Mathis 125 December 19763
18 December 19766"Portsmouth" Mike Oldfield 38 January 19771
2"Lean on Me" ‡ [A] Mud 718 December 19761
25 December 19765"Dr. Love" Tina Charles 422 January 19771
5"Living Next Door to Alice" Smokie 58 January 19771
2"Bionic Santa" ‡ Chris Hill 1025 December 19762
Singles in 1977
8 January 19779"Don't Give Up on Us" (#2) David Soul 115 January 19774
1"Grandma's Party" Paul Nicholas 98 January 19771
15 January 19777"Sideshow" Barry Biggs 322 January 19773
4"The Things We Do for Love" 10cc 615 January 19772
9"Don't Cry for Me Argentina" (#3) Julie Covington 112 February 19771
22 January 19772"I Wish" Stevie Wonder 522 January 19771
2"The Wild Side of Life" Status Quo 922 January 19772
29 January 19774"Isn't She Lovely" David Parton 429 January 19772
2"You're More Than A Number in My Little Red Book" The Drifters 529 January 19771
4"Daddy Cool" Boney M. 65 February 19771
3"Car Wash" Rose Royce 912 February 19771
5 February 19777"When I Need You" (#4) Leo Sayer 119 February 19773
3"Suspicion" Elvis Presley 95 February 19771
12 February 19775"Don't Leave Me This Way" Harold Melvin & the Blue Notes 526 February 19771
4"Jack in the Box" The Moments 726 February 19771
19 February 19777"Boogie Nights" Heatwave 25 March 19771
26 February 19777"Chanson D'Amour" The Manhattan Transfer 112 March 19773
2"Sing Me" The Brothers 826 February 19772
2"This Is Tomorrow" [B] Bryan Ferry 912 March 19771
5 March 19774"Romeo" Mr Big 45 March 19772
1"What Can I Say" Boz Scaggs 105 March 19771
12 March 19774"Torn Between Two Lovers" Mary MacGregor 412 March 19771
6"Sound and Vision" David Bowie 326 March 19771
9"Knowing Me, Knowing You" (#6) ABBA 12 April 19775
19 March 19776"When" Showaddywaddy 39 April 19771
2"Rockaria!" Electric Light Orchestra 919 March 19771
1"Baby I Know" The Rubettes 1019 March 19771
26 March 19776"Going In with My Eyes Open" David Soul 22 April 19773
4"Moody Blue" Elvis Presley 62 April 19771
2 April 19775"Sunny" Boney M. 316 April 19771
6"I Don't Want to Put a Hold On You" Berni Flint 323 April 19771
9 April 19775"Red Light Spells Danger" Billy Ocean 223 April 19772
2"Oh Boy (The Mood I'm In)" Brotherhood of Man 816 April 19771
16 April 19773"You Don't Have to Be a Star (To Be in My Show)" Marilyn McCoo & Billy Davis, Jr. 730 April 19771
23 April 19776"Free" Deniece Williams 17 May 19772
4"Have I the Right?"The Dead End Kids630 April 19772
5"Sir Duke" Stevie Wonder 27 May 19771
30 April 19773"Pearl's a Singer" Elkie Brooks 87 May 19771
7 May 19778"I Don't Want to Talk About It"/"The First Cut Is the Deepest" Rod Stewart 121 May 19774
3"Whodunit" Tavares 57 May 19772
1"How Much Love" Leo Sayer 107 May 19771
14 May 19776"Ain't Gonna Bump No More (With No Big Fat Woman)" Joe Tex 228 May 19771
6"The Shuffle" Van McCoy 421 May 19771
3"Hotel California" Eagles 814 May 19771
5"Good Morning Judge" 10cc 528 May 19771
21 May 19778"Lucille" Kenny Rogers 118 June 19771
8"Evergreen (Love Theme from A Star Is Born)" Barbra Streisand 328 May 19771
28 May 19772"Mah Nà Mah Nà" Piero Umiliani 828 May 19771
2"Got to Give It Up" Marvin Gaye 74 June 19771
4 June 19773"Halfway Down the Stairs" The Muppets 718 June 19771
1"O.K.?" Julie Covington, Charlotte Cornwell, Rula Lenska & Sue Jones-Davies 104 June 19771
11 June 19773"God Save the Queen" Sex Pistols 211 June 19771
6"Show You the Way to Go" The Jacksons 125 June 19771
4"You're Moving Out Today" Carole Bayer Sager 618 June 19773
18 June 19773"Telephone Line" Electric Light Orchestra 818 June 19772
25 June 19776"So You Win Again" (#9) Hot Chocolate 12 July 19773
6"Baby, Don't Change Your Mind" Gladys Knight & The Pips 49 July 19771
8"Fanfare for the Common Man" Emerson, Lake & Palmer 216 July 19771
2 July 19774"Sam" Olivia Newton-John 69 July 19771
3"Peaches" The Stranglers 89 July 19771
9 July 19777"Ma Baker" Boney M. 230 July 19771
16 July 19777"I Feel Love" (#7) Donna Summer 123 July 19774
4"Pretty Vacant" Sex Pistols 630 July 19771
10"Angelo" (#10) Brotherhood of Man 120 August 19771
23 July 19773"Oh Lori" Alessi 830 July 19771
1"Slow Down" John Miles 1023 July 19771
30 July 19775"We're All Alone" Rita Coolidge 66 August 19771
2"Easy" [C] Commodores 913 August 19771
6 August 19773"It's Your Life" Smokie 520 August 19771
5"You Got What It Takes" Showaddywaddy 220 August 19771
13 August 19776"Float On" The Floaters 127 August 19771
4"The Crunch" The Rah Band 613 August 19772
20 August 19771"Something Better Change" The Stranglers 920 August 19771
5"That's What Friends Are For" [D] Deniece Williams 827 August 19772
27 August 19779"Way Down" (#8) Elvis Presley 13 September 19775
4"Nights on Broadway" Candi Staton 63 September 19771
5"Nobody Does It Better" Carly Simon 717 September 19772
3 September 19776"Magic Fly" Space 210 September 19773
10"Silver Lady" (#5) David Soul 18 October 19773
10 September 19774"Oxygène Part IV" Jean-Michel Jarre 410 September 19774
5"Down Deep Inside" Donna Summer 510 September 19774
17 September 19775"Telephone Man" Meri Wilson 624 September 19772
24 September 19775"Best of My Love" The Emotions 48 October 19771
1"Do Anything You Wanna Do" The Rods 924 September 19771
1 October 19777"Black Is Black" La Belle Epoque 215 October 19773
3"From New York to L.A." Patsy Gallant 68 October 19771
1"Sunshine After the Rain" Elkie Brooks 101 October 19771
8 October 19771"Wonderous Stories" Yes 78 October 19771
4"I Remember Elvis Presley (The King Is Dead)" Danny Mirror 415 October 19771
15 October 19777"Yes Sir, I Can Boogie" Baccara 129 October 19771
6"You're in My Heart (The Final Acclaim)" Rod Stewart 329 October 19773
2"No More Heroes" The Stranglers 822 October 19771
22 October 19772"Star Wars Theme/Cantina Band" Meco 722 October 19771
3"Black Betty" [E] Ram Jam 729 October 19771
29 October 19776"The Name of the Game" ABBA 15 November 19774
7"Rockin' All Over the World" Status Quo 319 November 19773
2"Holidays in the Sun" Sex Pistols 829 October 19771
5 November 19777"We Are the Champions" Queen 219 November 19773
4"2-4-6-8 Motorway" Tom Robinson Band 512 November 19772
3"Calling Occupants of Interplanetary Craft" The Carpenters 912 November 19771
12 November 19771"Needles and Pins" Smokie 1012 November 19771
19 November 19773"Live in Trouble" The Barron Knights 719 November 19771
5"Dancin' Party" Showaddywaddy 426 November 19772
10"How Deep Is Your Love" Bee Gees 310 December 19775
26 November 197712"Mull of Kintyre"/"Girls' School" (#1) Wings 13 December 19779
7"Daddy Cool/The Girl Can't Help It" Darts 610 December 19772
3 December 19777"I Will" Ruby Winters 417 December 19773
8"The Floral Dance" Brighouse and Rastrick Brass Band 210 December 19776
10 December 19774"Egyptian Reggae" Jonathan Richman & The Modern Lovers 517 December 19771
2"Belfast" Boney M. 817 December 19771
17 December 19771"Love of My Life" The Dooleys 917 December 19771
24 December 19772"White Christmas" Bing Crosby 524 December 19772
8"Love's Unkind" ♦ Donna Summer 314 January 19783
7"It's a Heartache" ♦ Bonnie Tyler 414 January 19782
2"Put Your Love In Me" Hot Chocolate 1024 December 19772

Entries by artist

Donna Summer secured three top 10 hits this year, including her only UK number-one single, "I Feel Love". Donna Summer 1977.JPG
Donna Summer secured three top 10 hits this year, including her only UK number-one single, "I Feel Love".
Kenny Rogers (pictured in 2006) achieved his first UK top 10 hit as a solo artist in 1977 with "Lucille", which spent one week at number-one in June. KennyRogers0042.JPG
Kenny Rogers (pictured in 2006) achieved his first UK top 10 hit as a solo artist in 1977 with "Lucille", which spent one week at number-one in June.

The following table shows artists who achieved two or more top 10 entries in 1977, including singles that reached their peak in 1976 or 1978. The figures include both main artists and featured artists, while appearances on ensemble charity records are also counted for each artist. The total number of weeks an artist spent in the top ten in 1976 is also shown.

EntriesArtistWeeksSingles
4 Boney M. 18"Belfast", "Daddy Cool", "Ma Baker", "Sunny"
Showaddywaddy [F] 19"Dancin' Party", "Under the Moon of Love", "When", "You Got What It Takes"
3 ABBA [F] 19"Knowing Me, Knowing You", "Money, Money, Money", "The Name of the Game"
David Soul 25"Don't Give Up on Us", "Going In with My Eyes Open", "Silver Lady"
Donna Summer [G] 8"Down Deep Inside (Theme from The Deep)", "I Feel Love", "Love's Unkind"
Electric Light Orchestra [F] 6"Livin' Thing", "Rockaria!", "Telephone Line"
Elvis Presley 16"Moody Blue", "Suspicion", "Way Down"
Sex Pistols 9"God Save the Queen", "Holidays in the Sun", "Pretty Vacant"
Smokie [H] 8"It's Your Life", "Living Next Door to Alice", "Needles and Pins"
The Stranglers 6"No More Heroes", "Peaches", "Something Better Change"
2 10cc 8"Good Morning Judge", "The Things We Do for Love"
Brotherhood of Man 12"Angelo", "Oh Boy (The Mood I'm In)"
Deniece Williams 11"Free", "That's What Friends Are For"
Elkie Brooks 4"Pearl's a Singer", "Sunshine After the Rain"
Julie Covington 10"Don't Cry for Me Argentina", "O.K.?"
Leo Sayer 8"How Much Love", "When I Need You"
Queen [F] 9"Somebody to Love", "We Are the Champions"
Rod Stewart 14"I Don't Want to Talk About It"/"The First Cut Is the Deepest", "You're in My Heart (The Final Acclaim)"
Stevie Wonder 7"I Wish", "Sir Duke"

Notes

See also

References

General

Specific

  1. "The Official UK Charts Company". Official Charts Company . Retrieved 1 January 2012.
  2. Roberts, David (2005). Guinness World Records: British Hit Singles and Albums (18th edition). Guinness World Records Limited. p. 14. ISBN   1-904994-00-8.
  3. "New singles formats to save the charts". BBC News . 16 October 2003. Retrieved 21 February 2010.