I enjoyed the 'quintessential 80's song/vid' thread and it got me thinking... what was the strongest year in music? I'm not talking raw sales or #1 hits, or whether these are "the best" songs - because a lot of them are not - more about in retrospect which year has had the most songs with lasting power that stood the test of time and became tunes that most people today (and the foreseeable future)at least recognize, if not know well.
I thought the 60's would have the strongest year (1967 is certainly up there), but I really think 1979 was absolutely a watershed year in terms of these types of releases. I wish I could add the last 90 days of 1978, as a lot of songs released then were not only still on the charts in 1979, but arguably had the biggest impact in that year. Still, sticking strictly only with songs released in '79 still creates an eye-opening list compared to today's mostly forgettable garbage. Look at this - all these were released in that short 12 month period:
AC/DC - Highway To Hell
The B52's - Rock Lobster
The Bee Gees - Tragedy
Blondie - One Way Or Another
The Boomtown Rats - I Don't Like Mondays
The Buggles - Video Killed The Radio Star
The Cars - Let's Go
The Charlie Daniels Band - The Devil Went Down To Georgia
Blondie - Heart Of Glass
Cheap Trick - I Want You To Want Me (Live Version)
The Clash - London Calling
The Clash - Train In Vain (Stand By Me)
The Commodores - Sail On
The Eagles - Heartache Tonight
Earth, Wind & Fire - After The Love Has Gone
Earth, Wind & Fire - Boogie Wonderland
The Electric Light Orchestra - Don't Bring Me Down
Foreigner - Head Games
Foreigner - Dirty White Boy
Rupert Holmes - Escape (The Pina Colada Song)
Patrick Hernandez - Born To Be Alive
Michael Jackson - Don't Stop Till You Get Enough
Michael Jackson - Rock With You
Billy Joel - My Life
Robert John - Sad Eyes
Journey - Lovin, Touchin', Squeezin'
Kiss - I Was Made For Lovin' You
The Knack - My Sharona
The Knack - Good Girls Don't
Led Zeppelin - All Of My Love
The Little River Band - Lonesome Loser
M - Pop Muzik
Gary Numan - Cars
Robert Palmer - Bad Case Of Loving You - (Doctor, Doctor)
Peaches & Herb - Reunited
Pink Floyd - Another Brick In The Wall, Pt. 2
Pink Floyd - Comfortably Numb
The Pretenders - Brass In Pocket
The Police - Walking On The Moon
The Police - Message In A Bottle
Rickie Lee Jones - Chuck E's In Love
Bob Seger & The Silver Bullet Band - Old Time Rock & Roll
Sister Sledge - We Are Family
Styx - Babe
Donna Summer - Bad Girls
Donna Summer - Hot Stuff
Supertramp - The Logical Song
Supertramp - Goodbye Stranger
Supertramp - Take The Long Way Home
The Sugarhill Gang - Rapper's Delight
Triumph - Hold On
Triumph - Lay It On The Line
Van Halen - Dance The Night Away
Village People - In The Navy
Village People - Y.M.C.A.
Anita Ward - Ring My Bell
XTc - Making Plans For Nigel
Neil Young - Rust Never Sleeps (Hey Hey My My)