It’s lightsabers, mirror balls, and “malaise” as Star Wars conquers the box office, Disco digs in, and everything else circles the drain. With a sputtering economy and grim headlines, Pop turns inward—soft Ballads, mellow vibes and confessional lyrics offering gentler, more comforting escapes from reality. Meanwhile, TV abandons gritty realism for Nostalgia and Fantasy while radio embraces crossover hits to hold it all together—but just barely.

#1 Song of the Year   The top song according to our Chartcrush ranking of all Hot100 songs that earned the majority of their chart ranking points in the year

Artists of the Year   The top three artists based on all charted songs during the calendar year

1. Fleetwood Mac
2. The Steve Miller Band
3. Leo Sayer

Artist with Most Charting Songs   Artist(s) with the most Hot100 charting songs during the year (song count in parentheses)

• 12-WAY TIE: Fleetwood Mac/Leo Sayer/Steve Miller Band/Stevie Wonder/KC & The Sunshine Band/Linda Ronstadt/Rose Royce/KISS/Bay City Rollers/Hall & Oates/Heart/Atlanta Rhythm Section (4)

Average #1 Artist Age   The average of how old artists who scored #1 Hot100 hits during the year were when their songs first reached #1

• 29.3 years

#1 Songs   List of Hot100 #1 songs that earned the majority of their chart ranking points in the year, and (in parentheses), the month the song first hit #1 and the total number of weeks it was #1

1. Leo Sayer – You Make Me Feel like Dancing (January, 1 wk)
2. Stevie Wonder – I Wish (January, 1 wk)
3. Rose Royce – Car Wash (January, 1 wk)
4. Mary MacGregor – Torn Between Two Lovers (February, 2 wks)
5. Manfred Mann’s Earth Band – Blinded by the Light (February, 1 wk)
6. Eagles – New Kid in Town (February, 1 wk)
7. Barbra Streisand – Love Theme from a Star Is Born (Evergreen) (March, 3 wks)
8. Daryl Hall & John Oates – Rich Girl (March, 2 wks)
9. ABBA – Dancing Queen (April, 1 wk)
10. David Soul – Don’t Give Up on Us (April, 1 wk)
11. Thelma Houston – Don’t Leave Me This Way (April, 1 wk)
12. Glen Campbell – Southern Nights (April, 1 wk)
13. Eagles – Hotel California (May, 1 wk)
14. Leo Sayer – When I Need You (May, 1 wk)
15. Stevie Wonder – Sir Duke (May, 3 wks)
16. KC & The Sunshine Band – I’m Your Boogie Man (June, 1 wk)
17. Fleetwood Mac – Dreams (June, 1 wk)
18. Marvin Gaye – Got to Give It Up (Part 1) (June, 1 wk)
19. Bill Conti – Gonna Fly Now (Theme from Rocky) (July, 1 wk)
20. Alan O’Day – Undercover Angel (July, 1 wk)
21. Shaun Cassidy – Da Doo Ron Ron (July, 1 wk)
22. Barry Manilow – Looks like We Made It (July, 1 wk)
23. Andy Gibb – I Just Want to Be Your Everything (July, 4 wks)
24. The Emotions – Best of My Love (August, 5 wks)
25. Meco – Star Wars Theme/Cantina Band (Medley) (October, 2 wks)
26. Debby Boone – You Light Up My Life (October, 10 wks)