In 1978 there were 51 weekly charts, with 307 different records. Of those, 271 entered the chart that year and 13 reached number 1. Longest at number 1 was Rivers of Babylon by Boney M.: nine weeks. The record that stayed longest was Only A Fool (Breaks His Own Heart) by Mighty Sparrow & Byron Lee: 26 weeks, with number 2 as its peak. The highest new entry was Smurfenbier by Vader Abraham, straight in at 13 in week 3. Top of the year chart is You're The One That I Want by John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John, with 734 points.
Weeks
Year chart 1978
The top 10 of the 1978 year chart, on points: every week in the chart counts 41 minus the position, from 40 for a number 1 down to 1 for number 40. The full list of 100 is on the year chart page.
- 1You're The One That I WantJohn Travolta, Olivia Newton-John · 734 points · 22 weeks · peak position 1
- 2Only A Fool (Breaks His Own Heart)Mighty Sparrow & Byron Lee · 721 points · 26 weeks · peak position 2
- 3Rivers of BabylonBoney M. · 606 points · 19 weeks · peak position 1
- 4If I Had WordsScott Fitzgerald, Yvonne Keeley · 533 points · 16 weeks · peak position 1
- 5Dreadlock Holiday10cc · 481 points · 15 weeks · peak position 1
- 6Stayin' AliveBee Gees · 464 points · 16 weeks · peak position 1
- 7You`re The Greatest LoverLuv' · 448 points · 15 weeks · peak position 1
- 8Windsurfin'The Surfers · 437 points · 14 weeks · peak position 2
- 9Hopelessly Devoted To YouOlivia Newton-John · 410 points · 13 weeks · peak position 1
- 10Too Much, Too Little, Too LateJohnny Mathis, Deniece Williams · 401 points · 14 weeks · peak position 3
Number ones
- wk 1–3Mull Of Kintyre
- wk 4–10If I Had WordsScott Fitzgerald, Yvonne Keeley · 7 weeks at 1 · week 4
- wk 11–13Denis
- wk 14–16Stayin' Alive
- wk 17–25Rivers of Babylon
- wk 26–34You're The One That I WantJohn Travolta, Olivia Newton-John · 9 weeks at 1 · week 26
- wk 35–38You`re The Greatest Lover
- wk 39–40GreaseFrankie Valli · 2 weeks at 1 · week 39
- wk 41–44Hopelessly Devoted To YouOlivia Newton-John · 4 weeks at 1 · week 41
- wk 45–47Dreadlock Holiday
- wk 48–49Get Off
- wk 50Trojan Horse
- wk 51Paradise By the Dashboard Light
Longest in the chart
- 26Only A Fool (Breaks His Own Heart)Mighty Sparrow & Byron Lee · weeks in 1978 · peak position 2 · from week 1
- 22You're The One That I WantJohn Travolta, Olivia Newton-John · weeks in 1978 · peak position 1 · from week 22
- 19Rivers of Babylon
- 16If I Had WordsScott Fitzgerald, Yvonne Keeley · weeks in 1978 · peak position 1 · from week 1
- 16Stayin' Alive
- 15You`re The Greatest Lover
- 15Dreadlock Holiday
- 15She's Not There
- 14GreaseFrankie Valli · weeks in 1978 · peak position 1 · from week 34
- 14Substitute
Highest new entries
- 13SmurfenbierVader Abraham · new at 13 in week 3
- 13Rivers of Babylon
- 13Night Fever
- 14It's a HeartacheBonnie Tyler · new at 14 in week 1
- 14Denis
Source: top40.nl
Sound of 1978
1978 sounded much like 1977, at a tempo around 118 bpm.
Measured across 69 of the 307 records from 1978 with a sound analysis. The mark and the small number: the average of all Dutch Top 40 years.
Keep exploring
If you have landed here, you probably want to keep going: an album, an artist, a week in the Dutch Top 40 or a concert.
Frequently asked questions
How many records reached number 1 in 1978?
In total 13 different records, across 51 charts. The first was Mull Of Kintyre by Wings, the last Paradise By the Dashboard Light by Meat Loaf.
Which record had the longest run at number 1 in 1978?
Rivers of Babylon by Boney M.: nine weeks in a row at 1.
Which record stayed in the chart longest in 1978?
Only A Fool (Breaks His Own Heart) by Mighty Sparrow & Byron Lee: 26 weeks in 1978, peaking at number 2 that year.
What was the highest new entry of 1978?
Smurfenbier by Vader Abraham, straight in at 13 in week 3.
Which record tops the 1978 year chart?
You're The One That I Want by John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John, with 734 points from 22 weeks. The top 3: 1. You're The One That I Want (John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John), 2. Only A Fool (Breaks His Own Heart) (Mighty Sparrow & Byron Lee), 3. Rivers of Babylon (Boney M.).
How is the year chart compiled?
On points from all weekly charts of 1978; only the weeks of that year count. The full ranking and the count are on the year chart of 1978.
How many records made the Dutch Top 40 in 1978?
In total 307 different records, spread over 51 charts. Of those, 271 entered the chart that year.