100 Greatest Songs From 1978
Criteria: Songs listed are from Rock 'n' Roll and related sub-genres. Rankings are based on initial and lasting popularity and on acclaim received from critics and musicians.
Note: Yearly song lists go by earliest 'release date' (Single, Album, or Country of first release). Not necessarily the year a song peaked in the U.S. charts.
Note: Yearly song lists go by earliest 'release date' (Single, Album, or Country of first release). Not necessarily the year a song peaked in the U.S. charts.
1. I Will Survive
Gloria Gaynor
2. Sultans Of Swing
Dire Straits
3. Heart Of Glass
Blondie
4. Roxanne
Police
5. Le Freak
Chic
6. September
Earth, Wind & Fire
7. Miss You
Rolling Stones
8. Because the Night
Patti Smith Group
9. YMCA
Village People
10. I Wanna Be Sedated
Ramones
11. What a Fool Believes
Doobie Brothers
12. Old Time Rock and Roll
Bob Seger & the Silver Bullet Band
13. Surrender
Cheap Trick
14. Just What I Needed
Cars
15. Is This Love
Bob Marley & the Wailers
16. Baker Street
Gerry Rafferty
17. Wuthering Heights
Kate Bush
18. Runnin' With the Devil
Van Halen
19. Don't Stop Me Now
Queen
20. One Way or Another
Blondie
21. Do Ya Think I'm Sexy
Rod Stewart
22. Werewolves Of London
Warren Zevon
23. One Nation Under a Groove
Funkadelic
24. Who Are You
The Who
25. Beast Of Burden
Rolling Stones
26. I Want You To Want Me (live)
Cheap Trick
27. Hold the Line
Toto
28. You're the One That I Want
John Travolta & Olivia Newton-John
29. Rock Lobster
B-52's
30. Got To Be Real
Cheryl Lynn
31. Ever Fallen In Love?
Buzzcocks
32. Reunited
Peaches & Herb
33. Das Model
Kraftwerk
34. Pump It Up
Elvis Costello
35. Last Dance
Donna Summer
36. Is She Really Going Out With Him?
Joe Jackson
37. He's the Greatest Dancer
Sister Sledge
38. Three Times a Lady
Commodores
39. Life's Been Good
Joe Walsh
40. Boogie Oogie Oogie
A Taste of Honey
41. My Life
Billy Joel
42. You Really Got Me
Van Halen
43. Can't Stand Losing You
Police
44. You Make Me Feel (Mighty Real)
Sylvester
45. Teenage Kicks
Undertones
46. Shake Your Body (Down To the Ground)
Jacksons
47. My Best Friend's Girl
Cars
48. Too Much Heaven
Bee Gees
49. I Want Your Love
Chic
50. Grease
Frankie Valli
51. Knock On Wood
Amii Stewart
52. Fat Bottomed Girls
Queen
53. Blame It on the Boogie
Jacksons
54. White Man In Hammersmith Palais
The Clash
55. What You Won't Do For Love
Bobby Caldwell
56. Dreadlock Holiday
10cc
57. Renegade
Styx
58. I'm Every Woman
Chaka Khan
59. Wheel In the Sky
Journey
60. Rivers Of Babylon
Boney M
61. So Lonely
Police
62. Stumblin' In
Suzi Quatro & Chris Norman
63. Follow You, Follow Me
Genesis
64. Take Me To the River
Talking Heads
65. I Love the Night Life
Alicia Bridges
66. Hot Blooded
Foreigner
67. Mary Jane
Rick James
68. Ain't Talkin' 'Bout Love
Van Halen
69. Don't Look Back
Boston
70. MacArthur Park
Donna Summer
71. Badlands
Bruce Springsteen
72. Sunday Girl
Blondie
73. Driver's Seat
Sniff 'n' the Tears
74. Love Don't Live Here Anymore
Rose Royce
75. Kiss You All Over
Exile
76. Shattered
Rolling Stones
77. Every 1's a Winner
Hot Chocolate
78. Hopelessly Devoted To You
Olivia Newton-John
79. Eruption
Van Halen
80. Summer Nights
John Travolta & Olivia Newton-John
81. Love Is Like Oxygen
Sweet
82. (What's So Funny 'Bout) Peace, Love and Understanding
Elvis Costello
83. Fire
Pointer Sisters
84. Honesty
Billy Joel
85. Use Ta Be My Girl
O'Jays
86. Hanging On the Telephone
Blondie
87. Lights
Journey
88. Hollywood Nights
Bob Seger & the Silver Bullet Band
89. Good Times Roll
Cars
90. Close the Door
Teddy Pendergrass
91. Damaged Goods
Gang of Four
92. The Groove Line
Heatwave
93. Radio Radio
Elvis Costello
94. Soul Man
Blues Brothers
95. Tonight Is the Night (live)
Betty Wright
96. When Somebody Loves You Back
Teddy Pendergrass
97. Still the Same
Bob Seger & the Silver Bullet Band
98. Killing an Arab
The Cure
99. Double Vision
Foreigner
100. Macho Man
Village People
Gloria Gaynor
2. Sultans Of Swing
Dire Straits
3. Heart Of Glass
Blondie
4. Roxanne
Police
5. Le Freak
Chic
6. September
Earth, Wind & Fire
7. Miss You
Rolling Stones
8. Because the Night
Patti Smith Group
9. YMCA
Village People
10. I Wanna Be Sedated
Ramones
11. What a Fool Believes
Doobie Brothers
12. Old Time Rock and Roll
Bob Seger & the Silver Bullet Band
13. Surrender
Cheap Trick
14. Just What I Needed
Cars
15. Is This Love
Bob Marley & the Wailers
16. Baker Street
Gerry Rafferty
17. Wuthering Heights
Kate Bush
18. Runnin' With the Devil
Van Halen
19. Don't Stop Me Now
Queen
20. One Way or Another
Blondie
21. Do Ya Think I'm Sexy
Rod Stewart
22. Werewolves Of London
Warren Zevon
23. One Nation Under a Groove
Funkadelic
24. Who Are You
The Who
25. Beast Of Burden
Rolling Stones
26. I Want You To Want Me (live)
Cheap Trick
27. Hold the Line
Toto
28. You're the One That I Want
John Travolta & Olivia Newton-John
29. Rock Lobster
B-52's
30. Got To Be Real
Cheryl Lynn
31. Ever Fallen In Love?
Buzzcocks
32. Reunited
Peaches & Herb
33. Das Model
Kraftwerk
34. Pump It Up
Elvis Costello
35. Last Dance
Donna Summer
36. Is She Really Going Out With Him?
Joe Jackson
37. He's the Greatest Dancer
Sister Sledge
38. Three Times a Lady
Commodores
39. Life's Been Good
Joe Walsh
40. Boogie Oogie Oogie
A Taste of Honey
41. My Life
Billy Joel
42. You Really Got Me
Van Halen
43. Can't Stand Losing You
Police
44. You Make Me Feel (Mighty Real)
Sylvester
45. Teenage Kicks
Undertones
46. Shake Your Body (Down To the Ground)
Jacksons
47. My Best Friend's Girl
Cars
48. Too Much Heaven
Bee Gees
49. I Want Your Love
Chic
50. Grease
Frankie Valli
51. Knock On Wood
Amii Stewart
52. Fat Bottomed Girls
Queen
53. Blame It on the Boogie
Jacksons
54. White Man In Hammersmith Palais
The Clash
55. What You Won't Do For Love
Bobby Caldwell
56. Dreadlock Holiday
10cc
57. Renegade
Styx
58. I'm Every Woman
Chaka Khan
59. Wheel In the Sky
Journey
60. Rivers Of Babylon
Boney M
61. So Lonely
Police
62. Stumblin' In
Suzi Quatro & Chris Norman
63. Follow You, Follow Me
Genesis
64. Take Me To the River
Talking Heads
65. I Love the Night Life
Alicia Bridges
66. Hot Blooded
Foreigner
67. Mary Jane
Rick James
68. Ain't Talkin' 'Bout Love
Van Halen
69. Don't Look Back
Boston
70. MacArthur Park
Donna Summer
71. Badlands
Bruce Springsteen
72. Sunday Girl
Blondie
73. Driver's Seat
Sniff 'n' the Tears
74. Love Don't Live Here Anymore
Rose Royce
75. Kiss You All Over
Exile
76. Shattered
Rolling Stones
77. Every 1's a Winner
Hot Chocolate
78. Hopelessly Devoted To You
Olivia Newton-John
79. Eruption
Van Halen
80. Summer Nights
John Travolta & Olivia Newton-John
81. Love Is Like Oxygen
Sweet
82. (What's So Funny 'Bout) Peace, Love and Understanding
Elvis Costello
83. Fire
Pointer Sisters
84. Honesty
Billy Joel
85. Use Ta Be My Girl
O'Jays
86. Hanging On the Telephone
Blondie
87. Lights
Journey
88. Hollywood Nights
Bob Seger & the Silver Bullet Band
89. Good Times Roll
Cars
90. Close the Door
Teddy Pendergrass
91. Damaged Goods
Gang of Four
92. The Groove Line
Heatwave
93. Radio Radio
Elvis Costello
94. Soul Man
Blues Brothers
95. Tonight Is the Night (live)
Betty Wright
96. When Somebody Loves You Back
Teddy Pendergrass
97. Still the Same
Bob Seger & the Silver Bullet Band
98. Killing an Arab
The Cure
99. Double Vision
Foreigner
100. Macho Man
Village People
20 more worth mentioning.
101. Another Girl, Another Planet
Only Ones
102. Racing in the Street
Bruce Springsteen
103. Shout
Otis Day & the Knights
104. Down In the Tube Station At Midnight
The Jam
105. We've Got Tonite
Bob Seger & the Silver Bullet Band
106. Shake Your Groove Thing
Peaches & Herb
107. How Much I Feel
Ambrosia
108. Time Passages
Al Stewart
109. Hit Me With Your Rhythm Stick
Ian Dury & the Blockheads
110. The Closer I Get To You
Roberta Flack with Donnie Hathaway
111. When You're In Love With Beautiful Woman
Dr. Hook
112. Reminiscing
Little River Band
113. Hot Child In the City
Nick Gilder
114. Shadow Dancing
Andy Gibb
115. Big Shot
Billy Joel
116. Get Off
Foxy
117. Cheeseburger In Paradise
Jimmy Buffett
118. You and I
Rick James
119. Who Do You Love
George Thorogood & the Destroyers
120. Heaven Knows
Donna Summer
Only Ones
102. Racing in the Street
Bruce Springsteen
103. Shout
Otis Day & the Knights
104. Down In the Tube Station At Midnight
The Jam
105. We've Got Tonite
Bob Seger & the Silver Bullet Band
106. Shake Your Groove Thing
Peaches & Herb
107. How Much I Feel
Ambrosia
108. Time Passages
Al Stewart
109. Hit Me With Your Rhythm Stick
Ian Dury & the Blockheads
110. The Closer I Get To You
Roberta Flack with Donnie Hathaway
111. When You're In Love With Beautiful Woman
Dr. Hook
112. Reminiscing
Little River Band
113. Hot Child In the City
Nick Gilder
114. Shadow Dancing
Andy Gibb
115. Big Shot
Billy Joel
116. Get Off
Foxy
117. Cheeseburger In Paradise
Jimmy Buffett
118. You and I
Rick James
119. Who Do You Love
George Thorogood & the Destroyers
120. Heaven Knows
Donna Summer
DigitalDreamDoor Editor Picks for 1978
An unheralded great record from 1978
Brian's choice:
* Starry Eyes
Records
Lew's choice:
* Forever Autumn
Justin Hayward
Bruce's choice:
* Funky But Chic
David Johansen
Brett's choice:
* Lee Remick
Go-Betweens
Adam's choice:
* Substitute
Clout
1977 | 1979
Brian's choice:
* Starry Eyes
Records
Lew's choice:
* Forever Autumn
Justin Hayward
Bruce's choice:
* Funky But Chic
David Johansen
Brett's choice:
* Lee Remick
Go-Betweens
Adam's choice:
* Substitute
Clout
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Edited By: Brian
Last Updated: 2026-08-27
Last Updated: 2026-08-27
