Dancing is back as the Disco wave crests and the Dance chart debuts, with Novelty hits and veteran Pop and Soul acts jumping on the bandwagon. Country Crossover fades but Soft Rockers and Balladeers continue to score massive hits, and the intentional irony epitomized by New York’s emerging downtown Punk scene starts showing up on the Pop charts.

#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. The Bee Gees
2. The Captain & Tennille
3. Hall & Oates

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

• 7-WAY TIE: Diana Ross/Electric Light Orchestra/Ohio Players/KISS/Olivia Newton-John/John Denver/Bachman-Turner Overdrive (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

• 32.0 years

#1 Songs on the Weekly Hot100   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. C. W. McCall – Convoy (January, 1 wk)
2. Barry Manilow – I Write the Songs (January, 1 wk)
3. Diana Ross – Theme from “Mahogany” (Do You Know Where You’re Going To) (January, 1 wk)
4. Ohio Players – Love Rollercoaster (January, 1 wk)
5. Paul Simon – 50 Ways to Leave Your Lover (February, 3 wks)
6. Rhythm Heritage – Theme from S.W.A.T. (February, 1 wk)
7. The Miracles – Love Machine (Part 1) (March, 1 wk)
8. The Four Seasons – December 1963 (Oh, What a Night) (March, 3 wks)
9. Johnnie Taylor – Disco Lady (April, 4 wks)
10. Bellamy Brothers – Let Your Love Flow (May, 1 wk)
11. John Sebastian – Welcome Back (May, 1 wk)
12. Sylvers – Boogie Fever (May, 1 wk)
13. Wings – Silly Love Songs (May, 5 wks)
14. Diana Ross – Love Hangover (May, 2 wks)
15. Starland Vocal Band – Afternoon Delight (July, 2 wks)
16. Manhattans – Kiss and Say Goodbye (July, 2 wks)
17. Elton John & Kiki Dee – Don’t Go Breaking My Heart (August, 4 wks)
18. Bee Gees – You Should Be Dancing (September, 1 wk)
19. KC & The Sunshine Band – (Shake, Shake, Shake) Shake Your Booty (September, 1 wk)
20. Wild Cherry – Play That Funky Music (September, 3 wks)
21. Walter Murphy & The Big Apple Band – A Fifth of Beethoven (October, 1 wk)
22. Rick Dees & His Cast of Idiots – Disco Duck (Part 1) (October, 1 wk)
23. Chicago – If You Leave Me Now (October, 2 wks)
24. Steve Miller Band – Rock’n Me (November, 1 wk)
25. Rod Stewart – Tonight’s the Night (Gonna Be Alright) (November, 8 wks)
26. Marilyn McCoo & Billy Davis Jr. – You Don’t Have to Be a Star (To Be in My Show) (January ’77, 1 wk)