List of Billboard Easy Listening number ones of 1977

In 1977, Billboard magazine published a chart ranking the top-performing songs in the United States in the easy listening market. The chart, which in 1977 was entitled Easy Listening, has undergone various name changes and has been published under the title Adult Contemporary since 1996.[1] In 1977, 20 songs topped the chart based on playlists submitted by radio stations.[1]

A blonde-haired woman in a black dress holding a gold statuette
Carly Simon spent seven weeks at number one with "Nobody Does It Better", the theme from the James Bond film The Spy Who Loved Me.

The three longest-running chart-toppers of the year were all taken from film soundtracks. Carly Simon had the year's longest run in the top spot, spending seven weeks at number one with "Nobody Does It Better", the theme song from the James Bond film The Spy Who Loved Me.[2] Both "How Deep Is Your Love" by the Bee Gees, from the soundtrack to Saturday Night Fever,[3] and "Evergreen (Love Theme from A Star Is Born)" by Barbra Streisand spent six weeks atop the chart. Streisand's other number one of 1977, "My Heart Belongs to Me", had also been written for the film A Star Is Born but was ultimately not used,[4] and was instead included on her album Superman.[5] Debby Boone's November number one "You Light Up My Life" was a recording of a song from the film of the same name, released in the same year. Although the song was sung in the film by Kasey Cisyk, Boone was brought in to record a new vocal over the existing instrumental backing track and this was the version that achieved chart success.[6] The song spent a record-breaking ten weeks at number one on Billboard's pop singles chart, the Hot 100,[7] but only spent one week atop the Easy Listening chart.

In addition to "You Light Up My Life", several of 1977's other Easy Listening number ones had sufficient crossover success to also top theHot 100, including songs by Mary McGregor, Leo Sayer, David Soul, Barbra Streisand, Barry Manilow and the Bee Gees.[7] "Southern Nights" by Glen Campbell was a triple chart-topper, as in addition to topping both the Easy Listening chart and the Hot 100, it also reached the top spot on the Hot Country Songs listing.[8] Barbra Streisand's total of ten weeks at number one on the Easy Listening listing was the most for any artist in 1977. She was one of only three artists with more than one chart-topper during the year, the others being Glen Campbell, who spent four non-consecutive weeks in the top spot with "Southern Nights" and one week with "Sunflower", and Barry Manilow, who topped the listing for a single week with "Weekend in New England" and a further three with "Looks Like We Made It". The year ended with "How Deep Is Your Love" by the Bee Gees holding the top spot.

Chart history

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Barbra Streisand spent ten weeks at number one in 1977, the most by any act.
 
James Taylor took his version of the 1950s song "Handy Man" to number one.
 
The Bee Gees ended the year at number one.
Issue date Title Artist(s) Ref.
January 1 "Torn Between Two Lovers" Mary MacGregor [9]
January 8 "Weekend in New England" Barry Manilow [10]
January 15 "Evergreen (Love Theme from A Star Is Born)" Barbra Streisand [11]
January 22 [12]
January 29 [13]
February 5 [14]
February 12 [15]
February 19 [16]
February 26 "Southern Nights" Glen Campbell [17]
March 5 [18]
March 12 "Sam" Olivia Newton-John [19]
March 19 [20]
March 26 "Southern Nights" Glen Campbell [21]
April 2 [22]
April 9 "Don't Give Up on Us" David Soul [23]
April 16 "Right Time of the Night" Jennifer Warnes [24]
April 23 "When I Need You" Leo Sayer [25]
April 30 "Hello Stranger" Yvonne Elliman [26]
May 7 [27]
May 14 [28]
May 21 [29]
May 28 "Margaritaville" Jimmy Buffett [30]
June 4 "Looks Like We Made It" Barry Manilow [31]
June 11 [32]
June 18 [33]
June 25 "It's Sad to Belong" England Dan & John Ford Coley [34]
July 2 [35]
July 9 [36]
July 16 [37]
July 23 [38]
July 30 "My Heart Belongs to Me" Barbra Streisand [39]
August 6 [40]
August 13 [41]
August 20 [42]
August 27 "Sunflower" Glen Campbell [43]
September 3 "Handy Man" James Taylor [44]
September 10 "Nobody Does It Better" Carly Simon [45]
September 17 [46]
September 24 [47]
October 1 [48]
October 8 [49]
October 15 [50]
October 22 [51]
October 29 "Just Remember I Love You" Firefall [52]
November 5 [53]
November 12 "We're All Alone" Rita Coolidge [54]
November 19 "You Light Up My Life" Debby Boone [55]
November 26 "How Deep Is Your Love" Bee Gees [56]
December 3 [57]
December 10 [58]
December 17 [59]
December 24 [60]
December 31 [61]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b Whitburn 2007, p. vi.
  2. ^ "The Top 10 James Bond Theme Songs". Rolling Stone. October 5, 2012. Archived from the original on May 23, 2019. Retrieved May 23, 2019.
  3. ^ Eder, Bruce. "Saturday Night Fever [Original Motion Picture Soundtrack]". AllMusic. Retrieved May 23, 2019.
  4. ^ Santopietro 2007, p. 35.
  5. ^ Ruhlmann, William. "Streisand Superman – Barbra Streisand". AllMusic. Archived from the original on April 26, 2022. Retrieved May 23, 2019.
  6. ^ Cordova, Randy (December 19, 2017). "Debby Boone's record-breaking 'You Light Up My Life' turns 40". The Arizona Republic. Archived from the original on July 30, 2024. Retrieved May 23, 2019.
  7. ^ a b Whitburn 2005, p. TBC.
  8. ^ Whitburn 1996, p. TBC.
  9. ^ "Adult Contemporary chart for January 1, 1977". Billboard. Archived from the original on June 21, 2019. Retrieved May 19, 2019.
  10. ^ "Adult Contemporary chart for January 8, 1977". Billboard. Retrieved May 28, 2019.
  11. ^ "Adult Contemporary chart for January 15, 1977". Billboard. Archived from the original on September 6, 2024. Retrieved May 28, 2019.
  12. ^ "Adult Contemporary chart for January 22, 1977". Billboard. Archived from the original on September 6, 2024. Retrieved May 28, 2019.
  13. ^ "Adult Contemporary chart for January 29, 1977". Billboard. Archived from the original on September 6, 2024. Retrieved May 28, 2019.
  14. ^ "Adult Contemporary chart for February 5, 1977". Billboard. Archived from the original on June 19, 2019. Retrieved May 28, 2019.
  15. ^ "Adult Contemporary chart for February 12, 1977". Billboard. Archived from the original on June 19, 2019. Retrieved May 28, 2019.
  16. ^ "Adult Contemporary chart for February 19, 1977". Billboard. Archived from the original on September 6, 2024. Retrieved May 28, 2019.
  17. ^ "Adult Contemporary chart for February 26, 1977". Billboard. Archived from the original on September 6, 2024. Retrieved May 28, 2019.
  18. ^ "Adult Contemporary chart for March 5, 1977". Billboard. Archived from the original on June 20, 2019. Retrieved May 28, 2019.
  19. ^ "Adult Contemporary chart for March 12, 1977". Billboard. Archived from the original on June 21, 2019. Retrieved May 28, 2019.
  20. ^ "Adult Contemporary chart for March 19, 1977". Billboard. Archived from the original on September 6, 2024. Retrieved May 28, 2019.
  21. ^ "Adult Contemporary chart for March 26, 1977". Billboard. Archived from the original on June 19, 2019. Retrieved May 28, 2019.
  22. ^ "Adult Contemporary chart for April 2, 1977". Billboard. Archived from the original on September 6, 2024. Retrieved May 28, 2019.
  23. ^ "Adult Contemporary chart for April 9, 1977". Billboard. Retrieved May 28, 2019.
  24. ^ "Adult Contemporary chart for April 16, 1977". Billboard. Archived from the original on June 19, 2019. Retrieved May 28, 2019.
  25. ^ "Adult Contemporary chart for April 23, 1977". Billboard. Archived from the original on September 6, 2024. Retrieved May 28, 2019.
  26. ^ "Adult Contemporary chart for April 30, 1977". Billboard. Archived from the original on June 19, 2019. Retrieved May 28, 2019.
  27. ^ "Adult Contemporary chart for May 7, 1977". Billboard. Archived from the original on September 6, 2024. Retrieved May 28, 2019.
  28. ^ "Adult Contemporary chart for May 14, 1977". Billboard. Archived from the original on September 6, 2024. Retrieved May 28, 2019.
  29. ^ "Adult Contemporary chart for May 21, 1977". Billboard. Archived from the original on June 20, 2019. Retrieved May 28, 2019.
  30. ^ "Adult Contemporary chart for May 28, 1977". Billboard. Archived from the original on June 21, 2019. Retrieved May 28, 2019.
  31. ^ "Adult Contemporary chart for June 4, 1977". Billboard. Archived from the original on September 6, 2024. Retrieved May 28, 2019.
  32. ^ "Adult Contemporary chart for June 11, 1977". Billboard. Archived from the original on September 6, 2024. Retrieved May 28, 2019.
  33. ^ "Adult Contemporary chart for June 18, 1977". Billboard. Archived from the original on September 6, 2024. Retrieved May 28, 2019.
  34. ^ "Adult Contemporary chart for June 25, 1977". Billboard. Archived from the original on June 19, 2019. Retrieved May 28, 2019.
  35. ^ "Adult Contemporary chart for July 2, 1977". Billboard. Archived from the original on June 20, 2019. Retrieved May 28, 2019.
  36. ^ "Adult Contemporary chart for July 9, 1977". Billboard. Archived from the original on June 19, 2019. Retrieved May 28, 2019.
  37. ^ "Adult Contemporary chart for July 16, 1977". Billboard. Archived from the original on June 19, 2019. Retrieved May 28, 2019.
  38. ^ "Adult Contemporary chart for July 23, 1977". Billboard. Archived from the original on September 6, 2024. Retrieved May 28, 2019.
  39. ^ "Adult Contemporary chart for July 30, 1977". Billboard. Archived from the original on April 28, 2019. Retrieved May 28, 2019.
  40. ^ "Adult Contemporary chart for August 6, 1977". Billboard. Archived from the original on June 19, 2019. Retrieved May 28, 2019.
  41. ^ "Adult Contemporary chart for August 13, 1977". Billboard. Archived from the original on June 19, 2019. Retrieved May 28, 2019.
  42. ^ "Adult Contemporary chart for August 20, 1977". Billboard. Archived from the original on September 12, 2018. Retrieved May 28, 2019.
  43. ^ "Adult Contemporary chart for August 27, 1977". Billboard. Archived from the original on September 6, 2024. Retrieved May 28, 2019.
  44. ^ "Adult Contemporary chart for September 3, 1977". Billboard. Archived from the original on September 6, 2024. Retrieved May 28, 2019.
  45. ^ "Adult Contemporary chart for September 10, 1977". Billboard. Archived from the original on June 19, 2019. Retrieved May 28, 2019.
  46. ^ "Adult Contemporary chart for September 17, 1977". Billboard. Archived from the original on June 19, 2019. Retrieved May 28, 2019.
  47. ^ "Adult Contemporary chart for September 24, 1977". Billboard. Archived from the original on September 6, 2024. Retrieved May 28, 2019.
  48. ^ "Adult Contemporary chart for October 1, 1977". Billboard. Archived from the original on September 6, 2024. Retrieved May 28, 2019.
  49. ^ "Adult Contemporary chart for October 8, 1977". Billboard. Archived from the original on June 19, 2019. Retrieved May 28, 2019.
  50. ^ "Adult Contemporary chart for October 15, 1977". Billboard. Archived from the original on June 19, 2019. Retrieved May 28, 2019.
  51. ^ "Adult Contemporary chart for October 22, 1977". Billboard. Archived from the original on June 19, 2019. Retrieved May 28, 2019.
  52. ^ "Adult Contemporary chart for October 29, 1977". Billboard. Archived from the original on September 6, 2024. Retrieved May 28, 2019.
  53. ^ "Adult Contemporary chart for November 5, 1977". Billboard. Archived from the original on September 6, 2024. Retrieved May 26, 2019.
  54. ^ "Adult Contemporary chart for November 12, 1977". Billboard. Archived from the original on September 6, 2024. Retrieved May 26, 2019.
  55. ^ "Adult Contemporary chart for November 19, 1977". Billboard. Archived from the original on June 19, 2019. Retrieved May 26, 2019.
  56. ^ "Adult Contemporary chart for November 26, 1977". Billboard. Archived from the original on September 6, 2024. Retrieved May 26, 2019.
  57. ^ "Adult Contemporary chart for December 3, 1977". Billboard. Archived from the original on June 21, 2019. Retrieved May 26, 2019.
  58. ^ "Adult Contemporary chart for December 10, 1977". Billboard. Archived from the original on June 19, 2019. Retrieved May 26, 2019.
  59. ^ "Adult Contemporary chart for December 17, 1977". Billboard. Archived from the original on June 19, 2019. Retrieved May 26, 2019.
  60. ^ "Adult Contemporary chart for December 24, 1977". Billboard. Archived from the original on June 19, 2019. Retrieved May 26, 2019.
  61. ^ "Adult Contemporary chart for December 31, 1977". Billboard. Archived from the original on June 21, 2019. Retrieved May 26, 2019.

Works cited

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