The Story of 1978
In 1978, despite the biggest-selling singles coming from the likes of Boney M and Rod Stewart, Top of the Pops turned the credibility corner and showed punk and new wave bands.
In 1978, Top of the Pops began to turn the credibility corner. As the only major pop show on television, Top of the Pops had enjoyed a unique position in the nation's hearts since the 1960s - the nation's teenagers who were now fed up with the show's predominantly light entertainment blend still tuned in every week in the hope of seeing one of the new young outfits thrown up by punk, new wave and disco. In 1978 it seemed the kids' time had come again for the first time since glam rock. Yet the biggest-selling singles of 1978 were by the likes of Boney M, John Travolta & Olivia Newton John, Rod Stewart, The Bee Gees and Abba.
Punk never quite fitted in with the mainstream - it had been treated with disdain by Top of the Pops and largely ignored by the show. Britain's teenagers had to endure the all-round family entertainment on offer when all they wanted was teenage kicks. Along came a generation of young post-punk and new wave bands armed with guitar and bass, ready to storm the Top of the Pops stage - from The Undertones, The Buzzcocks, Siouxsie and the Banshees, The Skids and Ian Dury and the Blockheads to The Boomtown Rats, Elvis Costello, The Jam and Squeeze - some weeks teenagers would get to see one of their bands, very rarely they got two, but there they were on primetime TV.
With contributions from The Boomtown Rats, Squeeze, Boney M, Sham 69, Brian & Michael, The Barron Knights, Mike Read, Kid Jensen, Kathryn Flett, Richard Jobson, Ian Gittins and Legs & Co.
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Music Played
Timings (where shown) are from the start of the programme in hours and minutes
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00:00
CCS
Whole Lotta Love
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00:00
Blondie
Picture This聽
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00:03
Brotherhood of Man
贵颈驳补谤辞听
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00:05
Kate Bush
Wuthering Heights
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00:08
Odyssey
Native New Yorker
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00:10
Elvis Costello & The Attractions
(I Don't Want to Go to) Chelsea聽
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00:13
Manfred Mann鈥檚 Earth Band
Davy's on the Road Again聽
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00:19
The Boomtown Rats
Rat Trap聽
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00:23
The Motors
础颈谤辫辞谤迟听
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Dan Hill
Sometimes When We Touch
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00:25
John Travolta & Olivia Newton鈥怞ohn
Summer Nights
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00:28
Sham 69
Angels With Dirty Faces聽
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00:30
Yvonne Elliman
If I Can't Have You聽
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00:33
Electric Light Orchestra
Mr. Blue Sky
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00:36
Bob Marley & The Wailers
Satisfy My Soul聽
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00:39
Chic
Le Freak
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00:41
Jilted John
Jilted John聽
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00:43
Johnny Mathis & Deniece Williams
Too Much, Too Little, Too Late
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00:46
Ian Dury & the Blockheads
What A Waste
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00:49
10cc
Dreadlock Holiday聽
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00:52
Rose Royce
Love Don't Live Here Anymore聽
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00:56
Boney M.
搁补蝉辫耻迟颈苍听
Credits
Role | Contributor |
---|---|
Producer | Dione Newton |
Director | Dione Newton |
Broadcasts
- Fri 4 Jan 2013 21:00
- Sat 5 Jan 2013 00:20
- Sun 6 Jan 2013 23:55
- Sat 19 Jan 2013 23:30
- Fri 22 Feb 2013 02:00
- Sat 23 Mar 2013 03:10
- Sun 31 Mar 2013 20:15
- Mon 5 May 2014 01:35
- Sat 16 Aug 2014 00:10
- Sun 9 Nov 2014 00:10
- Wed 11 Mar 2015 22:30
- Fri 1 May 2015 23:25
- Sat 8 Aug 2015 03:10
- Fri 31 Mar 2017 23:30
- Sat 23 May 2020 22:5591热爆 Two except Scotland
- Sat 6 Mar 2021 20:1591热爆 Two except Scotland
- Sat 6 Jan 2024 02:00
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Top of the Pops
Highlights from the legendary music chart show featuring videos and performances.