Long before the Bee Gees became superstars of the seventies’ disco era, they were a world-renown, very successful, pop/soft rock group. When they started knocking out monster disco hits, their musical pedigree and reputation legitimized and mainstreamed the new genre.
Personally, I was a rock ‘n’ roll fan at that point in my life and detested disco music. Looking back now, I think disco must have been been the reason I stopped listening to Top 40 radio and switched to rock format FM radio stations in the late seventies, and I’m certain I wasn’t the only one. If true, it could be said that disco killed Top 40 variety radio by encouraging growth of alternative radio formats, particularly classic rock.
Forty-some years later, I’ve mellowed, and now appreciate disco music. In fact, I’ll go so far to say that the Bee Gees were musical geniuses. (But I still mourn the decline of Top 40 radio).
Below, the year the single was released is followed by the highest the song reached in the U.S. charts. There’s one exception: More Than a Woman was not released as a single in U.S. and so has no chart data as a single. Check out how many #1 hits the Bee Gees had. They absolutely dominated Top 40 from 1975 to 1979. As far as record sales, only a handful of artists have sold more records worldwide than the Bee Gees.
1967 #14
New York Mining Disaster 1941 (2:10)
1967 #17
To Love Somebody (3:02)
1967 #16
Holiday (2:55)
1967 #11
Massachusetts (2:27)
1968 #15
Words (3:06)
(The Ed Sullivan Show, March 17, 1968)
1968 #8
I’ve Gotta Get a Message to You (3:03)
1968 #6
I Started a Joke (3:09)
1970 #3
Lonely Days (3:45)
1971 #1
How Can You Mend a Broken Heart (3:58)
1972 #16
My World (4:20)
1972 #16
Run to Me (3:12)
1975 #1
Jive Talkin’ (2:51)
1975 #7
Nights on Broadway (4:36)
1976 #12
Fanny (Be Tender with My Love)(4:06)
1976 #1
You Should Be Dancing (4:18)
1976 #3
Love So Right (3:39)
1977 #1
How Deep Is Your Love (4:00)
1977 – not released as a single in U.S.
More Than a Woman (3:20)
1977 #1
Stayin’ Alive (4:10)
1977 #1
If I Can’t Have You (3:23)
1978 #1
Night Fever (3;28)
1978 #1
Too Much Heaven (5:00)
1979 #1
Tragedy (5:04)
1979 #1
Love You Inside Out (4:11)