On December 9, 1978, Chic's "Le Freak" hit No. 1 on Billboard's "Hot 100," which is where it stayed for six weeks. It remained on top of the "Hot 100" and "Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs" in 1978. It was Chic's third single, but first No. 1 hit. Not only was it a top disco hit, but rap artists such as Grandmaster Flash and the Sugarhill Gang have reported the song and band to be an influence. In 1979, Chic scored their second No. 1 hit with "Good Times," but it was unable to replicate the staying power of "Le Freak." At the time, it was the highest-selling record for Atlantic Records. The song placed at No. 19 on Billboard's "Hot 100 All-Time Top Songs" for its first 50 years.
The Bee Gees' multi-platinum album, "Saturday Night Fever," spawned numerous No. 1 hits. The first single released on the album, "How Deep is Your Love," not only won the 1977 Grammy Award for "Best Pop Performance for a Duo or Group with Vocal," but also hit No. 1 on Billboard's "Hot 100." It stayed atop the charts for three weeks, and set a record for staying in the Top 10 for 17 weeks. The Bee Gees had written the song for Yvonne Elliman, but the movie producer of "Saturday Night Fever," Robert Stigwood, insisted the Bee Gees sing the song for the soundtrack. The song placed No. 20 on Billboard's "Hot 100 All-Time Top Songs."
In 1980, the Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences gave out the first and only Grammy for "Best Disco Recording" to Gloria Gaynor's "I Will Survive," which beat out songs from Earth Wind & Fire, Michael Jackson, Donna Summer and Rod Stewart. This award came just at the tail end of the disco era. "I Will Survive" stayed at No. 1 on Billboard's "Hot 100" for three weeks in 1979. The song originally was pressed as a B-side to Gloria Gaynor's album. But near the end of 1978, DJs across the country flipped over the record and discovered this song of empowerment.
No one expected the film "Saturday Night Fever" to be such a smash, including the Bee Gees. But "Night Fever," another hit from the soundtrack, spent eight weeks at No. 1 on Billboard's "Hot 100," making it their third song in a string of six to hit No. 1. It was by far the pinnacle of the Bee Gees' fame and success. When asked to write the songs for the movie, the Bee Gees said they didn't have enough time to write all original songs, but they sent "Night Fever," along with "How Deep is Your Love" and "Stayin' Alive," to the producer, without "knowing anything about the film," according to the official Gibb Brothers website.