In the mood for some classic rock radio songs from 1978? There are a ton of smash hits from that very year to enjoy. But among them are also some hits that don’t make it to classic rock radio much nowadays, and I think that’s a huge bummer. These three songs are catchy and a great indication of what the year 1978 sounded like. Let’s take a look!
“Blue Collar Man (Long Nights)” by Styx from ‘Pieces Of Eight’
This Styx classic was a pretty big AOR hit once upon a time. Nowadays, though, Styx’s bigger smashes like “Babe”, “Mr. Roboto”, and “Come Sail Away” make it to classic rock radio more often than this hit, and I think that’s a shame. This is a solid hard rock tune. Listeners in 1978 certainly agreed, considering “Blue Collar Man (Long Nights)” peaked at No. 21 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.
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“Hollywood Nights” by Bob Seger & The Silver Bullet Band from ‘Stranger In Town’
Diehard Bob Seger fans likely still listen to this rock gem from Stranger In Town all the time. But when it comes to classic rock radio, I feel like I hear “Old Time Rock And Roll” way more often than “Hollywood Nights”. With a killer chorus and an excellent performance from both Seger and The Silver Bullet Band (and likewise excellent performances from the background vocalists), I’m surprised that this song isn’t still in heavy rotation. “Hollywood Nights” was a No. 12 hit on the Hot 100 chart.
“Life’s Been Good” by Joe Walsh from ‘But Seriously, Folks…’
This entry on our list of classic rock radio songs from 1978 comes from Eagles icon Joe Walsh. And despite being a fantastic blues rock gem from that year, I can’t remember the last time I heard it on the radio. Plenty of Joe Walsh’s other hits with Eagles make it to classic rock radio stations today. “Hotel California” and “The Long Run” are just a couple of examples. But “Life’s Been Good”? Not so much, from my experience. Listeners in 1978 definitely vibed with it, though. “Life’s Been Good” was a No. 14 hit in the UK and a No. 12 hit in the US.
(Photo by Ebet Roberts/Redferns)