What songs were in the top 40 around Memorial Day 50 years ago?
What songs were in the top 40 around Memorial Day 50 years ago?
Barry Werner, List WireTue, May 19, 2026 at 3:50 AM UTC
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America celebrates its 250th anniversary on July 4. This brings back memories of its 200th anniversary in 1976. There were plenty of festivities leading up to the big event. Memorial Day that year fell on May 31. The U.S. Top 40 singles that charted were officially tabbed on May 29 but they carried into the holiday and week. Paul McCartney, who just guested on "Saturday Night Live," had a huge presence on the top 40 in 1976 around Memorial Day. His band Wings came in the second slot after a run at No. 1 with "Silly Love Songs." What songs were in the top 40 around Memorial Day in 1976?
America celebrates its 250th anniversary on July 4. This brings back memories of its 200th anniversary in 1976.
There were plenty of festivities leading up to the big event. Memorial Day that year fell on May 31. The U.S. Top 40 singles that charted were officially tabbed on May 29 but they carried into the holiday and week.
Paul McCartney, who just guested on "Saturday Night Live," had a huge presence on the top 40 in 1976 around Memorial Day. His band Wings came in the second slot after a run at No. 1 with "Silly Love Songs."
What songs were in the top 40 around Memorial Day in 1976?
40. Paul Simon
Paul Simon.
Song: "Still Crazy After All These Years"
39. Queen
September 1976: British rock group Queen at Les Ambassadeurs.
Song: "Bohemian Rhapsody"
38. Boz Scaggs
(L-R) Boz Scaggs and Chris Isaak play music.
Song: "It's Over"
37. Heart
Ann Wilson from the band Heart performs.
Song: "Crazy on You"
36. The Manhattans
Gerald Alston of the music group The Manhattans.
Song: "Kiss and Say Goodbye"
35. Jimmy Dean
Song: "I.O.U."
34. Starbuck
Song: "Moonlight Feels Right"
33. The Bay City Rollers
Members of the Bay City Rollers rock band.
Song: "Rock and Roll Love Letter"
32. Eric Carmen
Fans line up to purchase tickets to an upcoming concert at Mid-South Coliseum.
Song: "Never Gonna Fall in Love Again"
31. Johnnie Taylor
From Chess Scales and the Seven Sounds moved to Stax Records, then had the biggest hit of his career co-writing Johnnie Taylor's "Disco Lady." Harvey In Red
Song: "Disco Lady"
30. The Brothers Johnson
Song: "I'll Be Good to You"
29. Johnny Cash and the Tennessee Three
Song: "One Piece at a Time"
28. Elvis Presley
After the introduction to the U.S. Army, Elvis Presley would board a bus to Fort Chaffee, Arkansas.
Song: "Hurt/For the Heart"
27. Rhythm Heritage
American actor Robert Blake stands with an exotic bird atop his head.
Song: "Baretta's Theme (Keep Your Eyes on the Sparrow)
26. Gary Wright
Gary Wright.
Song: "Love Is Alive"
25. The Doobie Brothers
Tom Johnston of the Doobie Brothers at the Cumberland County Arena, December 1974.
Song: "Takin' It to the Streets"
24. The Cate Brothers
Song: "Union Man"
23. Marvin Gaye
Song: "I Want You"
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22. Billy Ocean
Song: "Love Really Hurts Without You"
21. Brass Construction
Police and emergency workers try to free a U-Hall moving truck.
Song: "Movin'"
20. Bad Company
Fans at hard rock supergroup Bad Company's concert.
Song: "Young Blood"
19. Peter Frampton
Song: "Show Me the Way"
18. The Electric Light Orchestra
Jeff Lynne, seen left on video screen, still fronts the Electric Light Orchestra, which lit up the American Airlines Center in Dallas on Monday.
Song: "Strange Magic"
17. The Andrea True Connection
Song: "More, More, More (Part 1)
16. Neil Sedaka
Singer/songwriter Neil Sedaka.
Song: "Love in the Shadows"
15. Maxine Nightingale
Singer Maxine Nightingale performs.
Song: "Right Back Where We Started From"
14. The Captain and Tenille
Daryl Dragon (left) and Toni Tennille (right) aka, the Captain & Tennille.
Song: "Shop Around"
13. The Sylvers
Song: "Boogie Fever"
12. Fleetwood Mac
Stevie Nicks performs at BB&T Center.
Song: "Rhiannon"
11. The Rolling Stones
Keith Richards.
Song: "Fool to Cry/Hot Stuff"
10. Barry Manilow
Song: "Tryin' to Get the Feeling Again"
9. Daryl Hall and John Oates
Daryl Hall (left) and John Oates of Hall & Oates performs at American Airlines Arena.
Song: "Sara Smile"
8. Henry Gross
Concert fans in 1976.
Song: "Shannon"
7. John Sebastian
3 American singer songwriter John Sebastian performing at the Isle of Wight pop festival.
Song: "Welcome Back"
6. Pratt and McClain
(L-R) Actors Henry Winkler, Anson Williams, Don Most, Tom Bosley and Marion Ross attend the "Happy Days" 30th Anniversary Reunion.
Song: "Happy Days"
5. Dorothy Moore
Fans attend a concert in 1976.
Song: "Misty Blue"
4. Silver Convention
German disco act Silver Convention.
Song: "Get Up and Boogie"
3. Elvin Bishop
Elvin Bishop.
Song: "Fooled Around and Fell in Love"
2. Wings
Fans attend Paul McCartney and the Wings' concert at the Hammersmith Odeon during their 'Wings Over the World tour', London, UK, 18th October 1976.
Song: "Silly Love Songs"
1. Diana Ross
American pop singer Diana Ross, formerly of the Supremes, in Britain for her first solo tour of the country.
Song: "Love Hangover"
This article originally appeared on The List Wire: Memorial Day 1976 top 40 songs
Source: “AOL Entertainment”
