5 Songs That Prove 1979 Was The Best Year Of Earth, Wind & Fire's Career

For as legendary a group as Earth, Wind & Fire, there are many defining years that made the band renowned. However, one year in particular stands far apart as the year that produced the band's biggest hits, while also helping lay and steady the band's influence for years and decades to come. Earth, Wind & Fire's energy and performing talent was a mainstay of the 1970s, where they scored a vast number of commercial hits. But their stride wasn't hit in full until the tail end of 1978, which laid the groundwork for the year to follow with recordings that would take over the United States.

Although Earth, Wind & Fire would undergo a string of tragedies and a messy hiatus after 1983, '79 still featured the prime of the band's lineup, fronted by founder Maurice White. In June of 1979, the band released the album "I Am," which housed some of their top ever hits, as well as some quality deep tracks that made the year impressive from top to bottom. Even before this record, '79 also featured the band's career-defining song, which peaked on the Billboard charts in February of that year. Altogether, Earth, Wind & Fire brought electric and anthemic songs to the ears of late '70s listeners, and there is no other year from their catalog that competes with the heights of these five songs.

Earth, Wind & Fire collaborated with the Emotions, another impressive group of the era, to create the 1979 single "Boogie Wonderland," a memorable track that served as proof of a fruitful working relationship between the two bands. The all-female vocal group skyrocketed to success in 1977 with their spirited hit "Best of My Love," a song penned by members of Earth, Wind & Fire, and they provided the backing vocals for the latter's iconic disco song. "Boogie Wonderland" is one of many standout disco songs of the '70s, but it's certainly among the best, headlined by an incredibly catchy groove and bright vocals that represent everything the disco movement was striving for. After a May entry into the charts, "Boogie Wonderland" took over the summer, finally peaking in the middle of July at No. 6 on the Billboard Hot 100.

"Boogie Wonderland" takes no breaks during its nearly five-minute runtime, bouncing back and forth between the two groups' vocals with dizzying magic. To any true '70s fans, even its simply worded chorus should be immediately familiar in melody: "Dance, boogie wonderland, hah, hah / (Dance, ooh, ooh, ooh, dance, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh) / (Dance, ooh, ooh, ooh, dance) / Dance, boogie wonderland / I find romance when I start to dance in boogie wonderland." It feels almost impossible not to enjoy "Boogie Wonderland," and although it holds strong arguments to be the best song here, it's only the start of Earth, Wind & Fire's standout year.

This second single from Earth, Wind & Fire's 1979 record was actually its biggest hit, surpassing even the legendary "Boogie Wonderland." The slower, more sensual "After The Love Has Gone" feels distinctively '80s in its soundscape, showing the band was — even if only a little – ahead of their time. With the song's four-and-a-half-minute runtime, Earth, Wind & Fire continued to emphasize letting the music breathe in full on its way to moving sonic experiences. After entering the charts in early July, during the peak of their previous single, this smooth soul song vaulted all the way to No. 2 by the middle of September, holding a chart position for 17 weeks in total.

"After The Love Has Gone" is melodically beautiful, emphasizing its silky smooth vocals and luscious harmonies above all else. Although they shine throughout, the gorgeous vocals particularly bring home the chorus, which rises all around in an unforgettable moment: "Something happened along the way / What used to be happy is sad / Something happened along the way / And yesterday was all we had / And, oh, after the love has gone / How could you lead me on / And not let me stay around? / Oh, oh, oh, after the love has gone / What used to be right is wrong / Can love that's lost be found?" It's a song as soulful as they come, a track we can replay on end for years to come.

This iconic track was originally released as a standalone single in, ironically, November of 1978, but it hit its full stride and commercial peak in early 1979, paving the way for a breakout year for the band. Earth, Wind & Fire is perhaps best remembered for "September," though it was, at the time, less commercially successful than the initial two singles. However, the song certainly deserves credit for getting the ball rolling for the successes to follow. After its November debut in the Billboard Hot 100, "September" climbed up the charts to No. 8 at its peak in early February and totaled 17 weeks on the charts.

Marked by a rousing and serenading groove, "September" shows off all of the best qualities of Earth, Wind & Fire, and in doing so crafted a seasonal anthem for many years to come. The opening lines and first verse are almost instantly recognizable to any music fan: "Do you remember / Twenty-first night of September? / Love was changin' the minds, pretenders / While chasin' the clouds away / Our hearts were ringin' / In the key that our souls were singin' / As we danced in the night, remember / How the stars stole the night away, oh yeah, ayy, ayy." Although at times it may have been overplayed, "September" remains a key track of the late '70s and the defining track of Earth, Wind & Fire.

Serving as the opening track to "I Am," this groovy standout was yet another success for Earth, Wind & Fire in 1979 and is, pound for pound, one of the best of the band's career. "In The Stone" is another grandiose love song, where the band's one-of-a-kind vocal and melodic excellence is on full display, and it was the third single from "I Am," the follow up to "After The Love Has Gone." It didn't reach the full commercial successes of its predecessors, but "In The Stone" still reached a respectable No. 58 on the Billboard Hot 100 during a seven-week chart stint between October and November of '79. It also reached No. 23 on the Hot Soul Songs chart. 

From its first note, "In The Stone" builds a towering soundscape that welcomes the listener into the dreamy world of the album. It's infectiously groovy, with shimmering bass licks and horns that lead into the strong vocal performance, blending together perfectly with the song's verses and chorus: "Deep inside your heart for you to keep / Lies a spark of light that never sleeps / Greatest love you've ever known / Love is, love is written in the stone / (Look in the stone) / In the stone, you'll find the meaning / You're not standing tall / ('Cause in the stone) / In the stone, the light is shining / Ever touching all." It may not have achieved the legendary status as the album's other singles, but "In The Stone" is right there with them in quality.

This list's final entry, the ribbon on top of an exorbitantly successful 1979 from Earth, Wind & Fire, wasn't another Top 10 hit, but it still showcased the supreme quality the band maintained during this historic year. "Star" was the album's fourth single, and the final of the year, reaching No. 64 in the U.S. after a late December chart entry. Across the pond, however, the song peaked at No. 16 as one of the band's most successful songs in the U.K. ever. 

"Star," placing sixth on the album's tracklist following "Boogie Wonderland," opens with a slower and more electronic sound before finding its upbeat groove. The song takes a simple concept and breathes life into it, utilizing a timeless joy in its uplifting lyrics: "Star bright, star light (Hey), beaming 'cross the sky / Falling, calling, can you tell me why? / Star bright, star light (Alright), mighty light to see / Shining, smiling, down on you and me / I can feel the dark / Take the night apart / But then the stars come out / To lift my heart." This rapturous joy is present in each of these excellent tunes and feels like part of the identity of the band. However, there's simply no other year that produced such untouchable excellence across the career of Earth, Wind & Fire, making 1979 an easy choice for their best year.