In the music
- DJ Kool Herc develops his spinning skills at block parties and coins the term hip hop.
- Soulful house pioneer Larry Levan begins DJing at the Paradise Garage club in New York City. The legendary club and the music played there go on to form the basis of UK and US garage.
- Grandmaster Flash forms the Furious Five and begins a new style of spinning records which he calls the quick mix theory, later termed cutting and scratching. His protege Grand Wizard Theodore went on to develop this style, taking scratching to a whole new level.
- In the UK, Free by Deniece Williams hits the top of the charts and Stevie Wonder's Sir Duke reaches no.2.
- Shalamar released their Motown medley Uptown Festival originally put together by Soul Train producer Dick Griffey and British RnB producer Simon Soussan.
- The soundtrack to the film Saturday Night Fever is an enormous hit, beginning the huge popularity of film soundtracks.
- Kraftwerk release their classic Trans Europe Express single which became the melody of Africa Bambaata's Planet Rock.
- Bob Marley and the Wailers released their tenth album, the classic Exodus, on Tuff Gong Records. It featured tracks such as Jamming. Waiting In Vain, People Get Ready and Natural Mystic.