It’s almost an understatement to proclaim the Bee Gees as one of the most successful pop music acts of all-time. In fact, with estimated worldwide sales of 120 million records, only Elvis, the Beatles, Paul McCartney, Michael Jackson and Garth Brooks have outsold The Bee Gees. The trio of brothers Barry, Robin and Maurice first formed as a musical act in 1958 and released their first single – “The Battle of the Blue and the Grey” in 1963. Over the next few years, The Bee Gees would release more singles with little or no success in Australia. Their seventh single, “Wine and Women”, released in 1965, would be their first major hit in Australia peaking at #19. A year later, they would release what would become their first smash success with “Spicks and Specks” – which would reach #5 in Australia and also find success in other countries including Germany and New Zealand.
The Bee Gees would remain unknown to the UK and US market until 1967 when they released “New York Mining Disaster 1941.” The single became an international hit as well as their first charting song in the UK (peaking at #12) and the US (peaking at #14). From there, the Bee Gees were off and running in the late 60’s with hits such as “To Love Somebody,” “Massachusetts,” “To Love Somebody” and “I’ve Gotta Get a Message To You” – the latter which would become the Gibb brothers first Top 10 hit in the US.
Although 1968’s “I Started a Joke,” 1970’s “Lonely Days” and 1971’s “How Can You Mend a Broken Heart” would all chart in the US Top 10, the late sixties and early seventies would see varied results in terms of chart success. Their commercial fortunes, however, would change in 1975 with a new sound and style. In 1975, the band released “Jive Talkin'” – which would reach #1 in the US – and begin a run of singles that rival most bands of any era. Between 1975 and 1979, The Bee Gees would hit the US Top 10 on ten occasions, including seven #1 hits. The Saturday Night Fever Soundtrack (1977) and Spirits Having Flown (1979) would each yield three #1 hits on the US Billboard Hot 100. In fact, the trio had one of the most successful runs by any recording artists in the history of popular music. Between late 1977 and 1978, the brothers had seven songs that reached #1 on the US Billboard Hot 100 – either recorded by The Bee Gees or written by the brothers and recorded by other artists. The Bee Gees also won five Grammy Awards in 1977 and 1978 for the Saturday Night Fever soundtrack.
The shifting tides of taste and style would leave The Bee Gees with very little commercial success during the 1980’s. From 1981 through 1988, the Bee Gees would only chart twice in the US Top 40. In 1989, things got back to major success with the release of the single “One” – which peaked at #7 in the US and became their final Top 10 hit.
In all, beginning in 1967 and continuing through 1997, the group had 30 hits reach the Top 40 in the US Billboard Hot 100.
In addition, the Gibb Brothers were prolific songwriters for other artists contributing another 11 songs that would hit the Top 10 – including songs for their brother Andy. Perhaps most notable, are the #1 hits “Grease” by Frankie Valli and Islands in the Stream by Kenny Rogers and Dolly Parton.
15 singles that reached the Top 10 on the Billboard Hot 100.
“I’ve Gotta Get A Message To You” (1968) #8 from the LP Idea
“I Started A Joke” (1968) #6 from the LP Idea
“Lonely Days” (1970) #3 from the LP 2 Years On
“How Can You Mend A Broken Heart” (1971) #1 from the LP Trafalgar
“Jive Talkin'” (1975) #1 from the LP Main Course
“Nights On Broadway” (1975) #7 from the LP Main Course
“You Should Be Dancing” (1976) #1 from the LP Children of the World
“Love So Right” (1976) #3 from the LP Children of the World
“How Deep Is Your Love” (1977) #1 from the Saturday Night Fever soundtrack
“Stayin’ Alive” (1977) #1 from the Saturday Night Fever soundtrack
“Night Fever” (1978) #1 from the Saturday Night Fever soundtrack
“Too Much Heaven” (1978) #1 from the LP Spirits Having Flown
“Tragedy” (1979) #1 from the LP Spirits Having Flown
“Love You Inside Out” (1979) #1 from the LP Spirits Having Flown
“One” (1989) #7 from the LP One
Top 10 Hits Written by the Bee Gees and Recorded by Other Artists –
“I Just Want to be Your Everything” by Andy Gibb (1977) #1 written by Barry Gibb from the LP Flowing Rivers
“(Love Is) Thicker Than Water” by Andy Gibb (1977) #1 co-written by Barry Gibb from the LP Flowing Rivers
“Emotion” by Samantha Sang (1977) #3 written by Barry and Robin Gibb from the LP Emotion
“If I Can’t Have You” by Yvonne Elliman (1978) #1 from the Saturday Night Fever soundtrack
“Shadow Dancing” by Andy Gibb (1978) #1 co-written by Robin, Maurice and Barry Gibb from the LP Shadow Dancing
“Everlasting Love” by Andy Gibb (1978) #5 co-written by Barry Gibb from the LP Shadow Dancing
“(Our Love) Don’t Throw It All Away” by Andy Gibb (1978) #9 co-written by Barry Gibb from the LP Shadow Dancing
“Grease” by Frankie Valli (1978) #1 written by Barry Gibb from the LP Grease: The Original Soundtrack from the Motion Picture
“Desire” by Andy Gibb (1980) #4 from the LP After Dark
“Heartbreaker” by Dionne Warwick (1982) #10 from the LP Heartbreaker
“Islands in the Stream” by Kenny Rogers and Dolly Parton (1983) from the LP Eyes That See in the Dark
And A Few Bee Gees Songs That Almost Made Top 10…..
“New York Mining Disaster 1941” (1967) #14 from the LP Bee Gees’ 1st
“Massachusetts” (1967) #11 from the LP Horizontal
“Words” (1968) #15 from the LP Best of Bee Gees
“Fanny (Be Tender with My Love” (1976) #12 from the LP Main Course
“Boogie Child” (1977) #12 from the LP Children of the World
