June 1976: Rod Stewart Releases A NIGHT ON THE TOWN

It was June 1976 when Rod Stewart released what many fans consider his solo masterpiece: seventh studio album, A Night on the Town. Anticipation was already high, thanks to suggestive lead single, "Tonight's the Night (Gonna Be Alright)," which hit radio airwaves in May '76. An instant smash, the song climbed the charts through the summer and fall, ultimately peaking at #1 on the Hot 100 for the week of November 13, 1976. The monster hit held the top spot for eight weeks in a row--the remainder of 1976--and was the first #1 song of 1977.

The album's second single, "The Killing of Georgie," was a somber telling of a young gay man cast out by his family who finds fame and fortune in New York City. The song turns dark when Georgie leaves a Broadway play early, only to be attacked and killed by a gang of thugs in a robbery. The tune impacted the charts, cracking the top 40 to peak at #30 on the Hot 100 over the week of July 22, 1977. The top tune in America that week: Barry Manilow's "Looks Like We Made It."

The third single plucked from A Night on the Town was actually a cover: Cat Stevens' "The First Cut is the Deepest." Stewart's lush take on the track went on to top out at #21 on the Hot 100 over the week of April 16, 1977. The #1 song on the chart: Starsky and Hutch TV star David Soul's "Don't Give Up on Us."

A Night on the Town was a massively successful campaign for Rod Stewart, with the album climbing to the #2 position on the Billboard 200 for the week of December 3, 1976. The one record powerful enough to keep Rod the Mod from the top spot: Stevie Wonder masterpiece, Songs in the Key of Life.