1980 New Wave Rock Anthem Became a No. 1 Hit 46 Years Ago Today
Blondie is marking 46 years since they earned their second No. 1 hit.
On April 19, 1980, Blondie's hit song "Call Me" soared to the top of the Billboard Hot 100, earning the band the second of their four career hit singles.
It stayed at No. 1 for six consecutive weeks, becoming their longest-running chart-topper and solidifying itself as one of the band's biggest hits. The new wave rock track was even named the best-selling single of the year, ranking at No. 1 on Billboard's Year-End Hot Singles of 1980.
"Call Me" was later featured on Billboard's Top 500 Songs of the '80s, ranked as the No. 9 song of the decade.
"Call Me" was first released on the American Gigolo original soundtrack in 1980, serving as the main theme for the blockbuster crime thriller with Richard Gere. It was composed by Italian producer Giorgio Moroder, with lyrics by Blondie's lead singer, Debbie Harry.
"Call Me" wasn't featured on any of Blondie's studio albums at the time, but it was later included on the band's 2001 remastered version of their Autoamerican album.
It was the second Blondie single to hit No. 1, after 1979's "Heart of Glass." In January 1981, the band earned their third No. 1 hit with "The Tide Is High," following their genre-bending track "Rapture," which spent two weeks at the summit of the Hot 100, becoming the first U.S. hit single to feature rap vocals.
Related: Blondie Shares Announcement About Late Drummer's Posthumous Project: 'A True Force of Nature'
Copyright 2026 The Arena Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved
This story was originally published April 19, 2026 at 7:53 AM.