In 1977, "Tonight's the Night (Gonna Be Alright)" topped the charts, Star Wars packed theaters, a stamp cost 13¢, the average home went for about $54,200.
🎵 Top songs of 1977
"Tonight's the Night (Gonna Be Alright)" — Rod Stewart
"I Just Want to Be Your Everything" — Andy Gibb
"Best of My Love" — The Emotions
🎬 In theaters
Star Wars
Annie Hall
Saturday Night Fever
What things cost in 1977
$0.62
Gallon of gas
13¢
Postage stamp
$2.23
Movie ticket
$1.66
Gallon of milk
$54,200
Average home
$5,475
New car
$13,572
Household income
A $0.62 gallon of gas in 1977 has the buying power of roughly $3.20 in 2024 dollars. A 13¢ stamp is about 67¢ today, and a $2.23 movie ticket is around $11.50.
The biggest moments of 1977
Star Wars opened in May and changed cinema forever.
Elvis Presley died in August at age 42.
Voyager 1 and Voyager 2 were launched into space.
Elvis Presley died in August at age 42, prompting global mourning.
The Apple II personal computer was released in June, ushering in the PC era.
The Atari 2600 launched in October, kicking off the home gaming industry.
Toys, TV & trends of 1977
Star Wars action figures sold out everywhere after the May release.
The Atari 2600 (VCS) was released in October, kicking off home gaming.
The Apple II personal computer arrived in June.
Disco fever was peaking — polyester suits, gold chains, and platform shoes ruled dance floors.
The CB radio fad swept America, with truckers leading a national hobby and slang craze.
The ABC miniseries Roots aired in January and was watched by over 130 million Americans across 8 nights — a TV record at the time.
The music scene
1977 was the year disco took over the radio (Saturday Night Fever soundtrack released in December), punk broke through (the Sex Pistols' Never Mind the Bollocks), and Fleetwood Mac's Rumours dominated album charts for most of the year.
At the movies
Star Wars (May 1977) became the highest-grossing film in history at the time and transformed Hollywood forever. Saturday Night Fever (December) and Close Encounters of the Third Kind defined late-70s cinema. Annie Hall won the Best Picture Oscar for the year.
Cartoons kids loved
The Pink Panther Show
Scooby-Doo
Looney Tunes
Scooby-Doo, Where Are You! continued to dominate Saturday mornings. The Pink Panther Show was at peak syndication. Bugs Bunny and the Looney Tunes crew remained an after-school staple.
The world in 1977
World population: about 4.2 billion
U.S. President: Jimmy Carter
The Apple II personal computer was released
Voyager 1 and Voyager 2 were launched into space — both probes are still transmitting data nearly half a century later.
The Trans-Alaska Pipeline began moving oil in June.
South African anti-apartheid activist Steve Biko died in police custody in September, drawing international outrage.
1977 birthday questions
How old is someone born in 1977?
Someone born in 1977 turns 49 in 2026 (48 if their birthday has not come round yet).
What was the number one song in 1977?
"Tonight's the Night (Gonna Be Alright)" by Rod Stewart was among the biggest hits of 1977.
What movie came out in 1977?
Star Wars was one of the films packing theaters in 1977.
How much did gas cost in 1977?
A gallon of gas ran about $0.62 in 1977, and a postage stamp cost 13¢.
How much did a house cost in 1977?
The average home went for roughly $54,200 in 1977, against a typical household income of about $13,572.