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1979 Hit, Among the Very First Songs in a Brand-New Genre, Changed Music Forever

By Emma Kershaw Parade - Entertainment Stories

Updated June 12, 2026 11:58 PM

In the late '70s, The Sugarhill Gang released a song that would redefine the music industry.

"Rapper's Delight" was one of the first-ever rap songs, introducing a whole new genre to music lovers all over the world. The beloved track was released on Sept. 16, 1979, and is often credited as the song that pushed hip-hop music from underground New York block parties into the mainstream.

The first hip-hop song to reach the Top 40 on the U.S. charts, "Rapper's Delight" peaked at No. 36 on theBillboard Hot 100. In the U.K., it hit the No. 3 spot on the Singles Chart. Over in Canada, the single earned The Sugarhill Gang the top spot of the Canadian Singles Chart.

In addition to achieving commercial success on the charts, the song was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame for its historical significance. The song has cemented itself in pop culture, featuring prominently in film and television, including The Wedding Singer.

In 2017, the music pioneers opened up about the making of "Rapper's Delight."

"When I was seven, I saw the Beatles' film, A Hard Day's Night, with all the screaming girls. When 'Rapper's Delight' hit, there was a lot of hysteria," explained rapper and songwriter Michael ‘Wonder Mike' Wright. "We were in a record shop and the manager had to ferry us out through the back. I remember thinking: 'Man, this is just like A Hard Day's Night.'"

The song contains samples of the iconic disco hit, "Good Times," released by Chic in 1979. Chic's co-founders, Nile Rodgers and Bernard Edwards, famously threatened The Sugarhill Gang with legal action, intending to sue the hip-hop group for copyright infringement. However, the dispute was settled out of court, with Rodgers and Edwards receiving official songwriting credits and a considerable cut of the royalties.

This story was originally published June 12, 2026 at 11:43 PM.