The Lipps Inc. song that reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1980 was “Funkytown.”
Released in 1980, “Funkytown” was Lipps Inc.’s breakthrough hit and became one of disco’s defining crossover records. It topped the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 for four weeks beginning in May 1980, even as the mainstream disco era was entering a period of backlash and transition. The song also reached number one in several other countries.
Lipps Inc. was led by Minneapolis singer and songwriter Cynthia Johnson. The recording was created by musician and producer Steven Greenberg, who wrote the song after moving to Minneapolis and imagining a future destination with a more exciting music scene. The title’s fictional city became a shorthand for ambition, escape, and nightlife.
Listeners sometimes confuse “Funkytown” with other dance hits listed as wrong options. “Get Down Tonight” belongs to KC and the Sunshine Band, “Boogie Nights” to Heatwave, and “Celebration” to Kool & the Gang. “Funkytown” is specifically the Lipps Inc. number-one hit.