The biggest one-hit wonders from the '70s (2024)

YouTube

England's Mungo Jerry enjoyed consistent success in the United Kingdom, but its only true hit in the United States (No. 3 on Billboard's Hot 100) and worldwide was this fun-time, jug-band catchy romp written by lead singer Ray Dorset. It's a creative piece that has defined the band's legacy.

YouTube

This popular early 1970s hit was originally recorded by British singer Jefferson, then became an international hit thanks to a group of studio and session players that dubbed themselves Edison Lighthouse. Edison Lighthouse's version, which had that late-1960s catchy vibe, reached No. 5 on the U.S. BillboardHot 100.

GAB Archive/Redferns/Getty Images

Leslie West was one of the great rock guitarists of all time, and he made a name for himself with Mountain. Most notably, throughthe group's only real hit. This hard-charging, guitar-fueled classic track peaked at No. 21 on the U.S. BillboardHot 100 chart and remains a classic rock staple. The band released eight albums from 1970-2007, but none of its singles achieved the same success. And, yes, that's a cowbell.

Paul Natkin/Getty Images

Penned by Donnie Iris, leader of The Jaggerz, this single is about the heights a guy will go to pick women. The song reached No. 1 on the U.S. Billboard chart. However, The Jaggerz never enjoyed anywhere near this success again. Iris hooked up with Wild Cherry (more from them in a bit) and enjoyed some solo success with Donnie Iris and the Cruisers.

YouTube

Blues Image made three albums over two years, and it enjoyed its only real success with this single off its second record, Open. "Ride Captain Ride"made it as high as No. 4 on the Billboardchart. While the tune is catchy enough, it's somewhat of a sad tale considering the captain and his ship sail off and disappear.

GAB Archive/Redferns/Getty Images

Singer-songwriter Norman Greenbaum had four songs chart on the Hot 100 in the U.S during his career. However, only this one from the start of the decade made it into the top 45, peaking at No. 3. More than 50 years after its release, "Spirit in the Sky" is still a classic rock favorite.

YouTube

Led by Jim Peterik, who later found much greater success in the 1980s with Survivor, the Ides made a name for themselves in their hometown Chicago with "Vehicle." Complete with some stellar guitar work, brilliant drumming, and a rousing brass section, "Vehicle" made it all the way up to No. 2 on the Hot 100.

YouTube

Knight found herself part of the greatness at Memphis' famed Stax Records and struck it big with "Mr. Big Stuff."The song was popular as a crossover hit, both championed by fans of soul music and mainstream pop devotees, which helped it reach No. 2 on the Hot 100. The double-platinum single about an egotistical man seemingly not worthy of a woman's love also earned Knight a Grammy nomination forBest R&B Vocal Performance, Female. Unfortunately for Knight, it was the only real success she enjoyed during a career that spanned into the late 1990s.

YouTube

In 1972, King Harvest's biggest hit, a cover of the lesser-acclaimed Boffalongo track from 1970, reached No. 13 on the United States Billboard Hot 100. The band did have another single chart, "A Little Bit Like Magic," one year later, but that barely cracked the top 100. King Harvest had a relatively decent shelf life, but its version of "Dancing in the Moonlight" will always be the claim to fame.

YouTube

Johns was a country singer by trade, but the biggest hit of his recording career proved to be this crossover tune that made it all the way to No. 5 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart while receiving heavy rotation on Top 40 radio stations. In the years that followed, prominent country artists such as Waylon Jennings and Eric Church have covered the tune to much fanfare.

YouTube

In all fairness to Stealers Wheel, the band did have another song in the top 30 of the Billboard Hot 100 ("Star" from 1973). However, Gerry Raffertyand Co.will always be lauded for this classic that reached No. 6 on the Hot 100. Of course, fans of director Quentin Tarantino will forever associate the song with its use during theinfamous torture scene in his 1992 cult classic Reservoir Dogs.

YouTube

We're getting into disco territory as we hit the mid-1970s portion of this list. Like it or not, disco has never died, even though it eventually fell out of the mainstream. One of the early hits of the genre, Douglas' single hit No. 1 on the Hot 100 and helped increase the popularity of the martial arts film genre. The song also defined the music career of Douglas, who did earn more modest success in the U.K. but has pretty much lived off this massively popular track.

YouTube

Adapted into English from 1961's "Le Moribond" by Belgian artist Jacques Brel, "Seasons in the Sun" became an international pop favorite. While the Canadian enjoyed more sustained success in his home country, Jacks's "Seasons in the Sun" was also a No. 1 hit in the U.S. U.K., and Australia.

Van McCoy and the Soul City Symphony

McCoy was a celebrated figure during the disco era, mainly as a songwriter, music arranger, and producer. However, his surprise 1975 hit "The Hustle"from the album Disco Baby remains one of the most memorable songs from the era. The track, inspired by the popular disco dance move, topped the BillboardHot 100 chart and even won the Best Pop Instrumental Performance Grammy. McCoy had a few more singles that charted during his career as a recording artist, but nothing close to the prominence of "The Hustle."

YouTube

No, this song has nothing to do with actual fireworks. Besides its perfect harmonization, this song is memorable for its suggestive sexual lyrics about looking forward to an afternoon romp. Thanks to this No. 1 hit, the band won Grammy Awards for Best Arrangement for Voicesand Best New Artist. The song's popularity was revived for its inclusion in popular films like Good Will Hunting and Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy.

YouTube

Wild Cherry was busy throughout the 1970s, but this was the group's only single that cracked the top 40 of the BillboardHot 100. It topped the chart. It was one of the better funk/soul mainstream numbers that were also easy to dance with. The funky bass work and above-average guitar offerings earned the band some well-deserved acclaim.

GAB Archive/Redferns/Getty Images

More disco fun. Robinson's most notable mainstream hit was No. 10 on the Hot 100. Robinson received a Grammy nomination for a song that was one of the true anthems of the disco movement. Robinson had her share of success on the U.S. dance charts and remained active in the music business well into the late 1990s. Sadly, she died of cancer in 2000 at age 45.

YouTube

The original "Black Betty" recording goes back to 1939, courtesy of renowned bluesman Huddie Ledbetter. Manfred Mann had a version of the song in the early 1970s, but this short-lived New York City outfit made it a hit while peaking at No. 18 on the Hot 100. Ram Jam's guitar-heavy take of this blues track is pure rock with some decent drum work.

YouTube

What was intended to be a possible soul and R&B hit for Bridges turned out to be one of the most popular songs of the disco era. The only successful single Bridges enjoyed as a recording artist reached No. 5 on the U.S. Hot 100 and was a worldwide smash when it seemed anything associated with disco would take off. Though Bridges never repeated that success, she continued to work in the music business as a producer.

YouTube

Like several artists on this list, Ward essentially made a living off one song. "Ring My Bell" was a staple and No. 1 hitin the waning days of disco. It earned a Grammy nomination for Ward, who charted one more single in the Hot 100 in the United States.