3 Country Songs From 1976 That Deserved To Hit No. 1

Are you a fan of 1970s country music? You’re not alone there. That decade was such a great one for country tunes, and there were a lot of songs in the genre that were released in 1976, specifically, that should have made it all the way to the top of the country charts. Though, I wouldn’t call the following three songs “underrated.” They certainly charted well back in the day. Let’s take a look at a few country songs from 1976 that didn’t quite make it to No. 1 but definitely should have.

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“Overnight Sensation” by Mickey Gilley

The mid-1970s were full of music that wasn’t exactly conservative. However, by country music’s standards, “Overnight Sensation” by Mickey Gilley was one of the most vulgar songs out there in 1976. Honestly, listening to the lyrics alone had me clutching my pearls. Not a lot of music in 1976 was this directly sexual. And because of how out-of-the-box Mickey Gilley was with this song about a flighty woman who is the desire of every man in town, I’m surprised it didn’t top the country charts. Instead, “Overnight Sensation” peaked at No. 7 on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart in the US. It also hit No. 4 on the Canadian RPM Country Tracks chart.

“Take My Breath Away” by Margo Smith

This classic from Margo Smith dropped in autumn of 1976. It was quite the fast hit for the country crooner. “Take My Breath Away” peaked at No. 7 on the Hot Country Singles chart. While Smith enjoyed plenty of Top 10 hits back in the day, I can’t help but feel like this one deserved to go all the way to the top. It’s one of her best co-written efforts, and the best (and most successful) singles for her album Happiness.

“After The Storm” by Wynn Stewart

Remember this gem from Wynn Stewart? “After The Storm” is the title track from Stewart’s 1976 album of the same name, and it was one of the biggest country songs of the year. Notably, this song had that “Bakersfield sound” that had been in vogue since the 1950s, but this song was far from outdated for its time. In fact, “After The Storm” resonated with listeners in a big way in 1976, peaking at No. 8 on the Hot Country Songs chart. I hear this song on oldies radio often, and I’m quite surprised it didn’t hit the top of the board back in the day.

Photo by David Redfern/Redferns