3 Genre-Defining One-Hit Wonders From the 1970s We Can’t Quit

Sometimes a new song can come along and it can create—or at least establish—a completely new genre. And while most music fans might think that revolution would come from a name everyone knows at the time, sometimes that work can come from a fresh face or a one-hit wonder.

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Here below, we wanted to dive into three songs that helped to change music forever—a trio of tracks that created and solidified new musical paradigms. Indeed, these are three genre-defining one-hit wonders from the 1970s that we can’t quit.

“Autobahn” by Kraftwerk from ‘Autobahn’ (1974)

Today, if you talk about electronic music, everyone knows what you’re talking about. But 50 or 60 years ago, it was a different story. Still, German-born band Kraftwerk was not scared of new territory. They were not afraid to break new ground or shatter the mold. The group helped to create and promulgate the idea that music could be made from computers, from technology. Since the 1970s, Kraftwerk has become rather well known. Some of their songs have even been sampled in prominent rap tracks, including those by Jay-Z. See: “(Always Be My) Sunshine”.

“Rapper’s Delight” by The Sugarhill Gang from ‘Sugarhill Gang’ (1979)

Did somebody say rap music? Well, by the late 1970s, the genre that has since taken over the world was nothing but a regional fad. There were no big names, no hit songs. That is, until The Sugarhill Gang (and a few others) came along and spread their doctrine of positive rhyming and dance-worthy tunes. Indeed, “Rapper’s Delight” was a hit then and it remains a fan favorite amongst music listeners today. Put the song on at a party and watch your guests light up with grins. They will both enjoy the song at face value and see how it shaped a century of culture.

“I Will Survive” by Gloria Gaynor from ‘Love Tracks’ (1978)

Gloria Gaynor may not have been the first person to pick up a microphone and sing a disco song, but in many ways her powerful voice and her track of survival helped cement the genre in the late 1970s. Disco music gave a generation an excuse to dance and sing. And it was Gaynor who told them that they had value, that they could get past the trials of the day. She told them that they and their music would survive. And indeed, she was right.

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