The battle for the top spot on the Billboard Hot 100 chart has raged on for decades. Some songs have made it to that top spot for weeks on end. Others only got a taste of that No. 1 goodness for a week or two at the top. Either way, they had to fight another song to get there. Let’s take a look at three hit tracks from 1975 that hit No. 1 and took over the spot from another excellent chart-topper.
“Lovin’ You” by Minnie Riperton
Minnie Riperton’s sweet and soulful lullaby, “Lovin’ You”, took the top spot on the Hot 100 on April 5, 1975. It became a huge hit just a few months after this soul-pop track hit the airwaves in November 1974. The song remained on the Hot 100 for 18 total weeks. The song usurped “My Eyes Adored You” by Frankie Valli, which made it to No. 1 in March of 1975.
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“Thank God I’m A Country Boy” by John Denver
This is one of the finest hit tracks from 1975. One of several No. 1 hits from the incomparable country-folk crooner, John Denver, “Thank God I’m A Country Boy” hit the top spot on the Hot 100 on June 7, 1975. It only took less than three months for the song to make it that far, and it remained at No. 1 for one week. “Thank God I’m A Country Boy” spent a total of 19 weeks on the chart.
John Denver’s hit knocked down “Before The Next Teardrop Falls” by Freddy Fender, which previously hit the top spot in late May and remained on the chart for a total of 21 weeks.
“Island Girl” by Elton John
The mid-1970s were a fantastic time for Elton John. “Island Girl”, one of many No. 1 hits from the Rocket Man, hit No. 1 on the Hot 100 on November 1, 1975. It remained at that top spot for three weeks and stayed on the chart for 15 weeks total. “Island Girl” was one of the best hit tracks from 1975. And it had to fight hard to take the spot from Neil Sedaka’s “Bad Blood”. That tune hit No. 1 in September of that year and spent three weeks at the top spot before “Island Girl” took over.
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