Need some one-hit wonders from the 1970s to add to your playlist? These three songs are so good that even new generations are getting down with them, decades after they were released.
“Popcorn” by Hot Butter
This somewhat (intentionally) silly instrumental song was actually a massive hit back in 1972. Hot Butter’s version of this Gershon Kingsley jam from 1969 is an early example of synth-pop and proto-disco music, and it made it all the way to No. 9 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. This song has stood the test of time and has seen more than a few covers through the years, namely Crazy Frog’s 2005 version and the Swedish Chef’s version (yes, The Muppets’ Swedish Chef) in 2010. Tove Lo sampled this song back in 2022 for her song “2 Die 4”, which has since revived its popularity.
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Unfortunately for Hot Butter, “Popcorn” would be their only international hit. The band would call it quits in 1978.
“The Hustle” by Van McCoy
Way back in 2021, the “photo crop” trend on TikTok employed the use of Van McCoy’s 1975 disco hit, “The Hustle”. Which is surprising, since it had been decades since that song first hit the airwaves in a big way. “The Hustle” hit No. 1 on the Hot 100 in 1975, among quite a few other charts. And, sadly, McCoy never made it to the Top 40 of the Hot 100 again. He would continue his music career until his untimely death in 1979 at the age of only 39.
“Video Killed The Radio Star” by The Buggles
This wouldn’t be a proper list of 1970s one-hit wonders without mentioning at least one new wave outfit. The late 1970s was the era of new wave, and that period in music changed the trajectory of mainstream pop music for decades. New wave also had a hand in the onset of electronica, too. Younger listeners are starting to see the appeal of music from this time. “Video Killed The Radio Star” by The Buggles has been getting lots of love across social media platforms as a result.
“Video Killed The Radio Star” by The Buggles was a No. 1 hit across the board, except for the US, where it just barely made it to No. 40. The group never had another Top 40 hit in the US again, and they would never produce as big a global hit as “Video Killed The Radio Star”.
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