3 Rock Bands From the 1960s Who Disappeared After One Hit

The 1960s birthed whole new evolutions of rock and roll, from classic rock music to psychedelic rock and beyond. It was a great time for rock music enthusiasts, and many big names scored numerous hits during that decade. However, some rock bands from the 1960s scored just one big hit before they virtually disappeared from the charts and minds of mainstream rock listeners. Let’s find out what really happened to them.

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Smith

If you don’t quite remember what happened to this American rock band, you’re not alone. Smith only scored one major hit while they were together, the 1969 No. 5 jam “Baby It’s You”. That song was a cover of a Burt Bacharach song, and it got a lot of love at the tail end of the 1960s. It even out-charted other versions of the song by The Shirelles and even The Beatles. And yet, after “Baby It’s You”, the band never made it to the Top 40 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart again. They would later disband in 1971, and lead singer Gayle McCormick kicked off her solo career.

Zager And Evans

This entry on our list of 1960s rock bands that disappeared after one hit has always fascinated me. “In The Year 2525” is such a good (and unique) song, I’m surprised their follow-up releases didn’t chart nearly as well. After hitting No. 1 in 1969 with that folk rock tune, Zager And Evans virtually disappeared, never to reach the Hot 100 again. By the 1970s, their last handful of singles didn’t chart at all. They would disband in 1971. 

The Mojo Men

The Mojo Men are one of many rock bands from the 1960s that didn’t survive the decade, and virtually disappeared after they scored just one solitary hit. This garage rock outfit with a psychedelic pop flair found major success with their cover of Buffalo Springfield’s “Sit Down, I Think I Love You”. That cover was released in 1967 and peaked at No. 36 on the Hot 100, and also did even better in Canada. Surprisingly, the band never made it to the Top 40 again. By 1968, none of their newer releases charted. They called it quits after just a few years together in 1969.

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