4 One-Hit Wonders From the Mid-To-Late 70s That Hit No. 1

The mid-to-late 1970s were a tough time. Just look at all the movies from the era. Martin Scorsese couldn’t make enough gritty down-trodden late 70s New York City movies. They were all about the world falling apart, brick by brick. And it wasn’t just movies that were telling that story. The music of the age felt the same way.

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For evidence of this, just look at these one-hit wonders from the mid-to-late 1970s that rocketed up to the top of the Billboard Hot 100 chart. Some of them are gritty, and tell of a harsh world where survival isn’t guaranteed. Want to find out more? Let’s dive into those songs here. Indeed, these are four one-hit wonders from that era that hit No. 1.

“The Hustle” by Van McCoy from ‘Disco Baby’ (1975)

Smack-dab in the middle of the 1970s, disco was a dominant force in popular culture. People were leaving their homes in droves to find a nightclub where they could dance the night away to bright, positive songs that sounded the way neon lights look. And maybe no one benefited from that fact more than the artist Van McCoy, whose song “The Hustle” perhaps sums up the entire disco movement. There’s a fine line between mindless and intentional, and “The Hustle” walks it. But it’s that odd balance that helped it hit No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 upon its release in 1975.

“Convoy” by C. W. McCall from ‘Black Bear Road’ (1975)

A novelty country song, this track is about those mysterious people we see every day but know nothing about: truck drivers. C. W. McCall sings with his deep voice about a giant collection of these drivers and their vehicles. What is that collection called? A convoy! Indeed, McCall sings about community amongst the mysterious. And it’s that juxtaposition that helped rocket this tune to the top spot on the hallowed Hot 100 (it was also a No. 1 country hit!).

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

Has there ever been a song that has helped more people get over some traumatic event in their lives? Those three simple words—I will survive—created a mantra for those who needed it most. Gloria Gaynor had an all-time hit as soon as she put her vocals to those lyrics for this 1978 masterpiece. Not only did millions dance on the disco dance floor to this one, but millions more have taken her lesson to heart. We will survive, even in the grittiest times!

“Hot Child In The City” by Nick Gilder from ‘City Nights’ (1978)

Speaking of gritty times, that’s what inspired this song from the British-Canadian singer Nick Gilder. Observing the Los Angeles city streets at night while living there, Gilder saw young people out there being pimped. Like anyone, he didn’t like what he was seeing. So, to help process the scene, he wrote this track. While it may seem like a party song, it has a much deeper meaning. That, in and of itself, is a magic trick that Gilder pulled off.

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