4 Pop One-Hit Wonders From the 1970s That Everyone Forgot About (But You Need To Remember)

Need to add some volume to your 1970s pop playlist? There are a handful of one-hit wonders from that decade that delivered some killer pop tunes, but they’ve since been somewhat forgotten by mainstream audiences. Let’s refresh your memory! These pop one-hit wonders are perfect for any 70s playlist.

“Living Next Door To Alice” by New World (1972)

This hit song made it to the airwaves in 1972, and it was one of the most popular folk-pop tunes of the year. I rarely ever hear this one on the radio nowadays, though I do hear the Smokie version on occasion. “Living Next Door To Alice” by New World made it to No. 25 on the Billboard Hot 100 and No. 5 in the UK. It also reached No. 1 on a ton of other charts in Ireland, Norway, West Germany, and a number of other countries. 

Sadly, the Australian outfit New World struggled to maintain their charting trajectory, and they broke up in 1976. However, the group did reunite a few times.

“Midnight At The Oasis” by Maria Muldaur (1973)

Maria Muldaur should never have been a one-hit wonder. Her voice is on another level, and “Midnight At The Oasis” from 1973 is just one of many gorgeous tunes by the American singer. This song made it to No. 6 on the Hot 100 and did similarly well elsewhere.

Many would consider Muldaur to be a two-hit wonder, as the 1974 cover of “I’m A Woman” made it to No. 12 on the Hot 100. But, considering “Midnight At The Oasis” was her only Top 10 hit on the Hot 100, I’ll include her here. Really, I just want to get everyone on the Maria Muldaur train. Sue me!

“Brandy (You’re A Fine Girl)” by Looking Glass (1972)

“Brandy (You’re A Fine Girl)” by Looking Glass from 1972 likely hasn’t left the brains of soft rock fans, but I really don’t hear this soft-rock-meets-pop tune out in the wild anymore. This song was a No. 1 hit on the Hot 100 chart back in the day, and it got a bit of a revival in 2017 when the song’s lyrics were used in the film Guardians Of The Galaxy Vol. 2. 

Sadly, Looking Glass never made it to the Top 30 on the Hot 100 again. A couple of the band’s songs charted decently, but by 1974, they were absent from the charts. They called it quits that year, but have since gotten back together as of 2003.

“My Baby Loves Lovin’” by White Plains (1970)

I bet you don’t remember this bubblegum pop hit from 1970. “My Baby Loves Lovin’” by White Plains might be one of the most underrated and forgotten pop one-hit wonders of the 70s. I truly can’t remember the last time I heard this song outside of the internet. It was a big success for the British band, reaching No. 9 on the UK Singles chart and No. 13 on the Hot 100. The band would eventually call it quits in 1976 after failing to make it to the Hot 100’s Top 40 again.

Photo by David Redfern/Redferns