The Billboard Hot 100 chart was packed with well-known talent in the 1970s. From The Beatles’ Let It Be singles to Janis Joplin to The Rolling Stones, many big names made it to No. 1 on that coveted chart. And many of them were expected to make it that far, as they had established their breakthroughs before the 70s rolled around. However, a few underdogs topped the charts in the 1970s, too. Many of them found their breakthroughs in that decade, while others remained one-hit wonders. Let’s take a look at a few examples, shall we?
“Venus” by Shocking Blue
This tune technically came out in 1969, but it became a massive No. 1 hit the following year. And what a song to kick off the 70s! This Dutch psychedelic rock band only enjoyed a couple of decent hits in their native Netherlands in the late 1960s. Plus, only one song (“Long And Lonesome Road”) charted in the US, and it only made it to No. 75 on the Hot 100.
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Nobody expected this band to hit No. 1 not only on the Hot 100, but across the board in countries like Australia, Belgium, Canada, and others. The underdog really won with this one. But, sadly, Shocking Blue never had another Top 40 hit in the US after “Venus”.
“Make It With You” by Bread
We all know about this soft rock outfit. And we may have never heard of them at all if they hadn’t scored a No. 1 hit on the Hot 100 with the 1970 jam “Make It With You”. They really were the underdog in this situation, as none of their previous three singles charted at all. “Make It With You” remains Bread’s only No. 1 hit.
“Seasons In The Sun” by Terry Jacks
“Seasons In The Sun” by Terry Jacks is one of the most memorable songs of the 1970s. This soft rock Jacques Brel cover topped the charts near the mid-1970s, and it was a No. 1 hit virtually across the board on a global level. Ahead of “Seasons In The Sun”, Jacks barely made it to the US charts at all, and only had a handful of Top 40 hits in Canada.
“Sunshine On My Shoulders” by John Denver
This is a surprising entry on our list of underdogs who topped the charts in the 1970s. John Denver might be known for the 1971 nature-loving American hit “Take Me Home, Country Roads”. However, that song only made it to No. 2 on the Hot 100 chart. It actually took a couple of years for Denver to score a No. 1 hit on that chart. And he did it in 1973 with “Sunshine On My Shoulders”.
Between 1971 and 1973, Denver continued to make it to the Hot 100. However, his charting placements were inconsistent and low-placing. He was firmly stuck outside of the Top 40 for quite a few songs. Nobody knew where his career would go. After “Sunshine On My Shoulders” finally broke through to the top, Denver enjoyed a string of No. 1 hits for a couple of years.
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