These 3 One-Hit Wonders From the 1970s Are Still More Popular Than You Think

Like any other decade, the 1970s were full of one-hit wonders. Usually, that label belongs to artists who have one huge hit before they slowly fade away. Many of those hits are later relegated to the dustbin of musical history. Sometimes, though, a handful will stand the test of time and remain popular for decades.

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All of the songs below were hits during the 1970s and have been popular with generations of listeners. There’s something about them that sets them apart from the countless other songs that have fallen to the wayside.

[RELATED: 3 One-Hit Wonders From the 1970s That Hit No. 1 (And Blew Everyone Away)]

“Stuck in the Middle With You” by Stealers Wheel (1973)

Stealers Wheel released “Stuck in the Middle with You” as their debut single in 1973. The song didn’t reach No. 1 on any charts, but became an international top 10 hit. It reached No. 6 on the Hot 100 and No. 3 on the Cashbox chart in the United States.

The song was introduced to a new audience in 1992 when it appeared in one of the most memorable scenes from Quentin Tarantino’s Reservoir Dogs. According to Songfacts, the writer/director knew it would be the perfect song for the scene in which Michael Madsen’s character tortures a kidnapped police officer.

Today, “Stuck in the Middle with You” is Stealer’s Wheel’s most-played song on Spotify. To date, it has amassed 914,011,785 streams on Spotify.

“Hooked on a Feeling” Blue Swede (1974)

Blue Swede released their cover of Mark James’ “Hooked on a Feeling” in May 1973. It made them the first Swedish band to have a No. 1 single in the United States.

Readers of a certain age likely remember the song from the TV show Ally McBeal. It was part of a running gag about the titular character’s ever-ticking biological clock. The 1970s one-hit wonder played over a video of a dancing baby. Later, clips of the dancing baby with the “oonga-chaka” chant became one of the first internet memes in the heyday of chatrooms.

Today, this 1970s one-hit wonder, which turned into an early internet culture staple, remains popular with listeners. It has pulled in 881,966,502 streams on Spotify to date.

“Spirit in the Sky” by Norman Greenbaum (1969)

Norman Greenbaum released “Spirit in the Sky” in December 1969 as a single from his album of the same name. It achieved its one-hit wonder status in 1970, though. It reached No. 1 in multiple European countries, including the United Kingdom, Ireland, and the Netherlands. The song stalled at No. 3 on the Hot 100, but topped the Cashbox chart in the United States.

“Spirit in the Sky” appeared prominently in the 1995 movie Apollo 13, introducing it to a wide audience of moviegoers. However, if one were to ask Greenbaum, the Tom Hanks-led drama was far from the only thing keeping the song alive. He called the song “timeless,” according to Songfacts. “It appeals to one’s inner self and the need for redemption,” he said. “Plus, heck, who wants to go to hell?”

The 1970 one-hit wonder written about Jesus by a Jewish songwriter who was inspired by Porter Wagoner and gospel music has garnered 666,994,656 streams on Spotify.

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