These 3 One-Hit Wonders From the 1970s Had Even Better Whole Albums

Quite a few one-hit wonders (and two-hit wonders) throughout the 1970s only made it big on the charts with a lone single. And yet, the albums those singles came from were absolutely incredible. I think they deserve way more love, honestly. If you’re a fan of the following three one-hit wonder songs, you might just discover that you love the whole albums they came from as well. Let’s take a look!

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‘Perfect Angel’ by Minnie Riperton

Minnie Riperton’s only major hit on the Billboard Hot 100 chart was the sweet 1975 lullaby, “Lovin’ You”. That song reached No. 1 on the chart, and Riperton never made it to the Top 40 on that chart again. She definitely deserved the hit, but I think the song’s album, Perfect Angel, remains largely underrated. From “Lovin’ You” to the Stevie Wonder cover “Take A Little Trip” to “The Edge Of A Dream”, there are so many gems on this soul and R&B album.

‘Spirit In The Sky’ by Norman Greenbaum

This album (and its famous title track) technically dropped in December 1969, but it became a huge success in 1970, so I’ll go ahead and include it here. “Spirit In The Sky” was a hefty boogie rock hit by the time the 1970s started, and the song peaked at No. 3 on the Hot 100. Greenbaum never saw as much success on the chart again, and that’s just wild to me, considering the whole of the album Spirit In The Sky is fantastic. I highly recommend seeking out the CD version of this album, as it boasts seven whole bonus tracks that make the album even better.

‘The Original Soundtrack’ by 10cc

Alright, full disclosure, this one’s a two-hit wonder. 10cc had two Top 40 hits on the Hot 100 chart, specifically “I’m Not In Love” (No. 2) in 1975 and “The Things We Do For Love (No. 5) in 1976. However, I just couldn’t leave them off this list of one-hit wonders from the 1970s with amazing albums. The album that housed “I’m Not In Love”, by far their most well-known song, is just too good not to mention here. I’m talking about the 1975 record, The Original Soundtrack.

This art rock album is just incredible. Every decade or so, I find myself coming back to it and listening to it in its entirety. That kind of longevity is hard to find in an album. This whole work is essential listening, but songs like “I’m Not In Love” and “Life Is A Minestrone” are standout gems.

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