7 Major Hits That Prove We Were Obsessed With Love in 1976

Love has been a popular musical theme since time immemorial, but it seemed especially true in 1976. The Billboard Hot 100 was absolutely dominated by love—the idea, beauty, pain, longing, passion, and pursuit of it. From straight-up romance to breakup recovery, these major Top 40 hits prove we were kind of obsessed with love in 1976.

“Silly Love Songs” by Wings

To begin, we’ll start with a love song to love songs. “Silly Love Songs” by Paul McCartney’s post-Beatles band, Wings, was a direct response to people criticizing him for singing about “fluffy” things like love. “Some people want to fill the world with silly love songs / What’s wrong with that? / I’d like to know / ‘Cause here I go again / I love you.”

“Love Machine” by The Miracles

The Miracles released “Love Machine” in late 1975, and after topping the Billboard Hot 100, it remained on the charts well into 1976. “Love Machine” was far and away the most successful record of The Miracles’ tenure as a band, and the general public’s obsession with love at this time only helped their cause. “I’m just a love machine, and I won’t work for nobody but you.”

“Love Is Alive” by Gary Wright

Gary Wright released the title track of his 1975 album Dream Weaver in December 1975, which is a love song in sentiment if not in name. Five months later, Wright released his follow-up single, “Love Is Alive”, to really drive the point home. “There’s a mirror moving inside my mind / Reflecting the love that you shine on me / Hold on now to that feeling / Let it flow, let it grow, yeah, yeah.”

“50 Ways To Leave Your Lover” by Paul Simon

Sometimes, the general public’s obsession with love songs in 1976 leaned toward the negative aspects of falling for someone else. All good things come to an end, and that includes relationships. Paul Simon offered some maybe-not-so-helpful (but definitely catchy) advice for how to ditch a deadweight romance. “You just slip out the back, Jack / Make a new plan, Stan / You don’t need to be coy, Roy / Just get yourself free.”

“Love Hangover” by Diana Ross

Anything with the word “hangover” in it inherently sounds like a bad time. But Diana Ross had a way of making it sound appealing with her 1976 hit single, “Love Hangover”. The single topped the charts, indicating that plenty of folks were on the love hangover train. “If there’s a cure for this, I don’t want it / If there’s a remedy / I’ll run from it, run from it / Think about it all the time.”

“Love Hurts” by Nazareth

Of course, for as wonderful as love can make us feel, it can also knock us to devastating lows. For the unlucky lovers of 1976, songs like “Love Hurts” by Nazareth were the ultimate soundtrack for crying in your room about a relationship gone sour. “Love hurts, love scars / Love wounds and mars any heart.”

“Love Rollercoaster” by Ohio Players

Indeed, to be in love can feel like being on the best (and sometimes worst) rollercoaster of your life. What better selection out of the 1976 love songs to describe this feeling than Ohio Players’ “Love Rollercoaster”? “Your love is like a rollercoaster, baby, all you do is ride.”

Photo by Doug Griffin/Toronto Star via Getty Images

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