3 One-Hit Wonders From the 1970s That Were Somehow No. 1 Hits

Over the years, tastes change. One never knows what’s going to be a hit in the moment and then fall into history’s dustbin shortly after. What we look at now as odd may well have made complete sense back when. And that’s just what we wanted to dive into here below. We wanted to explore three tracks from back in the day that somehow peaked at the top spot on the Billboard Hot 100. Indeed, these are three one-hit wonders from the 1970s that were somehow No. 1 hits.

“Ring My Bell” by Anita Ward from ‘Songs Of Love’ (1979)

Some songs are just catchy, and they remain so throughout the decades. While “Ring My Bell” by Anita Ward may have leaned into a cheeky chorus to hook its audience, Ward is one of many who’ve achieved success that way. The surprise with this song, though, is just how long it’s persisted throughout the years. It’s a testament to Ward’s charm on the recording. We can hear her smiling all the way through. What started perhaps as a lark ended up being an all-timer.

“Hot Child In The City” by Nick Gilder from ‘City Nights’ (1978)

Looking back on the 1970s, one thing is clear: the decade’s art offered a strange, almost depraved grittiness that was almost inescapable. It showed up in the movies (see: Taxi Driver), and it showed up in the music and one-hit wonders (see: “Hot Child In The City” by Nick Gilder). Indeed, this tune just sounds like a stark sidewalk in a lonesome town. Maybe it’s dawn, perhaps it’s dusk. But it’s hot. You could fry an egg on the pavement. Who knows what is happening in the side alley? Just turn up the music and try to forget it. That’s what this song reminds me of today.

“My Sharona” by The Knack from ‘Get The Knack’ (1979)

This rambunctious rock love song raced up the charts at the end of the 1970s and became a cult classic in the process. Who knows where music would be if a young woman named Sharona hadn’t walked into the lives of the band members of The Knack. Well, we wouldn’t have this propulsive hit song, that’s for sure. Somehow, this guitar-driven ode peaked at No. 1 on the Hot 100—people loved the energy, loved the passion. Would it happen today? Who can say? But it happened then!

Photo by Richard E. Aaron/Redferns

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