American Southern rock band Black Oak Arkansas, UK, 16th May 1974. From left to right, they are drummer Tommy Aldridge, bass player Pat Daugherty, singer Jim 'Dandy' Mangrum, and guitarists Rickie Lee Reynolds, Harvey 'Burley' Jett and Stanley Knight.

Rock in the 70’s was changing from protest songs to more of a good-time vibe. There were some great one-hit wonder rock songs of the 70s.

Not all of these one-hit wonders came out of the blue. Some had well-established careers with bands before going solo. While others were well-respected rockers who had many beloved songs, just none that cracked the top of the Billboard charts. Still, others on our list of the top 7 one-hit wonder rock songs of the 70s were true one-hitters in every sense of the word. They had a massive rock hit, only to be barely heard from again.

What Makes A Good One-Hit Wonder

man in bell bottoms
(Photo by P. Floyd/Express/Getty Images)

An everlasting one-hit wonder has to have something catchy to stick around. Either in the story being told, the chorus, an anthemic guitar riff, or something. Something about the song has to grab hold of your ears and not let go. This hits the one wonder its longevity. No matter where you are or what you are doing in 2024 and beyond when you hear that song from a band whose name you might not even recall, it immediately takes you back to a time. In this case, if you’re old enough, a time when you rode your Big Wheel, revved up your Evel Knievel Stunt Cycle, or rockin’ your new Bell Bottoms!

Admittedly there may be one or two tunes on this list of the top one-hit wonder rock songs of the 70s that are a little out of left field. But hey man, it was the 70s. If you remember it perfectly, then you probably weren’t there man!

So let’s tune in, turn on, and drop out. Just like Dad did. Have a nice day!

  • New York Groove - Ace Frehley 1978

    Ahhh, the Kiss solo albums. Kids in ’78 couldn’t wait for them! Then realized the band was truly a sum of its parts, cause they mostly sucked! Except for this GEM! Ace performed this Russ Ballard penned tune perfectly. Just like a native New Yorker should.

  • Get It On - T.Rex 1971

    While songs like Jeepster where awesome and made Marc Bolan a true influence to future generations, it was this song that became the band’s only US hit. Where it would become a hit song again 14 years later, in 1985, when it was re recorded by Supergroup The Power Station.

  • Black Betty - Ram Jam 1977

    Simply put, one of the best driving songs ever. No it’s not about an African American woman named Betty, instead, the original incarnation of Led Belly’s song meant a liquor bottle. However the modern version of the song, made a hit by New York rockers Ram Jam means a fast car. Bam A Lam! 

     

  • Spirit In The Sky - Norman Greenbaum 1970

    Released in January of 1970 in the US, it would become the first one hit wonder of the 70s! The Jewish born Norman Greenbaum said he was moved to write the Christian themed song after watching American westerns, noting how the cowboys wanting to die with their boots on seemed very spiritual. 

     

  • Mississippi Queen - Mountain 1970

    Not long after old Norman released Spirit In The Sky, Leslie West and Mountain gave us Mississippi Queen in February of 1970. West went on to have a Hall Of Fame caliber career and influenced thousands of guitarists, including our friend Zakk Wylde. However this was his band’s only song to make it to the top of the…well you know.

  • Jim Dandy - Black Oak Arkansas 1973

    This tune might be the most 70s song of all of our One Hit Wonder Rock Songs Of The 70s. Just check out the outfits in this live performance video! However, there is no denying the killer vocals of Jim “Dandy” Magnum and Ruby Starr. What a duet! The song had been recorded many times since the 50’s but this effort from the Southern Rockers remains the most popular version.

  • King Tut - Steve Martin 1978

    What can you say? Steve Martin was, and continues to be a comedic genius. This song came out at the absolute peak of his popularity as the Wild And Crazy Guy stand up comedian. It shot to number 17 on the Billboard charts with the help of his band The Toot Uncommons, (really it was the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band). He made it a national phenomenon one night on SNL. 

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