50 songs you won’t believe are turning 50 this year
By:
50 songs you won’t believe are turning 50 this year
The 1970s was a tumultuous time, full of upheaval on many fronts, from the end of the Vietnam War to the dawn of personal computers. It makes sense that its music had a similar helter-skelter feel.
The early ’70s were a musical melting pot where rock, reggae, funk, and pop could coexist. Ingenuity was essential, and as artists were wary of the mainstream music industry, they began doing things unconventionally and bolder than ever. Punk and funk rose to popularity after the age of psychedelia essentially died at the end of the ’60s and became the quintessential sound of the early ’70s.
As the decade moved along, disco was on the rise with instrumental tracks like MFSB’s “TSOP (The Sound of Philadelphia)” and Eddie Kendricks’ “Boogie Down” gaining prominence. Love ballads such as Roberta Flack’s “Feel Like Makin’ Love” and Mac Davis’ “One Hell of a Woman” also hits on the radio.
1974 was the aftermath of the explosion that was the 1960s, giving way to a groovy new sound called disco, which would make its mark later in the decade. It was a year when experimentation was key, and these songs are proof of that.
To display this diverse year of music-making, Stacker surveyed Billboard’s Hot 100 chart in 1974 to highlight the top 50 songs, collected on Jan. 19, 2024. The original Billboard Top 100 of 1974 was published on Dec. 28, 1974, and is based on the performance of songs on the Hot 100 charts between the Nov. 24, 1973, and Oct. 26, 1974 issues. Though some songs on this list were released in 1973, they all charted in 1974. In the ’70s, this performance was based on each single’s physical sales and airplay on American radio stations.
Keep reading to discover 50 songs celebrating their 50th anniversary in 2024.
#50. ‘The Air That I Breathe’ by The Hollies
The English rock band Radiohead reused the chord progression and melody of this track nearly two decades later for their 1992 hit “Creep.”
#49. ‘Waterloo’ by ABBA
This song won the Eurovision Song Contest 1974 for Sweden, which pushed ABBA into international stardom.
#48. ‘The Entertainer’ by Marvin Hamlisch
This song was originally a 1902 classic piano ragtime track written by Black American composer Scott Joplin.
#47. ‘The Night Chicago Died’ by Paper Lace
After a near-miss at reaching #1 on the Hot 100 with “Billy, Don’t Be a Hero,” Paper Lace followed it up with this successful attempt at the top spot, which lasted only a week.
#46. ‘Then Came You’ by Dionne Warwick and The Spinners
This song became Dionne Warwick’s first single to reach #1 on the Hot 100 and was subsequently nominated for a Grammy.
#45. ‘Living for the City’ by Stevie Wonder
This song won two Grammys in two separate years: one at the 1974 Grammys for Best Rhythm & Blues Song and the second for Best Male R&B Vocal Performance at the 1975 Grammys for Ray Charles’ version.
#44. ‘Smokin’ in the Boys Room’ by Brownsville Station
This song was covered by heavy metal band Mötley Crüe in 1985, where it also found success.
#43. ‘Rock the Boat’ by The Hues Corporation
Arranger Tom Sellers was going for a sound he heard while in the Carribean in making this accidental disco hit.
#42. ‘The Show Must Go On’ by Three Dog Night
Singer Leo Sayer sometimes stuck close to the circus theme of the show by dressing up as a pierrot clown while performing this Hot 100 hit.
#41. ‘I’ve Got to Use My Imagination’ by Gladys Knight & the Pips
This song appeared on an episode of the American sitcom series “A Different World” that featured Gladys Knight in a special guest appearance.
#40. ‘The Joker’ by Steve Miller Band
While it was successful in its original release, this song hit #1 on the UK Singles Chart in 1990 after being used in a Levi’s television advertisement.
#39. ‘Top of the World’ by The Carpenters
After country singer Lynn Anderson’s successful cover of this song released, the brother-sister duo rereleased it as a single, which shot to #1 on the Hot 100.
#38. ‘Rock Your Baby’ by George McCrae
Made with the success of club-friendly “Rock the Boat” and others in mind, this #1 Billboard track may very well be the first intentional disco hit on the books.
#37. ‘Nothing from Nothing’ by Billy Preston
This song was performed live by Billy Preston on “Saturday Night Live” and was the first musical performance to air on the show.
#36. ‘Just Don’t Want to Be Lonely’ by The Main Ingredient
While Ronnie Dyson’s original version did well on the charts, the cover by The Main Ingredient’s cover eventually went gold.
#35. ‘Feel Like Makin’ Love’ by Roberta Flack
This song was extremely successful and went on to receive Grammy nominations for Record of the Year, Song of the Year, and Best Female Pop Vocal Performance.
#34. ‘Best Thing That Ever Happened to Me’ by Gladys Knight & the Pips
The lyrics portray a tumultuous relationship, but despite facing various struggles and hardships, the presence of this special person has changed the singer’s life in many positive ways.
#33. ‘Dark Lady’ by Cher
This song was Cher’s last #1 single in the U.S. until her hit “Believe,” released 25 years later.
#32. ‘If You Love Me (Let Me Know)’ by Olivia Newton-John
Tina Turner covered this song for her album “Tina Turns the Country On!” the same year Olivia Newton-John released her version.
#31. ‘You’re Sixteen’ by Ringo Starr
This performance reunited Ringo Starr with his former Beatles bandmate Paul McCartney, whose singing in the track is often mistaken for a kazoo.
#30. ‘Boogie Down’ by Eddie Kendricks
After his departure from the Temptations, Eddie Kendricks found a hot streak that started with “Keep on Truckin'” and followed up with “Boogie Down.”
#29. ‘Rock Me Gently’ by Andy Kim
So strongly did Andy Kim believe in this song that he recorded and produced this Billboard #1 hit, even paying for the sessions himself.
#28. ‘(You’re) Having My Baby’ by Paul Anka
This song became Paul Anka’s first #1 hit on the Hot 100 in 15 years since the 1959 track “Lonely Boy.”
#27. ‘Sundown’ by Gordon Lightfoot
This song about a man fixated on a certain woman remains Gordon Lightfoot’s only single to reach #1 on the Hot 100.
#26. ‘Let Me Be There’ by Olivia Newton-John
This hit song won Olivia Newton-John a Grammy for Best Female Country Vocal Performance the same year.
#25. ‘Annie’s Song’ by John Denver
This love song was written as an ode to John Denver’s wife at the time, Annie Martell.
#24. ‘Time in a Bottle’ by Jim Croce
This track became Jim Croce’s second and final song to reach #1 on the Hot 100. A few months before, he was killed in a plane crash during a concert tour.
#23. ‘The Most Beautiful Girl’ by Charlie Rich
A Charlie Rich cover of Joe Stampley’s original, “The Most Beautiful Girl” went on to be covered many more times by the likes of Perry Como and Julio Iglesias.
#22. ‘Band on the Run’ by Paul McCartney and Wings
The success of “Band on the Run’ gave Paul McCartney a much-needed boost in his career after the breakup of the Beatles and drug offenses.
#21. ‘Billy, Don’t Be a Hero’ by Bo Donaldson and The Heywoods
This song tells the tale of a young woman pleading for her fiancée not to enlist, though he does anyway and is eventually killed in action.
#20. ‘Hooked on a Feeling’ by Blue Swede
Originally released in 1968 by B. J. Thomas, Blue Swede’s cover quickly reached #1 on the Hot 100 and proved the catchy power of Swedish pop music.
#19. ‘Sideshow’ by Blue Magic
Yet another circus-themed song, this song by Blue Magic urges listeners to step up and see what becomes of a man with a broken heart.
#18. ‘Sunshine on My Shoulders’ by John Denver
John Denver wrote this song sometime between winter and spring, when the snow finally clears and the sun’s warmth feels better than anything else.
#17. ‘Rock On’ by David Essex
This song has been recorded and covered many times, but one of its most modern renditions was by the rock group Def Leppard.
#16. ‘Spiders and Snakes’ by Jim Stafford
While at the swimming hole with a romantic partner, the narrator of this song catches a frog, causing the girl to tell him that she dislikes spiders and snakes and that they may not be a perfect match.
#15. ‘Show and Tell’ by Al Wilson
Al Wilson made it to the #1 spot on the Hot 100 with this song, but never again. Wilson kept playing shows and performing nevertheless.
#14. ‘You Make Me Feel Brand New’ by The Stylistics
Found on their fourth studio album, this song was later released as a single and reached #2 on the Hot 100.
#13. ‘Midnight at the Oasis’ by Maria Muldaur
This love epic was nominated for both Record of the Year and Song of the Year at the 17th Grammys.
#12. ‘Jungle Boogie’ by Kool & the Gang
‘Jungle Boogie’ was featured on the soundtrack of Quentin Tarantino’s 1994 film “Pulp Fiction.”
#11. ‘Until You Come Back to Me (That’s What I’m Gonna Do)’ by Aretha Franklin
This track peaked at #3 on the Hot 100, followed up by “I’m in Love,” which peaked at #19 that same year.
#10. ‘One Hell of a Woman’ by Mac Davis
This song was written by Mac Davis and songwriter Mark James, who wrote Elvis Presley’s final #1 hit single, “Suspicious Minds.”
#9. ‘Bennie and the Jets’ by Elton John
In the U.K., “Bennie and the Jets” appears on the B-side, while Elton John’s funereal hit “Candle in the Wind” would appear on the A-side.
#8. ‘The Streak’ by Ray Stevens
This track—about the act of streaking—spent three weeks atop the Hot 100 and was inspired by a spate of incidents featuring the indecent act.
#7. ‘TSOP (The Sound of Philadelphia)’ by MFSB
This track is the theme for the musical variety television show program “Soul Train” and is mostly instrumental.
#6. ‘The Loco-Motion’ by Grand Funk Railroad
Originally sung by Little Eva, this song has been covered not only by Grand Funk Railroad in 1974 but by Kylie Minogue in 1987 as well.
#5. ‘Dancing Machine’ by The Jackson 5
This dance track was responsible for the Jackson 5 receiving their second (and last) Grammy nomination for Best R&B Vocal Performance by a Duo, Group, or Chorus.
#4. ‘Come and Get Your Love’ by Redbone
This song peaked at #5 on the Hot 100, making the group the first Native American band to reach the top five on the chart.
#3. ‘Love’s Theme’ by Love Unlimited Orchestra
Barry White’s first #1 hit doesn’t feature any of his vocals at all, but a lushly orchestrated song with a 40-piece ensemble.
#2. ‘Seasons in the Sun’ by Terry Jacks
Before it became this classic bittersweet track by Terry Jacks, this song was first a 1961 death song by poet and composer Jacques Brel.
#1. ‘The Way We Were’ by Barbra Streisand
Written by Alan and Marilyn Bergman and Marvin Hamlisch, Barbra Streisand’s first #1 Hot 100 hit won the Grammy for Song of the Year in 1975.
Story editing by Carren Jao. Copy editing by Paris Close. Photo selection by Clarese Moller.
Provided by <a href="http://Stacker.com">