One-hit wonders were all over the place in the 1970s, popping up in genres like rock, pop, disco, soul, and others. I think the following one-hit wonders from 1974, specifically, have really stood the test of time. Where their contemporaries achieved multiple successes but eventually faded away entirely, the following musicians made it big with just one hit that still gets played on repeat by fans today. Let’s take a look!
“Lovin’ You” by Minnie Riperton
I couldn’t leave this Minnie Riperton classic off this list. I listen to this song constantly. It’s just that good.
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“Lovin’ You” by Minnie Riperton was released in November 1974 and is easily one of the most enduring soul-pop songs of the 70s. Written as a lullaby for her children, Riperton’s hit made it all the way to No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. Sadly, Riperton did not get the recognition she deserved, as none of her follow-up singles made it to the Top 40 of the Hot 100.
“Kung Fu Fighting” by Carl Douglas
Is there a more addictive disco track out there? Plenty of amazing disco songs have come in and out of popularity through the years, but the 1974 hit “Kung Fu Fighting” by Carl Douglas has never lost its spark. This song is just so much fun. It’s no surprise that the song still pops up on film and television soundtracks today.
Unfortunately, Douglas struggled to maintain the success of “Kung Fu Fighting”. He never enjoyed another Top 40 hit. That doesn’t seem to bother him, though. He leaned into the popularity of the song throughout his career, and what a delightful song to be known for!
“Come And Get Your Love” by Redbone
This is one of those songs that just sounds like the 1970s. “Come And Get Your Love” by Redbone dropped way back in January 1974. And it’s one of the best pop-rock one-hit wonders to hit the airwaves in the mid-1970s.
Maintaining success after a No. 5 hit is no easy feat, though. Sadly, Redbone struggled to maintain that success, and they never scored another major hit on the Hot 100 chart. Still, this song has stood the test of time quite gloriously, and I think it’s an amazing song to be known for as a rock band.
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