TOURNAMENT OF CHART-TOPPERS 1970S PING LIST
(This is a temporary ping list, so don’t worry!)
A summary of the performance in our survey of each of the top 7 songs for the years in the ‘70s!
Results
year
rank song act best disposition
1970
1 “Bridge over Troubled Water” Simon & Garfunkel Round 4, Sweet 16
2 “(They Long to Be) Close to You” The Carpenters Round 3, top 32
3 “American Woman” The Guess Who Round 3, top 32
4 “Raindrops Keep Fallin’ on My Head” B.J. Thomas Round 2, top 64
5 “War” Edwin Starr Round 2, top 64
6 “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough” Diana Ross Round 2, top 64
7 “I’ll Be There” The Jackson 5 Round 1, ranking #7s
1971
1 “Joy to the World” Three Dog Night Round 6, Final 4
2 “Maggie May” Rod Stewart Round 5, Great 8
3 “It’s Too Late” Carole King Round 3, top 32
4 “One Bad Apple” The Osmonds Round 2, top 64
5 “How Can You Mend a Broken Heart” Bee Gees Round 2, top 64
6 “Indian Reservation (The Lament of the Cherokee Reservation Indian)” Paul Revere & the Raiders Round 2, top 64
7 “Go Away Little Girl” Donny Osmond Round 1, ranking #7s
1972
1 “The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face” Roberta Flack Round 2, top 64
2 “Alone Again (Naturally)” Gilbert O’Sullivan Round 3, top 32
3 “American Pie” Don McLean WINNER
4 “Without You” Harry Nilsson Round 3, top 32
5 “The Candy Man” Sammy Davis Jr. Round 2, top 64
6 “I Gotcha” Joe Tex Round 3, top 32
7 “Lean on Me” Bill Withers Round 4, Sweet 16
1973
1 “Tie a Yellow Ribbon Round the Ole Oak Tree” Tony Orlando & Dawn Round 2, top 64
2 “Bad, Bad Leroy Brown” Jim Croce Round 5, Great 8
3 “Killing Me Softly with His Song” Roberta Flack Round 3, top 32
4 “Let’s Get It On” Marvin Gaye Round 2, top 64
5 “My Love” Paul McCartney & Wings Round 2, top 64
6 “Why Me” Kris Kristofferson Round 2, top 64
7 “Crocodile Rock” Elton John Round 4, Sweet 16
1974
1 “The Way We Were” Barbra Streisand Round 2, top 64
2 “Seasons in the Sun” Terry Jacks Round 3, top 32
3 “Love’s Theme” Love Unlimited Orchestra Round 3, top 32
4 “Come and Get Your Love” Redbone Round 2, top 64
5 “Dancing Machine” The Jackson 5 Round 2, top 64
6 “The Loco-Motion” Grand Funk Railroad Round 4, Sweet 16
7 “TSOP (The Sound of Philadelphia)” MFSB Round 1, ranking #7s
1975
1 “Love Will Keep Us Together” Captain & Tennille Round 3, top 32
2 “Rhinestone Cowboy” Glen Campbell Round 6, Final 4
3 “Philadelphia Freedom” Elton John Round 2, top 64
4 “Before the Next Teardrop Falls” Freddy Fender Round 2, top 64
5 “My Eyes Adored You” Frankie Valli Round 4, Sweet 16
6 “Shining Star” Earth, Wind & Fire Round 2, top 64
7 “Fame” David Bowie Round 2, top 64
1976
1 “Silly Love Songs” Wings Round 4, Sweet 16
2 “Don’t Go Breaking My Heart” Elton John & Kiki Dee Round 2, top 64
3 “Disco Lady” Johnnie Taylor Round 2, top 64
4 “December, 1963 (Oh, What a Night)” The Four Seasons Round 3, top 32
5 “Play That Funky Music” Wild Cherry Round 5, Great 8
6 “Kiss and Say Goodbye” The Manhattans Round 2, top 64
7 “Love Machine” The Miracles Round 1, ranking #7s
1977
1 “Tonight’s the Night (Gonna Be Alright)” Rod Stewart Round 3, top 32
2 “I Just Want to Be Your Everything” Andy Gibb Round 3, top 32
3 “Best of My Love” The Emotions Round 3, top 32
4 “Evergreen (Love Theme from A Star Is Born)” Barbra Streisand Round 2, top 64
5 “Angel in Your Arms” Hot Round 2, top 64
6 “I Like Dreamin’” Kenny Nolan Round 2, top 64
7 “Don’t Leave Me This Way” Thelma Houston Round 1, ranking #7s
1978
1 “Shadow Dancing” Andy Gibb Round 2, top 64
2 “Night Fever” Bee Gees Round 2, top 64
3 “You Light Up My Life” Debby Boone Round 2, top 64
4 “Stayin’ Alive” Bee Gees ROUND 7 FINALIST
5 “Kiss You All Over” Exile Round 3, top 32
6 “How Deep Is Your Love” Bee Gees Round 4, Sweet 16
7 “Baby Come Back” Player Round 4, Sweet 16
1979
1 “My Sharona” The Knack Round 5, Great 8
2 “Bad Girls” Donna Summer Round 3, top 32
3 “Le Freak” Chic Round 3, top 32
4 “Da Ya Think I’m Sexy?” Rod Stewart Round 2, top 64
5 “Reunited” Peaches & Herb Round 2, top 64
6 “I Will Survive” Gloria Gaynor Round 2, top 64
7 “Hot Stuff” Donna Summer Round 1, ranking #7s
couldn’t get away from the beegees...soon as I voted one out, bam ! andy gibb shows up. Just shoot me.
So I look at our wedding pictures 1974....a lot of leisure suits\plaids\platform shoes\afros on white guys
gave me the heebie jeebies !
Sad thing is, the 80’s are mostly a mystery to me, so no funny stuff on the next vote down.
I’m serious. Don’t make me come over there !
1974 was a lousy year for most of the choices. Some of those songs sounded like someone stepped on a herd of cats and put it to music.
Great series of threads.
Thank you!
FYI trivia, here is a run-down of the greatest acts of the ‘70s - and this is simplistic. I can provide enhanced counts including associated acts, etc.
Gives an idea though, who really dominated!
Bee Gees 12
Elton John 12
The Carpenters 11
Stevie Wonder 10
The Jackson 5 10
Barry Manilow 9
Chicago 8
Electric Light Orchestra 8
Olivia Newton-John 8
Earth, Wind & Fire 7
Gladys Knight & the Pips 7
Helen Reddy 7
Three Dog Night 7
War 7
Al Green 6
Anne Murray 6
John Denver 6
Paul McCartney & Wings 6
The O’Jays 6
ABBA 5
Alice Cooper 5
Andy Gibb 5
Aretha Franklin 5
Carly Simon 5
Cher 5
Diana Ross 5
Donna Summer 5
Eagles 5
Fleetwood Mac 5
KC and the Sunshine Band 5
Linda Ronstadt 5
Paul Simon 5
Queen 5
Ringo Starr 5
Steely Dan 5
The Spinners 5
The Temptations 5
Wings 5
This was fun. Thanks for all your hard work, Rebel! :-)
Great effort. Thanks.