Every UK Number One Single From The 1970s Ranked

From ABBA’s ‘Dancing Queen’ to The Village People’s ‘Y.M.C.A’, I rank every UK number one from the 1970s – all 168 of them!

Mamma mia! Here we go again. Over a year ago, I set myself the challenge of listening to every UK number one and ranking them decade by decade. So far, I’ve ranked every UK number one from the 1950s and every UK number one from the 1960s. Life has been very busy over the last few months, but I've finally got around to publishing this latest instalment. My bellbottoms are on. I've grown out my hair for the occasion (I haven't). Into the 70s we go!

This decade was absolutely nuts. There seems to have been three distinct phases: the glam rock phase, the disco phase and the new wave phase. Sprinkled throughout were numerous weird and wonderful novelty singles. Arguably some of the greatest and most iconic chart-toppers of all time dropped during this decade. Also – and I truly wasn’t prepared for this - some of the worst chart-toppers of all time. Some Everest-sized highs, and some Mariana-Trench-deep lows.

Included within these number ones are a few double A-sides and even an EP that I've each featured as single entries. Some readers may notice that I've missed out Rolf Harris’s ‘Two Little Boys’ (which was a number one from December 1969 to January 1970) - that's simply because I already included that song in my 1960s rankings.

I've added hyperlinks to each number one single so that you can listen to each song. I've also written a mini review of each track to justify the placement of each one.

 If you'd like to learn more about each of these singles, I highly recommend checking out The UK Number Ones Blog, a blog I discovered while researching these hits, where you'll find a detailed and amusing write-up of every chart-topper. The blog is currently in the 00s, (so well ahead of me!), and features regular recaps where awards are given out to different number ones in each era (such as the ‘WTAF award’ and ‘meh award’). It’s a very fun read!

Anyway, without further ado...

The worst of the 70s…

Chuck Berry had one UK number one during the 1970s

168. ‘No Charge’ – J.J. Barrie (1 week 1976) Kicking off our list is this unlistenably schmaltzy spoken word song all about the cost of love from country singer JJ Barrie. No charge? For this monstrosity, Barrie should have been charged with crimes against music. And then charged with 2000 volts in the electric chair (okay, that’s a bit harsh! 1000 volts maybe).

167. ‘Grandad’ – Clive Dunn (3 weeks 1971) Dad’s Army actor Clive Dunn delivers a surprisingly unfunny ‘back in my day’ diatribe, accompanied by parping tuba and kids inexplicably singing: ‘Grandad, grandad, lovely’. Yikes!

166. ‘Chirpy Chirpy Cheep Cheep’ – Middle of the Road (5 weeks 1971) A bubblegum pop song about an abandoned chick in a nest crying after it’s mama. Not very chirpy at all.

165. ‘Don’t Give Up On Us’ – David Soul (4 weeks 1977) Mildly better than the last three, but still a horribly mushy soft rock song from Starsky & Hutch actor David Soul.

164. ‘All Kinds Of Everything’ – Dana (2 weeks 1970) Irish Eurovision contestant Dana soppily lists all the things that remind her of her partner – including banal inclusions like ‘Monday, Tuesday, every day’ and strange inclusions like ‘things of the sea’.

163. ‘Back Home’ – England World Cup Squad (3 weeks 1970) Imagine being in the England squad, winning the World Cup for England and then scoring a number one single 4 years later. The highest accolades in both UK sport and music! Unfortunately, the song is pants.

162. ‘Long Haired Lover From Liverpool’ – Little Jimmy Osmond (5 weeks 1972) I know it’s callous of me to rank a child singer this low, but these vocals are seriously grating. And Little Jimmy Osmond is not even from Liverpool. THIS IS LIVERPUDLIAN APPROPRIATION!

161. ‘My Ding-A-Ling’ – Chuck Berry (4 weeks 1972) It’s tragic that the ‘father of rock and roll’s only UK number one was a music hall cover about his ding-a-ling.  

160. ‘The Streak’ – Ray Stevens (1 week 1974) What on earth is this??? A painfully unfunny country comedy song about a streaker complete with canned laughter and cartoonish sound effects?? No thank you!

159. ‘Ernie (The Fastest Milkman In The West)' - Benny Hill (4 weeks 1971) Another comedy record. Benny Hill’s innuendos are slightly more amusing than what we get in ‘The Streak’, but otherwise the humour has aged like, well, milk.

158. ‘Mouldy Old Dough’ – Lieutenant Pigeon (4 weeks 1972) A guy who sounds like he smokes 500 cigarettes per day groaning ‘moooouldly old dough’ over old-time pianos. WHAT??? This might be the most perplexing chart-topper of all time. It’s certainly unique, but I can’t say I enjoy it at all.

157. ‘Clair’ – Gilbert O Sullivan (2 weeks 1973) Musically, this one is not bad, but what’s going on with those lyrics? At first, I thought this was a love song for his wife, then his child, and then his niece. But it turns out it’s a love song for a friend’s daughter who he babysits. Eek, now we’re verging on creepy…

156. The Roussos Phenomenon EP – Demis Roussos (1 week 1976) This is technically four singles in one. A whole EP! I didn’t know an EP could count as a single. If I was exclusively considering lead single ‘Forever And Ever’, I might have given this a more generous ranking, but the Greek-Egyptian singer’s vibra-a-a-a-a-to bleating gets exhausting after four tracks.

155. ‘Wand’rin Star’ – Lee Marvin (3 weeks 1970) Lee Marvin has an impressively deep voice. If only it was in tune!

154. ‘Blockbuster!’ – Sweet (5 weeks 1973) Potentially a decent glam rock song if it wasn’t for that bloody irritating siren that keeps wailing throughout.

153. ‘If’ – Telly Savalas (2 weeks 1975) Why was there so much spoken word in the 70s? This husky cover of Bread’s ‘If’ by Kojak actor Telly Savalas is admittedly much more tolerable than ‘No Charge’, but still not my jam.

Cloying covers…

Together, the various members of The Osmonds had 5  UK number ones during the 70s.

152. ‘The Twelfth Of Never’ – Donny Osmond (1 week 1973) Time for some nauseatingly treacly covers. This Johnny Mathis cover by teen heartthrob Donny Osmond is syrupy enough to make even Buddy The Elf puke.

151. ‘How Can I Be Sure’ – David Cassidy (2 weeks 1972) Partridge Family star David Cassidy delivers what sounds like a cheap karaoke version of ‘How Can I Be Sure’. The Dusty Springfield version is far superior.

150. ‘Daydreamer/The Puppy Song’ – David Cassidy (3 weeks 1973) David Cassidy strikes again with two more singles, both of which are incredibly naff. Particularly the mock trumpet sounds in ‘The Puppy Song’.

149. ‘Puppy Love’ – Donny Osmond (5 weeks 1972) Another puppy-themed song. This one was a huge hit, but I prefer the original 50s Paul Anka version. This one is way too soppy.    

148. ‘Young Love’ – Donny Osmond (4 weeks 1972) From ‘Puppy Love’ to ‘Young Love’ – why did the British public keep lapping up these horrendously mushy covers?

147. ‘Love Me For A Reason’ – The Osmonds (3 weeks 1974) I thought that this might be an Osmonds original. But no – even this was a cover! Granted, it’s not as cloying as the others, but it’s still pretty rubbish.

What on earth is this doing here?...

???

146. ‘Chansons D’Amour’ – The Manhattan Transfer (3 weeks 1977) ‘What on earth is this doing here?’ is a valid question you could ask of any of the songs featured so far in this list, but this jazzy French cheese with ‘ra da da da da’ vocals feels particularly out of place in peak disco era.

145. ‘Hey Girl Don’t Bother Me’ – The Tams (3 weeks 1971) What was an obscure soul hit from 1964 doing at the top of the charts in 1971? I’m guessing it’s a product of the Northern Soul movement, but I don’t think it’s distinctive enough to have deserved number one status.  

144. ‘Amazing Grace’ – Royal Scots Dragoon Guards (5 weeks 1972) What is a bagpipe interpretation of Amazing Grace doing at the top of the charts in 1972? There doesn’t seem to have been any notable Scottish or American events that led to this to becoming a number one hit. Very odd.

143. ‘Eye Level’ – The Simon Park Orchestra (4 weeks 1973) What was this instrumental orchestral piece doing at the top of the charts in 1973? Apparently, it was the theme tune to a TV series titled Van der Valk, but as theme tunes go, it’s nothing special.

Not bad, but kinda bland…

Zzzzz...

142. ‘When I Need You’ – Leo Sayer (3 weeks 1977) Some number ones from the 70s weren’t bad, but just a little bland. Like Leo Sayer’s yearning soft rock ballad ‘When I Need You’. It’s so unremarkable that I have nothing else to write about it.

141. ‘Give A Little Love’ – Bay City Rollers (3 weeks 1975) The opening ‘DUN DUN DUN’ drums got me excited. But otherwise this Bay City Rollers single is another impressively forgettable ballad. 

140. ‘The Wonder Of You’ – Elvis Presley (6 weeks 1970) Elvis was somehow still scoring chart-toppers in the 70s. The only praise I can give this vapid single is that it’s much better than ‘Wooden Heart’ (ranked #185 in my 60s rankings).

139. ‘I’m Still Waiting’ – Diana Ross (4 weeks 1971) Diana Ross? More like Diana dross. Alright, alright, the ex-Supremes singer did drop some bangers in the 70s, but this garden variety soul single is not one of them.

138. ‘Three Times A Lady’ – The Commodores (5 weeks 1978) I’m shitting on classics here. As memorable as the chorus of ‘Three Times A Lady’ is, this Commodores slow-dance number is about exciting to me as pairing socks.

137. ‘Bright Eyes’ – Art Garfunkel (6 weeks 1979) Ah, the soothing voice of Art Garfunkel! Perhaps a bit too soothing. In fact, it sounds like a lullaby.   

Oh God, it’s Rod…

Rod Stewart had 5 UK number ones during the 70s

136. ‘Sailing’ – Rod Stewart (4 weeks 1975) Rod’s gravelly pipes are very distinctive, and so much more soulful than the Osmonds, but I find most of his 70s hits to be utterly dreary. In particular, this one. 

135. ‘Reason To Believe/Maggie May’ – Rod Stewart (5 weeks 1971) I appreciate that he is a very good storyteller. The medieval guitar intro of ‘Maggie May’ is fun too. But otherwise, these long and meandering folk rock songs do nothing for me.

134. ‘You Wear It Well’ – Rod Stewart (1 week 1972) Rod’s wistful lyrics about a past lover make this one a bit more compelling. But musically, it's still wishy-washy folk rock fodder to me. Fortunately, I don't feel this way about all of this number ones, as you'll discover later...

Schlager-pop…

The New Seekers had two UK number ones during the 1970s

133. ‘Welcome Home’ – Peters & Lee (1 week 1973) There was a wave of cheesy hits in the 1970s that sounded like old German schlagers with oom-pa bass and sway-along choruses. I’m terming it ‘schlager-pop’. This one’s vintage shrill backing choirs make it sound very dated.

132. ‘Save Your Kisses For Me’ – Brotherhood of Man (6 weeks 1976) This winning Eurovision single from British band Brotherhood of Man is corny as hell. I do like the twist at the end though. It’s like a more wholesome version of ‘Clair’ (#157).

131. ‘Tie A Ribbon Around The Ole Oak Tree’ – Tony Orlando and Dawn (4 weeks 1973) Does anyone else think this sounds very similar to ‘Save Your Kisses For Me’? I think I prefer this one, but not by any significant margin. The spacey harmonica solo is my favourite bit.

130. ‘I’d Like To Teach The World To Sing (In Perfect Harmony)’ – The New Seekers (4 weeks 1972) Famously used in a Coca-Cola advert, this schlager-pop number about bringing the world together is very feelgood. The vocal harmonies are (ironically) a bit of a mess though. There’s too much going on!

Do I like this or do I hate this?...

Elvis Presley had two UK number ones during the 1970s

129. ‘Don’t Cry For Me Argentina’ – Julie Covington (1 week 1977) A very powerfully sang showtune. I can see the appeal of it. But I think showtunes should largely remain in the theatre.   

128. ‘Baby Jump’ - Mungo Jerry (2 weeks 1971) How did a raucous rock song like this top the charts? I’m loving the energy. But the ‘I dream I was Humbert and she was Lolita’ line is NOT okay.

127. ‘Way Down’ – Elvis Presley (5 weeks 1977) Had Elvis not died, I doubt this song would have reached number one. Everything from the boogie-woogie pianos to the gospel vocal harmonies feels old-fashioned for ’77, but I do find parts of it charming – particularly the deep-voiced ‘way on down’ line.

126. ‘Seasons In The Sun’ – Terry Jacks (4 weeks 1974) ‘We have joy, we have fun/ flicking bogeys at the sun/ but the sun is too hot/ so it turns them into snot’. That is the version of this song I grew up singing in the school playground. The actual lyrics are a lot darker than I realised. An interesting contrast with the bouncy instrumentation. I think I’d enjoy this more if I hadn’t grown up singing the ‘flicking bogeys’ version and if Terry Jacks’ voice didn’t remind me of Kermit the Frog.

125. ‘Matchstalk Men & Matchstalk Cats and Dogs’ – Brian & Michael (3 weeks 1978) This is a pleasant tribute to British painter L.S. Lowry, however the insistence on pronouncing ‘matchstick’ as ‘matchstalk’ is a bit annoying. Do they really pronounce it like that in Salford?

124. ‘Barbados’ – Typically Tropical (1 week 1975) The Vengaboys’ ‘Ibiza’ was a cover?? I feel betrayed. Also, I don’t know how I feel about a bunch of white guys from Brixton singing in a mock-Caribbean accent. A fun reggae song at its core though.

123. ‘Dreadlock Holiday’ – 10cc (1 week 1978) More white people doing reggae. Whereas 'Barbados' paints a fairly glamourous picture of escaping to the Caribbean, this one is based on the band members' real life accounts of getting mugged while travelling in Jamaica. It's a song about the realities of tourism that also ends up being a bit culturally insensitive (was the 'brother from the gutter' line necessary?). The 'gotcha' chorus is creative though ('I don't like cricket - I love it!').

122. ‘Make Me Smile (Come Up And See Me)’ – Steve Harley & Cockney Rebel (2 weeks 1975) I was convinced I loved this song. But Steve Harley’s singing is abysmal. The backing ‘ooooh la la la’s and guitar solo are doing a lot of heavy lifting.

121. ‘Float On’ – The Floaters (1 week 1977)  Each of the members of this soul group introduces themselves with their Zodiac sign and a brief dating bio: ‘Aquarius and my name is Ralph/ Now I like a woman who likes her freedom’. Certainly a unique concept, but the song kinda floats on without really going anywhere.

More covers, but less crappy…

The Bay City Rollers had two UK number ones during the 70s

120. ‘One Day At A Time’ – Lena Martell (3 weeks 1979) Scottish singer Lena Martell puts on her best Southern twang in this faithful country cover. I can’t see myself ever revisiting it, but it beats listening to The Osmonds.

119. ‘Woodstock’ - Matthews Southern Comfort (3 weeks 1970) Although greatly inferior to the Joni Mitchell version, I appreciate Matthews Southern Comfort putting their own psych rock spin on this classic. The guitar solo rocks .

118. ‘Oh Boy’ – Mud (2 weeks 1975) Glam rock band Mud cover Buddy Holly. They’ve turned it into a campy stadium rock stomper and the sensual female spoken word passage in the middle is a bit random, but I don’t hate it.

117. ‘Everything I Own’ – Ken Boothe (3 weeks 1974) Ken Boothe’s reggae cover of Bread’s ‘Everything I Own’ is very catchy even if it does plod along a little towards the end.

116. ‘I Only Have Eyes For You’ – Art Garfunkel (2 weeks 1975) A very dreamy and hypnotic song from Art Garfunkel. Is it better than the 50s doo wop version by The Flamingoes? No - but all the same, I’m liking the ethereal atmosphere.  

115. ‘Under The Moon Of Love’ – Showaddywaddy (3 weeks 1976) What a silly band name (check out my post on the worst band names of all time). Otherwise, a lively and enjoyably campy bit of rock and roll revivalism.

114. ‘Bye Bye Baby’ – Bay City Rollers (6 weeks 1975) A fun Four Seasons cover that swaps Frankie Valli’s testicle-defying falsetto outro for a cool guitar solo. Having looked into the lyrics, it also turns out this is not the wholesome breakup song I thought it was, but a track about dumping his mistress: ‘Should’ve told her that I can’t linger/There’s a wedding ring on my finger’.

113. ‘Whispering Grass’ – Windsor Davies & Don Estelle (3 weeks 1975) Made for a WW2 based sitcom, this cover of a traditional pop song called ‘Whispering Grass’ is quite entertaining, even if I’m too young to understand the context. It’s a mix of smooth jazzy crooning and cartoonish deep-voiced spoken word.

112. ‘D.I.V.O.R.C.E’ – Billy Connolly (1 week 1975) This parody cover of Tammy Wynette’s ‘D.I.V.O.R.C.E’ is a lot funnier than some of the comedy singles featured thus far. I would have never guessed Billy Connolly had a UK number one.

111. ‘I Hear You Knocking’ – Dave Edmunds (6 weeks 1970) Dave Edmunds’ rollicking rock cover of R&B classic ‘I Hear You Knocking’ is a blast. Listening back, I think I may have ranked it a bit low, but never mind…

They’re getting better. I give these a 6/10…

The Wings' 'Mull Of Kintyre/Girl's School' double A-side spent a whopping 9 weeks at the top of the UK charts

110. ‘Knock Three Times’ – Tony Orlando & Dawn (5 weeks 1971) Another song about knocking. Complete with playful pipe-knocking sounds in the chorus. If I had to knock anything about this song, it would be that the verses are a bit forgettable. Still, a decent track. 

109. ‘Hot Love’ – T. Rex (6 weeks 1971) The first ever glam rock number one! It’s not my favourite T. Rex song (the ‘laa laa laa lalalalaa’ outro doesn’t know when to end), but it is still a cool and sassy track.

108. ‘Telegram Sam’ – T-Rex (2 weeks 1972) They’ve pretty much recycled the same riff from ‘Get It On’ (which appears a bit later). Minus a few points for that. Otherwise, great song.    

107. ‘Yellow River’ – Christie (1 week 1970)  Leeds band Christie deliver this bouncy soft rock single about a yellow river. Why is the river yellow? I don’t know, but probably best not to drink from it.  

106. ‘Silver Lady’ – David Soul (3 weeks 1977) This is leagues better than ‘Don’t Give Up On Us’ (which I ranked at #165). The instrumentation is groovy and the chorus is an earworm. Who is this silver lady David Soul is singing about? Is she literally made of silver? Or does David simply like an older lady with silver locks?

105. ‘Annie’s Song’ – John Denver (1 week 1974) Writing a chart-topping love song for your wife is quite the romantic gesture. And its sung very sweetly, even if I think other John Denver tracks are more emotive (surprisingly, his only UK number one hit).

104. ‘When Will I See You Again’ – The Three Degrees (2 weeks 1974) This is a very smooth slice of proto-disco from Philadelphia soul trio The Three Degrees. It peaks early with the opening angelic ‘oooh ahhh’ vocals, but the whole track feels very sophisticated.

103. ‘Hold Me Close’ – David Essex (3 weeks 1975) An enjoyably upbeat love song from pop rock singer David Essex. I would have ranked it a bit higher if the cockney accent wasn’t so forced. SHINE YA SHOES, GUVNA?

102. ‘Get Down’ – Gilbert O Sullivan (2 weeks 1972) This forgotten piano rock hit gives me Elton John vibes. It's very catchy, even if the lyrics are a bit outrageous (depending on whether you interpret it as a song about a dog or a woman).

101. ‘Mississippi’ – Pussycat (4 weeks 1976) Check out the big chorus on this country song!  Cheesy, yes, but mild compared to some of the Stinking-Bishop-level hits featured earlier in this list. 

100. ‘I Don’t Want To Talk About It/The First Cut Is The Deepest’ – Rod Stewart (4 weeks 1977) We’re into the top 100. I’m enjoying this double A-side a lot more than the previously ranked Rod singles – both songs have a nice build-up and strong choruses.

99. ‘Mull of Kintyre/Girl’s School’ – Wings (9 weeks 1977) I’m surprised that this is Macca’s only 70s number one. I’d much prefer ‘Band On The Run’ to bagpipes and sleaze rock. But, eh, as bagpipes and sleaze rock songs go, this is pretty decent.     

98. ‘You Won’t Find Another Fool Like Me’ – The New Seekers (1 week 1974) This is another schlager-pop song from the The New Seekers, but it’s a lot more fun than ‘If I Could Teach The World To Sing In Perfect Harmony’ (#130). It even feels proto-ABBA in parts.

97. ‘She’ – Charles Aznavour (4 weeks 1974) ‘She’ is quite a vintage track for 1974, however the French-Armenian singer’s vibrato voice is very distinctive and powerful. I can imagine him passionately crying this from the rooftops.   

Temu ABBA…

Brotherhood of Man had three UK number ones during the 70s (why did they use this photo for the single artwork. It's so bad!)

96. ‘Figaro’ – Brotherhood of Man (1 week 1978) Brotherhood of Man blatantly tried to hi-jack ABBA’s sound in the late 70s. Personally, I don’t think they quite reach the same standard. That obnoxiously loud oom-pah bassline spoils it.    

95. ‘Angelo’ – Brotherhood of Man (1 week 1977) Okay, the belting chorus and piano flourishes here are pretty convincing. But I’m still not letting these imposters out-rank the real ABBA.  

Not all that glitters is gold…

Gary Glitter has three number ones in the 70s

94. ‘Always Yours’ – Gary Glitter (1 week 1973) I struggled as to where to rank these Gary Glitter chart-toppers, because they’re not entirely bad songs, but it’s also difficult to truly enjoy hits recorded by a child sex offender. Ultimately, I decided to try to focus on the music - ‘Always Yours’ is an enjoyably energetic rocker. A bit clunkier and campier than some of his other glam rock hits. But otherwise, a decent song if you’re able to forget that he’s a nonce.

93. ‘I Love You Love Me’ – Gary Glitter (4 weeks 1973) The mid-tempo stomping riffs and Gary’s Bowie-like cadence make this an even more fun glam rock single - again, provided you can separate the art from the artist.

92. ‘I Am The Leader of the Gang (I Am)’ – Gary Glitter (4 weeks 1973) No, I do not want to be in your gang, Gary. But I can’t deny that this is a very playful rock song with some cool parts – especially the motorbike sounds at the beginning and the slowly accelerating ‘come on! come on!’ chant.

Beyond my falsetto threshold…

The Bee Gees had two UK number ones during the 70s

91. ‘Sugar Baby Love’ – The Rubettes (4 weeks 1974) A cute little doo wop single. A shame about the dude belting out those screechy falsettos. I have a very low tolerance for screechy falsettos.

90. ‘Night Fever’ – Bee Gees (2 weeks 1978) The Bee Gees have the most renowned screechy falsettos in the history of screechy falsettos. I cannot stand them! So, I’m not able to rank ‘Night Fever’ any higher than this – even if it is one of the most iconic disco hits of all time.

89. ‘Tragedy’ – Bee Gees (2 weeks 1978) I love how dramatic this song is. The menacing instrumental intro. The slow rising build up to ‘holding you, holding yoooou’. But, alas, those falsettos are relentless.

88. ‘The Tracks Of My Tears’ – Smokey Robinson & The Miracles (1 week 1970) This emotive Motown song about bottling up heartbreak was released in 1965, but didn’t top the charts until 1970. Smokey Robinson’s vocals get dangerously high towards the end, but thankfully do fall short of Bee Gees levels of shrillness.

87. ‘Can’t Give You Anything (But My Love)’ – The Stylistics (3 weeks 1975) My mum loves The Stylistics. My stepdad loathes them! I personally have mixed feelings towards this song: it’s a very classy disco number with some beautiful strings, but those are some freakishly high register vocals for a guy.

A glut of glam rock…

T-Rex has four UK number ones during the 1970s

86. ‘Devil Gate Drive’ – Suzi Quatro (2 weeks 1974) I'm shocked by just how many glam rock singles reached number one in the 70s. Suzi Quatro was one of the few US glam rock acts (and the only glam rock frontwoman) to top the UK charts. This is not her best work, but the snarling vocals and boogie-woogie pianos are still devilishly fun.

85. ‘Metal Guru’ – T-Rex (4 weeks 1972) ‘Sitting there in your armour plated chair’ and ‘just like a silver studded sabre-toothed dream’ are some badass lyrics. I don’t know what they mean. But they’re badass nonetheless.

84. ‘Get it On’ – T-Rex (4 weeks 1971) ‘Get it On’ is my favourite T-Rex number one. I love the bustling blues-rock riff and the euphoric ‘get it ooonn’ chorus. It’s a shame ‘Children of the Revolution’ never topped the charts.

83. ‘Skweeze Me, Pleeze Me’ – Slade (3 weeks 1973) The first of many Slade songs in this list. The ‘whoah-oah’ vocals get a bit tiresome towards the end, but I like how they cheekily poke fun at themselves with lines like ‘can’t you learn to spell?’.

82. ‘See My Baby Jive’ – Wizzard (4 weeks 1973) Wizzard’s most well-known song, ‘I Wish It CouldBe Xmas Everyday’, never made it to number one.  This vibrant single sounds very alike though. No children’s choirs singing about the snowman bringing the snow, but it does contain the same wall of sound production and saxophone stabs.

81. ‘Angel Fingers’ – Wizzard (1 week 1973) Another explosive single from Wizzard. This one sounds a bit like a 50s pop ballad, but on cocaine. The ethereal choirs at the end are a cool touch.

80. ‘Tiger Feet’ – Mud (4 weeks 1974) Hairy clawed feet personally aren’t a trait I look for in a woman, but Mud seem to be into it. A foot-tapping glam rock song with some fun growling dual guitars at 1:08.

79. ‘Jealous Mind’ – Alvin Stardust (1 week 1974) I’m noticing a lot of 50s rock and roll influences in these 70s glam rock hits. Alvin Stardust’s flawless Elvis impersonation is possibly a tad too heavily influenced, although it does provide a fun taster of what Elvis might have sounded like if he’d gone in a glam rock direction.

78. ‘Son of my Father’ – Chicory Tip (3 weeks 1972) What is that sound? A synthesizer in 1972? Composed by Giorgio Moroder (the mastermind behind another hit much later in this list), ‘Son of my Father’ is an excitingly forward-thinking glam rock song, even if the opening fart-like synth is a bit rudimentary by today’s standards.    

77. ‘I’m Gonna Make You A Star’ – David Essex (3 weeks 1974) Another glam rock song with fart-like synths. It’s actually quite good. And David isn’t overdoing his Cockney accent this time.  

Merry Xmas…

Mud had three UK number ones in the 1970s

76. ‘When A Child Is Born’ – Johnny Mathis (3 weeks 1976) Ho ho ho! So, it looks like we had a few Xmas hits in the 70s. I honestly thought this song was 20 years older than it was. Still, there’s something warm and comforting about this track that I can’t deny. 

75. ‘Lonely This Christmas’ – Mud (4 weeks 1974) Mud’s Elvis impression is bit heavy-handed and the lyrics are quite depressing for a Xmas song, but again I don’t hate this. It helps that this isn’t one of the more overplayed festive tunes.

74. ‘Mary’s Boy Child/ Oh My Lord’ – Boney M (4 weeks 1978) Bony M swap out sleigh bells for steel drums. I wasn’t familiar with ‘Oh My Lord’ (I think the song is okay), but ‘Mary’s Boy Child’ is a banger.  

I don’t like reggae (I love it)…

Boney M had two UK number ones in the 1970s

73. ‘Tears On My Pillow (I Can’t Take It)’ – Johnny Nash (1 week 1975) Johnny Cash? No, Johnny Nash. My reggae knowledge is admittedly not great, so I was unfamiliar with this one before listening to it, but I like it - especially the way it tricks you into thinking it’s going to be a sad soul ballad, and then does a surprise reggae reveal.

72. ‘Rivers of Babylon/Brown Girl In The Ring’ – Boney M (5 weeks 1978) I’ve definitely heard this one! Lyrically, this one feels a bit like an old church hymn, but the vibrant reggae-disco production transforms it into something much more interesting. ‘Brown Girl In The Ring’ is a fun song too.  

71. ‘Double Barrell’ – Dave and Ansell Collins (2 weeks 1971) An old-skool reggae number with some memorable piano and a cool bassline. Extra points for the enthusiastic toasting over the top: ‘I am the magnificent!’

70. ‘Uptown Top Ranking’ – Althea & Donna (1 week 1978) Two Jamaican teenagers sing amateurishly over the instrumental from ‘Three Piece Suit’ by Trinity. Apparently, the ad-libbed vocals were recorded as a joke, and John Peel played the song on Radio 1 by accident, so it pretty much fluked its way to number one. I shouldn’t enjoy it, but I find it strangely charming, so I’m ranking ‘Uptown Top Ranking’ here.

I give these a 7/10…

ABBA had seven UK number ones in the 1970s

69. ‘Love Grows (Where My Rosemary Goes)’ – Edison Lighthouse (5 weeks 1970) We’ve still got quite a few singles to go, but they’re all getting pretty good now. This bouncy rock song is the work of one hit wonder Edison Lighthouse. What a cool opening riff and I'm loving those strings. 

68. ‘Sad Sweet Dreamer’ – Sweet Sensation (1 week 1974)  Who is this?? They sound like a British version of The Jacksons. The classy soul instrumentation and smooth ‘ooh-wa-wa-ooh-wa-wa-ooh’ vocals are sweet enough that I can overlook the falsettos.

67. ‘Ms Grace’ – The Tymes (1 week 1975) More swanky soul from a band I wasn’t familiar with. I like the doo-wop harmonies and the angelic wailing in the beginning.  

66. ‘Without You’ – Harry Nilsson (5 weeks 1972) ‘I can’t liiiiiiiiiiiiiiive if living is without you’. What an iconic chorus! There is so much drama in this song. Maybe a tad too dramatic for my taste, but I deeply respect it all the same. He's singing the hell out of it. 

65. ‘The Name of the Game’ – ABBA (4 weeks 1977) Wondering when an ABBA song would show up? ‘The Name of the Game’ is the first of many number ones on this list from Sweden’s most iconic band. It’s a song with so many different parts that some have criticised it as being ‘disjointed’, but I think it’s still a blast.

64. ‘In The Summertime’ – Mungo Jerry (7 weeks 1970) Mungo Jerry delivers this skiffle-flavoured summer anthem. It's technically the first number one to incorporate beatboxing.  

63. ‘Rubber Bullets’ – 10CC (1 week 1973) ‘Rubber Bullets’ sounds like if The Beach Boys tried to make a glam rock song. The narrative about the country jail party meanwhile has ‘Jailhouse Rock’ vibes. Extra points for the loopy guitar solo.

62. ‘January’ – Pilot (3 weeks 1975) I wasn’t familiar with this one. The ‘don’t go, don’t go!’ chorus is very catchy. I prefer their hit ‘Magic’ (which didn’t make it to number one), but this is still a fantastic pop rock song.

61. ‘Billy Don’t Be A Hero’ – Paper Lace (3 weeks 1973) This rock single by Opportunity Knocks talent show winners Paper Lace is surprisingly fun for an anti-war death disc.  Frontman Phil Wright delivers the tragic tale of Billy the civil war solider, while adding in some whistling over military drums and even treating us to a convincing impression of Billy’s fiancée.

60. ‘Knowing Me, Knowing You’ – ABBA (5 weeks 1977) Divorce must have been on the band members' minds when they wrote this forlorn breakup song. It may not feature their strongest chorus, but it makes up for it with that guitar riff that immediately follows at 1:15. 

59. ‘Vincent’ – Don McClean (2 weeks 1972) Don McClean presents this beautiful song dedicated to the tragic life of Van Gogh. It’s the second tribute to a painter that topped the charts in the 70s (see #125)

58. ‘Forever and Ever’ – Slik (1 week 1976) I’ve just learnt that Midge Ure was in a glam rock band called Slik before he formed Ultravox. The verse with its heartbeat kick drum does feel like a rough draft of ‘Vienna’, and it’s completely at odds with the glam rock chorus, but I’m digging it nonetheless.

Country music songs about the importance of commitment…

Tammy Wynette had one UK number one in the 1970s

57. ‘Stand By Your Man’ – Tammy Wynette (3 weeks 1975) Country music songs about commitment seem to have been a trend. Tammy’s message of unwavering wifely devotion feels slightly old-fashioned, but this is still a powerful track about loyalty, and an intriguing late climber (it was originally released in 1968)

56. ‘Lucille’ – Kenny Rogers (1 week 1977) Kenny Rogers resists sleeping with a married woman after her husband comes into the bar reminding her of their ‘four hungry children’. It's quite bleak and we don't get to hear Lucille's side of the story as to why she didn't stand by her man, but nonetheless it's compelling country song. 

Slade: The Greatest Hits …

Slade had six UK number ones during the 1970s

55. ‘Take Me Bak’ Ome’ – Slade (1 week 1972) Slade had lot more number ones in the 70s than I realised. And, as glam rock hits go, they were all pretty solid. A lot less campy than some of their contemporaries. This one gives me AC/DC vibes (apparently Noddy Holder was invited to become the singer of ACDC after Bon Scott’s death, but declined).

54. ‘Mama Weer All Crazee Now’ – Slade (3 weeks 1972) ‘Mama Weer All Crazee Now’ is very intense for a number one! Especially the bit at the end where Noddy starts screeching out ‘mamamamamama’ like he’s being electrocuted. Great stuff.

53. ‘Cum On Feel The Noize’ – Slade (4 weeks 1973) Slade most certainly bring the noize. The drumming here is crazy, and the retaliative scoffing lyrics are brilliant: ‘so you think my singing’s out of time, well, it makes me money!’.

52. ‘Cuz I Love You’ – Slade (4 weeks 1971) The tortured violin, suspenseful build-up and lyrics about unrequited love make this one of Slade’s more unique hits - so I’m ranking it just ahead of the others (although I know some people prefer their harder rock stuff). It’s not the last we’ll see of Slade on this list though…

Disco fever…

Carl Douglas’s ‘Kung Fu Fighting’ was one 20+ disco songs that topped the UK charts

51. ‘When You’re In Love With A Beautiful Woman’ – Dr Hook (3 weeks 1979) If you’ve noticed a lack of disco so far in this countdown, it’s because I’ve saved most of it until the end. A lot of awful disco was released in the 70s, but most the material that topped the UK charts was the good stuff. Check out his groovy number from Dr Hook. A bit of a sell-out move from a band that was previously making country rock, but still a decent disco hit.

50. ‘Rock Your Baby’- George McCrae (3 weeks 1974) 50 tracks to go! This was the first ever disco number one both in the UK and US. It’s also one of the first hits to use a drum machine. A landmark record, even if it’s not one of my favourite disco hits.

49. ‘So You Win Again’ – Hot Chocolate (3 weeks 1977) Not all disco was cheerful. In fact, this breakup song is quite bleak. Quite a tone change from ‘You Sexy Thing’ (which never made number one), but it shows Hot Chocolate were versatile.  

48. ‘I Love To Love (But My Baby Loves To Dance) – Tina Charles (3 weeks 1976) Tina Charles wants to go home and make love to her man, but he wants to stay and dance. A deeply silly concept, but a very infectious disco song.

47. ‘Kung Fu Fighting’ – Carl Douglas (3 weeks 1974) A tribute to Chinese kung fu movies by a Jamaican-British singer. It’s cornier than a cornfield, but so stupidly fun with its oriental flute and fighting grunts: ‘HUH!’.

46. ‘Yes Sir, I Can Boogie’ – Baccara (1 week 1977) Spanish duo Baccara sing breathily about wanting to ‘boogie’ all night long. It’s another lovably campy and catchy disco tune that for some reason has become the unofficial national football anthem of Scotland.  

45. ‘You’re The First, My Last, My Everything’ – Barry White (2 weeks 1974) ‘You’re The First, My Last, My Everything’ was originally written as a country song before Barry White adapted it into the famous disco version we know today. His deep baritone voice is a breath of fresh air among all the screechy falsettos of the 70s.

44. ‘Y.M.C.A’ – Village People (3 weeks 1978) It doesn’t get much cheesier than the Y.M.C.A., but who doesn’t love this song? It’s accompanied by one of the most iconic dances ever and was one of the first gay anthems to top the charts (although co-writer Victor Willis has insisted that it is not a ‘gay song’).

Now for some New Wave…

Blondie had two UK number ones in the 1970s

43. ‘Rat Trap’ – The Boomtown Rats (2 weeks 1978) The end of the 70s saw New Wave emerging – a genre that started as punk-influenced-pop but would lose almost all of its punk influence by the 80s. ‘Rat Trap’ was the first New Wave number one. It’s not particularly catchy, but refreshingly punky and has some swanky sax playing.  

42. ‘Sunday Girl’ – Blondie (3 weeks 1979) Our first hit from Blondie on this countdown. ‘Sunday Girl’ is an enjoyably breezy track that Wikipedia tells me was inspired by Debbie Harry’s runaway cat. That one verse sang in French is impressive even if there’s no rhyme or reason for it.

41. ‘Walking On The Moon’ – The Police (1 week 1979) The Police’s incorporation of reggae into New Wave was really unique. ‘Walking On The Moon’ has an oddly brooding energy and the drum work is surprisingly intricate for such a slow-tempo song.

We’re into the top 40! I give these an 8/10...

'Summer Night' was one of two singles from the Grease soundtrack to reach number one in the UK

40. ‘Merry Xmas Everybody’ – Slade (5 weeks 1973) I’m ranking this way ahead of all the other Christmas hits and all the other Slade singles, because - despite being played to death every December – I think this is a fantastic song! I’ve never noticed how cool the walking bassline is until now, and Noddy Holder’s lyrics are a lot more down-to-earth than traditional festive fodder (although I’m not sure what he means by the ‘fairies’ keeping Santa sober. Did he mean ‘elves’?)  

39. ‘The Combine Harvester (Brand New Key)’ – The Wurzels (2 weeks 1975) Finally, a comedy song that is actually funny!  It’s a parody of Melanie Safka’s ‘Brand New Key’ about a gold-digging farmer sang entirely in a thick West Country accent. A big ‘oo arr oo arr’ from me.

38. ‘Take A Chance On Me’ – ABBA (3 weeks 1978) ‘Take A Chance On Me’ grabs you straight away with its a cappella intro. Bjorn Ulvaeus was apparently inspired by his morning jogs in which he sang ‘tck-a-ch’ rhythmically to himself as he ran, spawning the catchy hook: ‘take-a-chance take-a-chance take-a-take-a-chance-chance’.

37. ‘Can the Can’ – Suzi Quatro (1 week 1973) This is a hugely underrated glam rock hit from Suzi Quatro. Those opening pounding drums and Suzi’s fierce voice sound so good, even if I haven’t the foggiest idea what ‘can the can’ means.

36. ‘Don’t Go Breaking My Heart’ – Elton John & Kiki Dee (6 weeks 1976) Somehow this is Elton’s only 70s chart-topper. It’s a duet between him and Kiki Dee and it’s one of best duets of the decade – their chemistry is amazing even if Kiki Dee does seem a bit awkward in the music video (loving the pink dungarees).

35. ‘You’re The One That I Want’ – John Travolta & Olivia Newton-John (9 weeks 1978) Another iconic duet - this time from the finale of Grease. From Travolta's 'it's electrifying' line to the 'ooh ooh ooh honey' chants in the chorus, this track is pure thrills. It topped the charts for 9 whole weeks! 

34. ‘We Don’t Talk Anymore’ – Cliff Richard (4 weeks 1979) I spent a lot of my 1950s and 60s rankings bashing Sir Cliff, but there’s no denying that this lone 70s chart-topper from the enduring British pop singer is a bop. I’m also impressed he was riding the synthpop wave as early as 1979. It turns out he also had a number one in the 80s and 90s too, so stay tuned for more Cliff in the future.

33. ‘Fernando’ – ABBA (4 weeks 1976) ‘Fernando’ was probably written as a genuine song about two Mexican amigos recounting a pivotal night during the revolution, but there's a common interpretation that it’s also a gay liberation anthem about two soldiers sharing a night of passion: ‘There was something in the air that night/ the stars were bright/ Fernando’. The guitar riff during the chorus even sounds raunchy. Personally, I'm ranking it here based on that latter interpretation, because it makes the song less corny and more daring. 

32. ‘Down Down’ – Status Quo (1 week 1975) Status Quo’s 'Down Down' is pure no frills hard rock. I love how relentless it is. The guitars stay intense all the way through. It even tricks you into thinking it's ended and then throws you back in. 

31. ‘Spirit In The Sky’ – Norman Greenbaum (2 weeks 1970) Norman Greenbaum was Jewish. And yet his most famous hit was a Christian rock song. A very cool Christian rock song too. Those fuzzy guitars are pretty much proto-glam, and he delivers some of the most jovial lyrics about dying I’ve ever heard.  

30. ‘Da Ya Think I’m Sexy’ – Rod Stewart (1 week 1978) Rod Stewart’s disco phase didn’t go down well with many of his fans, but it’s personally my favourite era of his. Rod’s gravelly voice was made for a saucy song like this and the bassline is outrageously funky.

29. ‘Show You The Way To Go’ – The Jacksons (1 week 1977) ‘Show You The Way To Go’ is one of the classier disco tracks of the 70s and features one of MJs most soulful performances. It's insulting that The Osmonds had so many more UK number ones than The Jacksons, but I'm glad at least one single was able to break through. 

28. ‘If You Leave Me Now’ – Chicago (3 weeks 1976) ‘Ooh-ooh-ooooh no, baby please don’t go’. Soft rock band Chicago’s ‘If You Leave Me Now’ is a simple and effective breakup ballad. It's been parodied so many times that you forget how genuinely beautiful it is. Those strings are gorgeous!

27. ‘Summer Nights’ – John Travolta & Olivia Newton-John (7 weeks 1978) This is my partner and I's karaoke song. Its such a cartoonishly playful song with a big fun bellowing climax. The 'well ah well ah well ah uh' bit is my favourite part. 

26. ‘You To Me Are Everything’ – The Real Thing (3 weeks 1976) The Real Thing were from Liverpool, but have the authentic smoothness of a US disco act. I'm genuinely impressed by how slick this instrumentation sounds and the lovestruck lyrics feel surprisingly earnest for a disco song.

25. ‘Voodoo Child (Slight Return)’ – The Jimi Hendrix Experience (1 week 1970) ‘Voodoo Child (Slight Return)’ was originally released in 1968, but soared to the top of the charts in 1970 followed Hendrix's tragic death. It's a miracle that this topped the charts given just how muddy and intense the guitar distortion is. Even in 2026, it's not an easy listen. The heaviest number one encountered thus far.

24. ‘Band of Gold’ – Freda Payne (6 weeks 1970) Despite being an upbeat Motown track on the surface, ‘Band of Gold’ is actually a pretty devastating breakup song. It's very powerfully sang and the sitar intro rocks. An underrated soul hit.

23. ‘Are Friends Electric?’ – Tubeway Army (4 weeks 1979) This song is WAY ahead of its time. It pretty much introduced synthpop to the masses and its cold electronic riffs still sound fresh today. Gary Numan has also claimed that the song is about a robot prostitute, which makes it even more bold (although I personally can’t make out half of the lyrics). 

22. ‘December 1963 (Oh, What A Night)’ – The Four Seasons (2 weeks 1976) Some of the best disco number ones of the 1970s were by artists that weren’t originally disco acts. I’m personally not a big fan of The Four Seasons’ early 60s stuff with its ear-piercing falsettos. But this comeback single about a historic one night stand is peak disco. It’s catchy, it’s groovy and it’s sang at an appropriate octave.  

21. ‘Heart of Glass’ – Blondie (4 weeks 1979) New Wave band Blondie’s first UK number one was a disco song. Fans accused the band of ‘selling out’. However, ‘Heart of Glass’ is not just a cheap cash-in. Despite its funky guitars and Donna-Summer-esque vocals, it still retains some of the band’s rock energy, which makes it quite a unique disco song. You can hear it in those aggressive snare rolls. The first disco-rock song?

 

The top 20…

20. ‘Ring My Bell’ – Anita Ward (2 weeks 1979)

‘Ring My Bell’ arrived around the time of the ‘disco sucks’ movement, when everyone had just about had enough of disco, and it regularly appears on 'worst songs of all time' lists. But I personally don't get the hate. This is disco at its most fun and cheeky. Originally written as an innocent teenybopper song for 11-year-old singer Stacy Lattislaw, it instead ended up being given to 21 year old Anita Ward, and was rewritten with more suggestive lyrics (Anita Ward insists that it's not a song about sex, but come on now). The instrumentation in this song is sooo good. Just listen to that funky bassline! And who could forget those electronic ‘powww’ tom-toms?

19. ‘I Don’t Like Mondays’ – The Boomtown Rats (1979)

‘I Don’t Like Mondays’ is a song about a real life school shooting - which is pretty dark subject matter for a chart-topper. Some of the lyrics verge on tasteless (‘and the lesson today is HOW TO DIE’) and the band have been accused of immortalising the killer, Brenda Spencer. However, I think it's otherwise a compelling attempt to understand the motives (or indeed lack of motives) of a psychopath, with some brilliantly dramatic piano instrumentation and a memorable ‘TELL ME WHY’ chanted chorus that I’ve just realised was inadvertently copied by The Backstreet Boys (imagine if they’d snuck a ‘I don’t like Mondays’ into ‘I Want It That Way’).

18. ‘My Sweet Lord’ – George Harrison (5 weeks 1971) 

As spiritual hit songs go, it doesn't get much better than 'My Sweet Lord'. It's a song about wanting to get closer to God that weaves in a mixture of Christian and Hindu terminology to effectively function as a multi-faith prayer. And it succeeds in sounding genuinely heavenly - especially when those drums come in and the key changes. It's also worth noting that this was the first solo number one hit by an ex-Beatle (he beat Paul by 6 years). 

 17. ‘Bridge Over Troubled Water’ – Simon & Garfunkel (3 weeks 1970)

‘Bridge Over Troubled Water’ is a gorgeous ballad sang almost entirely by Art Garfunkel (but written entirely by Paul Simon). Garfunkel originally didn’t want to sing it alone, but Simon convinced him that it ought to be sang ‘the white choirboy way’. It starts very soft, but builds up to a humungous climax with drums that sound like thunderclaps. It's goosebump-inducing stuff. 

16. ‘Waterloo’ – ABBA (2 weeks 1974)

Undoubtedly the most famous song to win Eurovision, 'Waterloo' was the track that turned ABBA into superstars. It’s a song about a French leader sang in English by a Swedish band. Some clever pan-European marketing going on there. However, I think the real reason this track won Eurovision is because it’s a bloody brilliant song. It’s as if they took the best elements of Wizzard and The New Seekers and then revved up the catchiness. 

15. ‘School’s Out’ – Alice Cooper (3 weeks 1972)

This is one of those songs I've never truly closely sat down and listened to, and wow - it's so good! It perfectly captures that last-day-of-school euphoria. The guitar riffs slap, and it also features some fantastically witty wordplay (‘we got no class, and we got no principles’). Alice Cooper also really embraces the school theme by incorporating a choir of singing schoolchildren and a classroom bell. The ‘schooool’s been blown to pieces!’ line is a bit violent, but I get the sentiment. 

14. ‘Hit Me With Your Rhythm Stick’ – Ian Dury & The Blockheads (1 week 1979) 

‘Hit Me With Your Rhythm Stick’ throws you straight into one of the funkiest musical passages you’ve ever heard without any attempt at an intro or build-up. Ian Dury’s bawdy cockney delivery seems to almost clash with the sophisticated instrumentation. But it's also the very thing that made Ian Dury & The Blockheads so unique: they combined the suave musicianship of a jazz ensemble with the down-to-earth spirit of a punk rock band. My favourite part is when Dury starts comically yelling ‘HIT ME!’ over and over again at the end.

13. ‘Another Brick In The Wall (Part ii)’ – Pink Floyd (5 weeks 1979)

‘Another Brick In The Wall (Part ii)’ is like a more serious ‘School’s Out’. It’s an anti-corporal-punishment anthem that is conceptually quite punky for a prog rock band. Instrumentally, it meanwhile sees Pink Floyd going in a disco direction. It's not really a typical Pink Floyd song at all, but it's still a incredible single with lots of brilliant parts: the ‘hey teacher!’ chorus is unforgettable, Gilmour's guitar solo is epic, and it leaves us with the thought-provoking question: ‘how can you have any pudding if you don’t eat yer meat??’   

12. ‘I Will Survive’ – Gloria Gaynor  (4 weeks 1979)

‘At first I was afraid/ I was petrified’. Gloria Gaynor's 'I Will Survive' has one of the most memorable opening lines of any pop song ever. The verses then tell the story of a woman finally finding the strength to move on from a breakup, only for her ex to then show up at her door: 'I should have changed that stupid lock/ I should have made you leave that key'. It's pure drama turned into a disco song. One of the best disco songs of all time. 

11. ‘Mamma Mia’ – ABBA (2 weeks 1976)

This is ABBA at their most playful. Like 'I Will Survive', it’s another emotionally tumultuous song - in this case about an off-and-on relationship rather than a breakup. The lyrics yo-yo between lovestruck (‘my, my, how can I resist you?’) and annoyed (‘I’ve been angry and sad about things that you do’). A racing tick-tocking piano meanwhile creates the feeling of running out of time as if the narrator has to choose now.

10. ‘Free’ – Deniece Williams (2 weeks 1977)

This was a song I wasn't very familiar with before making this list, but now I can't get enough of it. Of all the smooth soul songs that topped the UK charts, this is the most silky smooth of them all. It begins as floaty hypnotic jazz piece, and then the drums and bass kick in and it hits us with that fluttering ascending chorus: 'and i just got to be me-ee-ee, free-ee-ee, free-ee-ee'. It's very impressively sang with some notes at the end approaching frequencies only dogs can hear.

9. 'Message In A Bottle’ – The Police (3 weeks 1979)

What a riff! I’ve never really understood the term ‘angular guitars’, but I feel that this fits the description. It’s also deceivingly hard to play (you need fingers like Jack Skellington to hit the chord shapes). Both the guitar riff and Sting's delivery both sound very agitated, which makes sense given this is a song about someone crying out for help. In fact, the repeated cries of ‘sending out an SOS!’ at the end are quite haunting when you truly think about what is being sang. 

8. ‘Wuthering Heights’ – Kate Bush (4 weeks 1978)

Kate Bush was only 18 when she wrote this impressively manic song. It’s inspired by the Emily Bronte novel of the same name and is sang from the perspective of the dead character ‘Cathy’ (hence the ghostly wailing delivery). I’ve always loved how unashamedly weird it is and I can’t think of a song that sounds remotely like it. Extra points for the iconic video.

7. ‘Cars’ – Gary Numan (1 week 1979)

Like ‘Are Friends Electric?’ (#23), Gary Numan's 'Cars' is a synthpop song that is way ahead of its time. I prefer this one to 'Are Friends Electric?' however - that searing synth riff is so good and Gary's vocals are much clearer and catchier here. 'Are Friends Electric?' showed a glimpse of what could be, but I think 'Cars' truly paved the way for the 80s synthpop craze.

6. ‘I’m Not In Love’ – 10cc (2 weeks 1975)

The wall of heavenly ‘ahhhh’ vocals in this song was not created by recording a choir or using a synth pad, but by recording 256 individual vocal dubs. It's not just a beautifully trippy song about being reluctantly in love, but an incredible feat of sound engineering. I'm also awed by how different every single one of 10cc's numbers ones has sounded: a glam rock track, a reggae track and whatever this is. 

5. ‘Video Killed The Radio Star’ – The Buggles (1 week 1979)

Into the top 5! 'Video Killed The Radio Star' is another hugely influential song that feels like a preview of the 80s. It was a reaction to the rise of the music video as a result of shows like Top of The Pops and in 1981 it became the first song to be played on MTV. However, I'm not just ranking it this high for its prophetic lyrics - it's such a catchy song and the production is so immaculately clean for 1979. In fact, some critics at the time slated it for being 'too tidy'. Ultimately though, you can tell that it helped raise the bar for production quality. 

4. ‘Space Oddity’ – David Bowie (2 weeks 1975)

‘Space Oddity’ is somehow David Bowie’s only number one single of the 70s. And it took its time to get there. The single was originally released in 1969 around the time of the moon landing. It had several re-releases after this and slowly climbed to number one in 1975. It’s a masterpiece – one of my favourite Bowie tracks – and definitely not your average number one. The lyrics about being stuck alone in space ‘in a tin can, far above the world’ are terrifying. This is contrasted with a gorgeous instrumental made up of cosmic strings and celestial saxophone, which dissipates into chaotic psychedelia at the end.

3. ‘Dancing Queen’ – ABBA (6 weeks 1976)

These next three songs were incredibly hard to rank. ‘Dancing Queen’ could be considered the perfect pop song. It’s certainly hard to think of a song more feelgood than ‘Dancing Queen’. Every section of the song also feels flawlessly pieced together. As critic Cameron Cooke has stated, it’s a song ‘so confident in its structure that it starts from the middle of its chorus’. And yet, despite these praises, it’s not top of this list!

2. ‘I Feel Love’ – Donna Summer (4 weeks 1977)

I was very tempted to put this at the number one spot, simply because of how groundbreaking and influential it is. This is not just an iconic disco hit: the origins of EDM can be traced back to this song. Italian composer and producer, Giorgio Moroder, lay down the blueprint by creating an instrumental entirely out of electronic sounds that morph throughout the track. To this day, it sounds futuristic. Donna Summer’s hypnotic drawn out vocals meanwhile perfectly match the alien production. It’s as if she’s having an otherworldly orgasm that she can’t put into words.

1.                1. Bohemian Rhapsody’ – Queen (9 weeks 1975)

On several occasions, ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’ has been voted the best UK number one of all time. It’s a song that many of us know well – perhaps too well to the point that it’s become almost tedious to listen to. For this reason, I was hesitant to give this song the top spot. But how could I not place this song here? Imagine hearing this in 1975. Now consider the fact that this reached number one. With its suicidal murderer lyrics, prog opera interlude and headbanging metal section, it’s arguably one of the most unlikely number ones of all time. And yet it perfectly sums up the 70s UK charts – an era when anything could reach number one no matter how unhinged it was.