Hot 100 number-one hits of 1974 (USA)

These are the Billboard magazine Hot 100 number one hits of 1974.

Issue Date	Song	Artist(s)
January 5	"Time in a Bottle Time in a Bottle "Time in a Bottle" is a posthumous Billboard Hot 100 and Cash Box Top 100 Singles chart number-one hit for singer-songwriter Jim Croce. The song reached the top spot on the Billboard chart at the end of December 1973, three months after his death in a plane crash. It was the third posthumous number... "	Jim Croce Jim Croce James Joseph "Jim" Croce January 10, 1943 – September 20, 1973 was an American singer-songwriter. Between 1966 and 1973, Croce released five studio albums and 11 singles...
January 12	"The Joker The Joker (song) "The Joker" is a song by the Steve Miller Band from their 1973 album The Joker. The song is one of two Steve Miller Band songs that feature the neologism "pompatus". The song topped the US Billboard Hot 100 in early 1974. It draws heavy influence from the Allen Toussaint's song Soul Sister featured... "	Steve Miller Band Steve Miller (musician) Steven H. "Steve" Miller is an American guitarist and singer-songwriter who began his career in blues and blues rock and evolved to a more popular-oriented sound which, from the mid 1970s through the early 1980s, resulted in a series of successful singles and albums.-Early years:Born in Milwaukee,...
January 19	"Show and Tell Show and Tell (song) "Show and Tell" is a popular song written by Jerry Fuller and first recorded by Johnny Mathis in 1972. A 1973 recording of the song by Al Wilson reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100 for one week on January 19, 1974, which sold over two million copies and was named a Cashbox Magazine Number... "	Al Wilson Al Wilson (singer) Al Wilson was an American soul singer best known for the million-selling #1 hit, "Show and Tell". He is also remembered for his Northern soul anthem, "The Snake".-Career:...
January 26	"You're Sixteen You're Sixteen "You're Sixteen" is a song written by the Sherman Brothers . It was first performed by American rockabilly singer Johnny Burnette, whose version peaked at number eight on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 in December 1960.... "	Ringo Starr Ringo Starr Richard Starkey, MBE better known by his stage name Ringo Starr, is an English musician and actor who gained worldwide fame as the drummer for The Beatles. When the band formed in 1960, Starr was a member of another Liverpool band, Rory Storm and the Hurricanes. He became The Beatles' drummer in...
February 2	"The Way We Were The Way We Were (song) "The Way We Were" is the title song to the 1973 movie The Way We Were, starring Barbra Streisand and Robert Redford. The song was written by Alan Bergman and Marilyn Bergman, scored by Marvin Hamlisch and performed by Streisand... "	Barbra Streisand Barbra Streisand Barbra Joan Streisand is an American singer, actress, film producer and director. She has won two Academy Awards, eight Grammy Awards, four Emmy Awards, a Special Tony Award, an American Film Institute award, a Peabody Award, and is one of the few entertainers who have won an Oscar, Emmy, Grammy,...
February 9	"Love's Theme Love's Theme "Love's Theme" is an instrumental piece recorded by Barry White's Love Unlimited Orchestra and released in 1973. It is one of the few instrumental and purely orchestral singles to reach number one on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in the United States, in early 1974... "	Love Unlimited Orchestra Barry White Barry White, born Barry Eugene Carter , was an American composer and singer-songwriter.A five-time Grammy Award-winner known for his distinctive bass voice and romantic image, White's greatest success came in the 1970s as a solo singer and with the Love Unlimited Orchestra, crafting many enduring...
February 16	"The Way We Were"	Barbra Streisand
February 23	"The Way We Were"	Barbra Streisand
March 2	"Seasons in the Sun Seasons in the Sun Apart from the versions noted above, there have been numerous cover versions of the song. Generally, these use the same translation as the Terry Jacks version, and thus inherit that version's less harsh interpretation of the song's storyline.... "	Terry Jacks Terry Jacks Terrence Ross "Terry" Jacks is a Canadian singer, songwriter, record producer and environmentalist.-Early life:...
March 9
March 16
March 23	"Dark Lady Dark Lady (song) "Dark Lady" is an pop rock song recorded by American singer actress Cher from eleventh studio album, Dark Lady. Produced by Snuff Garrett, it was released as the album's first single in early 1974. The song became Cher's third solo U.S... "	Cher Cher Cher is an American recording artist, television personality, actress, director, record producer and philanthropist. Referred to as the Goddess of Pop, she has won an Academy Award, a Grammy Award, an Emmy Award, three Golden Globes and a Cannes Film Festival Award among others for her work in...
March 30	"Sunshine on My Shoulders Sunshine on My Shoulders "Sunshine on My Shoulders" is the title of a song recorded and co-written by American singer/songwriter John Denver. It was released as a single in 1973 and went to number one on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in the U.S. in early 1974.- Song history :... "	John Denver John Denver Henry John Deutschendorf, Jr. , known professionally as John Denver, was an American singer/songwriter, activist, and humanitarian. After growing up in numerous locations with his military family, Denver began his music career in folk music groups in the late 1960s. His greatest commercial success...
April 6	"Hooked on a Feeling Hooked on a Feeling "Hooked on a Feeling" is a 1968 pop song written by Mark James and originally performed by B. J. Thomas. Featuring the sound of the electric sitar, the song reached number five in 1969 on the Billboard Hot 100.-History:... "	Blue Swede Blue Swede Blue Swede was a Swedish rock band from the early to mid 1970s, that succeeded with a few singles which were covers of other artists' material.-Career:...
April 13	"Bennie and the Jets Bennie and the Jets "Bennie and the Jets" is a song composed by Elton John and Bernie Taupin. The song is written in the key of G major and first appeared on the Goodbye Yellow Brick Road album in 1973. "Bennie and the Jets" has been one of John's most popular songs.... "	Elton John Elton John Sir Elton Hercules John, CBE, Hon DMus is an English rock singer-songwriter, composer, pianist and occasional actor...
April 20	"TSOP (The Sound of Philadelphia) TSOP (The Sound of Philadelphia) "TSOP " is a 1974 hit recording by MFSB featuring vocals by The Three Degrees. A classic example of the Philadelphia soul genre, it was written by Kenneth Gamble and Leon Huff as the theme for the American musical television program Soul Train, which specialized in African American musical... "	MFSB MFSB MFSB was a pool of more than thirty studio musicians based at Philadelphia’s famed Sigma Sound Studios. They worked closely with the production team of Gamble and Huff and producer/arranger Thom Bell, and backed up such groups as Harold Melvin & the Blue Notes, the O’Jays, the Stylistics, the... and The Three Degrees The Three Degrees The Three Degrees are an American female vocal group. Formed in 1963 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania,, the group has always been a trio though there have been a number of personnel changes and a total of fourteen women have represented the group so far. The original members were Fayette Pinkney,...
April 27
May 4	"The Loco-Motion The Loco-Motion "The Loco-Motion" is a 1962 pop song written by American songwriters Gerry Goffin and Carole King. The song is notable for appearing in the American Top 5 three times – each time in a different decade: for Little Eva in 1962 ; for Grand Funk Railroad in 1974 ; and for Kylie Minogue in 1988 "The... "	Grand Funk Grand Funk Railroad Grand Funk Railroad is an American rock band that was highly popular during the 1970s. Grand Funk Railroad toured constantly to packed arenas worldwide. A popular take on the band during its heyday was that, although the critics hated them, audiences loved them...
May 11
May 18	"The Streak The Streak "The Streak" is a popular country/novelty song written, produced, and sung by Ray Stevens. It was released in March 1974 as the lead single to his album Boogity Boogity... "	Ray Stevens Ray Stevens Ray Stevens is an American country music, pop singer-songwriter who has become known for his novelty songs.-Early career:...
May 25
June 1
June 8	"Band on the Run Band on the Run (song) "Band on the Run" is the title song from Paul McCartney & Wings' acclaimed Band on the Run album. The single sold one million copies in 1974 in the United States, where it reached number 1, and it went to number 3 in the United Kingdom... "	Paul McCartney and Wings Wings (band) Wings were a British-American rock group formed in 1971 by Paul McCartney, Denny Laine and Linda McCartney that remained active until 1981....
June 15	"Billy Don't Be a Hero Billy Don't Be a Hero "Billy Don't Be A Hero" is a 1974 anti-war pop song by Paper Lace and was also recorded by Bo Donaldson and the Heywoods. It was written by Mitch Murray and Peter Callander.... "	Bo Donaldson and The Heywoods Bo Donaldson and The Heywoods Bo Donaldson and The Heywoods are an American pop music group, known mainly for their 1970s hit singles, "Billy Don't Be A Hero" and "Who Do You Think You Are".-History:The band was formed in Cincinnati, Ohio in 1965 by their leader Bo Donaldson...
June 22
June 29	"Sundown"	Gordon Lightfoot Gordon Lightfoot Gordon Meredith Lightfoot, Jr. is a Canadian singer-songwriter who achieved international success in folk, folk-rock, and country music, and has been credited for helping define the folk-pop sound of the 1960s and 1970s...
July 6	"Rock the Boat Rock the Boat (Hues Corporation song) "Rock the Boat" is a disco song by the group Hues Corporation in 1974. "Rock the Boat" was written by Waldo Holmes, who also wrote the Blacula songs.... "	Hues Corporation Hues Corporation The Hues Corporation was a pop and soul trio formed in Santa Monica, California in 1969. They are best known for their 1974 hit, "Rock the Boat" which sold over two million copies.-Career:...
July 13	"Rock Your Baby Rock Your Baby "Rock Your Baby" is a popular song by George McCrae. Written and produced by Harry Wayne Casey and Richard Finch of KC and the Sunshine Band, "Rock Your Baby" was one of the landmark recordings of early disco music... "	George McCrae George McCrae George McCrae is an American soul and disco singer, most famous for his 1974 hit "Rock Your Baby".-Early life and career:...
July 20
July 27	"Annie's Song Annie's Song "Annie's Song" is a rock/country song recorded and written by singer-songwriter John Denver. It was his second number-one song in the United States, occupying that spot for two weeks in July 1974. "Annie's Song" also went to number one on the Easy Listening chart... "	John Denver
August 3		John Denver
August 10	"Feel Like Makin' Love Feel Like Makin' Love (Roberta Flack song) "Feel Like Makin' Love" was covered by American R&B and neo soul musician D'Angelo for his second studio album Voodoo . It was released April 8, 2000, on Virgin Records as the album's fifth and last single. His cover version features a quiet storm sound and heavy use of multi-tracking for vocals.... "	Roberta Flack Roberta Flack Roberta Flack is an American singer, songwriter, and musician who is notable for jazz, soul, R&B, and folk music...
August 17	"The Night Chicago Died The Night Chicago Died "The Night Chicago Died" is a song by the British group Paper Lace, written by Peter Callander and Mitch Murray. The song reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100 chart for one week in 1974, reached number 3 in the UK charts, and number 2 in Canada. It is about a fictional shoot-out in Chicago... "	Paper Lace Paper Lace Paper Lace are a Nottingham based pop group, formed in 1969. They are known to Americans as a one-hit wonder; however, in the UK they were a "classic two and a half hit wonder".-History:...
August 24	"(You're) Having My Baby (You're) Having My Baby " Having My Baby" is a song written and recorded by Canadian popular music singer Paul Anka. Recorded as a duet with female vocalist Odia Coates, the song became Anka's first No... "	Paul Anka Paul Anka Paul Albert Anka, is a Canadian singer, songwriter, and actor.Anka first became famous as a teen idol in the late 1950s and 1960s with hit songs like "Diana'", "Lonely Boy", and "Put Your Head on My Shoulder"... and Odia Coates Odia Coates Odia Coates was an American singer, best known for her work with Canadian singer-songwriter Paul Anka.-Early life:...
August 31
September 7
September 14	"I Shot the Sheriff I Shot the Sheriff "I Shot the Sheriff" is a song written by Bob Marley, told from the point of view of a man who admits to having killed the local sheriff, but claims to be falsely accused of having killed the deputy sheriff. He also claims to have acted in self defense when the sheriff tried to shoot him. The... "	Eric Clapton Eric Clapton Eric Patrick Clapton, CBE, is an English guitarist and singer-songwriter. Clapton is the only three-time inductee to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame: once as a solo artist, and separately as a member of The Yardbirds and Cream. Clapton has been referred to as one of the most important and...
September 21	"Can't Get Enough of Your Love, Babe Can't Get Enough of Your Love, Babe "Can't Get Enough of Your Love, Babe" is a song written, recorded and produced by Barry White. Released as the first single from White's album Can't Get Enough in 1974, the song topped the Billboard Hot 100 and U.S. R&B chart and has since become one of White's signature tunes. It was his second... "	Barry White Barry White Barry White, born Barry Eugene Carter , was an American composer and singer-songwriter.A five-time Grammy Award-winner known for his distinctive bass voice and romantic image, White's greatest success came in the 1970s as a solo singer and with the Love Unlimited Orchestra, crafting many enduring...
September 28	"Rock Me Gently"	Andy Kim Andy Kim Andrew Youakim, performing as Andy Kim, is a Lebanese Canadian pop rock singer and songwriter. He grew up in Montreal, Quebec in Canada. Kim is known for a number of hit singles that he released in the late 1960s and early 1970s such as "Rock Me Gently", which topped the US singles charts. In 1968,...
October 5	"I Honestly Love You I Honestly Love You "I Honestly Love You" was a worldwide pop hit single for Olivia Newton-John in 1974. The song was Newton-John's first number-one single in the United States and Canada, thus cementing her as a household name in North America.... "	Olivia Newton-John Olivia Newton-John Olivia Newton-John AO, OBE is a singer and actress. She is a four-time Grammy award winner who has amassed five No. 1 and ten other Top Ten Billboard Hot 100 singles and two No. 1 Billboard 200 solo albums. Eleven of her singles and 14 of her albums have been certified gold by the RIAA...
October 12
October 19	"Nothing From Nothing Nothing from Nothing (Billy Preston song) "Nothing From Nothing" was a song written by Billy Preston and Bruce Fisher. It was performed by keyboardist/vocalist Billy Preston for his 1974 album The Kids and Me... "	Billy Preston Billy Preston William Everett "Billy" Preston was a musician who gained notoriety and fame, first as a session musician for the likes of Sam Cooke, Ray Charles and The Beatles, and later finding fame as a solo artist with hits such as "Space Race", "Will It Go Round in Circles" and "Nothing from...
October 26	"Then Came You Then Came You (song) "Then Came You" is a 1974 Grammy-nominated hit for American soul singer Dionne Warwick and American R&B group The Spinners, and credited to Dionne Warwicke and Spinners . The track was written by Sherman Marshall and Phillip T... "	Dionne Warwick Dionne Warwick Dionne Warwick is an American singer, actress and TV show host, who became a United Nations Global Ambassador for the Food and Agriculture Organization, and a United States Ambassador of Health.... and Spinners The Spinners (U.S. band) The Spinners is a soul music vocal group, active for over 50 years, and with a long run of pop and R&B hits especially during the 1970s. The group, originating from Detroit, still tours regularly ....
November 2	"You Haven't Done Nothin' You Haven't Done Nothin' "You Haven't Done Nothin" is a 1974 funk single by Stevie Wonder featuring background vocals from The Jackson 5, taken from the album Fulfillingness' First Finale. The politically aware song became Wonder's fourth number-one pop hit, his tenth number one soul hit, and was one of his angriest... "	Stevie Wonder Stevie Wonder Stevland Hardaway Morris , better known by his stage name Stevie Wonder, is an American singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, record producer and activist...
November 9	"You Ain't Seen Nothing Yet You Ain't Seen Nothing Yet "You Ain't Seen Nothin' Yet" is a rock song written by Randy Bachman and performed by Bachman–Turner Overdrive on the album Not Fragile. It was released as a single in 1974 with an instrumental track "Free Wheelin'" as the B-side... "	Bachman-Turner Overdrive Bachman-Turner Overdrive Bachman–Turner Overdrive is a Canadian rock group from Winnipeg, Manitoba, that had a series of hit albums and singles in the 1970s, selling over 7 million albums in that decade alone. Their 1970s catalog included five Top 40 albums and six Top 40 singles...
November 16	"Whatever Gets You thru the Night Whatever Gets You thru the Night "Whatever Gets You Thru the Night" is a song written by John Lennon, released as a single in 1974 on Apple Records, catalogue Apple 1874 in the United States and Apple R5998 in the United Kingdom. It peaked at #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 and #36 on the British singles chart... "	John Lennon John Lennon John Winston Lennon, MBE was an English musician and singer-songwriter who rose to worldwide fame as one of the founding members of The Beatles, one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed acts in the history of popular music...
November 23	"I Can Help I Can Help "I Can Help" is a song written and performed by Billy Swan. Released in September 1974, the song was a big crossover smash, reaching #1 on both the Billboard Hot 100 and Hot Country Singles charts late that fall.... "	Billy Swan Billy Swan Billy Lance Swan is an American songwriter and singer, best known for his 1974 single, "I Can Help".-Life:Swan was born in Cape Girardeau, Missouri. As a child, he learned drums, piano and guitar, and began writing songs...
November 30
December 7	"Kung Fu Fighting Kung Fu Fighting "Kung Fu Fighting" is a disco song written by Jim Brusatto and Vivian Hawke performed by Carl Douglas, and composed and produced by Biddu. It was released as a single in 1974, at the cusp of a chopsocky film craze, and eventually rose to the top of the British and American charts, in addition to... "	Carl Douglas Carl Douglas Carl Douglas is a former Jamaican-born, UK-based, singer, best known for his song "Kung Fu Fighting", which hit number one in both the UK Singles Chart and the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 in 1974. The R.I.A.A. awarded gold disc status on 27 November, and it won a Grammy Award for Best Selling Single...
December 14
December 21	"Cat's in the Cradle Cat's in the Cradle "Cat's in the Cradle" is a 1974 folk rock song by Harry Chapin from the album Verities & Balderdash. The single topped the Billboard Hot 100 in December 1974... "	Harry Chapin Harry Chapin Harry Forster Chapin was an American singer-songwriter best known in particular for his folk rock songs including "Taxi", "WOL*D", and the number-one hit "Cat's in the Cradle". Chapin was also a dedicated humanitarian who fought to end world hunger; he was a key player in the creation of the...
December 28	"Angie Baby Angie Baby "Angie Baby" is a popular song that was written by American Alan O'Day, and became a hit for Australian singer Helen Reddy. The song reached #1 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 chart at the end of December of 1974 and became one of Reddy's biggest-selling singles. The song also topped the U.S... "	Helen Reddy Helen Reddy Helen Reddy , often referred to as "The Queen of 70s Pop", is an Australian-American singer and actress. In the 1970s, she enjoyed international success, especially in the United States, where she placed fifteen singles in the Top 40 of the Billboard Hot 100. Six of those 15 songs made the Top 10...

See also