4 of the First Electronic Songs to Hit the Pop Charts in the 1970s

The ’70s brought us lots of incredible music, as musicians experimented with new sounds and new genres emerged, including electronic music. As the genre became more popular, its biggest tracks crossed over into the mainstream, landing on the pop charts. Some of the earliest electronic songs to have widespread appeal also became among the most influential–they paved the way for ’80s new wave, as well as the electronic music of today.

Hot Butter, “Popcorn”

The first primarily electronic pop hit came in 1971 with “Popcorn” by Hot Butter, after it became a popular staple in a Paris disco. It was a huge hit in Europe especially, while in the US, it peaked at No. 9 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. “Popcorn” is also notable for being one of the first songs played entirely on synthesizer. The song was originally written and performed by Gershon Kingsley in 1969 using a Moog synthesizer.

“Joy” by Apollo 100

Released in December of 1971, “Joy” by Apollo 100 was an instrumental song based on the composition “Jesu, Joy of Man’s Desiring” by Johann Sebastian Bach, and it peaked on the US charts at No. 6. The song isn’t strictly electronic–it makes use of a number of instruments and sounds–but it’s still an early example of the genre’s growing popularity and influence, as well as one of just a few songs based on classical music. It was the band’s only hit, however, and they broke up in 1973.

Kraftwerk, “Autobahn”

Kraftwerk had their biggest hit in the US with “Autobahn,” released in 1975, from the album of the same name. The group designed the track to evoke the feeling of driving on an expressway, hence the name, taken from the German roadway of the same name. While the full song clocks in at a whopping 23 minutes, a significantly shortened three-minute version was released for radio, and it went on to have a huge influence on electronic music.

Donna Summer, “I Feel Love”

Donna Summer’s hit “I Feel Love,” from her album I Remember Yesterday, came later in the decade–1977–but is among the most influential electronic tracks in music, with its combination of electronic, disco, and funk influences. It was produced and co-written by Pete Bellotte and Giorgio Moroder, known as “the Father of Disco.” Although it peaked at No. 6 on the charts in the US, it topped the charts in the UK and stayed there for an entire month.

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