In 1973, 27 songs hit #1. Almost all of them were certified gold; Crocodile Rock was certified platinum.
Five of the exceptions were Motown songs, two by Stevie Wonder. From most reports, Motown didn’t allow the RIAA, the industry association, to look at the books to certify the recordings until the late 1970s.
The late Jim Croce is the other artist on the list with two #1 songs.
This #1s roster includes songs by all ex-Beatles except John Lennon, plus a Beatles colleague. The other non-gold record was by George Harrison.
I have links to all the songs and a dozen posts I wrote when the artist turned a number divisible by five or would have.
Killing Me Softly With His Song – Roberta Flack, #1 for five weeks. Before the Fugees.
Tie A Yellow Ribbon Round The Ole Oak Tree – Dawn Featuring Tony Orlando, #1 for four weeks
My Love – Paul McCartney & Wings, #1 for four weeks. Wings went to #2 with Live and Let Die.
You’re So Vain – Carly Simon, #1 for three weeks. The song was NOT about me.
Crocodile Rock– Elton John, #1 for three weeks. He also had two #2 songs, Goodbye Yellow Brick Road and Daniel.
#1 for TWO weeks
Let’s Get It On – Marvin Gaye. I wasn’t hearing the ripoff that Ed Sheeran allegedly committed.
Keep On Truckin’ -Eddie Kendricks
Bad, Bad Leroy Brown – Jim Croce
Top Of The World – Carpenters. Yesterday Once More Went To #2.
Midnight Train To Georgia – Gladys Knight and the Pips. By this time, they were at Buddah Records. Neither One Of Us went to #2.
Brother Louie – Stories
Will It Go Round In Circles – Billy Preston
The Night The Lights Went Out In Georgia – Vicki Lawrence. Carol Burnette surprised her with a gold record for the song on the last show of the sixth season of The Carol Burnette Show.
Time In A Bottle – Jim Croce
The Most Beautiful Girl – Charlie Rich
The Morning After – Maureen McGovern
A single week at #1
Touch Me In The Morning – Diana Ross
Delta Dawn – Helen Reddy. Two songs about morning, followed by a dawn song?
Frankenstein – The Edgar Winter Group, an instrumental. Two instrumentals reached #2: Dueling Banjos by Eric Weissberg and Steve Mandell; and Also Sprach Zarathustra (2001) by Deodato.
You Are The Sunshine Of My Life – Stevie Wonder
Angie – The Rolling Stones
Give Me Love (Give Me Peace On Earth) – George Harrison
We’re An American Band – Grand Funk
Superstition – Stevie Wonder
Love Train – O’Jays