Rolling Stone Readers Vote 'Disco Duck' as the Worst Song of the 1970s
- - Rolling Stone Readers Vote 'Disco Duck' as the Worst Song of the 1970s
Jacqueline Burt CoteFebruary 16, 2026 at 11:20 PM
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Photo by Michael Ochs Archives on Getty Images
There's no question that the 1970s gave us some of the most amazing music of all time...but not every chart-topper from the decade went on to become a classic for generations to come. In fact, some of the era's #1 hits have aged like milk, as the saying goes.
That's why when Rolling Stone asked readers to vote on the "Top 10 Worst Songs of the 1970s," people had plenty to say on the subject. While rankings like this tend to divide music lovers, it's pretty hard to argue with most of the tunes that made the list; then again, there's no accounting for taste.
For example, at the very bottom of the list was "Loving You" (1974) by Minnie Riperton (Maya Rudolph's mom), a song that's long been the target of disdain...even though credit must be given to the late Riperton for her impressive vocals. Next up was the "incredibly, stunningly crappy" 1975 hit "Feelings" by Morris Albert which has been mocked relentlessly for decades (and not without reason).
At #8 was Bo Donaldson and the Heywoods' 1974 #1 hit "Billy Don't Be a Hero," actually a cover of a song by the British group Paper Lace — and while many people assumed the tune was inspired by the Vietnam War, it was about the Civil War. (Either way, apparently nobody wants to hear it now.)
Another sappy soft rock hit (and another cover) was voted #7: "Seasons in the Sun" (1974) by Terry Jacks, originally written by poet Rod McKuen and turned into a hit by Belgian singer Jacques Brel in 1961. 1979's "Escape (The Pina Colada Song)" by Rupert Holmes took the #6 spot, a tune that will no doubt live on forever as a drunken singalong.
The Captain and Tenille's unfortunately named "Muskrat Love" (1976) kicked off the top 5, followed by Debby Boone's "You Light Up My Life" (1977), which spent a whopping 10 weeks at the top of the charts. Paul Anka's "uber-saccharine" 1974 hit "(You're) Having My Baby" was ranked at #3, while the cringe-worthy "Afternoon Delight" (1976) by Starlight Vocal Band took the #2 position.
So which long-reviled track was voted the absolute worst song of the '70s? Coming in at #1 was the 1976 parody "Disco Duck" by Memphis DJ Rick Dees. Though Dees' later novelty songs wouldn't find much popularity with listeners, "Disco Duck" was somehow a massive hit when it came out, which is probably why so many Gen X-ers have fuzzy memories of that cartoon duck on the record cover (the voice on the song sounded like Donald Duck but was, in fact, Yakky Doodle).
Related: This 'Absolutely Terrible' Chart-Topper Was Voted 'Worst Song of the '60s'
This story was originally published by Parade on Feb 17, 2026, where it first appeared in the News section. Add Parade as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
Source: “AOL Entertainment”
