Double Down: Artists That Released 2 Big Hits In A Year

Looking back through the history of music, it’s amazing to see the times when musicians have succeeded in surpassing expectations and released not one, but two big singles in a single year. These musicians didn’t just happen to be successful; they achieved several works that have endured over time by riding the waves of their inventiveness and unwavering hard ethic. We present ten of those productive musicians together with the standout tracks that characterized these crammed moments in their careers in this music trip.

10. Creedence Clearwater Revival: Green River & Bayou Country

Creedence Clearwater Revival, led by the extraordinary John Fogerty, served as America’s answer to The Beatles, with a succession of top-tier hits that unfolded within a remarkably brief span. Green River and Bayou Country marked two such hits, each showcasing Fogerty’s profound songwriting skills. Bayou Country established their presence, but it was with Green River that the depth of Fogerty’s artistry became evident. This album featured tunes that resonated with many and echoed the band’s dynamic range from heartfelt songs like ‘Lodi’ to spirited ones such as ‘Bad Moon Rising’.

The appeal of CCR didn’t reside in any complex exoticism; it rooted itself in the down-to-earth, approachable quality of their music. Their sound, though hard to pigeonhole, bore the undeniable marks of American roots music, which made listeners feel a kinship with the band as if their music grew from their own backyard.

9. Queen: Queen II & Sheer Heart Attack

Queen—an ensemble that burst onto the scene with a desire to break the mold—crafted Queen II and Sheer Heart Attack, two albums that, while experimental, displayed the makings of a band destined for greatness. Queen II is renowned for its cover, but more importantly for introducing a sound that was on the cusp of heavy metal with tracks like ‘The Fairy Feller’s Master Stroke’. Sheer Heart Attack then took various elements of rock and blended them into a cocktail of brazen, thriving music, giving rise to hits like the audacious ‘Stone Cold Crazy’ and the masterful ‘Killer Queen’.

Though their beginnings were humble, these albums were anything but simple. They represented a band that was unafraid to blend genres, straddle the line between rock and roll and the more intricate layers of progressive rock, and pave the way for their bigger hits that were soon to follow.

8. The Doors: The Doors & Strange Days

Initially, The Doors mirrored the heady and euphoric atmosphere of California’s Summer of Love. However, unlike their peers who sang of peace and togetherness, Jim Morrison and his bandmates chose to explore and reflect the darker shades of the human psyche. Their eponymous debut presented the band in its rawest form: mostly live recording sessions with minimal overdubs, featuring Morrison’s mesmerizing performance art from ‘The Crystal Ship’ to the haunting ‘The End’.

Strange Days continued this journey into the deeper, more shadowy corridors of their minds with tracks like ‘People Are Strange’ and ‘Love Me Two Times’. It was a deeper plunge into the band’s psyche, encapsulating a more nuanced and introspective musical expression that distinguished it from their vibrant debut.

7. Stevie Wonder: Music of My Mind & Talking Book

In the ’70s, Stevie Wonder broke free from the constraints of his Motown contracts and entered a period of unparalleled artistic freedom. Music of My Mind was a tour de force, showcasing Wonder’s uncanny ability to blend heartfelt lyricism with sophisticated production techniques that were groundbreaking at the time. This album revealed a density and richness in production, all the while maintaining the accessibility and charm that Wonder was known and loved for.

Following this, Talking Book took the listener through a sonic journey that could spin any of its tracks into individual gems. With the warmth of ‘You Are the Sunshine of My Life’ and the edgy funk of ‘Superstition’, Wonder didn’t just release albums back-to-back; he challenged and redefined what it meant to be a musician and a songwriter during a time when the norms of the music industry were rapidly changing.

6. Kate Bush: The Kick Inside & Lionheart

Kate Bush, with her debut The Kick Inside, accomplished something extraordinary. Crafting the album at a young age, she displayed a level of songwriting maturity that rivaled her seasoned peers. Songs like ‘Wuthering Heights’ served as a testament to her raw talent and creative potential. Her follow-up, Lionheart, though seen as less polished, offered a fascinating dimension to her repertoire with its experimental undertones and innovative soundscapes.

Lionheart may not have been as tightly woven as her debut, but Bush’s willingness to experiment laid the groundwork for her future endeavors, opening the door to bold artistic choices that would lead to masterpieces like Hounds of Love.

5. Bob Dylan: Bringing It All Back Home & Highway 61 Revisited

Bob Dylan’s mid-60s phase saw him grappling with his identity as the voice of his generation. Bringing It All Back Home shook the very foundations of folk music with its electrified sounds. This album was a dichotomy, half reflecting his acoustic roots and half delving into the then-unfamiliar territory of rock. But Dylan was only getting warmed up; with Highway 61 Revisited, he further pushed the boundaries, creating the anthem of an era with ‘Like A Rolling Stone’ and effectively giving birth to folk-rock.

Dylan’s music during this period signified a rebellion not just against societal norms, but against his own image as a folk troubadour. This roar against expectations not only altered his trajectory but changed the face of music altogether.

4. Black Sabbath: Black Sabbath & Paranoid

Black Sabbath’s self-titled debut splashed onto the scene at the dawn of the seventies, a stark contrast to the fading psychedelic era. It was a revelation—dark, foreboding, and laden with Tony Iommi’s heavy riffs. They mirrored the disillusionment of the age, addressing themes that starkly contrasted the peace-and-love ideals of the sixties.

Following this, Paranoid was unleashed, a record further cementing their status as pioneers of heavy metal. It featured iconic tracks like ‘War Pigs’ and ‘Iron Man’, offering a pummeling critique of the era’s sociopolitical turmoil. Sabbath didn’t just catalogue the times; they shaped a sonic landscape that would influence generations to come.

3. Are You Experienced and Axis: Bold as Love – Jimi Hendrix

Jimi Hendrix, more than most artists, epitomized the swirling, vibrant ethos of the psychedelic era. Unlike his contemporaries who merely flirted with the genre, Hendrix seemed to wholly embody its spirit, twisting the soundscapes of rock with his innovative guitar techniques and visionary approach. Are You Experienced set the stage with standout tracks like ‘Purple Haze’ and ‘The Wind Cries Mary’, declaring Hendrix’s arrival not merely as a talented musician but as a groundbreaking artist reshaping the musical landscape.

Following up with Axis: Bold as Love, Hendrix continued to expand his palette. Though wedged between his groundbreaking debut and the monumental Electric Ladyland, this album holds its own with gems like ‘Spanish Castle Magic’ and ‘Little Wing’. It might be his most cohesive effort, marked by a concise and focused production that captures the electric frenzy of Hendrix’s guitar mastery. Both albums not only propelled Hendrix into the limelight but also left an indelible mark on the psychedelic movement and music history.

2. Led Zeppelin and Led Zeppelin II – Led Zeppelin

Led Zeppelin stormed into the rock scene with an unprecedented blend of blues and hard rock. Right from the onset, Jimmy Page and John Paul Jones, both seasoned musicians, knew exactly what they were aiming for—a robust sound steeped in rock tradition yet bristling with new energy. Their debut album Led Zeppelin delivered on these promises, featuring seminal tracks like ‘Dazed and Confused’ and ‘Good Times Bad Times’.

Not settling for a brilliant debut, they turned around the same year with Led Zeppelin II, refining and defining the hard rock genre. Tracks like ‘Whole Lotta Love’ and ‘Ramble On’ demonstrated the band’s ability to merge blistering guitar work with Plant’s powerful vocals, creating what many consider the quintessential hard rock sound. Together, these albums not only solidified Led Zeppelin’s place in rock history but also signaled the evolution of rock music into something heavier and more visceral.

1. Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band and Magical Mystery Tour – The Beatles

1967 was a pivotal year for The Beatles, a band already at the summit of musical achievement. With Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band, they not only captured the zeitgeist of the emerging Summer of Love but also pushed the boundaries of what pop music could be. From the orchestral swell of ‘A Day in the Life’ to the cheerful jaunt of ‘With a Little Help From My Friends’, the album was a cornucopia of new sounds, innovative recording techniques, and rich lyrical storytelling, positioning the band as leaders of a cultural revolution.

Later the same year, Magical Mystery Tour continued this exploratory trajectory, weaving in elements of psychedelia with tracks like ‘Strawberry Fields Forever’ and ‘I Am the Walrus’. This project, part soundtrack to their television film and part psychedelic odyssey, showed The Beatles weren’t just following music trends—they were creating them. Both albums together not only underscore The Beatles’ continued relevance but also their unparalleled ability to innovate and inspire across generations and genres.