TeachRock

The Sweet (later just Sweet) were among the most popular (and Pop-oriented) purveyors of 1970s Glam Rock, racking up a string of hit singles in their native U.K. and beyond.

The origins of Sweet go back to 1967, when core members got together as the Sweetshop and began attracting fans on the London pub circuit. Their sound initially was in the Bubblegum Pop vein of acts like the Archies and the Monkees, but the band began to toughen it with a Hard Rock edge, inspired in part by the Who.

Their popularity grew steadily throughout Europe, especially in the U.K., where they had over a dozen Top 40 hits, including 1973’s “Ballroom Blitz” and 1974’s “Teenage Rampage.” Along with acts like T. Rex, David Bowie and Gary Glitter, the band had by now adopted a Glam look, favoring platform boots, shiny bodysuits, long hair and makeup. 

The band’s U.S. breakthrough came in 1973 with the No. 3 hit “Little Willie.” Their singles "Fox on the Run" (1975) and "Love Is Like Oxygen" (1978) were both worldwide hits, cracking the top 40 in multiple countries, but as the 1970s drew to a close the band struggled with substance abuse, personnel changes and changing musical tastes. Sweet disbanded in 1981, though several members would go on to tour under the name using various lineups.