This article highlights three glam rock singles that became landmark first UK number ones for their artists during the 1970s. It presents the songs as examples of the genre’s major hold on British pop culture, linking chart success to artists’ public images, musical influences and rivalries.

– T. Rex’s “Hot Love” was the band’s first UK number one, aided by Mark Bolan’s high-profile, make-up-heavy appearances on Top of the Pops.
– David Bowie’s “Space Oddity”, originally released in 1969, became his first UK number one after a 1975 re-release; Bowie said it was inspired chiefly by the film 2001: A Space Odyssey.
– Sweet’s “Block Buster!” was their only UK number one, topping the chart for five weeks in 1973; its riff was notably similar to Bowie’s “The Jean Genie”, which reached number two while Sweet’s song was number one.