Which soul group performed the 1976 hit 'Car Wash'?

Which soul group performed the 1976 hit “Car Wash”? The answer is Rose Royce.

Rose Royce recorded “Car Wash” for the soundtrack to the 1976 comedy film Car Wash. The group was an American soul, funk, and R&B band from Los Angeles, and the song became its breakthrough hit and most recognizable recording.

Former Motown producer Norman Whitfield wrote, arranged, and produced the track. Although Whitfield initially had little interest in making the film soundtrack, he saw the project as a chance to introduce Rose Royce to a wider audience. He reportedly began developing the song while watching basketball and wrote an early draft on a paper bag.

The track captures the film’s upbeat workplace setting and combines funk, disco, and soul. It reached number one on both the Billboard Hot 100 and the U.S. soul chart. Listeners sometimes confuse the performers with the film’s cast or with other 1970s funk groups, but Rose Royce supplied the recording that made “Car Wash” a classic.