In the case of "Love Hangover", ABC records was the challenger, but the group the Fifth Dimension ended up losing it all.

The Fifth Dimension's career was on the decline in the late seventies. After their huge debut success in the '60s on Johnny Rivers' Soul City label, they remained hot in the early '70s on Bell Records. But by mid-decade, the group desperately needed a hit. They hadn't seen the Top 10 since "If I Could Reach You" in 1972, and hadn't even cracked the Top 40 since 1973. Their last hope was ABC records, and the song chosen to bring them back to the top of the charts was "Love Hangover".

The Disco Era was in full swing, and the song might have upgraded the Fifth Dimension's career for the new club-oriented audience. But meanwhile, back at Motown, it had already been recorded disco-style by Diana Ross. Oddly, she was not fond of the record–—she didn't like disco music. So Miss Ross sang it under duress (and, according to producer Hal Davis, only after a few shots of vodka and a stimulating strobe light in the studio). After all that effort, and although Motown founder Berry Gordy loved the song initially and thought it was perfect for Diana, the company wasn't interested in releasing a disco single. Instead, Gordy released a different track from the Diana Ross album: "I Thought It Took a Little Time", to follow-up her Number One hit "Mahogany".

"Love Hangover" seemed destined to be the comeback vehicle for the Fifth Dimension–— until Berry Gordy got wind of it. Gordy was no stranger to cover records, but in the past they had mostly all been on his own labels. Motown would often record the same song by multiple artists, either using them as album tracks or releasing them as singles. Sometimes, more than one version eventually became a hit, such as "I Heard It Through the Grapevine" (by Gladys Knight & The Pips and by Marvin Gaye) and "Ain't No Mountain High Enough" (Marvin Gaye & Tammi Terrell and then by Diana Ross herself). But Gordy wasn't about to let another label and act steal his thunder. After learning of the imminent release by the Fifth Dimension, Diana Ross' "Love Hangover" was put out by Motown.

The two versions entered the charts on the same date in April of 1976.
Within weeks, Ross was racing to the top spot, while the Fifth Dimension stalled and peaked at number 80. The hangover from that failure: it was their first and only release on ABC, and the final charting record of their entire career.

Having caught Disco Fever, Motown went on to have another huge #1 radio and club smash the following year: "Don't Leave Me This Way" by Thelma Houston. It was another Hal Davis production, featuring most of the same musicians who played on "Love Hangover". And yes, it was a cover–—of Harold Melvin & The Blue Notes' original.