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70s Music

Some of the most notable genres and sub-genres of music from the 1970s include:

  1. Rock: Harder rock music became popular in the 1970s, with several sub-genres emerging and gaining traction. Some of the most notable sub-genres of rock music from the 1970s include heavy metal, progressive rock, and punk.

  2. Pop: Pop music also remained popular in the 1970s, with artists like ABBA, Elton John, and Fleetwood Mac achieving widespread success.

  3. Soul: Soul music, which originated in the African-American community in the 1950s and 1960s, gained even greater popularity in the 1970s. Artists like Marvin Gaye, James Brown, and Aretha Franklin were among the most notable soul artists of the decade.

  4. Disco: Disco, a dance music genre that originated in the 1970s, gained widespread popularity in the latter half of the decade. Disco was characterized by its heavy use of electronic instruments and upbeat, danceable rhythms.

  5. Funk: Funk, a genre of music that originated in the 1960s, gained widespread popularity in the 1970s. It was characterized by its use of heavy bass and percussion and was often influenced by elements of soul, jazz, and R&B.

 Things You Need To Know About 70s Music:
In 1976, The Beatles reached # 7 on the charts with Got To Get You Into My Life. It was a pretty cool achievement for a band that had broken up six years earlier. It was a single from the Rock and Roll Music compilation album.

1978 # 1 hit, You Don’t Bring Me Flowers, was a remix of two song versions by Neil Diamond and Barbra Streisand. WAKY-AM/Louisville KY program director Gary Guthrie spliced the two versions together as a gift for his wife, who was a fan of both artists.

1973’s Dark Side of the Moon by Pink Floyd began its 741 weeks in the top album charts. Money was the biggest single off the album, reaching #111 on the pop charts. (not a typo)

In 1978, Soundtracks rocked the carts – Night Fever, If I Can’t Have You and Stayin Alive from Saturday Night Fever hit number on the Billboard Charts, as did Grease and You’re The One That I Want from Grease.

1972 marked the deaths of Jimi Hendrix, Jim Morrison and Janis Joplin. Don McLean’s American Pie referenced three other rock deaths from the Day The Music Died (February 3, 1959) – Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens, and The Big Bopper

Take our 1970 Quiz!

Selected Seventies’ Bubblegum Pop Hits

1. ABC – Jackson Five
2. Saturday Night – Bay City Rollers
3. I Think I Love You – Partridge Family
4. You’re The One That I Want – Olivia Newton-John and John Travolta
5. Da Doo Ron Ron – Sean Cassidy
6. I Was Made For Dancin – Leif Garrett
7. Rubber Duckie – Ernie
8. Love Grows Where My Rosemary Goes – Edison Lighthouse
9. The Candy Man – Sammy Davis Junior
10. One Bad Apple – The Osmonds

The 70s Songs That Mom And Dad Hated

1. Tonight’s The Night – Rod Stewart
2. Cocaine – Eric Clapton
3. My Ding-A-Ling – Chuck Berry
4. Good Girls Don’t – The Knack
5. No No Song – Ringo Starr
6. Wildwood Weed – Jim Stafford
7. I Shot The Sheriff – Eric Clapton
8. One Toke Over The Line – Brewer & Shipley
9. Theme From Shaft – Isaac Hayes
10. Lola – Kinks

The Seventies’ Songs That Everybody Hated

1. Don’t Give Up On Us – David Soul
2. Run Joey Run – David Geddes
3. Tusk – Fleetwood Mac
4. Clap For The Wolfman – Guess Who
5. Tubular Bells – Mike Oldfield
6. Let Her In – John Travolta
7. O-o-h Child – The 5 Stairsteps
8. Escape (The Pina Colada Song) – Rupert Holmes
9. Silly Love Songs – Wings
10. Muskrat Love – Captain and Tenille

Selected Summer Songs 1970-1979

1. Summer Nights – John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John, 1978
2. Summer – War, 1976
3. You’re The One That I Want – Olivia Newton-John and John Travolta, 1978
4. School’s Out – Alice Cooper, 1972
5. Last Dance – Donna Summer, 1978
6. Bad Girls/Hot Stuff – Donna Summer, 1979
7. Afternoon Delight – Starland Vocal Band, 1976
8. In The Summertime – Mungo Jerry, 1970
9. Summer Breeze – Seals and Crofts, 1972
10. Brandy (You’re A Fine Girl) – Looking Glass, 1972
11. You’ve Got a Friend – James Taylor, 1971
12. Live and Let Die – Wings, 1973
13. Got To Give It Up – Marvin Gaye, 1977
14. Saturday In The Park – Chicago, 1972
15. The Morning After – Maureen McGovern, 1973
16. Lean On Me – Bill Withers, 1972
17. Beach Baby – First Class, 1974
18. Band of Gold – Freda Payne, 1970
19. I Can See Clearly Now – Johnny Nash, 1972
20. Get Down Tonight – KC and the Sunshine Band, 1975

Suggested 70s Pre-Disco Dance Music Hits

1. Lady Marmalade – LaBelle
2. Dance To The Music – Sly and the Family Stone (1968)
3. The Hustle – Van McCoy
4. Rock The Boat – Hues Corporation
5. Treat Her Like a Lady – Cornelius Brothers & Sister Rose
6. Mr. Big Stuff – Jean Knight
7. Fly Robin Fly – Silver Convention
8. Spanish Hustle – Fatback Band
9. Jingo (Jin-go-lo-ba) – Olatunji
10. Soul Makossa – Manu Dibango

Big 70s Disco Music Hits

1. Disco Inferno – Trammps
2. I Will Survive – Gloria Gaynor
3. Funky Town – Lipps Inc
4. Hot Stuff/Bad Girls – Donna Summer
5. Stayin’ Alive – Bee Gees
6. That’s The Way I Like It – K.C. & the Sunshine Band
7. Car Wash – Rose Royce
8. Shame – Evelyn “Champagne” King
9. In The Navy – Village People
10. Night Fever – Bee Gees

Big 70s Funky Dance Music Hits

1. Brick House – Commodores
2. September – Earth, Wind and Fire
3. You’re My First, My Last, My Everything – Barry White
4. Got To Give It Up – Marvin Gaye
5. Get Down Tonight – K.C. & the Sunshine Band
6. Good Times – Chic
7. (Every Time I Turn Around) – Back In Love – L.T.D.
8. Flash Light – Parliament
9. Get On The Good Foot – James Brown
10. Theme From Shaft – Isaac Hayes

Big 70s Pop Dance Party Hits

1. Y.M.C.A – Village People
2. Don’t Stop Til You Get Enough – Michael Jackson
3. Last Dance – Donna Summer
4. Rapper’s Delight – Sugarhill Gang
5. Brown Eyed Girl – Van Morrison
6. Play that Funky Music – Wild Cherry
7. Ladies Night – Kool & the Gang
8. You Sexy Thing – Hot Chocolate
9. Heart of Glass – Blondie
10. Macho Man – Village People

Big 70s Rock Dance Party Hits

1. Old Time Rock and Roll – Bob Seger
2. Sweet Home Alabama – Lynyrd Skynyrd
3. Joy To The World – Three Dog Night
4. Takin Care of Business – BTO (Bachman Turner Overdrive)
5. Some Kind of Wonderful – Grand Funk Railroad
6. Brown Sugar – Rolling Stones
7. Rock and Roll All Night – Kiss
8. Rock and Roll – Led Zeppelin
9. My Sharona – The Knack
10. Only The Good Die Young – Billy Joel

The 70s ‘Real’ Rock Hits
(What The Cool Kids Were Listening To)

1. Us and Them – Pink Floyd
2. Stairway To Heaven – Led Zeppelin
3. Black Dog – Led Zeppelin
4. Highway To Hell – AC/DC
5. School’s Out – Alice Cooper
6. (Don’t Fear) The Reaper – Blue Oyster Cult
7. Piano Man – Billy Joel
8. Bohemian Rhapsody – Queen
9. All Right Now – Free
10. Margaritaville – Jimmy Buffett

The 20 Seventies’ Songs That You Need
To Make Your Collection Complete

1. Born To Run – Bruce Springsteen
2. Dancing In The Moonlight – King Harvest
3. Rock On – David Essex
4. You’re So Vain – Carly Simon
5. Low Rider – War
6. Signs – Five Man Electrical Band
7. Watching The Detectives – Elvis Costello
8. We Got To Get You A Woman – Todd Rundgren
9. Life Is A Rock (But The Radio Rolled Me) – Reunion
10. Sub Rosa Subway – Klaatu
11. Jazzman – Carole King
12. Afternoon Delight – Starland Vocal Band
13. Your Mama Don’t Dance – Loggins and Messina
14. Sky High – Jigsaw
15. Painted Ladies – Ian Thomas
16. Magic – Pilot
17. Little Willie – the Sweet
18. Uneasy Rider – Charlie Daniels
19. Don’t Fear The Reaper – Blue Oyster Cult
20. Kid Charlemagne – Steely Dan

The 70s Introspective Songs
From ‘Older’ Pop Stars And Rockers

1. Imagine – John Lennon
2. Knockin On Heaven’s Door – Bob Dylan
3. Garden Party – Ricky Nelson
4. My Way – Elvis Presley
5. Times of Your Life – Paul Anka
6. Don’t Stop Me Now – Queen
7. Rust Never Sleeps (Into The Black) – Neil Young
8. December 1963 (Oh What A Night) – Four Seasons
9. The Payback – James Brown
10. Ready For The 80s – Village People

The 70s Big Money Songs And/Or One Hit Wonders

1. Kung Fu Fighting – Carl Douglas
2. Jamming – Bob Marley
3. All Right Now – Free
4. Hot Child In The City – Nick Gilder
5. Knock On Wood – Amii Stewart
6. Pop Muzik – M
7. Ring My Bell – Anita Ward
8. Hot Rod Lincoln – Commander Cody
9. Mississippi Queen – Mountain
10. Popcorn – Hot Butter

The Seventies’ Fad Songs And Short-Lived Hits

1. The Streak – Ray Stevens
2. The Time Warp – Rocky Horror Picture Show Soundtrack
3. Convoy – C.W. McCall
4. Soul Man – Blues Brothers
5. Kung Fu Fighting – Carl Douglas
6. Disco Duck – Rick Dees and his Cast of Idiots
7. King Tut – Steve Martin
8. Short People – Randy Newman
9. I Do The Rock – Tim Curry
10. Dancin’ Fool – Frank Zappa

The 70s – Weirdest Songs

1. Angie Baby – Helen Reddy
2. Ma Belle Amie – The Tee Set
3. Ben – Michael Jackson
4. Muskrat Love – Captain and Tennille
5. Hocus Pocus – Focus
6. I Am … I Said – Neil Diamond
7. Space Oddity – David Bowie
8. Brand New Key – Melanie
9. Rocket Man – Elton John
10. Chick-A-Boom – Daddy Dewdrop

Seventies’ Songs That We Secretly Liked

(But Don’t Tell Our Friends!)
1. Rainbow Connection – Kermit
2. Billy Don’t Be a Hero – Bo Donaldson and the Heywoods
3. Somewhere In The Night – Barry Manilow
4. Escape (The Pina Colada Song) – Rupert Holmes
5. Spiders and Snakes – Jim Stafford
6. The Night Chicago Died – Paper Lace
7. Hooked On A Feeling – Blue Suede
8. Julie Do Ya Love Me – Bobby Sherman
9. Chick-A-Boom (Dontcha Just Love It) – Daddy Dewdrop
10. Girl – Davy Jones

Most “Preachy” Songs From The 70s

1. Woman is the N***** of the World – John Lennon
2. Indian Reservation – The Raiders
3. At Seventeen – Janice Ian
4. Imagine – John Lennon and The Plastic Ono Band
5. He Ain’t Heavy, He’s My Brother – The Hollies
6. War – Edwin Starr
7. Don’t Expect Me To Be Your Friend – Lobo
8. Hurricane – Bob Dylan
9. Half-Breed – Cher
10. Lucky Man – Emerson, Lake and Palmer

Seventies’ – “Influenced” Songs

1. Casey Jones – Grateful Dead
2. Also Sprach Zarathustra – Deodato
3. Shine On You Crazy Diamond – Pink Floyd
4. Baba O’Riley – The Who
5. Spill The Wine – Eric Burdon and War
6. Hole In My Shoe – Neil (From The Young Ones)
7. Bang a Gong (Get It On) – T. Rex
8. Reefer Madness – Hawkwind
9. One Toke Over The Line – Brewer and Shipley
10. Rocky Mountain High – John Denver

70s Album Rock (AOR Radio) Top Classic Rock Hits

1. Stairway To Heaven – Led Zeppelin
2. Time – Pink Floyd
3. Devil Went Down To Georgia – Charlie Daniels Band
4. D’yer Maker – Led Zeppelin
5. Cocaine – Eric Clapton
6. Wish You Were Here – Pink Floyd
7. Free Bird – Lynyrd Skynyrd
8. Layla – Derek and the Dominos
9. 5:15 – The Who
10. Smoke on the Water – Deep Purple
11. Kashmir – Led Zeppelin
12. More Than a Feeling – Boston

Seventies’ Biggest Pop Rock Hits

1. Bohemian Rhapsody – Queen
2. American Pie – Don McLean
3. Sweet Home Alabama – Lynyrd Skynyrd
4. We Will Rock You/ We Are The Champions – Queen
5. Maggie May – Rod Stewart
6. Brown Sugar – The Rolling Stones
7. Dream On – Aerosmith
8. Hotel California – The Eagles
9. The Logical Song – Supertramp
10. Beautiful Girls – Van Halen
11. Good Times Roll – The Cars
12. Draggin The Line – Tommy James

A Few 70s New Wave Hits

1. Pop Muzik – M
2. One Way Or Another – Blondie
3. Heart of Glass – Blondie
4. Life During Wartime – The Talking Heads
5. Roxanne – Police
6. Blitzkrieg Bop – Ramones
7. Pump It Up – Elvis Costello
8. I Fought The Law – The Clash
9. Video Killed The Radio Star – The Buggles
10. (I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction – Devo

Some Of The 70s Biggest Pop-Punk Rock Hits

1. I Wanna Be Sedated – The Ramones
2. God Save The Queen – Sex Pistols
3. Blitzkrieg Bop – The Ramones
4. Psycho Killer – Talking Heads
5. Holiday in Cambodia – Dead Kennedys
6. Ever Fallen in Love (With Someone You Shouldn’t’ve) – Buzzcocks
7. California Uber Alles – Dead Kennedys
8. Anarchy in the U.K. – Sex Pistols
9. Ca Plane Pour Moi – Plastic Bertrand
10. Complete Control – The Clash

Pre Punk Rock Hits

1. Rock and Roll/Sweet Jane – Lou Reed
2. Personality Crisis – New York Dolls
3. Kick Out the Jams – MC5 (1969)
4. I Wanna Be Your Dog – The Stooges (1969)
5. Blank Generation – Richard Hell & The Voidoids
6. I’m Waiting For The Man – Velvet Underground (1967)
7. Hit Me With Your Rhythm Stick – Ian Dury
8. Lust For Life – Iggy Pop
9. New Rose – The Damned
10. White Punks On Dope – The Tubes

70s Novelty Records & Comedy Songs

1. Disco Duck – Rick Dees
2. King Tut – Steve Martin
3. My Balogna – Weird Al Yankovic
4. Mr. Jaws – Dickie Goodman
5. Earache My Eye – Cheech and Chong
6. Shaving Cream – Benny Bell
7. The Topical Song – The Barron Knights
8. Junk Food Junkie – Larry Groce
9. Do You Think I’m Disco – Steve Dahl
10. Dead Skunk – Loudon Wainwright III