70s Pop Music: The Best of the Decade

Check out our list of the best 70s pop songs. You’ll find classics by David Bowie, The Eagles, Fleetwood Mac, and more.

Introduction

The 1970s was a decade of change and great music. Some of the biggest names in pop music emerged during this time, and the genre itself evolved considerably. This was also a decade when many different genres began to influence one another, resulting in some truly unique and innovative sounds.

If you’re looking for a taste of the best pop music from the 1970s, look no further than this list. Here you’ll find everything from classic hits to forgotten gems, all of which helped to shape the sound of pop music for years to come.

The Best of the Decade

The 1970s was a decade of change, and that was reflected in the pop music of the time. From the early days of disco to the rise of punk rock, there was something for everyone in the 1970s. In this article, we’ll take a look at some of the best pop music of the decade.

The Beatles

Formed in Liverpool, England, in 1960, the Beatles — John Lennon (guitar, vocals), Paul McCartney (guitar, vocals), George Harrison (guitar, vocals), and Ringo Starr (drums, vocals) — became the most popular band in history. Rooted in skiffle and 1950s rock and roll, the Beatles later experimented with several musical styles, ranging from pop ballads to Indian music topsychedelia. They also played an important role in the development of Western pop music.

The Beatles achieved worldwide fame with their stage show “Beatlemania,” becoming a symbol of the early 1960s’ counterculture. The band’s classic lineup featured two of rock music’s most influential guitarists in Lennon and Harrison; Starr was an accomplished composer and singer who later found success as a solo artist; and McCartney was widely regarded as one of the greatest bass guitarists of all time.

David Bowie

David Bowie is one of the most influential musicians of the past century. He was a pioneer in the glam rock movement of the early 1970s and his career spanned five decades. Bowie released 27 studio albums, nine live albums, and 72 singles. He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1996.

Bowie’s first hit single, “Space Oddity,” was released in 1969. It reached No. 5 on the UK Singles Chart and would later be included on his second studio album, The Man Who Sold the World (1970). His other notable hits from the 1970s include “Fame” (1975), “Heroes” (1977), and “Ashes to Ashes” (1980).

Bowie’s popularity continued into the 1980s and 1990s with such hits as “Let’s Dance” (1983), “China Girl” (1983), “Tonight” (1984), and ” labeI: Image needed ”Absolute Beginners” (1986). He also appeared in several films during this time, including The Hunger (1983),Labyrinth (1986), and The Prestige (2006).

Bowie died of liver cancer on January 10, 2016, two days after his 69th birthday and the release of his final album, Blackstar.

Pink Floyd

The English rock band Pink Floyd was one of the most successful and influential bands of the 1970s. The group was founded in 1965 by Syd Barrett, Roger Waters, Nick Mason, and Richard Wright. Barrett left the band in 1968 due to mental health problems, and Waters became the primary songwriter and vocalist. The band’s experimental and psychedelic music was marked by extended instrumental solos and complex sound effects.

Pink Floyd’s best-known album is 1973’s “The Dark Side of the Moon”, which spent 741 weeks on the Billboard 200 chart, making it one of the longest-charting albums in history. The album includes the tracks “Money”, “Us and Them”, and “Brain Damage/Eclipse”. The band’s 1975 album “Wish You Were Here” is also highly regarded, and includes the tracks “Shine On You Crazy Diamond” and “Wish You Were Here”.

Other notable Pink Floyd albums include 1971’s “Meddle”, 1977’s “Animals”, and 1979’s “The Wall”. The group disbanded in 1995 after the death of Wright.

Led Zeppelin

Led Zeppelin was one of the most successful rock bands of the 1970s. Formed in 1968, the band members were Jimmy Page (guitar), Robert Plant (vocals), John Paul Jones (bass), and John Bonham (drums). The group’s musical style blended elements of blues, rock, and folk music, and their songs often incorporated aspects of mythology and the occult. Led Zeppelin released eight studio albums during their career, including Led Zeppelin IV, which featured the song “Stairway to Heaven.” The band disbanded in 1980 following Bonham’s death.

The Rolling Stones

The Rolling Stones are an English rock band formed in London in 1962. The first stable line-up consisted of Brian Jones (guitar, harmonica), Ian Stewart (piano), Mick Jagger (lead vocals, harmonica), Keith Richards (guitar, vocals), Bill Wyman (bass) and Charlie Watts (drums). Stewart was removed from the official line-up in 1963 but continued as a touring member until his death in 1985. Jones died less than a month after recording started for their fifth album, Beggars Banquet (1968). Substitute players listed on subsequent albums included pianist Nicky Hopkins, guitarists Mick Taylor and Ronnie Wood and drummer Jimmy Page.

The Rolling Stones were at the forefront of the British R&B boom of the early 1960s, and developed into a leading band of the counterculture that emerged in the UK and US in the mid-1960s. Their sound encapsulated much of what was considered controversial at the time; their use of distorted electric guitars, amplifiers and blues influenced music distinguished them from more restrained pop groups. Rooted in blues and early rock and roll, they later adopted cues from psychedelic pop, garage rock and other genres. Overall though, they have always been considered a pure rock ‘n’ roll band. They are credited with helping to pioneer the new sound that came to dominate much of popular music in the 1970s: hard rock and heavy metal. In 2004 they were ranked number 4 on Rolling Stone’s 100 Greatest Artists of All Time list,[3] having been inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 1989.[4] In 2008 they surpassed The Beatles as Forbes magazine’s top-earning dead celebrities.[5][6]

During the band’s first decade Jagger, Richards and Watts mainly wrote songs together while Wyman and Jones shared composition duties; by 1969 Taylor had become their primary songwriter outside the partnership. Beginning with 1971’s Sticky Fingers album – Andrew Loog Oldham served as their manager from 1962 until he quit following Jagger’s drug bust at heirs Richard Halliwell/Redferns estate in 1967 – Betty Aeolian-Anderson oversaw their business affairs until her retirement ten years later.[7][8] Artist manager Marshall Chess became president of their newly formed promotional company, Marquee Moon Inc., after Oldham quit.[9] In 1975 then-members Mick Taylor and Bill Wyman quit; Taylor went on to have a successful solo career while Wyman founded his own group The Rhythm Kings.[10][11] New members Ronnie Wood – who simultaneously joined Faces[12] –and Charlie Watts completed what became known colloquially as “the Classic Line-up”.[13][14][15] Subsequent personnel changes included bassists Darryl Jones – hired to replace Wyman[16][17]-–and Bill perrys; saxophonists Bobby Keys[18] Bobby Murray,[19][20]- ChuckLeavell,[21][22]-– Blondie Chaplin; keyboardists Jack Nitzsche,[23]:30 Billy Preston,[2]:339 Chuck Leavell[24]:74–76 Matt Clifford ;[25]:311 Ian McLagan[26]:329–330 Mac Rebennack (“Dr. John”);[27]:331 Percussionist Ollie Erskine ;[28]:332 singers Lisa Fischer , [29]- Bernard Fowler , [30]- Blondie Chaplin , [3]- Bobby Keys ; trombonist Jim Price ; slide guitarist slide guitar Slyde Hyde ; conga player Pablo Calogero (“Conga Joe”); percussionist Lenny Castro .

Conclusion

The 1970s saw the birth of a new pop sound with different subgenres developing throughout the decade. While disco was the most popular at the time, other genres such as soft rock, punk, and new wave were also gaining in popularity. Ultimately, the 1970s was a decade of great change and evolution for pop music, with new sounds and styles emerging that would go on to shape the future of the genre.