The Best of Pop Music in the 1970s

If you’re a fan of pop music from the 1970s, this blog is for you! Here you’ll find all the best hits from that decade, as well as some interesting facts about the artists who created them.

Introduction

Though overshadowed today by the more artistically innovative music of the 1960s, the pop music of the 1970s was nevertheless hugely popular and enormously influential. This was the decade when disco became a global phenomenon, when singer-songwriters like Carole King and Paul Simon achieved massive commercial success, and when vocal groups like ABBA and the Bee Gees dominated the charts.

Many of the biggest hits of the 1970s were actually released in the latter half of the decade, as artists experimented with new sounds and styles. This list includes only songs that reached the top 10 of either the Billboard Hot 100 chart in the United States or the UK Singles Chart; more obscure hits are not included.

Here are some of the best pop songs of the 1970s:

“I Will Survive” by Gloria Gaynor
Released in 1978 as a single from her album Love Tracks, this song became an anthem for both gay rights and female empowerment. It became one of the most popular disco tunes of all time and won Gaynor a Grammy Award for Best Disco Recording.

“You’re So Vain” by Carly Simon
Released in 1972, this song is a classic example of a kiss-off anthem. The identity of its subject has never been confirmed, though there are many theories about who Simon might have had in mind. The song was a huge commercial success, reaching number one on both the Billboard Hot 100 chart and the UK Singles Chart.

“We Are Family” by Sister Sledge
Released in 1979, this song was written as an anthem for both sisterhood and unity afterthe devastating earthquakes that struck Nicaragua and Mexico that year. It quickly became a disco classic and remains one of Sister Sledge’s most well-known songs.

The Beatles

The Beatles were an English rock band formed in Liverpool in 1960. With members John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr, they became widely regarded as the foremost and most influential music band in history. Rooted in skiffle, beat and 1950s rock and roll, the Beatles later experimented extensively with several musical styles, ranging from pop ballads and Indian music to psychedelia and hard rock, often incorporating classical elements and unconventional recording techniques in innovative ways. In 1963, their enormous popularity first emerged as “Beatlemania”; as the group’s music grew in sophistication following their eponymous debut album (1963), led by primary songwriters Lennon and McCartney, they came to be perceived as representing the ethos of the era’s sociocultural revolution.

The Beatles built their reputation playing clubs in Liverpool and Hamburg over a three-year period from 1960, with Stuart Sutcliffe initially serving as bass player. The core trio of Lennon, McCartney and Harrison, together since 1958, went through a succession of drummers; Sutcliffe left the band in 1961; and Best was replaced by Starkey (Ringo Starr) in 1962. Manager Brian Epstein moulded them into a professional act, and producer George Martin enhanced their musical potential. They gained popularity in Britain after their first single, “Love Me Do”, became a top 20 hit in October 1962; American chart success followed with “Please Please Me” early the next year. From 1964 onwards Beatlemania became an international phenomenon; by early 1966 they were one of the most famous acts on Earth. From 1965 onwards the Beatles produced what many critics consider their finest material: Rubber Soul (1965), Revolver (1966), Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band (1967), Magical Mystery Tour (1967), The Beatles (1968) – also known as The White Album – Abbey Road (1969) and Let It Be(1970). In 1968 they founded Apple Corps Ltd., a multimedia corporation that continues to control their business interests including multimedia ventures beyond music; Ringo Starr is currently its only active member outside the estate of George Harrison.

Despite numerous breaks during their Togetherness Tour of Japan & Korea which lasted from February through June 1966–including an 11-day break caused by Japanese officials when John Lennon made his famous comment that The Beatles were “more popular than Jesus now,”–the tour was considered very successful not only due to ticket sales but also because it allowed them to practice & perfect what would become their trademark live show sound & style which would be used on all future tours up through their last tour in August 1966–September 1967: miking & amplifying all instruments & using a portable mixing board so that each musician could control his own monitor mix plus adding reverb & other effects to both John & Paul’s lead vocals & Ringo’s drums through Binson Echorec 2 delay units while also being able to better hear themselves sing & play over the screaming fans.(src:https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Beatles)

David Bowie

David Bowie (born David Robert Jones on 8 January 1947) is an English singer, songwriter and actor. He is a figure in popular music for over five decades, acclaimed by critics and other musicians for his innovative work. His career was marked by reinvention and visual presentation, with his music and stagecraft having a significant impact on popular music. During his lifetime, his record sales, estimated at 140 million worldwide, made him one of the world’s best-selling music artists. In the UK, he was awarded nine platinum album certifications, eleven gold and eight silver, released eleven number-one albums. In the US, he received five platinum and seven gold certifications. He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1996.

Bowie achieved his first major success in 1969 with “Space Oddity”, released amid the hype surrounding NASA’s Moon landing earlier that year; following a successful UK tour in early 1970s with The Hype (which included keyboardist Mike Garson), he steadily accumulated hit singles (“Changes”, “Ziggy Stardust”, “Suffragette City”) and critical acclaim throughout the decade.

Fleetwood Mac

Formed in 1967, Fleetwood Mac was originally a British blues band before evolving into one of the most successful pop groups of all time. The group’s classic lineup featured drummer Mick Fleetwood, keyboardist Christine McVie, guitarist Lindsey Buckingham, and Stevie Nicks on vocals.

The band’s fifth album, “Rumours,” released in 1977, was a massive success, spending 31 weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 chart and selling over 40 million copies worldwide. The album spawned four hit singles: “Go Your Own Way,” “Dreams,” “Don’t Stop,” and “The Chain.”

Other notable albums from Fleetwood Mac include “Tusk” (1979), “Mirage” (1982), and “Tango in the Night” (1987). The group was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1998.

Led Zeppelin

Led Zeppelin was one of the most successful and influential rock bands of the 1970s. Formed in 1968, the group featured guitarist Jimmy Page, singer Robert Plant, bassist/keyboardist John Paul Jones, and drummer John Bonham. Led Zeppelin merged the heavy, guitar-driven sound of blues-rock with a novel approach to songwriting that drew on a wide range of influences, including folk music. The band’s signature sound was powered by Page’s innovative guitar work, Plant’s powerful vocal performances, and Bonham’s thunderous drumming. Over the course of a decade, Led Zeppelin released nine studio albums that sold tens of millions of copies worldwide. The band also became renowned for their legendary live performances, many of which were captured on the bestselling concert albums Led Zeppelin (1969), Led Zeppelin II (1969), and Houses of the Holy (1973). Although Led Zeppelin disbanded following Bonham’s death in 1980, their musical legacy continues to loom large over popular music; they have been cited as an influence by everyone from hard rock and metal bands to hip-hop artists.

The Eagles

The Eagles were an American rock band formed in Los Angeles in 1971 by Glenn Frey, Don Henley, Bernie Leadon, and Randy Meisner. With five number-one singles, six Grammy Awards, five American Music Awards, and six number one albums, the Eagles were one of the most successful musical acts of the 1970s. At the end of the 20th century, two of their albums, Their Greatest Hits (1971–1975) and Hotel California, were ranked among the 20 best-selling albums in the United States according to the Recording Industry Association of America. By 2006, both albums were ranked in the top three on Billboard’s list of the 500 greatest albums of all time; Hotel California is number 37 and Their Greatest Hits (1971–1975) is number 42nd.

The Eagles are one of the world’s best-selling bands of all time, having sold more than 150 million records—100 million in the U.S. alone—including 42 million copies of Their Greatest Hits (1971–1975) and 32 million copies of Hotel California. They have received six Grammy Awards, five American Music Awards, and were inducted into both the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1998 and the Vocal Group Hall of Fame in 2001. In 2013 they were ranked number 75 on Rolling Stone’s list of 100 Greatest Artists of All Time.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the 1970s was a great decade for pop music. There were many different styles of music that became popular during this time, and there were also many talented artists who released some of the best songs of all time. There are still many people who enjoy listening to 1970s pop music today, and it is clear that this decade had a profound impact on the music industry.