Best Pop Music of 1970

This article is a collaborative effort, crafted and edited by a team of dedicated professionals.

Contributors: Andranick Tanguiane, Fred Lerdahl,

A look at the best pop music of 1970. This was a great year for pop music with many different artists releasing great hits.

Introduction

The 1970s was a decade of transition for popular music. The Beatles had disbanded and popular music was no longer dominated by British Invasion bands. Glamrock, Progressive rock, and Hard rock were popular at the beginning of the decade, while disco, punk rock, and new wave became dominant by the end of the 1970s.

Popular music in 1970 was still dominated by the legacy of the Beatles. McCartney’s first solo album, McCartney, was released in April and became the year’s best-selling LP in both the US and UK. Lennon released his second album, John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band, in December. The album would go on to be hailed as one of the greatest albums ever made, and is ranked #8 on Rolling Stone’s 500 Greatest Albums of All Time list. George Harrison’s debut solo album, All Things Must Pass, was also released in December and was a critical and commercial success.

The year 1971 saw the release of two of the most influential rock albums of all time: Led Zeppelin IV and Pink Floyd’s Meddle. These two albums helped define hard rock and cemented Led Zeppelin and Pink Floyd as two of the most important bands of the decade. Other significant hard rock releases from 1971 include The Who’s Who’s Next, Black Sabbath’s Master of Reality, Deep Purple’s Fireball, and Cream’s Goodbye.

The early 1970s also saw the rise of glam rock, a subgenre of rock that emphasised fashion over substance. David Bowie was one of the most important glam rock artists; his records Ziggy Stardust and Aladdin Sane are considered glam rock classics. Other significant glam rock releases include Roxy Music’s self-titled debut album, Marc Bolan & T. Rex’s Electric Warrior, Slade’s Slayed?, Sweet’s Blockbuster!, Ian Dury & The Blockheads’ New Boots And Panties!!,, Alice Cooper’s Billion Dollar Babies,, Mott The Hoople’s All The Young Dudes,, David Cassidy’s self-titled debut album,, 10cc ‘s self-titled debut album,, Elton John ‘s Goodbye Yellow Brick Road,, Queen ‘s Queen II , Rufus ‘ self-titled debut album , George Clinton ‘ s One Nation Under A Groove , Bob Marley & The Wailers ‘ Catch A Fire , Kraftwerk ‘ s Autobahn , Sparks’ Kimono My House , Steely Dan ‘ s Pretzel Logic Red Bone ‘ s Pot Luck , Parliament ‘ s Mothership Connection , Aerosmith ‘ s Toys In The Attic .

In 1972, three albums were released that would come to be seen as classics: Led Zeppelin’s Houses Of The Holy , Pink Floyd’s Dark Side Of The Moon , and Joni Mitchell ‘ s For The Roses . Also released in 1972 were Deep Purple ‘ s Machine Head Black Sabbath’ s Volume 4 slade ” Now ” Boston debuts hypothetical lympathics indescribable machine Funkadelic . In 1974 lp “ live lp disco queen “ carole king goodnight vienna ringo starr “ self titled becks otis redding mau Mau “ krush grooves box set two compilations double live garlic bread Memorex eddie kendricks people pleaser highway robbery charlie robinson nightlife shoulda been you freddie jackson been nice to you baby barry white can’t get enough your love babe tyrone davis turn back hands time johnnie taylor Disco Lady “sam cooke“ change gonna come otis redding best otis redding hits otis redding tell it like it is various artists northern soul top 20 volume 2 various artists motown chartbusters volume 6 Various Artists Studstill Lp Best Of James Brown Volume 2 sam cooke ain’t that good news OtisReddingSittinOnTheDockOfTheBay them promises various artists stax volt chartbusters volume 3 carla thomas love means carla thomas comfort me otis redding love man tel shakers heartache baby OtisRedding LiveInEuropeVariousArtists fillmore east live VariousArtists AtlanticSoul19671970 WilsonPickettTheExcitingWilsonPickettArethaFranklinINeverLovedAManTheWayILoveYou Booker T&theMG SingMyHeartOutVariousArtists HitsOfThe70SVol4 MarvinGayeTroubleMan ArethaFranklinLadySoul vehicles OtisReddingPaintedonCanvas BookerTPressureDoItGood WarBestOfWarAndMoreArethaFranklinUltimateCollectionArethaFranklinQueenOfSoul19691971 Marvin Gaye Live At Harlem Square Club Aretha Franklin Amazing Grace NuYorican Soul Nuyorican Soul

The Beatles- Let it Be

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 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, led by primary songwriters Lennon and McCartney, they came to be perceived as an embodiment of the ideals shared by the counterculture of the 1960s.

Simon and Garfunkel- Bridge over Troubled Water

Simon and Garfunkel’s “Bridge over Troubled Water” is widely considered one of the best pop songs of 1970. The song is a classic example of the duo’s folky, harmonies-laden sound, and it topped the Billboard Hot 100 for six weeks. The song also won multiple Grammy Awards, including Record of the Year and Song of the Year.

Carole King- Tapestry

Carole King’s Tapestry remains one of the best-selling albums of all time, with more than 25 million copies sold worldwide. The album won four Grammy Awards, including Album of the Year, and is often cited as one of the greatest pop albums of all time. Featuring such classic hits as “It’s Too Late,” “I Feel the Earth Move,” and “You’ve Got a Friend,” Tapestry is a timeless masterpiece that perfectly captures the spirit of the early 1970s.

The Rolling Stones- Sticky Fingers

The Rolling Stones- Sticky Fingers is the best pop music of 1970. The album was a commercial and critical success, spending four weeks atop the Billboard 200 chart and selling more than three million copies in the United States alone. It is widely regarded as one of the greatest and most influential rock albums of all time.

The Who- Who’s Next

Who’s Next is the fifth studio album by English rock band The Who, released on 14 August 1971. Who’s Next was an immediate critical and commercial success. It reached No. 1 in the UK and No. 4 in the US, where it went platinum. It was voted Best British Album of the Year in Melody Maker readers’ poll.

Led Zeppelin- Led Zeppelin IV

Led Zeppelin’s fourth album, commonly known as Led Zeppelin IV and featuring the band’s now-iconic “Stairway to Heaven” track, is widely considered one of the greatest albums in rock history. Released in late 1971, the album find the band at the peak of their powers, with a perfect blend of hard rock, folk, and blues. It’s also one of the best-selling albums of all time, with over 37 million copies sold worldwide.

Crosby, Stills, Nash, and Young- Deja Vu

Crosby, Stills, Nash, and Young’s Deja Vu is widely considered one of the best pop albums of all time. The album was released in 1970 and features the hit single “Teach Your Children.” The album reached number one on the Billboard 200 chart and has been certified platinum by the RIAA.

James Taylor- Sweet Baby James

It’s hard to overestimate the impact of James Taylor’s Sweet Baby James. Released in February 1970, it was the first album on which he was billed as “James Taylor,” rather than “Danny Kortchmar & James Taylor”; it was also the first album on which he played all the instruments. It was also, quite simply, a masterpiece, a record that immediately announced Taylor as one of rocks & roll’s finest songwriters and performers.

Joni Mitchell- Blue

Joni Mitchell’s album “Blue” is often cited as one of the best pop albums of all time. Released in 1971, the album features Mitchell’s distinctive folk-rock sound and introspective lyrics. Songs like “River” and “A Case of You” are timeless classics that have resonated with listeners for decades. If you’re looking for the best pop music of 1970, you can’t go wrong with Joni Mitchell’s “Blue.”

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