The Best of Blues Rock and Heavy Metal from the 70s

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

Contributors: Andranick Tanguiane, Fred Lerdahl,

Contents

The best of Blues Rock and Heavy Metal from the 70s. Featuring Led Zeppelin, Black Sabbath, Deep Purple, and more.

What is Blues Rock?

is a subgenre of rock music that developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s. It combines elements of rock music with elements of blues music. Blues rock bands usually have a guitar player, a drummer, a bassist, and a singer.

The Origins of Blues Rock

In the late 1960s and early 1970s, a new style of music began to emerge that combined elements of blues and rock. This new style came to be known as “blues rock.”

The origins of blues rock can be traced back to artists like Cream, The Jimi Hendrix Experience, and Led Zeppelin, who all blended elements of the blues with rock & roll. These early pioneers helped to define the sound of blues rock and laid the foundation for subsequent artists.

In the ensuing years, many other artists would emerge who would further develop the sound of blues rock. Some notable examples include:ZZ Top, AC/DC, Aerosmith, Lynyrd Skynyrd, and Bob Seger.

Blues rock would go on to become one of the most popular styles of music in the 1970s, and its influence can still be heard in today’s music.

The Development of Blues Rock

In the late 1960s and early 1970s, there was a resurgence of interest in the blues in Britain and Europe. This was caused in part by the pioneering work of artists such as Alexis Korner and Cyril Davies, who played an important role in bringing the music of American blues legends such as Muddy Waters and Howlin’ Wolf to a new audience. At the same time, British bands such as The Rolling Stones and Led Zeppelin were incorporating elements of the blues into their own sound.

The result was a new musical genre known as blues rock. This style combined the raw energy of rock music with the soulful emotions of the blues. It was a sound that would prove to be hugely popular with audiences around the world.

During the 1970s, many of the biggest names in rock music embraced blues rock. Led Zeppelin’s classic album “Led Zeppelin IV” (1971) featured several songs that would become timeless classics, including “Stairway to Heaven” and “Rock and Roll”. Other bands such as Deep Purple, The Who and Aerosmith also released hugely successful albums that incorporated elements of the blues.

The popularity of blues rock continued into the 1980s, with artists such as George Thorogood, ZZ Top and John Mellencamp keeping the sound alive. In recent years, there has been a renewed interest in blues rock, with bands such as The Black Keys, The Raconteurs and The White Stripes all finding success with this classic style of music.

What is Heavy Metal?

The Origins of Heavy Metal

While the exact origins of heavy metal are a matter of some debate, most agree that it began sometime in the late 1960s or early 1970s with bands like Led Zeppelin, Black Sabbath, and Deep Purple. These bands took the blues-based hard rock of the day and cranked up the volume, distortion, and attitude, creating a sound that was both heavier and louder than anything that had come before.

From there, heavy metal spread like wildfire throughout the world, with subsequent waves of bands adding their own spin to the sound. In the 1980s, bands like Metallica and Megadeth brought a more complex edge to the genre with their technical prowess and speed, while groups like Guns N’ Roses and Bon Jovi achieved massive commercial success with a more radio-friendly version of metal.

Today, heavy metal is as popular as ever, with new bands carrying on the legacy of this truly global phenomenon.

The Development of Heavy Metal

Heavy metal is a genre of rock music that developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s, largely in the United Kingdom and the United States. With roots in blues rock and psychedelic rock, the bands that created heavy metal developed a thick, massive sound, characterized by highly amplified distortion, extended guitar solos, emphatic beats, and overall loudness. The genre’s lyrics and performance styles are sometimes associated with aggression and machismo.

In 1970, four British musicians—guitarist Tony Iommi, bassist Geezer Butler, drummer Bill Ward, and vocalist Ozzy Osbourne—formed the band Black Sabbath. Operating out of Birmingham, England, Black Sabbath helped define the sound of heavy metal with their self-titled debut album, released in early 1970. Particularly influential was the song “Black Sabbath”, which featured a slow, doomy tempo and lyrics about a demonic entity. This song was pioneering in its use of demonic imagery and slowed-down tempo in what would become heavy metal. Osbourne’s erratic behavior and abusive lifestyle would come to epitomize the stereotype of the hard-living rock star; he was fired from Black Sabbath in 1979.

The Best of Blues Rock and Heavy Metal

The 70s was a great decade for music, and it saw the birth of two genres that would go on to have a huge impact on the world of rock and metal. Blues rock and heavy metal both have their origins in the 1970s, and they have both had a huge impact on the world of rock and metal ever since. In this article, we’re going to take a look at the best of both genres from the 1970s.

The Best Blues Rock Bands

The best blues rock bands came to prominence in the 1970s and have been wowing audiences ever since. These groups take the raw energy of the blues and infuse it with the power of rock ‘n’ roll to create a sound that is truly unique. If you’re a fan of blues rock, then you need to check out these bands.

1. ZZ Top
2. Led Zeppelin
3. The Rolling Stones
4. Cream
5. Jimi Hendrix Experience
6. Janis Joplin
7. Lynyrd Skynyrd
8. The Allman Brothers Band
9. Santana
10. Aerosmith

The Best Heavy Metal Bands

While many people think of heavy metal as a more modern genre of music, it actually has its roots in the 1970s. This was the decade that saw the rise of some of the best heavy metal bands in history, groups that would go on to influence countless other artists in the genre. If you’re a fan of heavy metal, or just looking to learn more about this important part of music history, check out our list of the best heavy metal bands from the 1970s.

1. Black Sabbath

Black Sabbath is often considered one of the pioneers of heavy metal, and for good reason. The band’s dark and psychedelic sound was a major influence on later metal bands, and their debut album, “Black Sabbath,” is widely considered one of the most important metal albums ever released.

2. Deep Purple

Deep Purple was another important early metal band, known for their hit songs “Smoke on the Water” and “Highway Star.” The band’s sound was heavier and more guitar-driven than many of their contemporaries, making them a major influence on later metal bands.

3. Led Zeppelin

Led Zeppelin is one of the most popular and influential rock bands of all time, and their impact on heavy metal is undeniable. The band blended elements of hard rock, blues, and folk to create their own unique sound, which influenced countless other artists in the genre.

4. Iron Maiden

Iron Maiden is one of the most iconic heavy metal bands in history, known for their dramatic stage shows and powerful sound. The band’s 1982 album, “The Number of the Beast,” is often cited as one of the greatestmetal albums ever released.

5. Judas Priest

Judas Priest is one of the most influential Britishmetal bands in history, known for their distinctive twin-guitar attack and aggressive sound. The band’s 1974 album, “Sad Wings of Destiny,” is considered a classic by many fans.

Similar Posts