The 1970s were definitely one of the greatest musical decades, with the emergence of disco, long shaggy hair, the free love movement, and, of course, the heyday of rock and roll. The 1970s were a decade poised for greatness, especially when combined with the star-studded brilliance of bands like Fleetwood Mac, ABBA, and Queen. So, here, we have compiled a list of the greatest songs from the 1970s that continue to enthrall listeners.
1. “Stayin’ Alive” by Bee Gees (1977)
This song was written for the disco movie ‘Saturday Night Fever’ (1977), and it went on to become one of the best and most well-known songs to ever come from a motion picture soundtrack. The music also works well as a metronome for CPR practice, which is pretty interesting.
2. “Dream On” by Aerosmith (1973)
Frontman Steven Tyler composed “Dream On” when he was just a teenager, and it was Aerosmith’s first hit ever. After their third album, the song was re-issued with a considerably better reaction than when it was first released, and it peaked at number six on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100.
3. “I Will Survive” by Gloria Gaynor (1978)
Gaynor released a successful song on women’s independence in the 1970s when women’s rights were a hot topic in politics and discourse. The story “I Will Survive” follows a lady who is intolerant of infidelity and power in her newfound solitude.
4. “Mamma Mia” by ABBA (1975)
Following their breakthrough smash, “Waterloo,” the Eurovision-winning band ABBA experienced a decline in popularity. However, “Mamma Mia,” their final song recorded for their third studio album, proved to be the song that solidified their status as more than a one-hit wonder.
5. “Mammas Don’t Let Your Babies Grow Up to Be Cowboys” by Waylon Jennings and Willie Nelson (1978)
Waylon Jennings had originally recorded the song, but the singer thought that it was lacking something, so he brought it to country star Willie Nelson. In 1979, the song won the Grammy for “Best Country Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal,” demonstrating its success.
6. “Best of My Love” by The Emotions (1977)
The sister trio The Emotions’ biggest hit, “Best of My Love,” which peaked at number one on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 list and won a Grammy, was made possible by Earth, Wind & Fire’s industry influence and presence on the song.
7. “Jolene” by Dolly Parton (1973)
The song “Jolene” tells a genuine incident, but the now-infamous moniker conceals the identity of the woman who has a crush on Parton’s husband. Instead, the name came from a fan for whom Parton signed an autograph.
8. “What’s Going On” by Marvin Gaye (1971)
This hit was released by Marvin Gaye and had insightful lyrics regarding the political and cultural climate of the 1970s. He wrote a song in ten days that addresses love, war, cruelty, and other broad and timeless subjects.
9. “Lean On Me” by Bill Withers (1972)
In this heartfelt tune, Withers sings of the beauty of helping others in a basic and simple way. Withers earned a Grammy for the song’s lyrics more than ten years after it was released and was recorded by the new group Club Nouveau.
10. “More Than A Feeling” by Boston (1976)
The thought of losing a loved one and the way that music may evoke memories of the past served as inspiration for Scholz’s lyrics. Scholz did adopt his cousin’s name, Marianne, but it wasn’t inspired by any particular moment in his life.
11. “Rocket Man (I Think It’s Going to Be A Long, Long Time)” by Elton John (1972)
Bernie Taupin, a longtime collaborator of Elton John, wrote the soft rock song “Rocket Man” based on Ray Bradbury’s short story, The Rocket Man. Later, the song would serve as the inspiration for the same-titled musical biopic film released in 2019.
12. “Landslide” by Fleetwood Mac (1975)
According to Nicks, she penned the song while debating whether to return to school or pursue a career with guitarist Lindsey Buckingham. “Landslide” was written by Nicks while she was working as a waitress and a cleaning lady to support herself and Buckingham.
13. “December, 1963 (Oh What A Night)” by Frankie Valli & the Four Seasons (1975)
Following its debut, “December, 1963 (Oh What A Night)” topped the Billboard Hot 100, fusing the group’s signature harmonies with a disco beat that was more representative of the era.
14. “Hotel California” by Eagles (1976)
With 12-string guitars, bass, and percussion, the classic rock/country rock song discusses the alluring yet complex appeal of California, and more appropriately, Los Angeles. The popular song went on to win “Record of the Year” at the 1978 Grammy Awards.
15. “Superstition” by Stevie Wonder (1972)
Did you know Wonder originally wrote the song for another singer, but due to its perceived success, he was urged to keep it for himself? He won two Grammys for “Best Rhythm & Blues Song” and “Best R&B Vocal Performance” for the song, which became his first number-one hit.
16. “Let It Be” by The Beatles (1970)
None of this group’s chart-topping successes are as memorable as “Let It Be,” one of their final joint efforts. Paul McCartney wrote this soft rock piano song on his feelings regarding the group’s breakup.
17. “American Pie” by Don McLean (1971)
The song, which coined the phrase “the day the music died” following the deaths of singers Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens, and the Big Bopper in 1959, examines the impact that American performers and songwriters have on the larger music scene.
18. “Come and Get Your Love” by Redbone (1973)
By fusing dance with politics, the song and band broke records as the first single by an all-Native American and Mexican-American band to make it into the Billboard Top 10, highlighting Native musicians and the notion that your beliefs are more important than your background.
19. “Let’s Get It On” by Marvin Gaye (1973)
“Let’s Get It On” is a song about connection. It is set to the alluring sounds of groovy bass, strings, and saxophones. The hit was released at a perfect moment, coinciding with the free love movement of the 1960s and late 1970s.
20. “Highway to Hell” by AC/DC (1979)
“Highway to Hell” is a well-known road trip song and a mainstay of hard rock, symbolizing life on the road. The song opens the sixth studio album of the same name by AC/DC. It describes a desolation that is yet uplifting and boundless.
21. “Imagine” by John Lennon (1971)
Described as “one of the most influential songs of the 20th century,” “Imagine” was released a year following The Beatles’ dissolution. With a hint of melancholy, the song depicts a hopeful world and inspires listeners to imagine if the world could live in peace.
22. “Bohemian Rhapsody” by Queen (1975)
Due to its length and genre, this rock ballad and nearly six-minute song defied many of the laws of the music industry at the time, but that was just vocalist Freddie Mercury’s style. Later on, the song was used as the title of Queen’s 2018 biographical movie, which starred Remi Malek.
23. “Piano Man” by Billy Joel (1973)
Joel’s perspective as a temporary lounge musician, where he would learn about the lives of customers and employees, is outlined in “Piano Man” with lyrics that function more as a narrative than a song. The song is incredibly relatable and emphasizes the fact that everyone experiences some kind of hardship.
24. “Last Dance” by Donna Summer (1978)
Summer, dubbed the “Queen of Disco,” put out this hit in ’78. The song was a Golden Globe, Academy Award, and Grammy winner. And although the superstar died in 2012, a documentary called “Love to Love You, Donna Summer” was released a few years ago and it chronicles the singer’s personal life’s highs and lows as well as her musical contributions.
25. “Rich Girl” by Daryl Hall & John Oates (1976)
This song was Hall & Oates’s first number one single and helped pave the way for their success in the 1980s. This tune is about a man who came from a wealthy and privileged background, even if the words are directed at a lady. He is said to be aware that the song is about him.
26. “Rock Steady” by Aretha Franklin (1971)
“Rock Steady,” a song about dancing, was released in 1971 by Aretha Franklin, the Queen of Soul. The disco decade could undoubtedly identify with this song. And along with three other songs from the same album, ‘Young, Gifted, and Black’, Franklin wrote the entire song.
27. “September” by Earth, Wind & Fire (1978)
“September” offers a romantic evening that makes you want to dance by fusing disco and spirituality. Ironically, the song’s opening lyric, which refers to September 21st, has little meaning. Writer Maurice White says it just has a nice mouth feel.
28. “Dancing Queen” by ABBA (1975)
The song, dubbed ABBA’s “biggest and most well-known hit,” became the band’s sole number-one single on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100. Because disco was so popular in the second part of the 1970s, “Dancing Queen” came out at the ideal moment.
29. “Ain’t No Sunshine” by Bill Withers (1971)
The movie ‘Days of Wine and Roses’, which shows the rapid decline of a couple dealing with alcoholism, served as the inspiration for the brief but powerful blues song. The lyrics are emotional, with the line “Ain’t no sunshine when she’s gone, only darkness every day.”
30. “Mr. Blue Sky” by Electric Light Orchestra (1977)
The message of the song “Mr. Blue Sky” is that good times can come after bad ones and that the sun shines after rain. The lyrics of the song also allude to the return of darkness and recollections of better times.
