Last year, I posted the first entry in a series of what I consider to be 50 fantastic songs from past decades. These can be from any genre, although my biased brain definitely prioritized some over others (sorry, country fans!).
For our second list, grab your bellbottoms and your 8-track tapes, it's time for the sumptuous 70s! As a kid growing up in the 90s/00s, there was always a certain chicness to the 70s, and artists like Led Zeppelin and Queen were on infinite repeat for me and my friends. We grew our hair long, bought vinyl records, and regressed ourselves back to the Ford administration. This means that it was tricky for me to winnow down this list to a mere 50 songs, but I gave it my best shot. Read and enjoy! And if you're adventurous, make a playlist and give these a listen. They're presented below in alphabetical order.
PS: To my hardcore music nerds, or to anyone reading who actually lived through the 70s, this list might seem a tad basic. Many of these are absolute classics, and although I have a warm adoration for deep-cuts, I want these lists to be at least marginally acceptable to the uninitiated.
- 50 Ways to Leave Your Lover - Paul Simon (1975)
- 2112 - Rush (1976)
- Baba O'Riley - The Who (1971)
- Barracuda - Heart (1977)
- Bitches Brew - Miles Davis (1970)
- Black Diamond (Live) - KISS (1975)
- Bohemian Rhapsody - Queen (1975)
- Carry On - Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young (1970)
- Carry On Wayward Son - Kansas (1976)
- The Chain - Fleetwood Mac (1977)
- Cherry Bomb - The Runaways (1976)
- Dancing Queen - ABBA (1976)
- Don't Stop Me Now - Queen (1978)
- Double Vision - Foreigner (1978)
- Easy - Commodores (1977)
- Eruption - Van Halen (1978)
- Feeling That Way - Journey (1978)
- Heart of the Night - Poco (1978)
- Hotel California - Eagles (1976)
- I Feel the Earth Move - Carole King (1971)
- I Got a Name - Jim Croce (1973)
- Into the Mystic - Van Morrison (1970)
- Jolene - Dolly Parton (1973)
- Just What I Needed - The Cars (1978)
- Let It Be - The Beatles (1970)
- Locomotive Breath - Jethro Tull (1971)
- Make Me Smile - Chicago (1970)
- My Sweet Lord - George Harrison (1970)
- Mr. Tanner (Live) - Harry Chapin (1976)
- Night Moves - Bob Seger & the Silver Bullet Band (1976)
- No Quarter - Led Zeppelin (1973)
- Part of the Plan - Dan Fogelberg (1974)
- Peace Train - Cat Stevens (1971)
- Precious Lord, Take My Hand / You've Got a Friend (Live) - Aretha Franklin, Southern California Community Choir (1972)
- Run with the Wolf - Rainbow (1976)
- Shambala - Three Dog Night (1973)
- Shining Star - Earth, Wind & Fire (1975)
- Stairway to Heaven - Led Zeppelin (1971)
- Starman - David Bowie (1972)
- Superstition - Stevie Wonder (1972)
- Symphony for the Devil / Sympathy for the Devil - Blood, Sweat & Tears (1970)
- Thunder Road - Bruce Springsteen (1975)
- Time - Pink Floyd (1973)
- Tobacco Road - Edgar Winter (1970)
- Use Me - Bill Withers (1972)
- What's Going On - Marvin Gaye (1971)
- Woman of the Dark - Chase (1972)
- You're No Good - Linda Ronstadt (1974)
- You Got to Funkifize - Tower of Power (1972)
- Your Song - Elton John (1970)
