The Classic Rock Songs that Defined the 1970s

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The Wacky 70s - The Classic Songs & Genres That Defined an Era by Martin Sejas

The 70s were another memorable decade of classic songs from many legendary singers and bands with most of them following up the innovations of the 60s. As a result, new genres were invented in this decade, all of which are featured in this article.

At the beginning of the 70s, progressive rock was certainly the order of the day as it followed on from the psychedelic rock movement from the mid to late 60s. Artists such as Pink Floyd and Genesis dominated during this period with the most famous song being "Another Brick In The Wall" by Pink Floyd. Progressive rock was also sometimes referred to as art rock and one of its major exponents was the British band 10CC whose song "I'm Not In Love" is a must-listen timeless classic.

The punk movement also has its origins in the middle of the 70s with major bands such as The Sex Pistols and The Clash becoming idols for an entire generation. Punk music continues today and it's largely due to these pioneers who continue to be held in high esteem by modern punk artists.

The 70s also saw many Southern and country rock bands have tremendous commercial success. The Eagles were the dominant band of this genre conjuring up 5 number 1 hit singles in the US during this period. Their signature song "Hotel California" remains one of the all time classic rock songs. Lynyrd Skynyrd's "Sweet Home Alabama" also symbolizes the 70s for a whole generation while other bands such as America enthralled audiences with their simple yet catchy songs.

Hard rock and heavy metal truly arrived in its more well-known form in the 70s led by bands such as AC/DC, Queen and Led Zeppelin. Songs such as "Highway To Hell" and "We Will Rock You" became anthems of hard rock fans the world over. Other rock bands chose a slightly different direction with their music. For example, Electric Light Orchestra mixed conventional rock with classical music with amazing results. Songs such as "Sweet Talkin' Woman" and "Livin' Thing" are also emblematic of the rock genre of this era.

Disco is probably the genre which dominated the 70s and which best defines the decade. It seems as if the word 'disco' is intrinsically and eternally tied to the 70s. It was so dominant that at the height of its popularity in the late 70s, the only way that artists could have a hit was to sing a disco tune, which many of them did with varying levels of success. At the height of the disco movement, the Bee Gees and ABBA dominated the charts and worldwide sales. However, the most famous song from this era was probably "Y.M.C.A" by the Village People which has since become one of the most popular anthems for the gay community. The Saturday Night Fever soundtrack from the Bee Gees is essentially what symbolizes all things disco in the 70s.

There's absolutely no doubt that the 70s will be remembered for its wide range of genres and classic songs that defined a generation.

Martin Sejas is the chief columnist of http://www.AllTimeClassicSongs.com, a website showcasing some of the greatest 70s classic songs and songs from other eras in music history.