Music From The 70s

The 1970s was a decade of contrasts as far as music was concerned. Music from the 70s offered something for everyone. Soft Rock was a major part of the mainstream and got a lot of radio airplay. The country-flavored songs of The Eagles were DJ favorites. The brother / sister duo, The Carpenters won many fans, mostly due to the rich vocal quality of Karen Carpenter. Their hits included We've Only Just Begun, For All We Know, Goodbye to Love and Yesterday Once More.

It was also a successful time for singer songwriters, such as James Taylor and John Denver. Elton John wrote piano based songs with his songwriting partner, Bernie Taupin. Their most successful album was Goodbye Yellow Brick Road, which achieved platinum sales. Elton was a flamboyant performer and wore outlandish costumes and platform shoes. Music from the 70s is also associated with Abba, the group from Sweden who came to the world's attention through the Eurovision Song Contest. The Jackson 5 was another best selling outfit. Marlon, Jackie, Jermaine, Tito and Michael had hits with Never Can Say Goodbye, Maybe Tomorrow and Sugar Daddy during this period.

Of course, the 1970s saw the cultural impact of disco records. Mirrorballs and packed dance floors were the order of the day and Donna Summer was dubbed the Queen of Disco. Disco music from the 70s was celebrated in the movie, Saturday Night Fever, starring John Travolta in his pristine white suit. The Bee Gees wrote memorable songs for the film. In complete contrast, the latter half of the decade saw the emergence of Punk Rock. The scene from New York produced The Ramones, Blondie and Patti Smith whilst the Sex Pistols, the Clash and the Buzzcocks burst onto the British scene. The Punk music from the 70s had an impact on the fashion world with fans copying their idols, wearing torn clothing and safety pins. Blondie became the most commercial perhaps and had a lot of chart success with songs such as Heart of Glass, One Way or Another, Atomic and The Tide Is High.

The biggest selling album of the decade was Dark Side of the Moon by Pink Floyd, instantly recognizable by its prism on a dark background cover. This album was in the Billboard 200 for a remarkable 741 weeks. The band went through line up changes but survived from the 1960s through the 90s. The 70s was one of their most productive periods, culminating in the release of their concept album, The Wall in 1979.

Even in the disco drenched 70s, rock still thrived with bands playing sell out gigs. Led Zeppelin, Black Sabbath, Deep Purple and Judas Priest were four UK bands that kept the headbangers happy. Australian band AC/DC are a band associated with music from the 70s and are enjoying resurgence.

In the world of reggae, Bob Marley and the Wailers were responsible for spreading the genre throughout the world. What would become Marley's most feted album, titled Exodus, was released in 1977. It contains the classic songs, Jamming, One Love and Waiting in Vain.