"The best 70s songs? It’s an impossible task, surely. There was simply too much going on throughout the world to accurately reflect the best music of the 70s. That said, we’ve done our best in this introduction to the decade.
We’ve chosen to separate things into a variety of loose genre categories and to limit things to one song per artist, just so we could include as many different folks as possible. As you’ll see below, there was an enormous amount of great music being produced, so take this list as a starting point for future exploration. The best songs of the 70s do the same, pointing the way to music and art that demands your attention."
https://www.udiscovermusic.com/stories/top-70s-songs/
UDiscoverMusic - Best 70's songs
Re: UDiscoverMusic - Best 70's songs
Songs:
Rock
The Kinks – Lola
Janis Joplin – Me and Bobby McGee
Rod Stewart – Maggie May
Derek & The Dominos – Layla
Eric Clapton – Cocaine
The Rolling Stones – Brown Sugar
Three Dog Night – Joy to the World
Crosby, Stills, Nash, & Young – Ohio
Bruce Springsteen – Born to Run
Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers – American Girl
The Velvet Underground – Sweet Jane
Neil Young – Heart of Gold
Pink Floyd – Another Brick in the Wall, Pt. 2
Wings – Band on the Run
The Beatles – Let It Be
Fleetwood Mac – Go Your Own Way
Queen – Bohemian Rhapsody
The Doobie Brothers – What a Fool Believes
Electric Light Orchestra – Mr. Blue Sky
The Beach Boys – Surf’s Up
The Jam – The Eton Rifles
Music from Africa:
Fela Kuti & Africa 70 – Zombie
Ladysmith Black Mambazo – Hello My Baby
Orchestre Poly–Rythmo De Cotonou – It’s a Vanity
William Onyeabor – Atomic Bomb
Mulatu Astatke – Mulatu
Lijadu Sisters – Come On Home
Ebo Taylor – Heaven
Amara Toure – El Carretero
Bembeya Jazz National – Petit Sekou
Manu Dibango – Soul Makossa
AOR:
Eagles – Hotel California
Chicago – If You Leave Me Now
James Taylor – Fire and Rain
Patti Smith – Because The Night
Don McLean – American Pie
The Pretenders – Brass In Pocket
Joni Mitchell – Big Yellow Taxi
Debby Boone – You Light Up My Life
The Commodores – Three Times a Lady
Tony Orlando & Dawn – Tie a Yellow Ribbon Round The Ole Oak Tree
The Carpenters – (They Long To Be) Close To You
Steely Dan – Deacon Blues
Van Morrison – Moondance
Jim Croce – Bad, Bad Leroy Brown
Todd Rundgren – Hello It’s Me
Funk:
Isaac Hayes – Theme From Shaft
The Brothers Johnson – Strawberry Letter 23
Roy Ayers Ubiquity – Everybody Loves the Sunshine
Edwin Starr – War
Kool & the Gang – Summer Madness
Betty Davis – They Say I’m Different
War – Low Rider
Wild Cherry – Play That Funky Music
Gil Scott–Heron – The Revolution Will Not Be Televised
Funkadelic – Maggot Brain
Patrice Rushen – Haven’t You Heard
A Taste of Honey – Boogie Oogie Oogie
Parliament – Flash Light
KC & The Sunshine Band – Get Down Tonight
The Staple Singers – I’ll Take You There
Mandrill – Fencewalk
Sly And The Family Stone – Family Affair
The Isley Brothers – That Lady
The O’Jays – For the Love of Money
James Brown – Get Up Offa That Thing
Michael Jackson – Don’t Stop ‘Til You Get Enough
Stevie Wonder – Superstition
Curtis Mayfield – Move On Up
The Temptations – Papa Was a Rollin’ Stone
Sugarhill Gang – Rapper’s Delight
Punk:
The Clash – London Calling
Sex Pistols – God Save The Queen
New York Dolls – Personality Crisis
The Ramones – Blitzkrieg Bop
Richard Hell and the Voidoids – Blank Generation
Television – Marquee Moon
Buzzcocks – Ever Fallen in Love (With Someone You Shouldn’t’ve)
The Cramps – Human Fly
The Stooges – Search and Destroy
Black Flag – Nervous Breakdown
Music From Brazil:
Gal Costa – Pontos De Luz
Tim Maia – Réu Confesso
Caetano Veloso – You Don’t Know Me
Erasmo Carlos – Gente Aberta
Jorge Ben Jor – Taj Mahal
Milton Nascimento – Tudo Que Você Podia Ser
New Wave/Power Pop:
Elvis Costello – Alison
Blondie – Heart Of Glass
Marianne Faithfull – Broken English
The B–52’s – Rock Lobster
Talking Heads – Psycho Killer
The Cure – Boys Don’t Cry
10cc – I’m Not in Love
Gary Numan – Cars
XTC – Making Plans For Nigel
Squeeze – Up The Junction
The Knack – My Sharona
Big Star – September Gurls
Jazz:
Miles Davis – Pharaoh’s Dance
Alice Coltrane – Journey in Satchidananda
Don Cherry – Brown Rice
Sun Ra – Door of the Cosmos
Pharoah Sanders – Black Unity
Archie Shepp – Attica Blues
Keith Jarrett – The Köln Concert, Pt. 1
Herbie Hancock – Chameleon
Freddie Hubbard – Red Clay
Jaco Pastorius – Donna Lee
Pat Metheny – Bright Size Life
Mahavishnu Orchestra – You Know, Know
Weather Report – Birdland
George Benson – Breezin’
Bobbi Humphrey – Harlem River Drive
Donald Byrd – Where Are We Going?
Post-Punk:
Bauhaus – Bela Lugosi’s Dead
Joy Division – Transmission
Gang Of Four – Damaged Goods
Iggy Pop – Lust For Life
The Slits – Typical Girls
Suicide – Ghost Rider
Throbbing Gristle – Hot on the Heels of Love
Delta 5 – Mind Your Own Business
Brian Eno – Needles In The Camel’s Eye
Music from and Inspired by Jamaica:
Junior Murvin – Police & Thieves
Toots and the Maytals – Funky Kingston
The Abyssinians – Satta Massagana
Lee Perry & the Full Experiences – Disco Devil
The Congos – Fisherman
Althea & Donna – Uptown Top Ranking
Bob Marley & The Wailers – Three Little Birds
Dillinger – Cokane in My Brain
Jimmy Cliff – The Harder They Come
Music from Japan:
RC Succession – Slow Ballad
Kai Band – HERO
Sadistic Mika Band – Time machine ni onegai
Yumi Arai – Vapor Trail
OFF COURSE – Sayonara
Alice – Fuyuno Inazuma
Hiroko Yakushimaru – Main Theme
Kaientai – Okuru Kotoba
Yosui Inoue – Yumeno Nakae
Yellow Magic Orchestra – Firecracker
Country/Folk:
Conway Twitty – Hello Darlin
Crystal Gayle – Don’t It Make My Brown Eyes Blue
Don Williams – Tulsa Time
John Denver – Take Me Home Country Roads
Glen Campbell – Rhinestone Cowboy
Kenny Rogers – The Gambler
Loretta Lynn – Coal Miner’s Daughter
Dolly Parton – Jolene
Willie Nelson and Waylon Jennings – Mammas Don’t Let Your Babies Grow Up to Be Cowboys
Leo Kottke – Eight Miles High
John Fahey – Voice of the Turtle
Disco:
Diana Ross – Love Hangover
Cerrone – Supernature
Giorgio Moroder – Chase
Bee Gees – Stayin’ Alive
Andy Gibb – Shadow Dancing
Donna Summer – I Feel Love
Chic – Le Freak
ABBA – Dancing Queen
Grace Jones – Pull Up The Bumper>/h3>
Thelma Houston – Don’t Leave Me This Way
Music From Germany:
Neu! – Hallogallo
Faust – It’s a Rainy Day, Sunshine Girl
Can – Vitamin C
Tangerine Dream – Phaedra
Kraftwerk – Autobahn
Singer-Songwriter:
Nick Drake – Pink Moon
Simon and Garfunkel – Bridge Over Troubled Water
Leonard Cohen – Famous Blue Raincoat
Helen Reddy – I Am Woman
Kate Bush – Wuthering Heights
Bob Dylan – Tangled Up in Blue
Elton John – Tiny Dancer
Carole King – It’s Too Late
Carly Simon – You’re So Vain
Jimmy Buffett – Margaritaville
George Harrison – My Sweet Lord
John Lennon – Imagine
Paul McCartney – Maybe I’m Amazed
FIlm Scores and Soundtracks:
Bernard Herrmann – Main Title (from Taxi Driver)
John Williams – Star Wars Main Title
Nino Rota – Love Theme
Shirley Bassey / John Barry – Diamonds Are Forever
Bill Conti – Gonna Fly Now
John Travolta & Olivia Newton-John – You’re The One That I Want
Barbra Streisand – Love Theme From A Star Is Born (Evergreen)
Hard Rock / Prog:
The Who – Baba O’Riley
Thin Lizzy – The Boys Are Back In Town
AC/DC – Highway to Hell
Aerosmith – Sweet Emotion
Bad Company – Can’t Get Enough
Grand Funk Railroad – Some Kind of Wonderful
Black Sabbath – War Pigs
Rush – Closer to the Heart
Genesis – The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway
Gong – Master Builder
Van Der Graaf Generator – Theme One
Deep Purple – Smoke on the Water
Led Zeppelin – Stairway To Heaven
Lynyrd Skynyrd – Sweet Home Alabama
Latin Music:
Eddie Palmieri – Vámonos Pa’l Monte
Santana – Oye Como Va
Angel Canales – Lejos De Ti
Ray Barretto – Indestructible
Roberto Roena – Tu Loco Loco Y Yo Tranquilo
Willie Colon & Ruben Blades – Pedro Navaja
Celia Cruz & Johnny Pacheco – Quimbara
El Chicano – Sabor A Mi
Soul:
Bobby Womack – Across 110th Street
Donny Hathaway – A Song for You
Five Stairsteps – O–o–h Child
Smokey Robinson & the Miracles – Tears of a Clown
Roberta Flack – Killing Me Softly with His Song
The Jackson 5 – I’ll Be There
Al Green – Let’s Stay Together
Marvin Gaye – What’s Going On
Gladys Knight & The Pips – Midnight Train to Georgia
Eddie Kendricks – Girl, You Need a Change of Mind
Rose Royce – I’m Going Down
Minnie Riperton – Lovin’ You
Bill Withers – Lean on Me
Glam/Art Rock:
The Sweet – The Ballroom Blitz
Roxy Music – Love Is The Drug
T. Rex – Bang a Gong (Get It On)
David Bowie – Starman
Sparks – This Town Ain’t Big Enough For The Both Of Us
Frank Zappa – Bobby Brown Goes Down
Lou Reed – Walk on the Wild Side
Serge Gainsbourg – Melody
Rock
The Kinks – Lola
Janis Joplin – Me and Bobby McGee
Rod Stewart – Maggie May
Derek & The Dominos – Layla
Eric Clapton – Cocaine
The Rolling Stones – Brown Sugar
Three Dog Night – Joy to the World
Crosby, Stills, Nash, & Young – Ohio
Bruce Springsteen – Born to Run
Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers – American Girl
The Velvet Underground – Sweet Jane
Neil Young – Heart of Gold
Pink Floyd – Another Brick in the Wall, Pt. 2
Wings – Band on the Run
The Beatles – Let It Be
Fleetwood Mac – Go Your Own Way
Queen – Bohemian Rhapsody
The Doobie Brothers – What a Fool Believes
Electric Light Orchestra – Mr. Blue Sky
The Beach Boys – Surf’s Up
The Jam – The Eton Rifles
Music from Africa:
Fela Kuti & Africa 70 – Zombie
Ladysmith Black Mambazo – Hello My Baby
Orchestre Poly–Rythmo De Cotonou – It’s a Vanity
William Onyeabor – Atomic Bomb
Mulatu Astatke – Mulatu
Lijadu Sisters – Come On Home
Ebo Taylor – Heaven
Amara Toure – El Carretero
Bembeya Jazz National – Petit Sekou
Manu Dibango – Soul Makossa
AOR:
Eagles – Hotel California
Chicago – If You Leave Me Now
James Taylor – Fire and Rain
Patti Smith – Because The Night
Don McLean – American Pie
The Pretenders – Brass In Pocket
Joni Mitchell – Big Yellow Taxi
Debby Boone – You Light Up My Life
The Commodores – Three Times a Lady
Tony Orlando & Dawn – Tie a Yellow Ribbon Round The Ole Oak Tree
The Carpenters – (They Long To Be) Close To You
Steely Dan – Deacon Blues
Van Morrison – Moondance
Jim Croce – Bad, Bad Leroy Brown
Todd Rundgren – Hello It’s Me
Funk:
Isaac Hayes – Theme From Shaft
The Brothers Johnson – Strawberry Letter 23
Roy Ayers Ubiquity – Everybody Loves the Sunshine
Edwin Starr – War
Kool & the Gang – Summer Madness
Betty Davis – They Say I’m Different
War – Low Rider
Wild Cherry – Play That Funky Music
Gil Scott–Heron – The Revolution Will Not Be Televised
Funkadelic – Maggot Brain
Patrice Rushen – Haven’t You Heard
A Taste of Honey – Boogie Oogie Oogie
Parliament – Flash Light
KC & The Sunshine Band – Get Down Tonight
The Staple Singers – I’ll Take You There
Mandrill – Fencewalk
Sly And The Family Stone – Family Affair
The Isley Brothers – That Lady
The O’Jays – For the Love of Money
James Brown – Get Up Offa That Thing
Michael Jackson – Don’t Stop ‘Til You Get Enough
Stevie Wonder – Superstition
Curtis Mayfield – Move On Up
The Temptations – Papa Was a Rollin’ Stone
Sugarhill Gang – Rapper’s Delight
Punk:
The Clash – London Calling
Sex Pistols – God Save The Queen
New York Dolls – Personality Crisis
The Ramones – Blitzkrieg Bop
Richard Hell and the Voidoids – Blank Generation
Television – Marquee Moon
Buzzcocks – Ever Fallen in Love (With Someone You Shouldn’t’ve)
The Cramps – Human Fly
The Stooges – Search and Destroy
Black Flag – Nervous Breakdown
Music From Brazil:
Gal Costa – Pontos De Luz
Tim Maia – Réu Confesso
Caetano Veloso – You Don’t Know Me
Erasmo Carlos – Gente Aberta
Jorge Ben Jor – Taj Mahal
Milton Nascimento – Tudo Que Você Podia Ser
New Wave/Power Pop:
Elvis Costello – Alison
Blondie – Heart Of Glass
Marianne Faithfull – Broken English
The B–52’s – Rock Lobster
Talking Heads – Psycho Killer
The Cure – Boys Don’t Cry
10cc – I’m Not in Love
Gary Numan – Cars
XTC – Making Plans For Nigel
Squeeze – Up The Junction
The Knack – My Sharona
Big Star – September Gurls
Jazz:
Miles Davis – Pharaoh’s Dance
Alice Coltrane – Journey in Satchidananda
Don Cherry – Brown Rice
Sun Ra – Door of the Cosmos
Pharoah Sanders – Black Unity
Archie Shepp – Attica Blues
Keith Jarrett – The Köln Concert, Pt. 1
Herbie Hancock – Chameleon
Freddie Hubbard – Red Clay
Jaco Pastorius – Donna Lee
Pat Metheny – Bright Size Life
Mahavishnu Orchestra – You Know, Know
Weather Report – Birdland
George Benson – Breezin’
Bobbi Humphrey – Harlem River Drive
Donald Byrd – Where Are We Going?
Post-Punk:
Bauhaus – Bela Lugosi’s Dead
Joy Division – Transmission
Gang Of Four – Damaged Goods
Iggy Pop – Lust For Life
The Slits – Typical Girls
Suicide – Ghost Rider
Throbbing Gristle – Hot on the Heels of Love
Delta 5 – Mind Your Own Business
Brian Eno – Needles In The Camel’s Eye
Music from and Inspired by Jamaica:
Junior Murvin – Police & Thieves
Toots and the Maytals – Funky Kingston
The Abyssinians – Satta Massagana
Lee Perry & the Full Experiences – Disco Devil
The Congos – Fisherman
Althea & Donna – Uptown Top Ranking
Bob Marley & The Wailers – Three Little Birds
Dillinger – Cokane in My Brain
Jimmy Cliff – The Harder They Come
Music from Japan:
RC Succession – Slow Ballad
Kai Band – HERO
Sadistic Mika Band – Time machine ni onegai
Yumi Arai – Vapor Trail
OFF COURSE – Sayonara
Alice – Fuyuno Inazuma
Hiroko Yakushimaru – Main Theme
Kaientai – Okuru Kotoba
Yosui Inoue – Yumeno Nakae
Yellow Magic Orchestra – Firecracker
Country/Folk:
Conway Twitty – Hello Darlin
Crystal Gayle – Don’t It Make My Brown Eyes Blue
Don Williams – Tulsa Time
John Denver – Take Me Home Country Roads
Glen Campbell – Rhinestone Cowboy
Kenny Rogers – The Gambler
Loretta Lynn – Coal Miner’s Daughter
Dolly Parton – Jolene
Willie Nelson and Waylon Jennings – Mammas Don’t Let Your Babies Grow Up to Be Cowboys
Leo Kottke – Eight Miles High
John Fahey – Voice of the Turtle
Disco:
Diana Ross – Love Hangover
Cerrone – Supernature
Giorgio Moroder – Chase
Bee Gees – Stayin’ Alive
Andy Gibb – Shadow Dancing
Donna Summer – I Feel Love
Chic – Le Freak
ABBA – Dancing Queen
Grace Jones – Pull Up The Bumper>/h3>
Thelma Houston – Don’t Leave Me This Way
Music From Germany:
Neu! – Hallogallo
Faust – It’s a Rainy Day, Sunshine Girl
Can – Vitamin C
Tangerine Dream – Phaedra
Kraftwerk – Autobahn
Singer-Songwriter:
Nick Drake – Pink Moon
Simon and Garfunkel – Bridge Over Troubled Water
Leonard Cohen – Famous Blue Raincoat
Helen Reddy – I Am Woman
Kate Bush – Wuthering Heights
Bob Dylan – Tangled Up in Blue
Elton John – Tiny Dancer
Carole King – It’s Too Late
Carly Simon – You’re So Vain
Jimmy Buffett – Margaritaville
George Harrison – My Sweet Lord
John Lennon – Imagine
Paul McCartney – Maybe I’m Amazed
FIlm Scores and Soundtracks:
Bernard Herrmann – Main Title (from Taxi Driver)
John Williams – Star Wars Main Title
Nino Rota – Love Theme
Shirley Bassey / John Barry – Diamonds Are Forever
Bill Conti – Gonna Fly Now
John Travolta & Olivia Newton-John – You’re The One That I Want
Barbra Streisand – Love Theme From A Star Is Born (Evergreen)
Hard Rock / Prog:
The Who – Baba O’Riley
Thin Lizzy – The Boys Are Back In Town
AC/DC – Highway to Hell
Aerosmith – Sweet Emotion
Bad Company – Can’t Get Enough
Grand Funk Railroad – Some Kind of Wonderful
Black Sabbath – War Pigs
Rush – Closer to the Heart
Genesis – The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway
Gong – Master Builder
Van Der Graaf Generator – Theme One
Deep Purple – Smoke on the Water
Led Zeppelin – Stairway To Heaven
Lynyrd Skynyrd – Sweet Home Alabama
Latin Music:
Eddie Palmieri – Vámonos Pa’l Monte
Santana – Oye Como Va
Angel Canales – Lejos De Ti
Ray Barretto – Indestructible
Roberto Roena – Tu Loco Loco Y Yo Tranquilo
Willie Colon & Ruben Blades – Pedro Navaja
Celia Cruz & Johnny Pacheco – Quimbara
El Chicano – Sabor A Mi
Soul:
Bobby Womack – Across 110th Street
Donny Hathaway – A Song for You
Five Stairsteps – O–o–h Child
Smokey Robinson & the Miracles – Tears of a Clown
Roberta Flack – Killing Me Softly with His Song
The Jackson 5 – I’ll Be There
Al Green – Let’s Stay Together
Marvin Gaye – What’s Going On
Gladys Knight & The Pips – Midnight Train to Georgia
Eddie Kendricks – Girl, You Need a Change of Mind
Rose Royce – I’m Going Down
Minnie Riperton – Lovin’ You
Bill Withers – Lean on Me
Glam/Art Rock:
The Sweet – The Ballroom Blitz
Roxy Music – Love Is The Drug
T. Rex – Bang a Gong (Get It On)
David Bowie – Starman
Sparks – This Town Ain’t Big Enough For The Both Of Us
Frank Zappa – Bobby Brown Goes Down
Lou Reed – Walk on the Wild Side
Serge Gainsbourg – Melody