in the 70s - Top Ten Songs of the Seventies

Top Ten Songs of the Seventies

What are your top ten favorite songs from the 70s?

We also have pages on this topic devoted to the 80s and 90s

10. Kashmir by Led Zeppellin
Perfect riff, perfect vocals, perfect feeling!
9. Baba O' Rilley by The Who
The best synth intro ever! Pete is awesome once again!
8. The River by Bruce Springsteen
God, I love this man! A real good ballad!
7. All Down The Line by The Rolling Stones
Isn't that the definition of rock n'roll feeling?
6. Paranoid by Black Sabbath
Tony's killer riff started a metal revolution (and heavy metal music in general).
5. Stairway To Heaven by Led Zeppellin
The ultimate acoustic intro.
4. Brown Sugar by The Rolling Stones
Show them what ya got, Keith!
3. Roulette by Bruce Springsteen
No comments.
2. Born To Run by Bruce Springsteen
Freakin' perfect riff, excellent sax solo and lyrics that got you higher and higher...
1. Highway Star by Deep Purple
The absolute keyboards and guitar solos by the best hard rock band in the world!

10. Night Fever by Bee Gees
No 70's compilation list would be complete without at least one song from them.
9. So Far Away by Carole King
'Tapestry' was the greatest collection of lyrics every produced.
8. Rhiannon (Will You Ever Win) by Fleetwood Mac
Stevie's defining moment.
7. Mainstreet by Bob Seger
6. Bad To The Bone by George Thorogood
It always gets the desired effect.
5. Freebird by Lynyrd Skynyrd
All Skynyrd can be labeled as either "Freebird" or "Not Freebird".
4. Desperado by Eagles
No video could have been made that rivaled the images the lyrics inspired.
3. Maggie May by Rod Stewart
Best song Rod ever wrote.
2. More Than A Feeling by Boston
Greatest drummer of all time. Not excessively flashy, just awesome musicians.
1. Carry On My Wayward Son by Kansas
Great lyric, great musicianship, the first anthem of my high school years.

10. Autobahn by Kraftwerk
The originators of modern day rave; superb German band sadly not given enough credit.
9. Shine On You Crazy Diamond by Pink Floyd
Just sit back, relax and drift into the music.
8. Trampled Underfoot by Led Zeppelin
First time I heard this was on the 'Old Grey Whistle Test'...went out and bought the album the following day!
7. Hot Love by T - Rex
Another sadly lost talent, what a song, so simple yet so good!.
6. Silver Machine by Hawkwind
This was one of the very best top ten singles I ever heard. It still is.
5. Breakaway by Gallagher & Lyle
These are 70's through and through!
4. Spread Your Wings by Queen
One hit after another, this never got the recognition it deserved.
3. Dont Let The Sun Go Down On Me by Elton John
Another great artist, many classics but for me this one is special.
2. Imagine by John Lennon
What a very sad end for a great artist and talent. His songs will live forever.
1. Freebird by Lynyrd Skynyrd
Blew my mind the very first time I heard it. Still does!

10. I Love You by Climax Blues Band
I actually rediscovered this quite recently. And someday I am going to do it in karioke. Love the simple electric piano melody and listening to a guy give praise to his wife is such an earnest way, now it would be wimpy and embarrassing to even attempt. The perfect wedding song.
9. Sister Golden Hair by America
Wooden clogs, sand in my toes, and ladies in big lime flower print bathing suits. Summer of '75 and a big a** Buick LeSabres that went on for miles.
8. Sara by Fleetwood Mac
Yeah, I love everything on 'Rumours' and 'Fleetwood Mac', and feel bad because I can't put Christine McVie's voice on this list. But this song almost makes me want to become a recording engineer.
7. Wondering Where The Lions Are by Bruce Cockburn
Again a nod to my Canadian home. For some reason this reminds me a lot in spirit to Sublime's "What I Got". This guy won't get into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, but in a kinder more enlightened world he would have been.
6. You're My Best Friend by Queen
When Freddie Mercury really came out of the closet and revealed to the world that his Broadway songmeister ambitions weren't a fluke with 'Bohemian Rhapsody'. Were they rock? Pop? Who knows. 'My Best Friend' reminds me of not ironically my best friend in junior school.
5. Cool Change by Little River Band
Beautiful from an Aussie band that ruled the radio for a few years in the late 70's - "Reminiscing" et al.
4. The Things We Do For Love by 10cc
Pure candy. Reminds me of sticky ice cream cones at a fair in the summer of 1977. And Pepsi running shoes and Bigfoot boots.
3. Free Man In Paris by Joni Mitchell
Again lyrics get me here - her singing about the pressures of fame, the music industry and life in the fast track of LA. "unfettered and alive".
2. Levon by Elton John
The master of the pop song. What this song is about, I have absolutely no clue...but the lyric "he was born on a Christmas Day, when the New York Times said 'God is Dead and the War's Begun'" makes me what Taupin was on. This one is easily the best of this man's golden era. He wouldn't come anywhere close until his last album. God bless Elton.
1. Sail On by The Commodores
Okay, the list is heavy on ballads, but for me the 70's were about perfect AM radio hitlist candy. Before the Lionel Richie crapout solo output, this song had a kicka** ending with the harmonizing, and over the top jamming. Great band at its peak...funky sound, with of course those Richie love songs. He would never write as good again.

10. Dream On by Aerosmith
9. Rock And Roll All Nite by KISS
This song rules! [I want to rock and roll all night, and party every day!!!]
8. In-A -Gadda -Da-Vida by Iron Butterfly
I don't know if this song from the 70's, but what the heck!
7. L.A. Woman by The Doors
I love The Doors, L.A Woman WOW!!!
6. Won't Get Fooled Again by The Who
This song rocks!!!
5. Layla by Derek & The Dominos
One of the songs I like from Eric Clapton.
4. Bohemian Rapsody by Queen
This song is sad, but rocks at the end, cool!!!
3. Hotel California by Eagles
No doubt that this song is the sound of the 70's.
2. Stairway To Heaven by Led Zeppelin
One of the best songs from Led Zeppelin, this song should be the #1 song, but this one goes to #2 because there's one amazing song I love and it rocks, too!!!...........
1. Free Bird by Lynyrd Skynyrd
The best song and guitar solo ever!!!

10. The Winner Takes It All by ABBA
ABBA has to be mentioned because they were a hit in the 70's and this is a really great song.
9. Tiny Dancer by Elton John
I never get sick of this song. Elton John's early music was sung with a different sound to his newer stuff which gives it character. A real hit.
8. Do Ya Think I'm Sexy? by Rod Stewart
The beat is great on it's own, not that I'm a Rod Stewart fan or anything but I think that this song is really awesome.
7. Give A Little Bit by Supertramp
Cool fast-moving 70's song. It just makes you want to sing along.
6. Bridge Over Troubled Water by Simon & Garfunkel
Really easy listening.
5. Spirit In The Sky by Norman Greenbaum
You have to really listen to the tune in this song! It is really good. The lyrics accompany the tune well.
4. You Make Loving Fun by Fleetwood Mac
Christine McVie has made a great song with excellent lyrics and the tune is awesome. This is a fun song and I can't help "loving" it.
3. It's Too Late by Carole King
A great easy listening hit.
2. You're So Vain by Carly Simon
It has a good tune and lyrics. Really 70's sounding.
1. Rhiannon (Will You Ever Win) by Fleetwood Mac
The beat in this song is really great, Stevie Nicks characteristic voice shines through. I love this song.

10. Stone Cold Crazy by Queen
Off 'Sheer Heart Attack', by FAR their best, more diverse album in my opinion. Roger Taylor does it again.
9. Stoned Soul Picnic by Laura Nyro
What an underrated talent. She wrote 'Stoney End', 'Eli's Coming', 'Wedding Bell Blues', etc. but they were covered by others. This version is really great.
8. Communication Breakdown by Led Zeppelin
I know they got sued by the old bluesmen (and rightfully so) but, hey they stole the GOOD STUFF! This song is a great one and kinda original, at least for them.
7. Victim Of Love by Eagles
Actually the only song of theirs I can stomach, and it's a real corker. If not for Joe Walsh, they'd be a bunch of wankers.
6. Sail Away by Randy Newman
I didn't see any Randy Newman.... what gives? A lot of 70's bands sucked but there WERE some great songwriters.
5. Mystery Dance by Elvis Costello
The nerd rocks head and shoulders above all the posers back in 1976.
4. White Girl by X
LA's great punk band. Check out the new boxed set.
3. The Real Me by The Who
What can I say? Incredible vocals and drums.
2. Police Truck by The Dead Kennedys
Menace, menace, menace and a helluva lotta fear. It ain't Hotel freaking California....jeez.
1. Instant Karma by John Lennon
Got me into rock and roll in the first place. The drumming has yet to be equaled (Alan White) and the message can't be beat.