Popular music in the 1970s
Notable songs in popular music in the 1970s included (click the year for more songs):
- 1970: Close
to You (Carpenters); ABC (Jackson Five); Ain’t No Mountain High Enough (Diana Ross);
25 or 6 to 4 (Chicago); The Letter (Joe Cocker); Venus (Shocking Blue); Let It Be
(Beatles); Fire and Rain (James Taylor); We’ve Only Just Begun (Carpenters);
Coal Miner’s Daughter (Loretta Lynne); Bridge Over Troubled Water (Simon and
Garfunkel); Okie From Muskogee (Merle Haggard); He Ain’t Heavy, He’s My Brother
(Hollies); Our House (Crosby Stills Nash and Young); Cecilia (Simon and Garfunkel);
Rubber Ducky (Ernie [Jim Henson, Sesame Street]); My Sweet Lord (George Harrison);
Raindrops Keep Fallin’ On My Head (B. J. Thomas); Cracklin’ Rosie (Neil Diamond);
Amos Moses (Jerry Reed); El Condor Pasa (Simon & Garfunkel); Lucretia MacEvil (Blood, Sweat & Tears);
Reach Out and Touch (Somebody’s Hand) (Diana Ross)
- 1971:
You’ve Got A Friend (James Taylor); Joy To The World (Three Dog Night); Brown Sugar
(Rolling Stones); Stairway to Heaven (Led Zeppelin); Imagine (John Lennon);
Proud Mary (Ike and Tina Turner); Oye Como Va (Santana); Color My World
(Chicago); Truckin’ (Grateful Dead); Mr Bojangles (Nitty Gritty Dirt Band); Beginnings
(Chicago); Me and Bobby McGee (Janis Joplin); I Don’t Know How to Love Him
(Yvonne Elliman); Have You Ever Seen the Rain (Creedence Clearwater Revival);
Take Me Home, Country Roads (John Denver); The Wedding Song (There Is Love)
(Paul Stookey); The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down (Joan Baez); Theme
from Shaft (Isaac Hayes); Superstar (Carpenters)
- 1972:
American Pie (Don McLean); Lean On Me (Bill Withers); Schools Out (Alice Cooper);
Goodbye to Love (Carpenters);
Burning Love (Elvis Presley); The Candy Man (Sammy Davis, Jr.); Saturday
in the Park (Chicago); Rockin’ Robin (Michael Jackson);
Listen to the Music (Doobie Brothers); Brandy (Looking Glass); Diamonds Are Forever
(Shirley Bassey); The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face (Roberta Flack); Morning Has Broken
(Cat Stevens); I Am Woman (Helen Reddy); I Can See Clearly Now (Johnny Nash);
Papa Was a Rolling Stone (Temptations); Everything Is Beautiful (Ray Stevens);
The Long and Winding Road (The Beatles); I’d Like To Teach the World To Sing (In Perfect Harmony) (The New Seekers)
- 1973:
Ramblin Man (Allman Brothers Band); Friends (Bette Midler); Crockodile Rock
(Elton John); You Are the Sunshine of My Life (Stevie Wonder); Bad, Bad Leroy Brown
(Jim Croce); Knockin’ on Heaven’s Door (Bob Dylan); We’re an American Band
(Grand Funk Railroad); Don’t Let Me Be Lonely Tonight (James Taylor); Tie a Yellow Ribbon
’Round
the Old Oak Tree (Dawn featuring Tony Orlando); Midnight Train to Georgia
(Gladys Knight & the Pips); Goodbye Yellow Brick Road (Elton John); Cover of
Rolling Stone (Dr Hook & The Medicine Show); Behind Closed Doors
(Charlie Rich); You’re So Vain (Carly Simon); Superstition (Stevie Wonder); Killing Me Softly With His Song
(Roberta Flack); Love Train (O’Jays); The Night the Lights Went Out in Georgia
(Vicki Lawrence); Frankenstein (The Edgar Winter Group); My Love (Paul McCartney & Wings); Give Me Love
(Give Me Peace On Earth) (George Harrison); The Morning After (Maureen McGovern); Touch Me in the Morning
(Diana Ross); Brother Louie (Stories); Let’s Get It On (Marvin Gaye); Delta Dawn
(Helen Reddy); Half-Breed (Cher); Angie (The Rolling Stones); Keep On
Truckin’
-Part 1 (Eddie Kendricks); Photograph (Ringo Starr); Top of the World (The Carpenters); The Most Beautiful Girl
(Charlie Rich); Time in a Bottle (Jim Croce); Rocky Mountain High (John Denver)
- 1974:
Sweet Home Alabama - Lynyrd Skynrd; Takin Care Of Business - Bachman Turner Overdrive (BTO);
The Loco-motion - Grand Funk; The Way We Were - Barbara Streisand; Dancing Machine - Jackson Five;
Wishing You Were Here - Chicago; Rock The Boat - the Hues Corporation; Waterloo - ABBA;
I Shot The Sheriff - Eric Clapton; You’re Sixteen - Ringo Starr; The Joker - Steve Miller Band;
Show And Tell - Al Wilson; Love’s Theme - Love Unlimited Orchestra; Seasons in the Sun - Terry Jacks;
Dark Lady - Cher; Sunshine on My Shoulders - John Denver; Hooked On A Feeling - Blue Swede;
Bennie And The Jets - Elton John TSOP (The Sound of Philadelphia) - MFSB featuring The Three Degrees;
The Streak - Ray Stevens;
Band on the Run - Paul McCartney & Wings;
Billy, Don’t Be A Hero - Paper Lace;
Sundown - Gordon Lightfoot;
Rock Your Baby - George McCrae; Annie’s Song - John Denver;
Feel Like Makin’ Love - Roberta Flack;
The Night Chicago Died - Paper Lace; (You’re) Having My Baby - Paul Anka & Odia Coates;
Can’t Get Enough of Your Love, Babe - Barry White;
Rock Me Gently - Andy Kim;
I Honestly Love You - Olivia Newton-John;
Nothing From Nothing - Billy Preston;
Then Came You - Dionne Warwick & The Spinners;
You Ain’t Seen Nothing Yet - Bachman-Turner Overdrive;
Whatever Gets You Thru the Night - John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band;
I Can Help - Billy Swan;
Kung Fu Fighting - Carl Douglas; Cat’s In the Cradle - Harry Chapin;
Angie Baby - Helen Reddy
- 1975:
Get Down Tonight - KC & The Sunshine Band; Thank God I’m A Country Boy - John Denver;
Send In the Clowns - Judy Collins;
You Are So Beautiful - Joe Cocker;
The Hustle - Van McCoy;
"They Just Can’t Stop It" (Games People Play) - Spinners;
How Sweet It Is - James Taylor;
I Only Have Eyes For You - Art Garfunkle;
The Entertainer - Billy Joel;
Volare - Al Martino; Angie Baby - Helen Reddy;
Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds - Elton John;
Please Mr. Postman - The Carpenters;
Laughter in the Rain - Neil Sedaka; You’re No Good - Linda Ronstadt;
Pick Up the Pieces - AWB;
Best of My Love - The Eagles;
Have You Never Been Mellow - Olivia Newton-John;
Black Water - The Doobie Brothers;
My Eyes Adored You - Frankie Valli;
Lady Marmalade - LaBelle; Lovin’ You - Minnie Riperton;
Philadelphia Freedom - The Elton John Band;
Shining Star - Earth, Wind & Fire;
Before the Next Teardrop Falls - Freddy Fender;
Thank God I’m a Country Boy - John Denver;
Sister Golden Hair - America;
Love Will Keep Us Together - The Captain & Tennille;
Listen To What the Man Said - Paul McCartney & Wings;
The Hustle - Van McCoy/The Soul City Symphony;
One of These Nights - The Eagles;
Jive Talkin’ - Bee Gees; Fallin’ In Love - Hamilton, Joe Frank & Reynolds;
Get Down Tonight - KC and the Sunshine Band;
Rhinestone Cowboy - Glen Campbell;
Fame - David Bowie; I’m Sorry - John Denver;
Bad Blood - Neil Sedaka;
Island Girl - Elton John; That’s the Way (I Like It) - KC and the Sunshine Band;
Fly, Robin, Fly - Silver Convention; Let’s Do It Again - The Staple Singers; Una Paloma Blanca - George Baker
Selection
- 1976:
Shake Your Booty - KC and The Sunshine Band;
I Heard It Through the Grapevine - Creedence Clearwater Revival;
Bohemian Rhapsody - Queen; Let’s Do It Again - The Staple Singers;
Saturday Night - Bay City Rollers;
I Write the Songs - Barry Manilow;
Theme from Mahogany ("Do You Know Where You’re Going To" ) - Diana Ross;
Love Rollercoaster - Ohio Players;
50 Ways To Leave Your Lover - Paul Simon;
Theme From S.W.A.T. - Rhythm Heritage;
Love Machine (Part 1) - The Miracles;
Oh, What a Night - The Four Seasons;
Disco Lady - Johnnie Taylor;
Let Your Love Flow - Bellamy Brothers;
Welcome Back - John Sebastian;
Boogie Fever - The Sylvers;
Silly Love Songs - Wings;
Love Hangover - Diana Ross;
Afternoon Delight - Starland Vocal Band;
Kiss and Say Goodbye - Manhattans; Don’t Go Breaking My Heart - Elton John & Kiki Dee;
You Should Be Dancing - The Bee Gees;
Play That Funky Music - Wild Cherry;
Disco Duck (Part 1) - Rick Dees & His Cast of Idiots;
If You Leave Me Now - Chicago; Rock’n Me - Steve Miller; Tonight’s The Night (Gonna Be Alright) - Rod Stewart; Breaking Up Is Hard to Do
- Neil Sedaka
- 1977:
Tonight’s The Night (Gonna Be Alright) - Rod Stewart; You Don’t Have To Be A Star (To Be In My Show) - Marilyn McCoo & Billy ;
Davis, Jr.; You Make Me Feel Like Dancing; I Wish - Stevie Wonder; Car Wash - Rose Royce; Torn Between Two Lovers - Mary MacGregor; Blinded By The Light - Manfred
Mann’s Earth Band; New Kid In Town - The Eagles; Love
theme from A Star Is Born - ("Evergreen") Barbra Streisand; Rich Girl - Daryl Hall & John Oates; Dancing Queen - ABBA;
Don’t Give Up On Us - David Soul; Don’t Leave Me This Way - Thelma Houston; Southern Nights - Glen Campbell; Hotel California - The Eagles; When I Need You - Leo Sayer; Sir Duke - Stevie Wonder;
I’m Your Boogie Man - KC and the Sunshine Band; Dreams - Fleetwood Mac; Got To Give It Up (Pt. I) - Marvin Gaye; Gonna Fly Now - Bill Conti; Undercover Angel - Alan
O’Day; Da Doo Ron Ron - Shaun Cassidy; Looks Like We Made It - Barry Manilow; I Just Want To Be Your Everything - Andy Gibb; Best
of My Love - The Emotions; Star Wars Theme/Cantina Band - Meco; You Light Up My Life - Debby Boone; How Deep Is Your Love - Bee Gees;
Luckenbach, Texas (Back to the Basics of Love) - Waylon Jennings; Short People - Randy Newman
- 1978:
Last Dance - Donna Summer; Disco Inferno - Trammps;
Summer Nights - Olivia Newton-John & John Travolta;
Copacabana - Barry Manilow;
Night Fever - Bee Gees;
Only the Good Die Young - Billy Joel;
Greased Lightnin’ - John Travolta; She’s Always a Woman - Billy Joel;
You’re the One That I Want - Olivia Newton-John & John Travolta;
Macho Man - Village People;
Shaker Song - Spiro Gyra;
Mamas Don’t Let Your Babies Grow Up To Be Cowboys - Waylon Jennings & Willie Nelson;
How Deep Is Your Love - Bee Gees; Stayin’ Alive - Bee Gees;
With A Little Luck - Wings; You’re the One That I Want - John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John;
Shadow Dancing - Andy Gibb;
Miss You - The Rolling Stones;
Three Times a Lady - Commodores;
Grease - Frankie Valli;
Boogie Oogie Oogie - A Taste of Honey;
Hot Child In The City - Nick Gilder;
You Needed Me - Anne Murray;
MacArthur Park - Donna Summer;
You Don’t Bring Me Flowers - Barbra Streisand and Neil Diamond;
Le Freak - Chic; The Gambler - Kenny Rogers; King Tut - Steve Martin & The Toot Uncommons;
Will You Love Me Tomorrow - Dave Mason; My Sharona - The Knack
- 1979:
Y.M.C.A. - Village People;
I Will Survive - Gloria Gaynor;
We Are Family - Sister Sledge;
Old Time Rock and Roll - Bob Seger;
Escape (The Pina Colada Song) - Rupert Holmes;
My Sharona - the Knack;
The Devil Went Down To Georgia - Charlie Daniels Band;
My Life - Billy Joel;
Bad Girls - Donna Summer;
Good Times - Chic;
My Sharona - The Knack;
Rise - Herb Alpert;
Pop Muzik - M;
Heartache Tonight - The Eagles;
Still - The Commodores;
No More Tears (Enough Is Enough) - Barbra Streisand & Donna Summer;
Babe - Styx