3 Essential 1970s Glam Rock Albums and Their Modern Counterparts

There’s so much to love about 1970s glam rock. However, if you’re looking for nostalgic sentiment in contemporary music, here are three modern albums paired with 1970s classics that are must-listens. Bask in the memories of the essentials, and maybe find something new here too.

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The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders From Mars by David Bowie / Skinwalker by Buzzard Buzzard Buzzard

Released in 1972, Ziggy Stardust was the start of one of David Bowie’s most iconic personas. The album is glam rock at its finest, and made a shift from the warmer, piano-based sound of Hunky Dory from the previous year. It was a slight return to Bowie’s guitar-driven sound at the same time that he was trying something new with his identity.

For a comparable contemporary sound, Welsh rockers Buzzard Buzzard Buzzard released their most recent album Skinwalker in 2024. It pulls heavily from 1970s glam rock while also having a touch of hardcore. Its concept mostly surrounds mental health, a stark difference from Ziggy Stardust‘s elaborate narrative. However, Skinwalker delivers a unique sound similar to Bowie’s experimentation on Ziggy, most closely felt when comparing songs like “Moonage Daydream” with the Skinwalker track “My Star Sign is a Bassett Hound.”

Suzi Quatro by Suzi Quatro / A Million Knives by The Velveteers

Suzi Quatro emerged in 1973 with her debut self-titled album, a classic hard-glam delight. It leans somewhat blues at the same time that it’s pure rock, with killer guitar solos on songs like “Shine My Machine.”

In comparison, trio The Velveteers released their second album A Million Knives this year. It’s a little heavier than Suzi Quatro, but there’s that hint of glam within both albums that sets them apart from a standard rock offering. Quatro and The Velveteers vocalist Demi Demitro have similar expressive voices even as Demitro’s pitches a bit lower. Still, both albums have a glam thread woven throughout their rock foundations that gives them an edge.

A Night at the Opera — Queen / Everybody Wants by The Struts

A Night at the Opera was released in 1975 and became a staple album for Queen. It’s heavily glam, as usual, with expert guitar control from Brian May paired with Freddie Mercury’s iconic vocals. This album notably features their well-known hit “Bohemian Rhapsody” as well as other experimental tracks.

Comparably, The Struts have a similar glam-rock sound. They emerged in 2016 with the album Everybody Wants, and vocalist Luke Spiller has a voice to rival Freddie Mercury. Experimental and fabulously rowdy, The Struts had a huge hit with “Could Have Been Me,” which echoes some of the sentiments that Queen often explored.

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