3 of the Best Pop Songs That Close Out Albums From the 1970s

When it comes to pop music, it’s important to end everything with a bang. Occasionally, certain pop artists can get away with giving fans something downbeat or slow. But most of the time, the idea is to leave listeners excited and thrilled.

Videos by American Songwriter

That’s just what we wanted to dive into here. Below, we wanted to showcase three standout pop stars who very much understood the assignment. Indeed, these are three of the best pop songs to close albums from the 1970s.

“Love Me Tender” by Linda Ronstadt from ‘Living In The USA’ (1978)

For most music fans, an acoustic cover of a classic song by your favorite artist is like catnip for the soul. And that itch is most definitely scratched by the great Linda Ronstadt on her 1978 rendition of the classic Elvis Presley song, “Love Me Tender”. As we noted above, sometimes the right artist can leave their fans on a more reflective note, and that’s just what Ronstadt does here. The fact that she’s singing this song in this moment for you is enough to leave you floating on clouds. Her voice on the classic lyrics is chef’s kiss.

“Sunset People” by Donna Summer from ‘Bad Girls’ (1979)

Okay, back to the main task at hand. Donna Summer concludes her 1979 LP, Bad Girls, with this percussive, synth-driven dance song. She takes her time entering the six-plus-minute tune. But it’s worth the wait. Summer boasts one of the greatest voices of all time. Indeed, she’s also one of the most underrated singers maybe ever. Your toes respond to her tone, her vibe before you even know it. And to end a record with the idea of a sunset—that’s 3D chess!

“Frustrated” by The Knack from ‘Get The Knack’ (1979)

The pop-power band The Knack’s 1979 LP, Get The Knack, was a smash success and it gave the world songs like “My Sharona”. But the album ends with this song, “Frustrated”. Like so many on the record, the focus of the track is the lead vocalist Doug Fieger’s love interest. And on this rollicking romp, he describes feelings of, well, frustration. Rock seems the only way to exorcise them. So, that’s just what The Knack does here.

Photo by NBCU Photo Bank/NBCUniversal via Getty Images