Some songs are so different from the norm that they push a genre’s conventions to the breaking point. These songs shake things up so much that fans couldn’t possibly unhear what they’ve heard. There’s no point in subsequent artists trying to rehash the past; they now must fall in line with this new precedent. The three songs from 1975 below all pushed classic rock to its breaking point, rewriting the genre’s definition altogether.
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“Born to Run” (Bruce Springsteen)
Bruce Springsteen’s brand of classic rock is a far cry from those who came before him. Every new generation brings new ideals. Springsteen was at the forefront of what “classic” rock would look like in the ’80s, paving the way with this 1975 release.
Anthem-making would never be the same after Springsteen released this hit. Springsteen became the antithesis of another movement at the forefront of rock around this time: punk. Though he wasn’t afraid to call out the powers that be in his songs, there was a sense of optimism that runs throughout his music, especially in “Born to Run,” that struck a chord with fans and fellow musicians alike.
“Rhiannon” (Fleetwood Mac)
The Stevie Nicks-helmed “Rhiannon” added a layer of mysticism to rock music that no one had been able to muster before this iteration of the band—and few have been able to recreate since.
When many fans think of ’70s rock, Fleetwood Mac is among the first bands that come to mind. Though they feel like they epitomize classic rock of this time, they really had no true equal in the mid-70s. Fleetwood Mac and this 1975 release helped rewrite the script for what should be considered “classic” rock of this era.
“Bohemian Rhapsody” (Queen)
When thinking of songs that pushed classic rock to a breaking point in 1975, it becomes apparent that one song must be included on the list: Queen’s “Bohemian Rhapsody.” This mish-mashed, lengthy hit has no parallel. Nothing about it is conventional, laughing in the face of every song that came before it.
If you were a rocker in the mid-’70s, “Bohemian Rhapsody” likely scared you or opened your mind to the endless possibilities of classic rock music. Regardless of diverging viewpoints, it’s a universal truth that the traditional notions of the genre went out with this Queen masterpiece.
(Photo by Ian Dickson/Redferns)
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