In the 70s, glam rock emerged as both a unique sound and style for its artists onstage, and captivated audiences in the UK, especially. Here are a few songs that got everyone’s attention, from T. Rex to Slade.
“Hot Love” by T. Rex
Mark Bolan, who sang lead vocals for T. Rex, is frequently cited as the one who started the glam rock movement. In March of 1971, Bolan sparked intrigue in the new genre when he performed “Hot Love” on Top of the Pops, fitted up in a shiny, androgynous silver suit. He also wore golden glitter below his eyes, which he explained to the BBC had belonged to his wife.
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“There was some of my wife’s glitter, and I just spit on me fingers and stuck it under me eyes. I thought it looked cute …” he said.
“Starman” by David Bowie
Similarly to Mark Bolan, Bowie performed this song on Top of the Pops in 1972 and captured audiences’ attention with his multicolored jumpsuit and voluminous red hair. “Starman” was the lead single for Bowie’s album The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars. His performance of the song on Top of the Pops not only shot the single up to No. 10 on the UK Singles Chart, but it also introduced more audiences to Bowie’s “Ziggy Stardust” character. In this song, as Bowie explained to Rolling Stone, Stardust, an androgynous, alien rockstar, writes “Starman” to give the people of a fictitious Earth a message of hope in dire times.
“Ziggy is advised in a dream by the infinites to write the coming of a starman, so he writes ‘Starman’, which is the first news of hope that the people have heard. So they latch onto it immediately…” Bowie shared.
“Cum On Feel The Noize” by Slade
In a glittery world of Bowies and Bolans, the band Slade showcased a slightly heavier side of glam rock. “Cum On Feel The Noize”, released as a single, was one of the first mainstream glam rock hits. It entered the UK chart at No. 1, making it the first song to do so since The Beatles’ “Get Back” about four years earlier.
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