4 Forgotten Rock Bands From the 1970s You Need To Rediscover Today

The 1970s was rich with all sorts of rock bands, from glam rock to country rock to hard rock and beyond. It was a great era for that particular type of music. Some of the biggest rock bands of the 20th century formed during that decade. Likewise, because so much great rock music came out in the 1970s, some genuinely good bands fell through the cracks and remain forgotten today. I think the following four bands, specifically, need to be remembered and revisited ASAP. Let’s take a look!

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Curved Air

I’m a big Stewart Copeland fan, so naturally I checked out Curved Air at one point in my youth, only to be totally blown away by their debut album Air Conditioning from 1970. Specifically, the long-winded suite “Vivaldi” still makes it to my regular rotation today. It’s just that good. And Stewart Copeland wasn’t even on that album! Funny how things work out. 

Sadly, today, I’m shocked to hear few fans of 1970s classic rock remember Curved Air. That debut album I mentioned is definitely essential listening.

Be-Bop Deluxe

Remember Be-Bop Deluxe? This progressive art rock outfit from England only reached moderate success in the later 1970s, but they definitely deserved more love. Sadly, the group only lasted from 1972 to 1978. While together, this outfit (which, surprisingly, started as a glam rock band) produced five excellent studio albums, three of which made it to the mainstream UK albums chart. Their most well-known work is likely Modern Music from 1976.

The Good Rats

They were good rats, indeed. This blues rock band from Long Island launched in the mid-1960s, but they are best known for their 1970s releases like Tasty, Ratcity In Blue, and From Rats To Riches. They actually achieved a bit of national and even international success, but they remain best known among audiophiles and local music fans in their native Long Island. Thankfully, this rodent-themed outfit is still together today and performs on occasion.

Spooky Tooth

This entry on our list of forgotten rock bands from the 1970s formed in the late 1960s. Spooky Tooth broke up and reunited off and on through the years, but they released the bulk of their material in the 1970s. Specifically, albums like The Last Puff and You Broke My Heart So I Busted Your Jaw remain favorites among fans of blues rock and early prog today.

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