4 Rock Songs That Defined the Classic Sound of the 1970s

Music exploded in the 1970s. The decade, which grew out of the rock-focused 1960s, saw the rise of a number of essential rock bands. But there were also other genres of music growing in popularity during the time, from rap to disco.

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Here below, we wanted to highlight four memorable songs from the decade that remind us of what it was like to be a music fan back then in the golden age of the 1970s. Indeed, these are four rock songs that defined the classic sound of the 1970s.

“Rock And Roll” by Led Zeppelin from ‘Led Zeppelin IV’ (1972)

When it comes to 1970s rock music, Led Zeppelin is at the top of the mountain. The group featured perhaps the greatest singer, guitar player, drummer, and multi-instrumentalist of the decade in Robert Plant, Jimmy Page, John Bonham, and John Paul Jones, respectively. But whether or not you’re into rankings, just know that entire radio stations still dedicate blocks of time to the band and their catalog. The band is rock. So why not enjoy their track “Rock And Roll”!

“Dream On” by Aerosmith from ‘Aerosmith’ (1973)

Another group that summed up 1970s rock—and thus the sound of the era itself—was the Boston-born band Aerosmith. Before they were walking various ways with the 1980s rap sensation Run-DMC, they were writing songs that sounded like six-string dreamscapes. Indeed, the band let their fans “Dream On” with each revolution of the photograph.

“Heart Of Glass” by Blondie from ‘Parallel Lines’ (1978)

Blondie might be the most essential band of the 1970s. They helped to shine a light on several genres in the decade, from rock to disco to even rap. Blondie was one of the first bands to share rap with a mainstream audience (thanks to their friendship with Fab Five Freddy), and they also released timeless tunes like “Heart Of Glass”.

“Night Fever” by Bee Gees from ‘Saturday Night Fever’ (1977)

You can’t talk 1970s without talking disco. And the disco band at the top of the mountain in the 1970s was likely the Bee Gees. When it comes to disco, the film Saturday Night Fever was all the rage. And it was the Bee Gees who supplied the movie’s soundtrack with tunes so hot they made you want to dance. It was impossible to be alive in the late 1970s and not hear the Bee Gees daily. It just was.

Photo by Rob Verhorst/Redferns