4 Songs That Resonated With Teens More Than Adults in the Early 1970s

Teens made up a pretty big portion of the audience that enjoyed rock and pop songs in the early 1970s. And there are some songs that were really popular among the youth of the era. Let’s take a look at just a few songs that teens really loved in the early 1970s! If you were young around that time, you probably still love these songs today.

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“I’ll Be There” by The Jackson 5 (1970)

This outfit of teen idols and child stars naturally resonated with teenage listeners in 1970. Their track “I’ll Be There” was one of the biggest soul-pop tunes of that year. This classic tune from Motown Records was The Jackson 5’s fifth No. 1 hit in a row, and it was also quite successful in the UK and beyond. The voices of Michael, Jermaine, Tito, Marlon, and Jackie really made this song special, but the Los Angeles area session musicians who contributed to it also had a hand in crafting the gorgeous hit.

“School’s Out” by Alice Cooper (1972)

It’s a hard rock song about finally making it to the end of the school year and getting to enjoy summer break. It’s not exactly hard to grasp why teens really liked this song in 1972. Today, “School’s Out” by Alice Cooper is still the godfather of shock rock’s most-performed song at his live concerts. That just further proves that you never really grow out of the songs you loved when you were young.

“Smokin’ In The Boys Room” by Brownsville Station (1973)

This hard rock track from Brownsville Station was one of the definitive “bad kid” tunes of the early 1970s. It’s a rebellious anthem about students trying to avoid getting caught by teachers while smoking in the boys’ restroom, and a lot of angsty teens resonated with it at the time. The song would gain a breath of new life in later years through a cover by Mötley Crüe in 1985. Some songs just never go out of style.

“One Bad Apple” by The Osmonds (1970)

This bubblegum pop delight was one of the most beloved songs among teens in the early 1970s. “One Bad Apple” by The Osmonds dropped in 1970 and was written by George Jackson, who planned on giving the song to The Jackson 5. It went to The Osmonds instead, and they turned it into a No. 1 hit on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.

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