3 Rockers From the 1970s Who Became Famous in Their 30s

Rock music is often thought of as a young person’s art form. There is a youthful passion exhibited in so many of the genre’s best songs. There is a sense of rebellion imbued in the style that is most easily associated with the teenage years or even the 20s.

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And yet, some rockers became famous later in life. That’s just what we wanted to look into here. We wanted to dive into the careers of three artists from back in the day who became famous as adults. Indeed, these are three rockers from the 1970s who became famous in their 30s.

Debbie Harry

The striking songwriter and performer Debbie Harry fronted the hit 1970s and 1980s band Blondie. With model good looks, vocals that stuck in your ears, and a style that demanded attention, Harry was a star of rock, disco, and even helped usher in hip-hop to the mainstream. But Harry was a bit older for a pop icon when Blondie first made it big. Indeed, she was 31 years old when Blondie released its debut self-titled LP. But that just means she had the right experience to navigate fame. And, well, the rest is history.

Bill Withers

Bill Withers writes songs that seem to be thousands of years old. It’s as if he raises his hand and plucks them from the heavens. Songs about his grandmother’s hands, songs about sticking together. But the stellar songwriter was 33 years old when he released his debut album. And he was the same age when songs of his like “Ain’t No Sunshine” began to take over the world. Today, the timeless artist is remembered for tunes like “Lean on Me” and “Lovely Day”.

Ric Ocasek

The Cars formed in Boston in 1976, and they released their debut self-titled album in 1978. By that time, the group’s frontman, Ric Ocasek, was 34 years old. And while that’s late for a rock frontman to hit it big, it all worked out in the end for the band, Ocasek, and music fans. Because the group gave the world, well, just what we needed! Even today, you can hear their signature track on TV shows, in films, or in commercials.

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