The funk 'wah-wah' guitar, in Funk/Acid Rock cross-over. Best seen in the 'Shaft' theme song, Parliament/George Clinton, Funkadelic, late Jimi Hendrix.

A really muddy, gritty guitar sound popularised by Led Zeppelin, also seen in the early Stooges circa 1974.

Tablas/sitars, influenced by Eastern Music.

Flowery yet minimalistic piano backing, e.g. Carole King, the Carpenters, Barry Manilow

Lo-fi guitar sound - like that song 'I Hear You Knocking' (I forget the artist)

Primitive synthesizers as seen in Kraftwerk's 'Autobahn', and of course 'Dark Side of the Moon' and even 'Abbey Road.'

Honky style Piano, e.g. Elton John's 'Honky Chalet', the Doors 'L.A. Woman', alot of country rock

Alot of brass backing - many pop songs had at least some horns

.......
Honky style Piano, e.g. Elton John's 'Honky Chalet',.....
I ...caaaaaan't ....stoooop......myself

Its:
Elton John's "Honky Chateau"

The funk 'wah-wah' guitar, in Funk/Acid Rock cross-over. Best seen in the 'Shaft' theme song, Parliament/George Clinton, Funkadelic, late Jimi Hendrix.

A really muddy, gritty guitar sound popularised by Led Zeppelin, also seen in the early Stooges circa 1974.

Tablas/sitars, influenced by Eastern Music.

Flowery yet minimalistic piano backing, e.g. Carole King, the Carpenters, Barry Manilow

Lo-fi guitar sound - like that song 'I Hear You Knocking' (I forget the artist)

Primitive synthesizers as seen in Kraftwerk's 'Autobahn', and of course 'Dark Side of the Moon' and even 'Abbey Road.'

Honky style Piano, e.g. Elton John's 'Honky Chalet', the Doors 'L.A. Woman', alot of country rock

Alot of brass backing - many pop songs had at least some horns


It was very diverse...I love it!  8)

And you've not even touched on 'glam rock' or 'sweet soul' yet...!!

('I Hear You Knocking' ('70s style) was by Dave Edmunds' Rockpile...)

The early '70s was the most formative time for me, musically, so I guess that colors everything...  ::)

Such an era!  Just think of some of the unique early 70's trends.  Among them:

  - Psychedia (the end of it, anyway)
  - Country Rock (existed before and after, but this was its high point)
  - Philly Soul (again existed before and after, but this was its high point)
  - Spiritual Rock
  - Memphis Soul
  - the short-lived Dutch Invasion (just heard 'Hocus Pocus' by Focus on my FM...  :D )

and the beginnings of trends like

  - Heavy Metal
  - (pre) Disco
  - Funk
  - Glam Rock (as already mentioned)

I'm sure I missed something obvious...

I ...caaaaaan't ....stoooop......myself

Its:
Elton John's "Honky Chateau"




;D Yes, I was aware of that. Slip of concentration there...

Yes, the early 70s were a melting pot of genres and styles. On the 'pure' Rock front you had Heavy Metal (Led Zep), Stadium Rock (Deep Purple), Stoner rock (Floyd, Hawkwind), Glam Rock (Mott the Hoople, T.Rex, Bowie as Ziggy Stardust), and then you had a interest in 'Black' music - blues, Funk like Curtis Mayfield and Funkadelic, Soul like Marvin Gaye.etc. But anyway, I was referring more to the actual sounds than the genres in my original post.

ah but you can't cut out the greatest era for  bubblegum songs, came out from 70 to 75...Who could forget all the girls going ga ga over the Bay City rollers or The Defranco family.. throw in David Cassidy,  Bobby Sherman, The Osmonds. And also the 70's the true decade of the 1 hit wonders.  I know I skipped a lot for the bubblegum crowd...But back then am radio ruled and if you listened to fm then you where a space caddet or called a burnout. :P Cause fm was the only side that played Sabbath and the other harder stuff.