I've read posts on this board before how the '70s peak lasted through 1978 or even early 1979; but I disagree about this fact. When I talk about the "peak" of a decade, I usually refer to being both nearly completely free of the previous decade's influence on culture and, at the time when viewed at a later point, showing virtually no signs of what would come to prevail in the following decade.

But when you look at the non-disco stuff, things were definately starting to evolve into what would become the '80s: Cheap Trick's I Want You To Want Me and The Cars Just What I Needed; I key-ined both of these songs and searched the playlists, and quickly found up with a list titled "'80s Rock", despite the fact that both songs were released in 1978. It is usually considered early New Wave by rock historians; plus, Happy Days already had jumped the shark. Plus, the disco had more synthesized songs than it did from 1975-77.

The Apple II and Atari came out the previous year and would peak at somepoint in the '80s for both; plus, Cable Television such as HBO was just starting to surface with the buying public along with Home Videos. Looking at some old Google News Archive search results for 1978, the cassette was rising in popularity and 8-tracks were starting to fade a bit, a sign that the '70s peak had passed.

Leg Warmers were already available at certain stores (and had been since 1975), and for blacks, the Afro was starting to give way to more weaved hair. An article from September of that year stated that the hair at a fashion show was trending with "lots of waves, curls, and a looser, more controlled hairstyle."

In essence, 1978 was not "peak '70s" (except for perhaps the early part of the year with Saturday Night Fever mania hanging on) but still "classic '70s"- the world was still quite disillusioned and more discos were still opening as opposed to closing, plus television and movies were "classic '70s" mainly in production. I've been seeing '80s dance music increasingly refered to as "disco" as well in recent years, forgiving the hatred of the word "disco' at the time; and I tend to lump '70s and '80s dance music together.

What the hell is Peak 70s?

What the hell is Peak 70s?


It appears to mean the year that is the most seventies like year of all the years in the decade.  :-\\

Are we heading towards decadeology?

It appears to mean the year that is the most seventies like year of all the years in the decade.  :-\\

Are we heading towards decadeology?


Chances are good that if it's a topic with a year in the title, and the main post doesn't make sense, then it's all about decadeology ;D

oh. I see. axe smiley    :)

I think that's decadeology and a bit too detailed for us to cover.


although I was there and it peaked at 76.

Chances are good that if it's a topic with a year in the title, and the main post doesn't make sense, then it's all about decadeology ;D


You're right. Topic closed:

http://www.inthe00s.com/index.php?topic=32987.0

Ant