While I wasn't around in the '70s, I have to say, from my examination of pop culture and other things from the 70s, I'd say 1972 is my favorite year of the 70s--or 1977. '72 because it seemed like a glamourous year in the midst of the 70s decay--yet still an entirely dirty, gritty year. You had Nixon going to China and winning re-election HUGE, you had great movies such as the Godfather, great music such as Exile on Main St and other records.

I was only 2 years old at the time, but 1978 seems to be the year that recurs most often with regards to my fave 70s pop culture. Having older siblings made me remember a whole lot more too.

The tv was great (Eight is Enough, What’s Happening, Three’s Co), music for me was pretty good (love Andy Gibb), the Star Wars phenomenon was taking off and the first (and finest) Halloween movie was made! Yes please!

http://www.theswca.com/images-toys/figuretoys/landspeeder-catalog.jpghttp://www.supermusica.com.ve/artists/g/gibb_andy/discography/images/shadowdancing.jpghttp://blogs.abc.com/brothersandsisters/images/2008/04/08/eight_is_enough.jpg

Most of my favourite 70s songs seem to come from '79!

My top favourite of that year ...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z6iHWITmZ10

I've always favored my birth year, 1978.  There was a lot of great music and some terrific movies (like "Halloween") from that year. 

Plus, a couple of my favorite TV shows ("Vega$" and "Mork and Mindy") debuted in '78. 

I even liked the fashion from '78, too!  :D

Two answers, one for "life" and one for "music"

Life: for me, instead of going by a calendar year I go by school year, which starts in September.  My most enjoyable year was the period Sep '75-Aug '76.  I had a blast as a high school Junior (even better than my Senior year) and the summer that followed, our bicentennial summer, was also fantastic.  That was probably the best "year", lifewise.  Second to that was my freshman year of college, Sep '77-Aug '78.  Although that summer (78) wasn't so hot, I had tons of fun during the school year.  I became a "party animal".  (I paid for that, academically...)

Music: If I had to go with a calendar year, it would be 1974.  Although if I could go with a "school" year, it would be Sep '73 to Aug '74.  I loved it that synthesizers were used, but not over used, and I loved that Disco began to emerge but hadn't taken over yet.  There was so much good music coming out left and right, and the competition was fierce, keeping the good stuff in our ears.  That music was just the best.  8)

I missed the 70's by 15 days, although being born on December 31, 1979 wouldn't really count. But years that kind of stick out to me are 1974 and 1978. I like 1978 because Halloween was released that year which was always a favorite movie. And I have no idea why i like '74, i just kind of do. I've heard a lot of good things about the music that year, although 70's pop culture is not really my favorite. I don't think I would've made it that decade.

i was 11 durin' the bicentenial......i live in brooklyn not far from the hudson and i'll never forget the boats from around the world....

also tv shows like happy days, welcome back kotter and cpo sharkey was great

and i have tons of great comic books from that year!

My favorite year in the 70s was 1978. I was a teen then, saw the movies Saturday night fever and Grease, lots of great albums that year (Billy Joel's "The Stranger", Meat Loaf's "bat out of hell", Police's debut album and the 2 soundtracks for the movies above, altho you Saturday night fever's soundtrack came out of late 1977, it was popular all spring), and I led the league in HR's in our junior baseball league (2nd year in a row I led the league in HRs)
Also, my favorite team won the NHL's stanley cup that year (Montreal)
TV had Happy Days, Mork & Mindy, Laverne and Shirley, Threes Company, SOAP, lots of laughs

1979 because I graduated HS and turned 18.

1976 and 1978.

Although I wasn't alive during the '70s, what I wouldn't give to have been around.  I think the '70s are my favorite decade pop culturally.  As for my favorite year, it would have to be either 1974 or '75.  There's just something about the mid '70s that I am really hooked on.  It was after the Vietnam War had winded down and the turbulence that marked the '60s and early part of the '70s had subsided.  But it was before disco had completely taken over the music charts as it did later in the '70s, so you still had some good solid rock music.  Some of the songs from those years I really llike: "Black Water" by Doobie Brothers, "Rock the Boat" by Hues Corporation, "I'm Not in Love" by 10cc, "Lyin' Eyes", "One of These Nights", and "Best of My Love" by The Eagles, "Some Kind of Wonderful" by Grand Funk, "Kung Fu Fighting" by Carl Douglas, "Feel Like Makin' Love" by Bad Company, "The Night Chicago Died" by Paper Lace, "Come and Get Your Love" by Redbone, "Cats in the Cradle" by Harry Chapin, "Tell Me Something Good" by Rufus. There's a lot of other great songs from those years, but if I tried to name them all this post would go on forever.