I have a very wide musical taste for somebody in my generation.  I enjoy music from the Victrola era all the way through the present day.  With that said, I've had a difficult time appreciating '70s music.  I like the music up until the hippie era ended (around 1972), but the disco era has never been my thing and neither has rock from the era.  It's simply one of the strangest periods culturally throughout all American history.  I start enjoying music again from about 1981-on, once the disco backlash started. Can anybody else relate?  Is '70s music simply an acquired taste for somebody who didn't grow up in the era?

The 70s are really a mixed bag to me.  On one hand, there's a lot of rock & roll and soul from that time that really blew everything out of the water, like Bruce Springsteen's Born to Run, all of Steely Dan's albums, early Genesis, and Stevie Wonder's golden era albums.  However, I agree that the disco isn't so great, at least for the most part (the Bee Gees and Earth, Wind & Fire are pretty solid, but most disco, especially later on, kind of bugs me).  I also don't care for 70s pop in the same way I appreciate pop from the 80s and 90s.  It's not as elementary or vintage as music from the 60s and earlier, but it mostly lacks the edge, vivacity, and sonic creativity that would come later.  Billy Joel is pretty darn good, and even the Carpenters released a lot of nice songs, but I just don't find myself listening to 70s chart hits nearly as much as stuff from the 80s or 90s.  I guess the 70s are just lacking in the types of elements that shaped my musical tastes and sound blander and cheesier to my ears than they would to people of my parents' generation (late Boomer).

First off....Why isn't this in the 70s thread? ??? :-\\
But most importantly, I love pretty much the whole decade's music. A lot of the disco music is pretty damn cheesy, but the rock, soul, R&B is GREAT!!!!! :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D


I will say this though, the early 70s music(from the Nixon era) was probably the best music from the decade. The rest couldn't compare imo. That is what always seemed strange to me.

I will say this though, the early 70s music(from the Nixon era) was probably the best music from the decade. The rest couldn't compare imo. That is what always seemed strange to me.


I agree with this.  I like early '70s music that sounded a lot like the late Sixties.

It seems like so much from the latter part of the decade was influenced by disco, even if it wasn't itself disco.  Sort of like in the '10s EDM influences other genres like rock and hip-hop.

These came out in the 70's:

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/b/bb/Ramones_-_Ramones_cover.jpg

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/7/73/Generation_X_-_Generation_X_album_cover.jpg

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/9/9a/The_Clash_UK.jpg

https://cdn.discogs.com/I2FaFWUMNG2r8XaJOjWh08lZTHY=/fit-in/300x300/filters:strip_icc():format(jpeg):mode_rgb()/discogs-images/R-2760318-1348302694-7084.jpeg.jpg

https://cdn.discogs.com/0Xh4VCrgkjSJrqvVEcOoFmPtfkY=/fit-in/300x300/filters:strip_icc():format(jpeg):mode_rgb()/discogs-images/R-450087-1331200708.jpeg.jpg

https://cdn.discogs.com/DlGFbMZnlvbSYUyKucPQ6ZSZoQk=/fit-in/300x300/filters:strip_icc():format(jpeg):mode_rgb()/discogs-images/R-408683-1138388858.jpeg.jpg

http://cdn4.pitchfork.com/albums/15177/homepage_large.0a8ca885.jpg

http://cps-static.rovicorp.com/3/JPG_400/MI0002/107/MI0002107309.jpg?partner=allrovi.com

Some of the best records to have ever been released. The first Ramones record smokes anything in it's path.

1977 is around the time things started getting really good. Society peaked in the 80's.

I have a very wide musical taste for somebody in my generation.  I enjoy music from the Victrola era all the way through the present day.  With that said, I've had a difficult time appreciating '70s music.  I like the music up until the hippie era ended (around 1972), but the disco era has never been my thing and neither has rock from the era.  It's simply one of the strangest periods culturally throughout all American history.  I start enjoying music again from about 1981-on, once the disco backlash started. Can anybody else relate?  Is '70s music simply an acquired taste for somebody who didn't grow up in the era?


I definitely enjoyed 70's music.

While disco dominated the second half of the decade there were many great artists and bands that had big hits during this period. Two of the all time best selling albums came in 1976 ...Hotel California (Eagles) and Rumours (Fleetwood Mac).

There was even the odd country music artist hitting the charts. Grease (the musical) had great success. That music was big in the discos ... But it wasn't really disco music. Ballad singers nearly disappeared in this period (because of the presence for disco on radio). They lasted because of their fan base. Even without the internet I knew when Dan Fogelberg or Don McLean was releasing a new album and bought it quickly. They did get played on radio ... But not that much.

Then there were others like (see below list); Most on this list had greatest hits albums that featured many hits in the second half of the 70's.

Queen
Boston
Kansas
Foreigner
Linda Rondstadt
ELO
10cc
Kiss (who strangely had at least 2 disco sounding songs)
Jerry Rafferty (Baker Street was a great song)
Doobie Brothers (with Michael MacDonald)
The Boss
Billy Joel
Ellon John
Steve Miller Band
Supertramp
ACDC started in the middle of the disco era
ABBA  (they had a couple of disco inspired hits as well).
David Bowie
Steely Dan
Wings
Bob Seger

... and many, many more. Personally, I believe the 60's and 70's had the greatest diversity in music. Disco was overblown late in the decade ... But there were plenty of other artists filling out the charts. In those decades it was not uncommon to see multiple genres side by side in the charts. In the latter half of the decade, pop, progressive rock, hard rock, disco, punk, new romantic (just started in '79), country, reggae were all competing well. However, hard rock bands were forced to rely on their fan base because radio was so disco focussed.

The best Rock 'n' Roll band from the 70's is Motorhead by far.

R.I.P. Lemmy, the true king of Rock 'n' Roll!

http://d1ya1fm0bicxg1.cloudfront.net/2014/11/white-line-fever-optimized_54775ac280ae1.jpg

Anyone into 70's music is missing out by not checking out some Motorhead:

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/pt/thumb/1/12/Motorhead1977.jpg/220px-Motorhead1977.jpg

http://www.vinylrecordswebshop.eu/img/5050749203922.jpg

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/7/75/Bomber.jpg/220px-Bomber.jpg

(Bomber's my favorite 70's Motorhead record)

I will say this though, the early 70s music(from the Nixon era) was probably the best music from the decade. The rest couldn't compare imo. That is what always seemed strange to me.


I don't agree with this. I think the mid '70s had better music. The early '70s may have had Jackson 5, but they also had Tony Orlando, Partridge Family, and The Osmonds!  8-P

I don't agree with this. I think the mid '70s had better music. The early '70s may have had Jackson 5, but they also had Tony Orlando, Partridge Family, and The Osmonds!  8-P


It's ironic that those are the first bands that come to your mind when you think of the early 70s because it seems like most people, at least nowadays, associate the early 70s with Led Zeppelin, Carole King, Marvin Gaye's peak, John Lennon, Black Sabbath, Deep Purple, Joni Mitchell, David Bowie, golden age Rolling Stones, etc., even though the groups you listed were more prevalent on the pop charts at the time.

It's ironic that those are the first bands that come to your mind when you think of the early 70s because it seems like most people, at least nowadays, associate the early 70s with Led Zeppelin, Carole King, Marvin Gaye's peak, John Lennon, Black Sabbath, Deep Purple, Joni Mitchell, David Bowie, golden age Rolling Stones, etc., even though the groups you listed were more prevalent on the pop charts at the time.


I guess people see the '70s more through albums instead of singles? I'm more of a singles kind of guy, so the vast majority of my musical references to certain time periods are through singles and "singles artists".

By the way, I do like many of those artists that you mention. I associate the Rolling Stones and Marvin Gaye with the '60s.

By the way, I do like many of those artists that you mention. I associate the Rolling Stones and Marvin Gaye with the '60s.


Marvin Gaye may have had more hit songs in the 60s, but What's Going On is indisputably considered his magnum opus, and Let's Get It On is also pretty popular.  The title track is still really his most famous song to date.

The Rolling Stones, on the other hand, are obviously more associated with the 60s, not to mention Beggars Banquet and Let It Bleed both came out in the late part of that decade, but Exile on Main St. still seems to be their highest-rated work, with Sticky Fingers being their third-best (behind Let It Bleed).

I guess people see the '70s more through albums instead of singles? I'm more of a singles kind of guy, so the vast majority of my musical references to certain time periods are through singles and "singles artists".

By the way, I do like many of those artists that you mention. I associate the Rolling Stones and Marvin Gaye with the '60s.

Marvin and the stones are 60s AND 70s.