70s Music Genres

The 70s did not have one sound. This hub covers rock in its hard, soft, glam, folk, country, progressive and punk forms, plus disco, funk, soul and pop. Start with 70s disco music or 70s rock, or pick any genre below.

Dolly Parton in a publicity photo from 1977, wearing a denim shirt with her hair styled in her signature big blonde curls

Genres

70s Country Songs: Play 60 Hits, See Who Ruled #1

70s country songs, played here: 60 hits to watch, plus the acts that really ruled Billboard's country chart, and the few that crossed over.

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Bob Dylan performs in Rotterdam, June 23 1978, eyes closed at the microphone with a Fender Stratocaster, a folk rock in the 70s songwriter whose singles missed the year-end top 100

Genres

Folk Rock in the 70s: The Hits the Year-End Top 100 Missed

Folk rock in the 70s produced legends like Bob Dylan, yet three of its biggest names missed the year-end top 100. See their weekly hits.

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Genesis performing The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway in Chicago, November 1974, Peter Gabriel in full costume with Phil Collins on drums, the kind of theatrical concept-album staging that defined 70s progressive rock

Genres

70s Progressive Rock: The Genre That Rarely Made the Top 100

70s progressive rock rarely charted as singles. Discover why concept albums built its real legacy, and the scenes most lists skip.

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Sex Pistols perform at Paradiso in Amsterdam, January 6, 1977, Johnny Rotten at the mic with Glen Matlock, Paul Cook, and Steve Jones, a defining image of 70s punk rock at its rawest

Genres

70s Punk Rock: The Genre the Year-End Chart Barely Noticed

70s punk rock never made the year-end top 100, though the Ramones did chart weekly. See where the data draws the line between punk and new wave.

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Marc Bolan of T. Rex performs in a zebra-print vest and cape during an ABC In Concert taping, May 1973, glam rock in the 70s at its most theatrical

Genres

Glam Rock in the 70s: Huge in Britain, Smaller in America

Glam rock in the 70s ruled British charts, but only T. Rex made the US year-end top 100 among nine hard-rock-tagged acts. See the weekly hits it left out.

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Bay City Rollers pose in matching tartan at Schiphol Airport in February 1976, wearing wooden clogs spelling out their name, one of the biggest pop songs of 70s teen-idol acts

Genres

Pop Songs of 70s: 8 Real Number Ones Hiding in the Data

Pop songs of 70s hid eight real number-one hits behind modest year-end rankings, from TV-built teen idols to Elton John's chart dominance.

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Our 6 latest Genres posts are above. Every Genres post (13 total) is listed below.

70s Country Songs: Play 60 Hits, See Who Ruled #1 — 70s country songs, played here: 60 hits to watch, plus the acts that really ruled Billboard's country chart, and the few that crossed over.
Folk Rock in the 70s: The Hits the Year-End Top 100 Missed — Folk rock in the 70s produced legends like Bob Dylan, yet three of its biggest names missed the year-end top 100. See their weekly hits.
70s Progressive Rock: The Genre That Rarely Made the Top 100 — 70s progressive rock rarely charted as singles. Discover why concept albums built its real legacy, and the scenes most lists skip.
70s Punk Rock: The Genre the Year-End Chart Barely Noticed — 70s punk rock never made the year-end top 100, though the Ramones did chart weekly. See where the data draws the line between punk and new wave.
Glam Rock in the 70s: Huge in Britain, Smaller in America — Glam rock in the 70s ruled British charts, but only T. Rex made the US year-end top 100 among nine hard-rock-tagged acts. See the weekly hits it left out.
Pop Songs of 70s: 8 Real Number Ones Hiding in the Data — Pop songs of 70s hid eight real number-one hits behind modest year-end rankings, from TV-built teen idols to Elton John's chart dominance.
70s Funk: Why War Out-Charted Every Other Act — 70s funk goes deeper than Parliament and Kool & the Gang. Discover which act actually charted the most, and the real story behind the sound.
70s Hard Rock: The Genre That Actually Hit #1 — 70s hard rock rarely gets credit for real chart success. Discover which songs actually hit number one and the genre's essential 70s artists.
70s Disco Music: The Year It Peaked and Nearly Died — 70s disco music explained: where it began, why 1979 was its biggest chart year, the riot that tried to end it, and 94 songs to play now.
70s Country Rock: The Genre Nobody Wanted to Name — Discover the real story of 70s country rock: the Gilded Palace of Sin, the guitarist who built the Eagles, and Gram Parsons' strange death.
70s Soft Rock: The Sound Built to Calm the Decade Down — Discover what really defines 70s soft rock, which year actually topped its charts, and the real artists behind the genre's biggest hits.
70s Soul Music: The Artists Who Redefined a Genre — 70s soul music explained, from Motown to Philly soul to quiet storm, with 184 songs to play and the 35 that reached number one.
70s Rock: The Sound That Defined a Decade — Discover 70s rock's full story: hard rock, prog rock's chart dominance, Fleetwood Mac's record sales, and the punk revolt that closed out the decade.