With the Beatles a thing of the past and the counterculture revolution aging into different forms of expression, rock music in the 1970s evolved into an even more sophisticated and album-oriented art form. Bands such as Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd and the Rolling Stones dominated the scene for the entirety of the decade, producing albums that became landmarks of rock history. Led Zeppelin’s IV (1971), Pink Floyd’s The Dark Side of the Moon (1973) and the Stones’ Exile on Main St. (1972) are quintessential examples of rock albums as conceptual masterpieces even more all-encompassing than predecessors such as the Beatles’ Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band, offering complete listening experiences marked by masterful song craft and thought-provoking themes.
Elsewhere, disco emerged from the New York underground club scene to gain sudden mainstream popularity, its upbeat, danceable rhythms and lush production ushering in an era of decadence. Stars in their own right dating back to the mid ‘60s, the revitalized Bee Gees became synonymous with the genre on the strength of their contributions to the Saturday Night Fever soundtrack (1977), which epitomized the disco craze and generated four No. 1 hits. Donna Summer also played a crucial role with hits such as “I Feel Love” (1977), pushing the boundaries of electronic music production in tandem with collaborators such as Giorgio Moroder.
In stark contrast to the polished sound of disco, punk rock emerged as a raw, rebellious genre that challenged the status quo of conservatism, capitalism and a ho-hum middle-class existence. The mid-to-late 1970s saw bands such as the Sex Pistols, the Damned and the Clash leading the British punk movement, while the Ramones anchored a New York variant centered around the downtown club CBGB and also featuring Blondie, Television and Talking Heads.
The Sex Pistols’ album Never Mind the Bollocks, Here’s the Sex Pistols (1977) was a direct affront to the establishment, with its aggressive, proudly amateur sound and provocative lyrics about the British monarchy, sex and, for good measure, global economics. Punk’s DIY ethos and anti-establishment stance resonated with disenchanted youth around the world, while also influencing future genres such as grunge and alternative rock.
Funk and soul music continued to thrive and evolve during the 1970s as well. Already a star by the early ‘60s, “The Godfather of Soul” James Brown further developed the genre with his dynamic rhythms and energetic, sweat-drenched performances. The George Clinton-led Parliament-Funkadelic created a unique and influential sound by blending funk with psychedelic rock, while Stevie Wonder’s Songs in the Key of Life (1976) and Marvin Gaye’s What’s Going On (1971) are seminal works that addressed social and political issues while showcasing their creators’ immense musical talent.
Of course, the late 1970s also witnessed the birth of hip-hop, a genre that would grow to become a dominant cultural force in music. Originating in the New York neighborhood of the Bronx, hip-hop began as a grassroots movement encompassing DJing, MCing, graffiti and breakdancing. DJ Kool Herc, Grandmaster Flash and Afrika Bambaataa were pioneers of this nascent genre, using turntables and innovative techniques to create new sounds sampled by other artists for decades to come. Although hip-hop wouldn’t achieve mainstream success until the 1980s, its foundations were firmly laid during this decade.
Emanating from the island nation of Jamaica, reggae went global in the 1970s on the backs of Bob Marley and the Wailers, Jimmy Cliff and Peter Tosh, whose loping bass lines, measured beats and earnest vocals helped spread a message of peace and unity. Marley albums such as Catch a Fire (1973) and Rastaman Vibration (1976), made under the stewardship of Island Records’ Chris Blackwell, were particularly important in widening the genre’s listenership.
The ‘70s wouldn’t have been the ‘70s without the rise of singer/songwriters who brought introspective and personal themes to the forefront at a time when the United States was bitterly divided by the Vietnam War. Artists such as Carole King (1971’s landmark Tapestry), Neil Young (After the Gold Rush, 1970) and James Taylor (Sweet Baby James, 1970) exemplified this trend. Soft rock bands such as Fleetwood Mac and the Eagles also gained immense popularity, with the former’s 1977 classic Rumours becoming one of the best-selling albums of all time thanks to the ever-present romantic drama between their members.