100 Best Rock Bands of the ‘70s

Stairway to Heaven

While every decade has had great music to brag about, the ‘70s were an exceptionally epic time for rock music. Rock music, which came into its own in the ‘60s, exploded in popularity throughout the ‘70s. The genre evolved, merging a variety of influences into new and exciting sounds. These experimental sounds paved the way for new subgenres that would garner mainstream success.

Alongside rock music, disco, R&B, pop, soul, funk smooth jazz, jazz fusion and blue-eyed-soul enjoyed a great deal of success in the ‘70s. A number of bands and artists released their finest and most influential albums in that decade. While the ‘70s remain a distant memory, music from that magical era lives on.

The list below showcases a diverse number of ‘70s rock bands from different subgenres. If you love music from this decade, you will definitely have something to say. Feel free to express yourself in the comments section.

Top 10 Best Rock Bands of the ‘70s

1. Led Zeppelin (Hard Rock/Blues Rock)
2. Deep Purple (Hard Rock/Heavy Metal)
3. Black Sabbath (Heavy Metal)
4. The Who (Hard Rock/Rock)
5. The Eagles (Rock/Country Rock)
6. The Doors (Psychedelic Rock/Acid Rock)
7. Pink Floyd (Psychedelic Rock)
8. The Rolling Stones (Rock)
9. The Allman Brothers Band (Southern Rock/Country Rock)
10. The Mothers of Invention (Rock/Avant-Garde/Experimental)

Hard Rock and Heavy Metal in the ‘70s

As the popularity of heavy metal reached new heights, the decade also witnessed the emergence of the hard rock genre. In the mid-'70s, a number of heavy metal bands had success with international audiences. These heavy metal and hard rock bands exploded onto the scene and laid the ground work for glam metal and the emergence of new metal and rock subgenres.

#11—20

11. Kansas (Rock/Progressive Rock)

12. Blue Oyster Cult (Hard Rock/Heavy Metal)

13. King Crimson (Progressive Rock/Art Rock)

14. Queen (Rock)

15. Styx (Hard Rock/Arena Rock)

16. Lynyrd Skynyrd (Southern Rock/Blues Rock/Hard Rock)

17. Yes (Progressive Rock)

18. AC/DC (Hard Rock)

19. Fleetwood Mac (Rock/Pop Rock/Soft Rock)

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20. Jethro Tull (Progressive Rock)

Southern Rock in the ‘70s

Southern rock, which began taking shape in the late ‘60s, had a great deal of commercial success in the ‘70s. A number of Southern rock bands had chart-topping success. Their combination of country sounds fused with heavily distorted guitar riffs gave Southern rock a distinctive identity.

#21–30

21. Rush (Progressive Rock/Hard Rock)

22. Bad Company (Rock/Hard Rock/Blues Rock)

23. Journey (Rock/Arena Rock/Hard Rock)

24. Blood, Sweat and Tears (Jazz Rock)

25. Genesis (Progressive Rock/Art Rock)

26. Chicago (Rock/Soft Rock)

27. Emerson, Lake & Palmer (Progressive Rock)

28. Thin Lizzy (Hard Rock)

29. America (Rock/Folk Rock/Soft Rock)

30. Bee Gees (Pop Rock/Soft Rock)

Country Rock in the ‘70s

Some of the most successful acts of the decade came from the country rock genre. These musicians tended to come from rock or folk music, but tapped into rural themes, two- and three-part harmony, and instrumentation associated with country and western. Unlike traditional rock music, country rock songs featured fiddle, dobro, and pedal steel guitar.

#31–40

31. Grateful Dead (Psychedelic Rock/Country Rock)

32. Nazareth (Hard Rock/Heavy Metal)

33. The Moody Blues (Rock/Progressive Rock/Art Rock)

34. Steely Dan (Jazz Rock)

35. Captain Beefheart and His Magic Band (Proto-Punk/Experimental Rock/Avant-Garde)

36. The Marshall Tucker Band (Southern Rock)

37. The Byrds (Rock/Country Rock/Folk Rock)

38. Roxy Music (Art Rock/Glam Rock)

39. Kiss (Hard Rock/Shock Rock)

40. Electric Light Orchestra (Pop Rock/Art Rock)

Progressive Rock Bands in The ‘70s

Progressive rock spread its roots far and wide in the '70s. While the genre did not achieve mainstream success, certain prog bands played a pivotal role in shaping the future of experimental rock. A number of bands from the art rock tradition also started being associated with the genre. The sophisticated instrumentation and compositional techniques employed in progressive music influenced a number of musicians from diverse genres.

#41–50

41. Supertramp (Rock/Progressive Rock)

42. The Ozark Mountain Daredevils (Southern Rock/Country Rock)

43. Wings (Rock/Soft Rock)

44. Caravan (Progressive Rock)

45. Sweet (Glam Rock)

46. Mott The Hoople (Glam Rock)

47. The Flying Burrito Brothers (Country Rock)

48. Bread (Soft Rock)

49. T. Rex (Glam Rock)

50. Aerosmith (Hard Rock/Blues Rock)

Arena Rock in the ‘70s

Arena rock took shape when many hard rock bands adopted softer sounds embellished with pop-rock elements. Acts associated with the format were known for their distinctively commercial sound and dramatic production.

Anthemic choruses and melodic songs structures inspired upbeat power ballads that gave the genre its unique identity. These radio-friendly sounds gained huge success and led to the popularity of AOR bands in the ‘80s.

#51–60

51. Judas Priest (Hard Rock/Heavy Metal)

52. Boston (Hard Rock)

53. Heart (Rock)

54. Motörhead (Rock/Hard Rock/Heavy Metal)

55. Creedence Clearwater Revival (Roots Rock/Swamp Rock/Country Rock)

56. Uriah Heep (Rock/Hard Rock/Heavy Metal)

57. Blondie (New Wave/Punk Rock)

58. Santana (Rock/Latin Rock/Blues Rock)

59. Foreigner (Hard Rock/Arena Rock)

60. ZZ Top (Rock/Blues Rock)

Soft Rock in The ‘70s

The soft rock genre had significant success in the ‘70s. The emphasis on melody and harmonies infused with pop-rock sensibilities gave soft rock a distinctive feel. The use of acoustic instruments and sophisticated production techniques (which often highlighted the vocals) gave soft rock its unique identity.

Contemporary radio stations promoted the genre in a big way and a number of soft rock songs were featured on many Top 10 and Top 40 countdowns. A number of soft rock bands and artists released commercially successful albums during the decade.

#61–70

61. The Beach Boys (Pop Rock)

62. Gong (Progressive Rock/Space Rock/Psychedelic Rock)

63. Steve Miller Band (Rock/Blues Rock)

64. The Kinks (Rock)

65. REO Speedwagon (Rock/Hard Rock)

66. Soft Machine (Jazz Rock/Jazz Fusion/Progressive Rock)

67. The Doobie Brothers (Rock/Country Rock/Soft Rock/Blue-Eyed Soul)

68. Mud (Glam Rock)

69. Can (Experimental Rock)

70. Grand Funk Railroad (Hard Rock)

Blues Rock in the ‘70s

The blues rock genre gained new ground in the ‘70s. A number of bands associated with the genre had tremendous mainstream success throughout the decade. Certain bands and artists were rooted in traditional or straight blues. These bands adopted an even heavier bluesy sound in the '70s, which pushed the blues rock genre to new heights.

#71–80

71. The Ramones (Punk Rock)

72. Hall & Oates (Soft Rock/Pop Rock/Blue-Eyed-Soul)

73. Slade (Glam Rock)

74. Crosby, Stills & Nash (Folk Rock/Country Rock)

75. Focus (Progressive Rock/Jazz Fusion/Instrumental Rock)

76. Alice Cooper (Hard Rock/Shock Rock)

77. Talking Heads (Rock/New Wave)

78. Wishbone Ash (Hard Rock/Blues Rock)

79. The Police (Rock/New Wave)

80. Hawkwind (Space Rock/Hard Rock)

Glam Rock in the ‘70s

Glam rock, also known as glitter rock, was all the rage in the '70s. The movement developed from the post-hippie era, adapting the guitar-driven sound of hard rock along with a theatrical blend of science fiction references and operatic influences. The genre primarily emerged in the U.K.

Their flamboyant lyrics and glitzy costumes earned glam rock bands a distinctive identity. The genre peaked in the ‘70s, then fizzled out in the face of emerging new wave and punk trends.

#81–90

81. The Sex Pistols (Punk Rock)

82. Camel (Progressive Rock)

83. The Velvet Underground (Art Rock/Experimental Rock/Proto-Punk)

84. The Cars (Rock/New Wave)