The 1970s was a decade of change, with many new musical styles emerging. This can be seen in the music itself, as well as the culture around it.

The disco era dominated America for most of the year, and then gave way to punk rock and hip-hop – two genres that would shape the next few decades.

Rock music had its own heyday during this time period as well. Artists like Led Zeppelin were creating some of their best work, and we saw a number of more mainstream pop artists come onto the scene with songs that are still popular today!

While every decade has produced excellent music, the 1970s were a particularly epic period for rock music. Rock music, which had its heydey in the 1960s, surged in popularity in the 1970s.

The genre developed as a result of the blending of many inspirations into fresh and interesting sounds. These avant-garde sounds opened the door for new subgenres to gain widespread popularity.

Disco, R&B, pop, soul, funk, smooth jazz, jazz fusion, and blue-eyed soul were all popular in the 1970s, alongside rock music. During that decade, a number of bands and artists produced some of their best and most important albums. While the 1970s may be a distant memory, the music from that era lives on.

The following list includes a wide range of 1970s rock bands from various subgenres. If you’re a fan of music from this era, you’ll undoubtedly have something to say. In the comments area, you are free to express yourself.

Top 1970s Rock Bands

100. The Stooges (Rock/Garage Rock/Proto-Punk)
99. Funkadelic (Funk Rock)
98. Golden Earring (Hard Rock)
97. Scorpions (Hard Rock/Rock)
96. XTC (Pop Rock/New Wave/Rock)
95. The Guess Who (Rock/Hard Rock)
94. Dire Straits (Rock/Roots Rock)
93. Foghat (Hard Rock/Blues Rock)
92. UFO (Hard Rock/Rock)
91. Badfinger (Rock/Power Pop)
90. Traffic (Progressive Rock/Jazz Rock)
89. Status Quo (Boogie Rock/Rock)
88. Budgie (Heavy Metal/Hard Rock)
87. The Clash (Punk Rock)
86. Gentle Giant (Progressive Rock/Experimental Rock/Jazz Rock)
85. Seals & Croft (Folk Rock/Soft Rock)
84. The Cars (Rock/New Wave)
83. The Velvet Underground (Art Rock/Experimental)
82. Camel (Progressive Rock)
81. The Sex Pistols (Punk Rock)
80. Hawkwind (Space Rock/Hard Rock)

In the 1970s, country and southern rock was quite popular

Country music and Southern rock, which emerged in the late 1960s, were very popular in the 1970s. Several Southern rock bands have achieved chart-topping success.

Southern rock gained its unique character as a result of the mix of rural sounds and highly distorted guitar riffs. The country-rock genre produced some of the most popular artists of the decade.

79. The Police (Rock/New Wave)
78. Wishbone Ash (Hard Rock/Blues Rock)
77. Talking Heads (Rock/New Wave)
76. Alice Cooper (Hard Rock/Shock Rock)
75. Focus (Progressive Rock/Jazz Fusion/Instrumental Rock)
74. Crosby, Stills & Nash (Folk Rock/Country Rock)
73. Slade (Glam Rock)
72. Hall & Oates (Soft Rock/Pop Rock/Blue-Eyed-Soul)
71. The Ramones (Punk Rock)
70. Grand Funk Railroad (Hard Rock)

In the 1970s, blues rock was popular

In the 1970s, the blues-rock genre acquired fresh traction. Throughout the decade, a number of acts connected with the genre achieved enormous popular success.

Traditional or straight blues were rooted in the music of certain bands and singers. In the 1970s, these bands developed a deeper bluesy sound, propelling the blues-rock genre to new heights.

69. Can (Experimental Rock)
68. Mud (Glam Rock)
67. The Doobie Brothers (Rock/Country Rock/Soft Rock/Blue-Eyed Soul)
66. Soft Machine (Jazz Rock/Jazz Fusion/ Progressive Rock)
65. REO Speedwagon (Rock/Hard Rock)
64. The Kinks (Rock)
63. Steve Miller Band (Rock/Blues Rock/)
62. Gong (Progressive Rock/Space Rock/Psychedelic Rock)
61. The Beach Boys (Rock)
60. ZZ Top (Rock/Blues Rock)

In the 1970s, heavy metal and hard rock were quite popular

The decade saw the development of the hard rock genre as heavy metal’s popularity grew to new heights. A handful of heavy metal bands found worldwide popularity in the mid-’70s. These heavy metal and hard rock bands blew up on the scene, paving the way for glam metal and the development of new metal and rock subgenres.

59. Foreigner (Hard Rock/Arena Rock)
58. Santana (Rock/Latin Rock/Blues Rock)
57. Blondie (New Wave/Punk Rock)
56. Uriah Heep (Rock/Hard Rock/Heavy Metal)
55. Creedence Clearwater Revival (Roots Rock/ Swamp Rock/Country Rock)
54. Motorhead (Rock/Hard Rock/Heavy Metal)
53. Heart (Rock)
52. Boston (Hard Rock)
51. Judas Priest (Hard Rock/Heavy Metal)
50. Aerosmith (Hard Rock/Blues Rock)

In the 1970s, punk rock was quite popular

Punk music emerged in the second part of the decade. When punk rock first appeared on the surface, it was already influencing underground artists thanks to protopunk and garage bands.

While several bands connected with the genre produced albums, only a handful was successful in the United States and the United Kingdom. During the decade, the punk subculture grew in popularity, spawning a punk fashion trend among teenagers.

49. T. Rex (Glam Rock)
48. Bread (Soft Rock)
47. The Flying Burrito Brothers (Country Rock)
46. Mott The Hoople (Glam Rock)
45. Sweet (Glam Rock)
44. Caravan (Progressive Rock)
43. Wings (Rock/Soft Rock)
42. The Ozark Mountain Daredevils (Southern Rock/Country Rock)
41. Supertramp (Rock/Progressive Rock)
40. Electric Light Orchestra (Rock/Art Rock)

In the 1970s, soft rock was quite popular

In the 1970s, the soft rock genre gained a lot of popularity. Soft rock has a unique sound because of its focus on melody and harmonies combined with pop-rock tendencies.

Soft rock was defined by the use of acoustic instruments and advanced production methods (which typically emphasized the vocals). Soft rock songs were often included on “top 10” and “top 40” countdowns on contemporary radio stations.

During this decade, a number of soft rock bands and musicians produced commercially successful albums.

39. Kiss (Hard Rock/Shock Rock)
38. Roxy Music (Art Rock/Glam Rock)
37. The Byrds (Rock/Folk Rock)
36. The Marshall Tucker Band (Southern Rock)
35. Captain Beefheart and His Magic Band (Experimental Rock/Avant-Garde)
34. Steely Dan (Jazz Rock)
33. The Moody Blues (Rock/Progressive Rock/Art Rock)
32. Nazareth (Hard Rock/Heavy Metal)
31. Grateful Dead (Rock)
30. Bee Gees (Pop Rock/Soft Rock)

In the 1970s, there was a New Wave movement

In the latter half of the decade, new wave burst onto the scene. The popularity of some British synthpop artists in the United States ushered in a new musical era.

Suddenly, a slew of bands began tinkering with synthesizers, ushering in a musical revolution. In the United States and the United Kingdom, the new wave sound gained traction. In the 1980s, a number of bands connected with the new wave movement in the late 1970s achieved tremendous success.

29. America (Rock/Folk Rock/Soft Rock)
28. Thin Lizzy (Hard Rock)
27. Emerson, Lake & Palmer (Progressive Rock)
26. Chicago (Rock/Soft Rock)
25. Genesis (Progressive Rock/Art Rock)
24. Blood, Sweat and Tears (Jazz Rock)
23. Journey (Rock/Arena Rock/Hard Rock)
22. Bad Company (Rock/Hard Rock/Blues Rock)
21. Rush (Progressive Rock/Hard Rock)
20. Jethro Tull (Progressive Rock)

In the 1970s, arena rock was quite popular

Many hard rock bands adopted gentler tones enriched with pop-rock elements, giving birth to arena rock. The format’s acts were renowned for their distinctly commercial tone. Upbeat power ballads with anthemic choruses and catchy song structures give the genre its own character. The popularity of AOR artists in the 1980s was fueled by these radio-friendly sounds.

19. Fleetwood Mac (Rock/Pop Rock/Soft Rock)
18. AC/DC (Hard Rock)
17. Yes (Progressive Rock)
16. Lynyrd Skynyrd (Southern Rock/Blues Rock/Hard Rock)
15. Styx (Hard Rock/Arena Rock)
14. Queen (Rock)
13. King Crimson (Progressive Rock/Art Rock)
12. Blue Oyster Cult (Hard Rock/Heavy Metal)
11. Kansas (Rock/Progressive Rock)

1970s Progressive Rock Bands

In the 1970s, progressive rock’s roots extended far and wide. Despite the genre’s lack of popular success, some progressive rock acts were instrumental in influencing the future of experimental rock. A number of art-rock bands began to be identified with the genre. Progressive music’s advanced instrumentation and compositional methods inspired a lot of artists.

1970s glam rock

In the 1970s, glam rock (also known as glitter rock) was all the rage. The trend sprang out of the post-hippie period, combining hard rock’s guitar-driven sound with a dramatic mix of science fiction allusions and operatic inspirations. The genre arose mainly in the United Kingdom.

Glam rock bands developed a unique character because to their bombastic lyrics and flashy outfits. The genre flourished in the 1970s, then faded as new wave and punk took hold.

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