10 of the Greatest Rock Bands of the 70s

The seventies were a time of upheaval; a time when music became harder, louder, and sometimes more experimental. Beat music and rock ‘n’ roll transformed into rock and hard rock, blues rock, psychedelic rock, and other new styles. It was the post-Woodstock era, influential acts rose to mega-stardom, and new ones were born. Here are 10 of the biggest rock bands of the ’70s.

1. Led Zeppelin

With more than 300 million albums sold, Led Zeppelin is one of the most successful bands in rock history – not just of the ’70s! Curiously, the song that catapulted the band, composed of exceptional guitarist Jimmy Page, singer Robert Plant, bassist John Paul Jones, and drummer John Bonham, to world stardom was a ballad: “Stairway to Heaven” from 1971. Fun fact: the band’s name actually goes back to a statement by Keith Moon, drummer of The Who. He had said during session recordings that a band led by Jimmy Page would “(…) go down like a lead balloon”. Well, it didn’t – quite the opposite! The band went on to fill entire stadiums and toured around the world. The last performance that featured the original line-up took place on 7 July 1980 in Berlin’s Eissporthalle. Drummer John Bonham was found dead in his bed on 25 September, having choked on his vomit in his sleep. Led Zeppelin disbanded afterward.

Led Zeppelin – Stairway To Heaven (Live at Earls Court 1975) [Official Video]

2. Pink Floyd

Pink Floyd initially set musical milestones in the early seventies with albums such as “Atom Heart Mother,” “Meddle,” and “Obscured by Clouds”. Later, having become one of the most prolific bands of the psychedelic rock scene, they landed absolute smash hits with “The Dark Side of the Moon” from 1973, two years later with “Wish You Were Here” and above all in 1979 with “The Wall”. After the band parted ways with founding member and original creative mastermind Syd Barrett in 1968 due to his excessive drug consumption, David Gilmour was brought on board as guitarist and singer, and the band’s career skyrocketed. At their live concerts, Pink Floyd interwove light and laser shows, complex installations, and collaborations with classical orchestras into absolutely mesmerizing collages with an ethereal sound.

Pink Floyd – Another Brick In The Wall (HQ)

3. The Rolling Stones

The Rolling Stones are cult. Hardly any other band has enjoyed such an impressive and, above all, enduring career. The stone was already set rolling back in 1962. Right from the start, the Stones were closer to rock than the Beatles, as their sound and songs were deeply rooted in the blues and sounded much dirtier. Amazingly, the Stones are still rocking the stages after 62 years. According to their own account, they didn’t believe they would last that long, even given their lifestyle. In the 70s, they cemented their legendary reputation with songs such as “Angie”, “It’s Only Rock ‘n’ Roll (But I Like It)”, “Brown Sugar”, “Wild Horses” and many others. Mick Jagger is now 81 years old; Keith Richards, a mere 80 years old, and Ron Wood, just 77. Drummer Charlie Watts sadly passed away in 2021. The Stones sense the emotions in the audience, pick up on expectations, and then go for the throat. The fans feel that the musicians are right there with them, even though they are performing in front of hundreds of thousands to millions at the same time.

The Rolling Stones – It’s Only Rock ‘N’ Roll (But I Like It) – OFFICIAL PROMO

4. Queen

Hardly any other band from the 70s enjoys such a cult following to this day as Queen. Hits such as “Bohemian Rhapsody”, “We Will Rock You”, and countless others cemented Queen’s status as rock legends. The “Crazy Tour” through the UK and Ireland in 1979 was the culmination of a hugely successful decade for the band. Queen’s trademarks included Freddie Mercury’s incredibly powerful voice with a huge range, his charismatic and dazzling stage presence, Brian May’s virtuoso guitar playing with a homemade guitar and an almost orchestral sound through a whole wall of VOX AC 30 combos, and the instrumental mastery and backing vocals of drummer Roger Taylor and bassist John Deacon. Even during his lifetime, Freddie Mercury was essentially a tragic figure, a man who moved between worlds. His life ended much too soon with his untimely death from the consequences of his AIDS disease.

Queen – We Will Rock You (Official Video)

5. The Who

In the beginning, the British rock band The Who had a reputation for causing a ruckus wherever they went, like televisions flying out of hotel room windows and Pete Townshend smashing his guitar on stage. In 1969, the seminal and style-defining rock opera “Tommy” became their ticket to international superstardom. The eccentric drummer Keith Moon died 46 years ago, bassist John Entwistle in 2002. Roger Daltrey and Pete Townshend have continued with an expanded band ever since, occasionally recording albums and touring the world. In spring, Townshend suggested that the era of The Who could be coming to an end. The band is apparently planning a farewell tour for their fans: “For me, it feels like there will be one last tour where we play every part of the world, and then we’ll crawl into the grave.” Have The Who written the final chapter in their rock history?

The Who – Behind Blue Eyes (HQ)

6. AC/DC

In 1973, a hard rock band formed in Australia that turned the world of rock ’n’ roll on its head. Angus and Malcom Young, a pair of brothers originally hailing from Scotland, took on the role of guitarists, Angus with his energetic performances on lead guitar in his trademark school uniform and with a rucksack on his back; Malcom as rhythm guitarist. “TNT” from 1975 was one of AC/DC’s earlier hits. Likewise, “High Voltage” – the second single – was an absolute masterpiece with an irresistibly catchy hook. The song “It’s a Long Way To The Top” is one of the most celebrated in the band’s history – and probably one of the very few rock songs that feature bagpipes! “Highway To Hell” from 1979 became AC/DC’s best-known song by far. The album of the same name marked the band’s international breakthrough, at the time still featuring the distinctive voice of Bon Scott.

AC/DC – Highway to Hell (Official Video)

7. Aerosmith

Aerosmith’s main stars were the charismatic singer Steven Tyler and guitarist Joe Perry. With their unique mix of styles, they are regarded as one of the most influential and successful bands in rock history, making a name for themselves in the ’70s with songs like “Dream On”. The band took some time to really take off. But by their third album “Toys In The Attic,” which featured classics such as “Sweet Emotion” and “Walk This Way,” they had made it. Following this success, however, Tyler and Perry slipped deep into destructive drug addiction and earned themselves the nickname “The Toxic Twins.” The fourth album “Rocks” went through the roof even more in 1976. Aerosmith have sold more than 150 million records worldwide. Only recently, the band announced that the days of Aerosmith are numbered due to Steven Tyler’s irreversible vocal cord disease.

Aerosmith – Walk This Way (Live From Landover, MD 1989)

8. Kiss

Kiss, founded in 1973 by Gene Simmons, Paul Stanley, Ace Frehley, and Peter Criss, caused quite a stir with their eye-catching costumes and make-up. Throughout the 1970s, they released several commercially successful LPs. “Kiss” and “Hotter Than Hell,” both from 1974, were followed by “Dressed to Kill,” “Destroyer,” “Rock and Roll Over,” and “Love Gun.” The 1979 album “Dynasty” included the band’s most famous and commercially successful song: “I Was Made for Lovin’ You,” which crossed musical boundaries by combining elements of rock and disco. In 2023, Kiss played their farewell concert in New York, the city where they had played their first gig half a century earlier. At the same time, they promised: “Kiss will always be around.”

Kiss – I Was Made For Lovin’ You (Live From Inner Sanctum)

9. Deep Purple

Their 10,000-watt Marshall PA, which reached up to 117 dB, earned Deep Purple an entry in the Guinness Book of Records in 1975 as the “loudest pop group in the world.” While they were undoubtedly loud by the standards of the time, they certainly weren’t a “pop group.” Their distinctive sound was based on the guitar work of Ritchie Blackmore and the classically-influenced, often complex Hammond organ playing by Jon Lord. Deep Purple are not only pioneers of heavy metal and modern hard rock. Having started out as a psychedelic rock and progressive rock band, they took a turn towards a heavier sound in June 1970 with their groundbreaking fourth studio album “Deep Purple in Rock.” In 1972, one of the most famous guitar riffs of all time saw the light of day, and “Smoke on the Water” became a hard rock anthem. Ever since, the riff has been the first thing many up-and-coming guitar heroes learn to play.

Deep Purple – Smoke On The Water (Live)

10. Status Quo

Status Quo proved that three simple chords and a catchy rhythm are enough for a whole string of hits. The Brits reached world fame as a band without scandals and with a simple sound. Catchy melodies, three chords, done. Over the course of their career, Status Quo sold more than 120 million records. As a hardworking touring band, they were on the road almost constantly. Rick Parfitt and Francis Rossi, bassist Alan Lancaster, and drummer John Coghlan churned out party hit after party hit in the ’70s, many of which remain unforgotten to this day. These include “Rockin’ All Over the World,” actually a cover version of a song by John Fogerty, “Caroline,” “Down Down,” “Roll Over Lay Down,” “Wild Side of Life,” and “Whatever You Want” from 1979. Rick Parfitt, one of the band’s two leaders, passed away in December 2016.

Status Quo – Rockin’ All Over The World

It’s always the same with lists like these – which criteria do you go by? After all, it’s always a matter of personal taste. Inevitably, many fall through the cracks who would have deserved to be mentioned just as much, such as Black Sabbath, U2, or the first punk bands, for example.

Rock Bands of the 70s: Your Feedback!

Which bands can you think of that also belong in this list? Let us know in the comments!