Best Songs of the 1970s

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   Stairway to Heaven

   Led Zeppelin · from Led Zeppelin IV (1971) · Album scores 96/99

   The slow build that became rock's most famous song.

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   Money

   Pink Floyd · from The Dark Side of the Moon (1973) · Album scores 97/99

   Seven-four time signature and cash-register groove.

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   Life on Mars?

   David Bowie · from Hunky Dory (1971) · Album scores 83/99

   A surreal, soaring piano ballad.

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   Bohemian Rhapsody

   Queen · from A Night at the Opera (1975) · Album scores 99/99

   The mock-operatic epic with no chorus.

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   Dreams

   Fleetwood Mac · from Rumours (1977) · Album scores 99/99

   The band's only US number one, born of heartbreak.

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   What's Going On

   Marvin Gaye · from What's Going On (1971) · Album scores 96/99

   A plea for peace that reframed what soul could say.

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   Superstition

   Stevie Wonder · from Talking Book (1972) · Album scores 94/99

   That clavinet riff is one of funk's greatest.

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   London Calling

   The Clash · from London Calling (1979) · Album scores 98/99

   An apocalyptic call-to-arms with a killer bassline.

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   Born to Run

   Bruce Springsteen · from Born to Run (1975) · Album scores 95/99

   A widescreen anthem of escape.

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    Hotel California

    Eagles · from Hotel California (1976) · Album scores 81/99

    A six-minute allegory with a famous twin-guitar coda.

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    No Woman, No Cry

    Bob Marley and the Wailers · from Natty Dread (1974) · Album scores 84/99

    The tender live staple of reggae's biggest star.

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    Gloria

    Patti Smith · from Horses (1975) · Album scores 85/99

    Poetry and punk collide in its famous opening.

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    Stairway to Heaven

    Led Zeppelin · from Led Zeppelin IV (1971) · Album scores 96/99

    The acoustic intro, the electric climax, and Page's solo — still the benchmark.

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    Dreams

    Fleetwood Mac · from Rumours (1977) · Album scores 99/99

    Nicks' lyric, McVie's bass — the sound of a band going through a collective heartbreak.

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    Life on Mars?

    David Bowie · from Hunky Dory (1971) · Album scores 83/99

    The Rickmansworth housewife observation set to Rick Wakeman's piano cascade.

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    Hotel California

    Eagles · from Hotel California (1976) · Album scores 81/99

    The twin guitar solo and the California dream turning sinister.

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    Sir Duke

    Stevie Wonder · from Songs in the Key of Life (1976) · Album scores 98/99

    The Ellington tribute with the most joyful horn arrangement of the decade.

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    Comfortably Numb

    Pink Floyd · from The Wall (1979) · Album scores 84/99

    Gilmour's second solo — the guitar sound that defines late 70s arena rock.

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    Rocket Man

    Elton John · from Honky Chateau (1972) · Album scores 83/99

    Bernie Taupin's loneliness-as-space-metaphor and Elton's most affecting vocal.

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    London Calling

    The Clash · from London Calling (1979) · Album scores 98/99

    The apocalyptic headline read over Paul Simonon's bass riff.

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    Dancing Queen

    ABBA · from Arrival (1976) · Album scores 96/99

    Benny and Bjorn's disco-pop summit: the Saturday Night Special that never ages.

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    Hot Stuff

    Donna Summer · from Bad Girls (1979) · Album scores 83/99

    The Muscle Shoals guitar in the disco record — the genre eating itself and thriving.

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    Blitzkrieg Bop

    Ramones · from Ramones (1976) · Album scores 86/99

    Two minutes, four chords, and the whole future of punk in a 'hey ho let's go'.

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    Born to Run

    Bruce Springsteen · from Born to Run (1975) · Album scores 95/99

    Clarence Clemons' sax and the Great American Escape narrative in five minutes.

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