Best Songs of the 1970s

Album rock, funk, punk and singer-songwriter craft all peaked here — twelve essential songs from the decade.

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1

LZ

Stairway to Heaven

Led Zeppelin · from Led Zeppelin IV (1971)

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

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2

PF

Money

Pink Floyd · from The Dark Side of the Moon (1973)

Seven-four time signature and cash-register groove.

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3

DB

Life on Mars?

David Bowie · from Hunky Dory (1971)

A surreal, soaring piano ballad.

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4

QU

Bohemian Rhapsody

Queen · from A Night at the Opera (1975)

The mock-operatic epic with no chorus.

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5

FM

Dreams

Fleetwood Mac · from Rumours (1977)

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

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6

MG

What's Going On

Marvin Gaye · from What's Going On (1971)

A plea for peace that reframed what soul could say.

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7

SW

Superstition

Stevie Wonder · from Talking Book (1972)

That clavinet riff is one of funk's greatest.

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8

CL

London Calling

The Clash · from London Calling (1979)

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

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9

BS

Born to Run

Bruce Springsteen · from Born to Run (1975)

A widescreen anthem of escape.

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10

EA

Hotel California

Eagles · from Hotel California (1976)

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

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11

BM

No Woman, No Cry

Bob Marley and the Wailers · from Natty Dread (1974)

The tender live staple of reggae's biggest star.

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12

PS

Gloria

Patti Smith · from Horses (1975)

Poetry and punk collide in its famous opening.

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13

LZ

Stairway to Heaven

Led Zeppelin · from Led Zeppelin IV (1971)

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

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14

FM

Dreams

Fleetwood Mac · from Rumours (1977)

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

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15

DB

Life on Mars?

David Bowie · from Hunky Dory (1971)

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

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16

EA

Hotel California

Eagles · from Hotel California (1976)

The twin guitar solo and the California dream turning sinister.

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17

SW

Sir Duke

Stevie Wonder · from Songs in the Key of Life (1976)

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

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18

PF

Comfortably Numb

Pink Floyd · from The Wall (1979)

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

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19

EJ

Rocket Man

Elton John · from Honky Chateau (1972)

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

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20

CL

London Calling

The Clash · from London Calling (1979)

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

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21

AB

Dancing Queen

ABBA · from Arrival (1976)

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

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22

DS

Hot Stuff

Donna Summer · from Bad Girls (1979)

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

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23

BS

Born to Run

Bruce Springsteen · from Born to Run (1975)

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

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