7 Reasons To Love The ’70s Rock n’ Roll Era

The Best

There’s nothing quite like the ’70s. And there’s a reason why it’s called the “Golden Era of Rock ‘n Roll”. It’s mostly remembered for launching the career of several rockstars, spawning countless classic singles and albums, and giving birth to various subgenres. But it actually gave us so much more.

Let’s take a look at why it’s incomparable to other decades.

7. Rock became dominant.

Rock was no longer the underdog, come ’70s. It dominated the airwaves and rockstars went from performing in underground music scenes to playing in sold-out stadiums and arenas. Heavy metal was officially born with the arrival of Black Sabbath.

6. It became the jumping-off point of other genres and subgenres.

From punk to alternative and grunge, their roots can be traced back to the early ’70s. Not only that but in one form or the other, today’s popular music owe so much to the rock of the ’70s.

5. Lyricism became more personal.

Case in point is Joni Mitchell’s magnum opus “Blue”. She’s at her most vulnerable and raw in this record, it’s almost like a diary. She recalled, “The Blue album, there’s hardly a dishonest note in the vocals. At that period of my life, I had no personal defenses. I felt like a cellophane wrapper on a pack of cigarettes. I felt like I had absolutely no secrets from the world and I couldn’t pretend in my life to be strong. Or to be happy. But the advantage of it in the music was that there were no defenses there either.”

4. Social and political issues were tackled.

Musicians used their platform to shed light on important matters such as in Marvin Gaye’s “What’s Going On?” and Sly and the Family Stone’s “Everyday People”. And these songs remain relevant in 2020.

3. Rock acts broke down gender roles and boundaries.

Artists like Patti Smith and David Bowie gave off this sense of gender fluidity early on. From Smith’s album artwork in her debut LP “Horses” to Bowie blurring the gender lines with his song “Rebel Rebel” and his iconic androgynous alter ego Ziggy Stardust.

2. There’s diversity.

From glam rock to punk rock and heavy metal, there’s something for everyone no matter what their preference or mood. And themes ranged from protests against the Vietnam War to personal struggles.

1. Female rockstars empowered women everywhere.

Suzi Quatro, Joan Jett, Stevie Nicks, Aretha Franklin, Heart’s Ann and Nancy Wilson – they rewrote the rules in an industry dominated by men. They proved they could outperform and out-rock their male contemporaries. And they inspired countless young women to pursue their passion in music.