The Best Pioneer Rock Bands Of The ’70s

The Trailblazers

The 1970s will always be remembered as a decade that spawned legendary bands and artists. It’s not just the continuation of rock ‘n roll, it was the era when the sound was perfected and then transformed into something else – we’re talking about the birth and improvement of several subgenres.

The following bands didn’t invent rock ‘n roll but they elevated it to the next level. They were trailblazers, revolutionaries, and they helped pave the way for others to follow. They didn’t follow the trends, they created them.

10. Fleetwood Mac

They’re a bunch of ridiculously talented individuals but when Stevie Nicks and Lindsey Buckingham joined the group, they became unstoppable at their creative peak. Rumours and Tusk were brilliant records – two of the greatest albums ever made.

9. The Rolling Stones

While they were closely associated with the rebellious 1960s counterculture, the Rolling Stones also managed to churn out two of their finest works in the ’70s – Sticky Fingers and Exile on Main St. These records exhibited their aggressive, uninhibited approach to rock.

8. Lynyrd Skynyrd

They brought Southern rock to mainstream when they dropped epic tunes like Free Bird, Sweet Home Alabama, and Simple Man. In the ’70s, they sold out shows, dominated the airwaves, and became household names. Their timeless hits are still on heavy rotation nowadays in classic rock radio stations. Because of Ronnie Van Zant’s powerhouse vocals, their live performances were truly out-of-this-world.

7. The Who

In the ’70s, the dropped Who’s Next and the rock opera Quadrophenia. Baba O’Riley, Behind Blue Eyes, and Won’t Get Fooled Again were just some of the classic tunes they released. They were clearly at their prime and it was obvious that Pete Townshend is a musical genius. Unfortunately, Keith Moon died before the decade ended.

6. Deep Purple

They pioneered modern hard rock and heavy metal. They were highly creative and innovative, not to mention way ahead of their time. In 1975, they even made it to Guinness Book of World Records as “the globe’s loudest band”.

5. Black Sabbath

Speaking of heavy metal, how can we forget the band who helped define the genre? The opening track of their debut studio album, Black Sabbath, is often cited as the first ever doom metal song. Black Sabbath is also the first ever metal album. With their monstrous sound, they were absolute beasts at their peak.

4. Creedence Clearwater Revival

From the late ’60s to the early ’70s, they were a force of nature. They topped the charts and released one massive hit after another. From blues to swamp to roots rock, they were kings.

3. Led Zeppelin

Another pioneer of heavy metal along with Black Sabbath and Deep Purple, Led Zeppelin had the talent, attitude, and creativity to be on the proverbial top of rock ‘n roll in the ’70s. Jimmy Page, Robert Plant, John Paul Jones, and John Bonham – they were the best at what they did.

2. Pink Floyd

With their fearless experimentations, meaningful lyrics, unforgettable live shows, and otherworldly compositions – Pink Floyd blew everyone out of the water. They broke every single rule that existed, challenged conventions, and created music so advanced that it could only come from the minds of geniuses.

1. Queen

We can throw all superlatives here and still that won’t be enough to define the sheer brilliance of the band. From mixing several genres and styles into one song to elaborate shows – they were the real deal. They were by no means overrated because even in the company of other rock greats, Queen shined.