18 ’70s Songs the World Will Never Forget

Artists like Queen, Elton John, and Michael Jackson are responsible for many songs we know and love. When one of their songs comes on the radio, everyone starts snapping their fingers and swaying away. From the juicy disco beats to the soul-filled rock tunes, these musicians shaped various angles in pop culture.

However, these jams didn’t just become chart-topping singles. Even decades after their initial release, we remember some popular ones for which folks still turn their speakers up.

Of course, the 1970s featured many dynamic sounds; these tracks, in particular, capture not only the groovy decade but also stay in the mainstream long after their original release.

We Will Rock You

Queen’s thunderous “We Will Rock You” tune applies to nearly any sports event. With two stomps and a clap, everyone can join in on the rhythm, if not the words. In short, it’s prime arena rock, and every generation increasingly becomes aware of its presence.

Released in 1977, “We Will Rock You” is one of Queen’s greatest songs worldwide to show up in other media. The song’s a cappella format serves as a template for anyone to copy and stir the crowd into a frenzy.

Y.M.C.A.

Another crowdpleaser lies in the hands of the Village People and their hip “Y.M.C.A.” banger. The group launched the disco track in 1978, and it became an instant hit. Originally intended to showcase the significance of the Young Men’s Christian Association, the song quickly skyrocketed to widespread recognition.

Now used as an LGBTQ anthem and for many other occasions, “Y.M.C.A.” remains an eternal tune. The song’s accompanying hand-and-arm choreography easily stays in everyone’s default list of go-to moves. Not everyone knows the newest dance craze, but we all know the YMCA dance.

Dancing Queen

Assemble the family; it’s ABBA and the “Dancing Queen” theme! Serving as the lead single for their Arrival album, “Dancing Queen” is Europop in its finest threads. Mamma Mia fans might know the tune and plenty of others when ABBA supplies the jukebox.

“Ooh, you can dance, you can jive/Having the time of your life,” the group sings as the introductory chorus occurs. The power behind the voice sends enough shockwaves to get even our grandmothers on the dancefloor. Radio stations across the world include “Dancing Queen” on many charts.

Stayin’ Alive

ABBA isn’t the only group that produced disco greats in the 1970s; the Bee Gees offered their own vibes and then some. While we adore every track off the Saturday Night Fever collection, “Stayin’ Alive” remains the group’s most infectious and popular.

With or without John Travolta’s struts, “Stayin’ Alive” makes anyone feel cool and funky. It’s seen as a defining tune of the ’70s, expressing the necessity for disco against society’s troubles.

Japanese artist Avu-chan performed a sweet “Stayin’ Alive” cover for the Bullet Train soundtrack, giving it a more modern touch.

Mr. Blue Sky

Another great ’70s track comes from the Electric Light Orchestra and their “Mr. Blue Sky” rock song. ELO recorded the Jeff Lynne-led lyrics in Musicland in the late 1970s. Some note that the song is ELO’s signature tune due to its constant presence in other media, such as film and television.

For these reasons, “Mr. Blue Sky” stays within the mainstream spotlight, possibly because of its catchy “Beatlesque” nature. Whichever the case, ELO’s eccentric sound comes in full force with this legendary pop-rock atmosphere.

Stairway to Heaven

Led Zeppelin is one of the 20th-century’s biggest names in rock music. The English rock group delivered many smashing tunes, yet their “Stairway to Heaven” classic still plays throughout the globe. Though initially released on the untitled fourth Zeppelin LP, the song climbed to the clouds beyond its 1971 pressing.

Whether it’s our uncle’s collection of CDs or a recommendation of sorts, “Stairway to Heaven” is widely known throughout the globe. Music journalists and critics typically include the track on notable lists concerning the best in rock and roll music.

(Don’t Fear) The Reaper

Some songs stand on their own; others, like “(Don’t Fear) The Reaper, are transcended through other media, gaining extra exposure. Such is the case with Blue Öyster Cult’s 1975-1976 psychedelic masterpiece. A particular cowbell tap beat, mainly through a unique Saturday Night Live skit, comes to mind.

Whether we need a prescription for “More Cowbell” or Donald “Buck Dharma” Roeser’s lyrics, “(Don’t Fear) The Reaper is a song everyone is aware of. The opening guitar line perks up any pair of ears who knows a thing or two about life and death.

Rest assured, if the song pops up on the radio, our relatives won’t change the station.

I Will Survive

On the flip side, Gloria Gaynor embraces newfound freedom with her smash hit “I Will Survive.” Released in 1978, Gaynor’s powerful anthem on resilience obtained admiration from disco fans and critics. It gained recognition through The Recording Academy‘s repeated praise of the song.

Playing “I Will Survive” is the right move for many people when times get rough. Of course, Gaynor’s signature track doesn’t rely just on soul-filled troubles. It also goes great with any party when folks need a relatable tune to let loose.

Heroes

Just for one day, we could all be “Heroes” in David Bowie’s eyes. The 1977 title track for Bowie’s Heroes album speaks on everlasting love against an art rock presentation. “Heroes” also has an illuminating music video featuring the English Starman.

“Heroes” appears in every other project that surrounds itself in science fiction and coming-of-age tales. From Moulin Rouge to television programs like Glee and Regular Show, the song shoots for the cosmos. Really, it’s the electric guitar riff and Bowie’s searching vocals that get the crowd going.

Rocket Man

In 1972, Elton John and Bernie Taupin created the lead single for the singer’s H. Château album with “Rocket Man.” It launched to the top of the charts, quickly becoming an associated song with John’s discography. Its confident delivery earned the track a spot on Rolling Stone’s “500 Best Songs of All Time” list.

With over a billion plays on Spotify, an award-winning biopic sharing the same name, and plenty of covers, “Rocket Man” is one of the world’s most recognizable soft rock tunes to date. Elton John has many famous songs, yet some will reference the singer’s legacy by looking at the 2019 Rocketman film.

Bohemian Rhapsody

Of course, Rocketman isn’t the only biopic featuring a rockstar from the 1970s. Bohemian Rhapsody tells a different story, but it’s also the same name for Queen’s 1975 rock epic. “Bohemian Rhapsody” is the lead single for the band’s A Night at the Opera album and everyone’s road trip playlist.

Set as a musical suite, “Bohemian Rhapsody” drips with progressive rock glory. Queen has produced many great songs, but “Bohemian Rhapsody” is often featured in other media more than in their other tunes. Most famously, it’s the Wayne’s World rock-out scene when Wayne and his buddies headbang to the song’s hard rock section.

Rapper’s Delight

The 1970s witnessed the birth of hip-hop in New York City through Kool Herc’s musical genius. Though teenagers slipped and slid with his “merry-go-round” method, larger audiences paid attention to the Sugarhill Gang’s “Rapper’s Delight” hit. The hip-hop group assembled and released their chart-topping track in 1979, and the world was hooked on some remixed “good times.”

Despite some legal troubles with the song’s composition, “Rapper’s Delight” opened the mainstream door for the underground genre. Rap’s history is rooted in the Sugarhill Gang’s premiere tune, known globally as a famous vibe. Recently, the hip-hop world celebrated the birth of disco rap in 2023.

I Want You To Want Me

No matter which version we listen to, Cheap Trick’s “I Want You to Want Me” is the band’s most significant hit. Both In Color and Cheap Trick at Budokan launched unique versions of the song, the latter being the preferable choice for just about anyone. The original 1977 pressing caught significant airplay in Japan, where it later recorded the famous live performance.

In addition to the screaming fans in the live recording, other countries lose their minds to Cheap Trick’s power pop jam. It’s all for a good reason, too, knowing the lyrics’ alluring nature and addictive chorus that unifies any gathering.

Let’s Get It On

Let’s set the mood here and look back at Marvin Gaye’s love-inducing 1973 soul-funk gem. Named appropriately “Let’s Get It On,” the song rips away the bed sheets with a spicy Motown sensation. Gaye arms himself with the Funk Brothers to deliver one of Cupid’s go-to selections around Valentine’s Day.

“Let’s Get It On” is undoubtedly one of the most overused songs creators throw into their projects. Romantic entanglements, “will-they-won’t-they” tensions, and hilarious sexualized scenes have all rocked the boat to Gaye’s seductive song.

The song is most likely the reason for many births of the Millenials, so we’re told.

Superstition

Speaking of Motown, Stevie Wonder also produced plenty of memorable hits for Tamla Records, including his “Superstition” track. Recorded and released in 1972, Wonder supplied the tune as the lead single for Talking Book and any awareness regarding unbelievable practices.

On top of winning Grammys and Billboard achievements, “Superstition” features a famous clavinet riff anyone is familiar with. It’s impossible not to dance to, for its addictive chorus sings with the crowds across the seas.

ABC

Another Motown favorite dates back to 1970’s “ABC” by the Jackson 5. Back when Michael Jackson was just a kid singing and dancing with his relatives, the Jackson 5 specialized in “bubblegum” records. It creates a familiar, catchy vibe with “ABC” and Jackson’s passionate vocals.

While we may not find “ABC” on any Now That’s What I Call Music compilations, we’ll locate it elsewhere. Other media, children’s tunes, bus ride jingles – “ABC” is necessary for expressing love to someone when you don’t know how. It’s as easy as 123, after all.

Imagine

We’re not the only ones who can sing along to John Lennon’s “Imagine” peace anthem. The Englishman Rockman launched the song in 1971, which stayed relevant long after the original pressing and Lennon’s passing. Most of its enormous status comes from traditional airplay, yet “Imagine” found hope in the following century.

When COVID-19 shut everything down in 2020, Gal Gadot and many celebrities tagged in on social media “Imagine.” Though it failed to miss the mark, the song’s unifying nature resonates with practically every soul on this planet. “Imagine all the people/Sharing all the world,” Lennon sings; just imagine that, huh?

Dreams

In truth, it’s difficult to select only one Fleetwood Mac tune everyone knows, but we feel “Dreams” is best known worldwide. For the band’s Rumours album, they recorded and released “Dreams” in 1976-1977 in its wonderful soft rock delivery.

Like “Imagine” and its social media influence, “Dreams” followed a different path and inspired folks during the same pandemic. Idahoan Nathan Apodaca shared a now-famous TikTok video of himself skateboarding to Stevie Nicks‘ incredible vocals, which allowed the song to see a new resurgence thanks to streaming services.

Alternatively, we won’t fault folks for placing “The Chain” over “Dreams” because of its presence in certain media.