175 Popular Rock Songs in the 70s

The 70s was a transformative and dynamic decade for rock music.

It’s when an unprecedented number of rock albums exploded into the media. Plus, this time was when we witnessed the evolution and diversification of the genre.

Simply put, rock songs in the 70s had a distinct sound that’s loved by many even today!

In this article, you’ll find our take on some of the most popular rock songs of the 1970s. Come along as we explore the legendary songs and artists that shaped the era.

70s Rock Songs Overview

The 70s was when rock music branched into various subgenres, such as psychedelic rock, folk rock, and hard rock. Classic rock, in particular, solidified its place as a dominant force. This is because of its larger-than-life guitar riffs, anthemic choruses, and intricate instrumentation.

Iconic bands like Led Zeppelin, The Rolling Stones, The Beatles, and Pink Floyd emerged in the 70s. These bands led to the second golden age of rock & roll.

What’s more, the 70s saw the rise of arena rock, where bands filled large venues with spectacular live performances. Acts like Queen, Boston, and Journey became known for their electrifying shows and powerful anthems.

The decade was marked by musical experimentation, with artists pushing boundaries in the genre. This is why rock songs make up some of the best music of the 70s!

Greatest 70s Rock Songs

Without further ado, here are our favorite 175 rock songs from the 70s!

  1. STAIRWAY TO HEAVEN by Led Zeppelin (1971)
  2. ANGIE by The Rolling Stones (1973)
  3. BOHEMIAN RHAPSODY by Queen (1975)
  4. HOTEL CALIFORNIA by The Eagles (1976)
  5. WISH YOU WERE HERE by Pink Floyd (1975)
  6. BABA O’RILEY by The Who (1971)
  7. ROADHOUSE BLUES by The Doors (1970)
  8. HIGHWAY TO HELL by AC/DC (1979)
  9. SWEET HOME ALABAMA by Lynyrd Skynyrd (1974)
  10. LIFE ON MARS? by David Bowie (1971)
  11. BLACK DOG by Led Zeppelin (1971)
  12. GO YOUR OWN WAY by Fleetwood Mac (1976)
  13. LONDON CALLING by The Clash (1979)
  14. ROCKET MAN by Elton John (1972)
  15. SMOKE ON THE WATER by Deep Purple (1972)
  16. BROWN SUGAR by The Rolling Stones (1971)
  17. WON’T GET FOOLED AGAIN by The Who (1971)
  18. ANOTHER BRICK IN THE WALL by Pink Floyd (1979)
  19. WE WILL ROCK YOU by Queen (1977)
  20. TAKE IT EASY by The Eagles (1972)
  21. PARANOID by Black Sabbath (1970)
  22. IMAGINE by John Lennon (1971)
  23. ROXANNE by The Police (1978)
  24. GIVE A LITTLE BIT by Supertramp (1977)
  25. MORE THAN A FEELING by Boston (1976)
  26. RAMBLIN’ MAN by The Allman Brothers Band (1973)
  27. (DON’T FEAR) THE REAPER by Blue Öyster Cult (1976)
  28. DREAM ON by Aerosmith (1973)
  29. LOLA by The Kinks (1970)
  30. BANG A GONG (GET IT ON) by Marc Bolan and T. Rex (1971)
  31. LISTEN TO THE MUSIC by The Doobie Brothers (1972)
  32. TINY DANCER by Elton John (1971)
  33. I KNOW WHAT I LIKE (IN YOUR WARDROBE) by Genesis (1973)
  34. AMERICAN WOMAN by The Guess Who (1970)
  35. BEHIND BLUE EYES by The Who (1971)
  36. WHOLE LOTTA ROSIE by AC/DC (1977)
  37. IMMIGRANT SONG by Led Zeppelin (1970)
  38. SOMEBODY TO LOVE by Queen (1976)
  39. REELIN’ IN THE YEARS by Steely Dan (1972)
  40. WILD HORSES by The Rolling Stones (1971)
  41. RUNNIN’ WITH THE DEVIL by Van Halen (1978)
  42. MONEY by Pink Floyd (1973)
  43. HIGHWAY STAR by Deep Purple (1972)
  44. MR. BLUE SKY by Electric Light Orchestra (1977)
  45. MESSAGE IN A BOTTLE by The Police (1979)
  46. CARRY ON WAYWARD SON by Kansas (1976)
  47. ROCK AND ROLL by Led Zeppelin (1971)
  48. DESPERADO by The Eagles (1973)
  49. RHIANNON by Fleetwood Mac (1975)
  50. KILLER QUEEN by Queen (1974)
  51. TUMBLING DICE by The Rolling Stones (1972)
  52. LA GRANGE by ZZ Top (1973)
  53. JESSICA by The Allman Brothers Band (1973)
  54. SWEET EMOTION by Aerosmith (1975)
  55. COME SAIL AWAY by Styx (1977)
  56. COMFORTABLY NUMB by Pink Floyd (1979)
  57. GOODBYE YELLOW BRICK ROAD by Elton John (1973)
  58. PEACE OF MIND by Boston (1976)
  59. RIDERS ON THE STORM by The Doors (1971)
  60. WALK THIS WAY by Run DMC and Aerosmith (1975)
  61. IRON MAN by Black Sabbath (1970)
  62. KASHMIR by Led Zeppelin (1975)
  63. STARMAN by Top of the Pops (1972)
  64. ONE OF THESE NIGHTS by The Eagles (1975)
  65. THE LOGICAL SONG by Supertramp (1979)
  66. THE CARPET CRAWLERS by Genesis (1974)
  67. SQUEEZE BOX by The Who (1975)
  68. DUST IN THE WIND by Kansas (1978)
  69. D’YER MAK’ER by Led Zeppelin (1973)
  70. WITCHY WOMAN by The Eagles (1972)
  71. MACHINE GUN by Jimi Hendrix (1970)
  72. LANDSLIDE by Fleetwood Mac (1975)
  73. DON’T STOP ME NOW by Queen (1978)
  74. BURN by Deep Purple (1974)
  75. NO SUGAR TONIGHT / NEW MOTHER NATURE by The Guess Who (1970)
  76. THE SPIRIT OF RADIO by Rush (1979)
  77. DO IT AGAIN by Steely Dan (1972)
  78. LOVE REIGN O’ER ME by The Who (1973)
  79. WHEEL IN THE SKY by Journey (1978)
  80. DON’T BRING ME DOWN by Electric Light Orchestra (1979)
  81. JAMIE’S CRYIN’ by Van Halen (1978)
  82. FOREPLAY/LONG TIME by Boston (1976)
  83. FREE BIRD by Lynyrd Skynyrd (1973)
  84. SHINE ON YOU CRAZY DIAMOND by Pink Floyd (1975)
  85. BEAST OF BURDEN by The Rolling Stones (1978)
  86. LYIN’ EYES by The Eagles (1975)
  87. BENNIE AND THE JETS by Elton John (1973)
  88. BLOODY WELL RIGHT by Supertramp (1974)
  89. RENEGADE by Styx (1978)
  90. BARGAIN by The Who (1971)
  91. LOLA by The Kinks (1970)
  92. US AND THEM by Pink Floyd (1973)
  93. DON’T FEAR THE REAPER by Blue Öyster Cult (1976)
  94. WHIPPING POST by The Allman Brothers Band (1970)
  95. BACK IN THE SADDLE by Aerosmith (1976)
  96. CAN’T STAND LOSING YOU by The Police (1978)
  97. GOING TO CALIFORNIA by Led Zeppelin (1971)
  98. SUFFRAGETTE CITY by David Bowie (1972)
  99. TEQUILA SUNRISE by The Eagles (1973)
  100. FAT BOTTOMED GIRLS by Queen and Paul Rodgers (1978)
  101. SPACE TRUCKIN’ by Deep Purple (1972)
  102. BRIGHTON ROCK by Queen (1974)
  103. SATURDAY NIGHT’S ALRIGHT FOR FIGHTING by Elton John (1973)
  104. IN THE CAGE by Genesis (1974)
  105. MISS YOU by The Rolling Stones (1978)
  106. WALKING ON THE MOON by The Police (1979)
  107. PEACEFUL EASY FEELING by The Eagles (1972)
  108. CRIME OF THE CENTURY by Supertramp (1974)
  109. BLUE COLLAR MAN (LONG NIGHTS) by Styx (1978)
  110. THE REAL ME by The Who (1973)
  111. THE SONG REMAINS THE SAME by Led Zeppelin (1973)
  112. TRAIN IN VAIN by The Clash (1979)
  113. YOU’RE MY BEST FRIEND by Queen (1975)
  114. SHARE THE LAND by The Guess Who (1970)
  115. LAST CHILD by Aerosmith (1976)
  116. ALREADY GONE by The Eagles (1974)
  117. DOGS by Pink Floyd (1977)
  118. CANDLE IN THE WIND by Elton John (1973)
  119. THE KNIFE by Genesis (1970)
  120. 5:15 by The Who (1973)
  121. ACHILLES’ LAST STAND by Led Zeppelin (1976)
  122. CARRY ON by Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young (1970)
  123. KODACHROME by Paul Simon (1973)
  124. WE’RE AN AMERICAN BAND by Grand Funk Railroad (1973)
  125. MISSISSIPPI QUEEN by Mountain (1970)
  126. HOLD THE LINE by Toto (1978)
  127. BAD COMPANY by Bad Company (1974)
  128. CAN’T YOU SEE by The Marshall Tucker Band (1973)
  129. DON’T LET THE SUN GO DOWN ON ME by Elton John (1974)
  130. COLD AS ICE by Foreigner (1977)
  131. WALK ON THE WILD SIDE by Lou Reed (1972)
  132. HOT BLOODED by Foreigner (1978)
  133. IT’S A LONG WAY TO THE TOP (IF YOU WANNA ROCK ‘N’ ROLL) by AC/DC (1975)
  134. BAD, BAD LEROY BROWN by Jim Croce (1973)
  135. BELL BOTTOM BLUES by Derek and the Dominos (1970)
  136. T.N.T. by AC/DC (1975)
  137. MAGGIE MAY by Rod Stewart (1971)
  138. ONE WAY OR ANOTHER by Blondie (1978)
  139. BRASS IN POCKET by The Pretenders (1979)
  140. DARK STAR by Crosby, Stills & Nash (1977)
  141. RUN THROUGH THE JUNGLE by Creedence Clearwater Revival (1970)
  142. MAGIC MAN by Heart (1975)
  143. I CAN’T TELL YOU WHY by Eagles (1979)
  144. ROCK LOBSTER by The B-52’s (1978)
  145. TIME by Pink Floyd (1973)
  146. EVIL WOMAN by Electric Light Orchestra (1975)
  147. DRIVE-IN SATURDAY by David Bowie (1973)
  148. DON’T STOP by Fleetwood Mac (1977)
  149. A HORSE WITH NO NAME by America (1971)
  150. FAME by David Bowie (1975)
  151. MONTANA by Frank Zappa and The Mothers of Invention (1973)
  152. BOYS DON’T CRY by The Cure (1979)
  153. DREAMS by Fleetwood Mac (1977)
  154. MY SWEET LORD by George Harrison (1970)
  155. SATURDAY IN THE PARK by Chicago (1972)
  156. BLACK WATER by The Doobie Brothers (1974)
  157. ROCK AND ROLL ALL NITE by KISS (1975)
  158. SLOW RIDE by Foghat (1975)
  159. ROCKY MOUNTAIN WAY by Joe Walsh (1973)
  160. BARRACUDA by Heart (1977)
  161. BRANDY (YOU’RE A FINE GIRL) by Looking Glass (1972)
  162. RAMBLE ON by Led Zeppelin (1970)
  163. LIFE’S BEEN GOOD by Joe Walsh (1978)
  164. WENT TO SEE THE GYPSY by Bob Dylan (1970)
  165. I DON’T WANT TO TALK ABOUT IT by Rod Stewart (1975)
  166. BLACK BETTY by Ram Jam (1977)
  167. PEACE TRAIN by Cat Stevens (1971)
  168. CARRY ON MY WAYWARD SON by Kansas (1976)
  169. I’M EIGHTEEN by Alice Cooper (1970)
  170. COME AND GET YOUR LOVE by Redbone (1974)
  171. BAKER STREET by Gerry Rafferty (1978)
  172. THE BOYS ARE BACK IN TOWN by Thin Lizzy (1976)
  173. LAYLA by Derek and the Dominos (1970)
  174. FIGHT FROM THE INSIDE by Queen (1977)
  175. HURRICANE by Bob Dylan (1976)

Final Thoughts

In summary, the 70s not only shaped the sound of rock but also became a cultural phenomenon. The rock songs from the 70s influenced generations of musicians and left a mark on history.

If you enjoyed our list of rock songs from the 70s, you may want to check out our article on the top 70s female singers!