Top 20 Heaviest Songs of the ‘70s

The 1970s witnessed the explosive birth and rise of heavy metal and hard rock. Emerging from the blueprint laid by late ’60s rock bands like Led Zeppelin and Black Sabbath, a new wave of artists spent the decade pushing sonic boundaries with their downtuned riffs, pummeling rhythms, and soaring vocals. 

Whether it was the nightmarish proto-metal visions of Sabbath, the boundary-pushing epics of Deep Purple and Rainbow, or the shredding pyrotechnics of Van Halen and Ted Nugent, the 70s produced an endless stream of heavy, hard-hitting rock anthems. 

This article explores 20 of the decade’s heaviest, most impactful songs that formatively shaped heavy metal as we know it today.

1. ‘Into the Void’ by Black Sabbath (1971)

This colossal track from Black Sabbath’s ‘Master of Reality’ album is an apocalyptic descent into the abyss. Geezer Butler’s lyrics paint a bleak picture of nuclear war, while Tony Iommi’s mammoth riffs and Ozzy Osbourne’s haunting vocals create a sense of impending doom. 

At over 6 minutes, it’s an exercise in sustained heaviness, with Bill Ward’s thunderous drums and Iommi’s wailing solos further amplifying the sonic onslaught. 

‘Into the Void’ stands as one of metal’s earliest and most punishing epics. Black Sabbath is credited for creating the heavy metal genre, after all. It’s the quintessential heavy metal band. 

2. ‘Overkill’ by Motörhead (1979)

The title track from Motörhead’s seminal ‘Overkill’ album is a blistering statement of the band’s primal metal/punk ethos. Lemmy’s gritty vocals snarl over the band’s signature “rawk” riffs and mercilessly pummeling rhythms. 

Despite clocking in at under 6 minutes, it’s a relentless assault that never lets up. From the opening salvo of “Only way to feel the noise…” to the solo trading off between Lemmy and “Fast” Eddie Clarke, ‘Overkill’ rams home Motörhead’s commitment to pure, overwhelmingly loud force.

3. ‘Highway Star’ by Deep Purple (1972)

The opening track from ‘Machine Head’ showcases Deep Purple’s instrumental prowess and flair for dramatic heaviness. Ritchie Blackmore’s scorching riffs and Ian Gillan’s glass-shattering wails are merely the opening salvo, giving way to an epic 6+ minute journey. 

Jon Lord’s swirling organ beds and funkier solo spotlight the band’s jazz influences, while the muscular rhythms from Roger Glover and Ian Paice never let the intensity subside. It’s a quintessential showcase of the “heavy rock” sound Deep Purple pioneered.

4. ‘Paranoid’ by Black Sabbath (1970)

The title track from their legendary second album established Black Sabbath as the progenitors of heavy metal. From the iconic riff that kicks it off to the chorus’ pleas of “Can you help me?”, ‘Paranoid’ captures all the dread and anxiety of the band’s dark vision. 

Iommi’s heavily distorted guitar tone and Osbourne’s vocal histrionics were a blueprint for the genre, while Butler’s demonic lyrics gave voice to a generation’s repressed angst. 

At under 3 minutes, it’s a devastatingly concise statement of heavy music’s newfound power.

5. ‘Working Man’ by Rush (1974)

Prior to their transition into prog epics, Rush’s early output like ‘Working Man’ captured a more straightforward, blue-collar brand of heaviness. Geddy Lee’s high-pitched howls convey the plight of the working class, while Alex Lifeson’s riffs chug with a determined muscularity. 

The instrumental section allows John Rutsey’s thunderous timekeeping to lock in with Lifeson’s soloing for a tightly coiled groove. It’s a comparatively lean 7 minutes that foreshadowed the complexity to come while retaining a raw heavy impact.

6. ‘Stone Cold Crazy’ by Queen (1974)

While not the first band associated with heavy rock, Queen’s ‘Stone Cold Crazy’ from ‘Sheer Heart Attack’ proved they could pummel with the best of them. 

The main riff is pure proto-metal menace, with the staccato rhythmic stabs hitting like a kick to the gut. Freddie Mercury’s multi-tracked vocals are nothing short of a rapid-fire attack, while Brian May’s guitar erupts with shrill cries and bluesy licks. 

It’s a shocking detour into heaviness that exposes the hard-rocking core beneath Queen’s genre-hopping pomp.

7. ‘Immigrant Song’ by Led Zeppelin (1970)

The opening salvo from ‘Led Zeppelin III’ captures Robert Plant’s mystical intrigue with Norse folklore over a crushingly heavy backdrop. 

Jimmy Page’s riff is titanic in its simplicity, while John Bonham’s thunderous rhythms are a perpetual propulsive force. John Paul Jones’ droning bass lines reinforce the track’s spine-tingling sense of dread and power. 

Combined with Plant’s chilling howls, it remains one of Zeppelin’s most iconic and influential heavy metal/hard rock statements.

8. ‘A Light in the Black’ by Rainbow (1976)

Ritchie Blackmore’s first musical outpouring after leaving Deep Purple was this thunderous epic from Rainbow’s ‘Rising’ album. Over 8 minutes of relentless riffing and mystical lyrics, courtesy of Ronnie James Dio, make it a landmark of the emerging heavy metal sound. 

Blackmore’s searing fretwork dances between Middle Eastern modalities and metallic fury, while Cozy Powell’s jazz-inspired drumming navigates dizzying time changes. It’s a whirlwind of occult atmospheres and headbanging heft that set the stage for heavy metal’s continued evolution.

9. ‘Rock Bottom’ by UFO (1974)

With an impossibly heavy central riff and bluesy metallic licks, this track from UFO’s ‘Phenomenon’ album was hugely influential on the nascent NWOBHM scene. 

Mogg’s raspy vocals convey street-level grit over Michael Schenker’s impeccable guitarwork and the thunderous rhythms of Pete Way and Andy Parker. Schenker’s searing leads make for a masterclass in melodic heavy metal shredding. 

By wedding metal’s forceful aggression to a more nuanced musical sensibility, ‘Rock Bottom’ expanded the genre’s possibilities.

10. ‘Atomic Punk’ by Van Halen (1978)

One of the era’s heaviest acts also happened to feature some of the most virtuosic musicianship. 

This track from their debut displays all the hallmarks of heavy rock music – Eddie Van Halen’s tapped harmonics, speed-shredding pyrotechnics, and thick distorted rhythms alongside David Lee Roth’s gritty lead vocals, Michael Anthony’s hefty basswork. 

It’s a full-frontal sonic assault that showcased the heavier side of Van Halen’s party metal anthems. Alex’s frenetic jazz-inflected drumming further elevated this track into a must-hear metal statement of ’70s music. 

11. ‘Detroit Rock City’ by KISS (1976)

While KISS specialized in unabashed hard rock anthems, the opening track from ‘Destroyer’ remains one of their heaviest. Paul Stanley’s vocals snarl over crunchy power chords as the band delivers a high-energy paean to their Detroit fandom. 

Bob Ezrin’s production emphasizes impact over nuance, reinforcing the tune’s deadly groove. From Ace Frehley’s shredded leads to Peter Criss’ gutsy beats, it’s a headbanging ode to KISS’ reputation for sheer sonic force.

12. ‘Hair of the Dog’ by Nazareth (1975)

This signature hit from the Scottish rockers is anchored by an impossibly heavy riff cloaked in cowbell groove and bluesy bombast. Dan McCafferty’s raspy howl reeks of sweat, booze, and nicotine stains as the band maintains a relentlessly heavy strut. 

Manny Charlton’s guitarwork, Darrell Sweet’s tight drumming, and Pete Agnew’s slithering bass carry the visceral, streetwise attitude that epitomized Nazareth’s Everyman appeal. 

It’s working-class hard rock at its finest—deceptively simple but overwhelmingly forceful!

13. ‘We’re An American Band’ by Grand Funk Railroad (1973)

Even the intro’s thundering drums signal this is no ordinary rock ditty! 

As Mark Farner’s half-rapped verses kick in over the sledgehammer riffs and galloping rhythms, it becomes a fist-pumping anthem to touring excess. 

Don Brewer and Mel Schacher generate a primal, groove-laden heaviness that makes the repeated “We’re an American band!” chorus undeniably anthemic. 

It perfectly captured the ethos of the hard-rocking touring circuit of the 70s in all its debaucherous glory.

14. ‘Stranglehold’ by Ted Nugent (1975)

As the opening track from his debut ‘Ted Nugent’ album, this is the Motor City Madman at his most deranged and balls-out heavy. 

The main riff’s intro alone is a colossal stomp before giving way to Nugent’s wildman vocals and searing fretwork. The transition to the pounding rhythmic bombast of the chorus is sheer headbang nirvana. 

Clocking in at over 8 minutes, it’s an unrelenting hard rock tour-de-force that enshrined Nugent’s reputation for heavy, uncompromising six-string shredding.

15. ‘Hell Ain’t a Bad Place to Be’ by AC/DC (1977)

This seventh track from AC/DC’s ‘Let There Be Rock’ album swaggers with brash confidence.

Angus Young’s signature schoolboy riffs collide with Bon Scott’s gruff, streetwise bravado in a shotgun marriage of snotty attitude and roof-raising heaviness. 

Whether it’s Malcolm Young and Phil Rudd’s lockstep rhythmic propulsion or Angus’ searing fretboard excursions, every passage oozes sweat-soaked potency. 

It’s an unholy slab of raunchy hard rock that takes no prisoners and would help cement AC/DC’s bad-boy reputation.

16. ‘Nobody’s Fault’ by Aerosmith (1976)

This deep cut from ‘Rocks’ showcases Aerosmith at their grittiest and most hard-hitting. Steven Tyler’s vocals seethe with anguished intensity over the minor-key riffage and thunderous cadences laid down by the band. 

Joe Perry’s searing leads merge blues spirituality with metallic fury. The rhythmic interplay between Brad Whitford’s rhythmic crunch and Tom Hamilton’s overdriven bass lines is sheer foreboding force. 

While overshadowed by bigger hits, ‘Nobody’s Fault’ distills Aerosmith’s unique brand of introspective heaviness.

17. ‘Hocus Pocus’ by Focus (1971)

Though best known for the instrumental “rock meets classical” melding of ‘Hocus Pocus,’ this Dutch band could summon pulverizing heaviness. The main riff is a bludgeoning cyclone of distortion and pounding rhythms that wouldn’t be out of place on an early Sabbath record. 

Throw in Thijs van Leer’s scorched yowls and the spiraling instrumental rave-ups bringing flashes of heavy psych into the hard rock maelstrom. This unique tune merged prog complexity with metal’s unbridled intensity in a way few contemporaries could match.

18. ‘Mississippi Queen’ by Mountain (1970)

Mississippi Queen quite simply has one of the heaviest, thickest riffs ever committed to tape!

Just hearing Leslie West and Corky Laing summon those opening salvos requires an ensuing groove to match that unrelenting low-end rumble. And Mountain delivers with a masterclass in bluesy hard rock stomp highlighted by West’s searing fretwork and powerful vocals. 

Felix Pappalardi’s production smothers everything in a swampy, voodoo-laced ambiance. It’s no surprise this hothouse dose of psychedelic hard rock proved massively influential on heavy metal’s development.

19. ‘Red’ by King Crimson (1974)

This thunderous dose of avant-prog metal was miles ahead of its time—the opening bass riff from John Wetton immediately signals something heavy is erupting. 

As Robert Fripp’s liquid crunches and jagged noise squalls intermingle with Bill Bruford’s dizzying drum patterns, the 6+ minute epic becomes a maelstrom of exhilarating intensity. 

Wetton’s powerful presence bass continually reorients the mayhem into undeniable visceral force. ‘Red’ truly expands heavy rock’s sonic extremities into radical new frontiers.

20. ‘The Sails of Charon’ by Scorpions (1977)

Among the vanguard of emerging NWOBHM bands, this track was the first real showcase of the Scorpions’ prodigious ability to merge metallic heft with proggy complexity. 

Ushered in by Roth’s hellish riffing and Klaus Meine’s soaring vocals, The Sails of Charon, morphs through multiple sections evoking occult metalscapes and serpentine soloing. 

Rudolf Schenker’s guitar harmonies take on exotic Middle Eastern tinges, while the band’s muscular rhythms maintain a constant churning force. 

An epic prescient of the heights Scorpions would scale in the decades to come.

Honorable Mentions

The 1970s rock landscape was overflowing with heavy, hard-hitting anthems beyond the 20 covered in the main article. Here are some other face-melting tracks that helped shape the sound of hard rock and heavy metal bands: 

• “Symptom of the Universe” by Black Sabbath (1975) – One of Sabbath’s most underrated and unrelentingly heavy epics from Sabotage.
• “Lord of This World” by Black Sabbath (1971) – Another colossal slab of apocalyptic metal from the Master of Reality album.
• “Child in Time” by Deep Purple (1970) – This early prog-tinged masterpiece showed Deep Purple’s flair for the heavy and epic.
• “Green Manalishi” by Fleetwood Mac (1970) – The pre-Buckingham/Nicks lineup proved they could bring the heavy psych blues.
• “Spiral Architect” by Black Sabbath (1973) – An underrated Sabbath Bloody Sabbath cut showcasing Iommi’s deft riff craft.
• “Breaking All the House Rules” by Budgie (1975) – These unsung Welsh rockers hugely influenced future metal.
• “Cities on Flame with Rock and Roll” by Blue Öyster Cult (1972) – The cult NY band had a flair for haunting, heavy atmosphere.
• “Sin City” by AC/DC (1978) – A showcase of the Young brothers’ mean riff chemistry near Bon Scott’s peak.