The 1970’s were a defining decade for modern music. Genres that had previously been relegated to the outskirts of the mainstream, like rock and R&B, moved to the forefront. The popular conception of the singer-songwriter was born. Music had a broader cultural impact than ever before, and voices that had previously been ignored were being brought to light. While the decade that popularized bell-bottom jeans and tie-dye laid the groundwork for most of what we hear on the radio today, it also gave us a plethora of records that still hold their own nearly 50 years later.
1.) “Blue” by Joni Mitchell (1971)
In a 1979 interview with Rolling Stone Magazine, Mitchell said that she “felt like a cellophane wrapper on a pack of cigarettes” as she was writing her career-defining album, “Blue.” The songstress had already enjoyed critical and commercial success with her 1970 album, “Ladies of the Canyon,” a sprawling array of indie folk songs that paid homage to Laurel Canyon and other cultural hallmarks of the decade. “Blue” saw her reaching for higher, more ambitious and emotional peaks. It cemented the image of the female singer-songwriter in the public eye and provided a solid foundation for nearly every breakup album of the next fifty years. On “Little Green,” an achingly honest message to the daughter she gave up for adoption, Mitchell sings over a plucky guitar, “There’ll be icicles and birthday clothes and sometimes there’ll be sorrow.” It’s her consistent ability to choose the exact details needed to convey complicated emotions without ever sacrificing relatability. Listening to “Blue” is as much an exploration of Mitchell’s psyche in 1971, as it is bound to be an exploration of your own.
2.) “What’s Going On” by Marvin Gaye (1971)
It’s rare that an album perfectly captures every nuance, every minute feeling of a particular time period, yet “What’s Going On” does exactly that. The title track alone is arguably one of the most impactful songs of all time, socially and sonically. However, the rest of the 35-minute album is a masterclass in how to make the political intensely personal without ever venturing into melodrama. On the funky, up-tempo track “Right On,” Gaye calls for unity across divisions of class and race over a catchy melody. The final track–a slow, simmering ballad–leaves listeners with the line, “who are they to judge us? / simply ‘cause we wear our hair long.” The genius of Gaye’s songwriting is its uncompromising simplicity. These songs are meant to be understood and felt just as deeply in 2022 as they were in 1971.
3.) “Rumours” by Fleetwood Mac (1977)
The creation of Fleetwood Mac’s masterwork, “Rumours,” was an extremely unlikely event. The album was recorded over eight months in 1976, a period which proved to be personally tumultuous for every member of the band. It immediately followed the divorce of Christine and John McVie, yet also coincided with the height of Stevie Nicks’ and Lindsey Buckingham’s chaotic relationship. The band’s unusual recording process consisted of drug-fueled late night sessions, outside of which the members barely spoke to each other. Out of a wasteland of excess and toxicity, one of the most influential pop records of all time emerged. Against all odds, “Rumours” seems to benefit from its strained origins. Throughout the chorus of “The Chain,” a call-and-response between Nicks and Buckingham, the band’s disintegration is almost palpable. Every single track is a layered, lyrically and sonically nuanced take on what would soon become classic seventies soft rock.
4.) “Songs in the Key of Life” by Stevie Wonder (1976)
Though Stevie Wonder had already achieved immense success by the mid-1970’s, “Songs in the Key of Life” is the album that cemented him as a musical force to be reckoned with. Recorded when he was 26-years-old, the record captures seemingly every facet of life: from parenthood, to religion, to injustice and everything in between. At almost two hours long, it’s a miracle that such a record has any coherence at all, yet Wonder manages to tie it all together with lush instrumentals and inventive melodies. There’s an effortless feeling to what could’ve been a disconnected combination of jazz, R&B and pop. It’s been said to have inspired Prince, Whitney Houston, and countless other artists old and new. “Songs in the Key of Life” is an album that begs to be played again and again.
5.) “The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars” by David Bowie (1972)
Few artists influenced the aesthetic of their genre more than David Bowie. Bowie not only popularized the idea of album-bound alter ego, yet also created an equally subversive and timeless figure: Ziggy Stardust. The androgenous “Starman” blurred the lines of gender and sexuality, while also sitting at the center of one of the most ambitious concept albums of all time. On the 1972 record, Bowie details the story of Ziggy’s time on Earth. Beyond that, the album explores themes of love, loss and homesickness. It builds the shimmering, over-the-top foundation of glam rock, while maintaining some of the gritty imperfections that 70’s rock is known for. There isn’t a single superfluous track on this record—listening to it all the way through is an otherworldly experience in and of itself.
Molly Hamilton can be reached at [email protected]
