# When you think of the 70's, what are the top three bands that come to mind? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** music\ **Created:** [July 23, 2022, 7:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-you-think-of-the-70s-what-are-the-top-three-bands-that-come-to-mind/968415 "2022-07-23T07:40:09Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2022, 2:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-you-think-of-the-70s-what-are-the-top-three-bands-that-come-to-mind/968415/81 "2022-07-25T02:05:48Z")
> [@Charlie\_Tan](#): > > Wait. You weren’t old enough to drive in the 70’s, were you? I had my license by 1977. But my parents wouldn’t have let me drive to the city and return late at night without an adult. I didn’t see any bands until I left for college. I _wanted_ to see Speedwagon and other Arena rock groups. Never worked out. I had to rely on 8 tracks. ---
**Author:** ![Magiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4491bb/32.png) [@Magiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Magiver)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2022, 2:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-you-think-of-the-70s-what-are-the-top-three-bands-that-come-to-mind/968415/82 "2022-07-25T02:12:30Z")
Led Zeppelin Pink Floyd Rolling Stones ---
**Author:** ![Gatopescado](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gatopescado/32/5711_2.png) [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2022, 6:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-you-think-of-the-70s-what-are-the-top-three-bands-that-come-to-mind/968415/83 "2022-07-25T06:25:17Z")
Copied from the “Worst Connecting Flights from Miami to Seattle” Thread Chicago Kansas Boston ---
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2022, 6:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-you-think-of-the-70s-what-are-the-top-three-bands-that-come-to-mind/968415/84 "2022-07-25T06:51:35Z")
Jethro Tull Magazine mmm, let’s say The Wailers. ---
**Author:** ![Ponch8](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ponch8/32/9883_2.png) [@Ponch8](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ponch8)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2022, 1:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-you-think-of-the-70s-what-are-the-top-three-bands-that-come-to-mind/968415/85 "2022-07-25T13:10:24Z")
Led Zeppelin Queen Electric Light Orchestra ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2022, 1:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-you-think-of-the-70s-what-are-the-top-three-bands-that-come-to-mind/968415/86 "2022-07-25T13:33:31Z")
> **Sorted List so far** > > 10cc > ABBA > ABBA > AC/DC > Aerosmith > Aerosmith > Allman Brothers Band > B-52s > Bee Gees > Bee Gees > Bee Gees > Bee Gees > Bee Gees > Bee Gees > Bee Gees > Bee Gees > Black Sabbath > Blondie > Blue Oyster Cult > Bob Seger & Silver Bullet Band > Boston > Boston > Boston > Boston > Boston > Captain & Tennille > Chicago > Chicago > Chicago > Chicago > Clash > Clash > Conway Twitty and Loretta Lynn > Creedence Clearwater Revival > Dead Kennedys > Deep Purple > Donna Summer > Doobie Bros > Dr. Teeth > Eagles > Eagles > Eagles > Eagles > Eagles > Eagles > Eagles > Eagles > Eagles > Earth, Wind, & Fire > Electric Light Orchestra > Electric Light Orchestra > Electric Light Orchestra > ELP > ELP > Flash and Pan > Fleetwood Mac > Fleetwood Mac > Fleetwood Mac > Fleetwood Mac > Fleetwood Mac > Fleetwood Mac > Fleetwood Mac > Fleetwood Mac > Foghat > Genesis > Genesis > Grand Funk RR > Jam > Jethro Tull > Jethro Tull > Jethro Tull > Joni Mitchell > Journey > Journey > Kansas > Kiss > Kiss > Kiss > Kiss > Led Zeppelin > Led Zeppelin > Led Zeppelin > Led Zeppelin > Led Zeppelin > Led Zeppelin > Led Zeppelin > Led Zeppelin > Led Zeppelin > Led Zeppelin > Led Zeppelin > Led Zeppelin > Led Zeppelin > Led Zeppelin > Led Zeppelin > Led Zeppelin > Led Zeppelin > Led Zeppelin > Led Zeppelin > Led Zeppelin > Led Zeppelin > Led Zeppelin > Led Zeppelin > Lynyrd Skynyrd > Magazine > Mahavishnu Orchestra > Marshall Tucker Band > Midnight Oil > Moody Blues > Motörhead > Mott Hoople > Osmonds > Patti Smith Group > Peter Frampton > Pink Floyd > Pink Floyd > Pink Floyd > Pink Floyd > Pink Floyd > Pink Floyd > Pink Floyd > Pink Floyd > Pink Floyd > Pink Floyd > Pink Floyd > Pink Floyd > Queen > Queen > Queen > Queen > Queen > Queen > Ramones > Ramones > Ramones > Ramones > Rolling Stones > Rolling Stones > Rolling Stones > Rolling Stones > Rolling Stones > Rolling Stones > Rolling Stones > Rolling Stones > Rush > Seals and Croft > Sex Pistols > Sex Pistols > Sex Pistols > Slade > Sonny & Cher > Steely Dan > Steve Miller Band > Steve Miller Band > Steve Miller Band > Styx > Styx > Talking Heads > Talking Heads > The Clash > The Eagles > The Wailers. > Three Dog Night > Three Dog Night > Three Dog Night > Van Halen > Village People > Weather Report > Who > Who > Who > Who > Wings > X > Yes > Yes > Yes * * * * * * **73 total nominations.** ## 18 with 3 or more votes; | Led Zeppelin | 23 | | --- | --- | | Pink Floyd | 12 | | Eagles | 9 | | Bee Gees | 8 | | Fleetwood Mac | 8 | | Rolling Stones | 8 | | Queen | 6 | | Boston | 5 | | Chicago | 4 | | Kiss | 4 | | Ramones | 4 | | Who | 4 | | Electric Light Orchestra | 3 | | Jethro Tull | 3 | | Sex Pistols | 3 | | Steve Miller Band | 3 | | Three Dog Night | 3 | | Yes | 3 | * * * * * * > **The Rest** > > | ABBA | 2 | > | --- | --- | > | Aerosmith | 2 | > | Clash | 2 | > | ELP | 2 | > | Genesis | 2 | > | Journey | 2 | > | Styx | 2 | > | Talking Heads | 2 | > | 10cc | 1 | > | AC/DC | 1 | > | Allman Brothers Band | 1 | > | B-52s | 1 | > | Black Sabbath | 1 | > | Blondie | 1 | > | Blue Oyster Cult | 1 | > | Bob Seger & Silver Bullet Band | 1 | > | Captain & Tennille | 1 | > | Conway Twitty and Loretta Lynn | 1 | > | Creedence Clearwater Revival | 1 | > | Dead Kennedys | 1 | > | Deep Purple | 1 | > | Donna Summer | 1 | > | Doobie Bros | 1 | > | Dr. Teeth | 1 | > | Earth, Wind, & Fire | 1 | > | Flash and Pan | 1 | > | Foghat | 1 | > | Grand Funk RR | 1 | > | Jam | 1 | > | Joni Mitchell | 1 | > | Kansas | 1 | > | Lynyrd Skynyrd | 1 | > | Magazine | 1 | > | Mahavishnu Orchestra | 1 | > | Marshall Tucker Band | 1 | > | Midnight Oil | 1 | > | Moody Blues | 1 | > | Motörhead | 1 | > | Mott Hoople | 1 | > | Osmonds | 1 | > | Patti Smith Group | 1 | > | Peter Frampton | 1 | > | Rush | 1 | > | Seals and Croft | 1 | > | Slade | 1 | > | Sonny & Cher | 1 | > | Steely Dan | 1 | > | The Clash | 1 | > | The Eagles | 1 | > | The Wailers. | 1 | > | Van Halen | 1 | > | Village People | 1 | > | Weather Report | 1 | > | Wings | 1 | > | X | 1 | ---
**Author:** ![Author\_Balk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e0b2c6/32.png) [@Author\_Balk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Author_Balk)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2022, 5:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-you-think-of-the-70s-what-are-the-top-three-bands-that-come-to-mind/968415/87 "2022-07-25T17:44:15Z")
I have to divide into two different eras. BTO, Doobie Brothers, America Styx, Boston, Eagles (Eagles also fits in early 70s) ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2022, 5:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-you-think-of-the-70s-what-are-the-top-three-bands-that-come-to-mind/968415/88 "2022-07-25T17:45:14Z")
If dividing was not an option, which would you pick? ---
**Author:** ![Author\_Balk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e0b2c6/32.png) [@Author\_Balk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Author_Balk)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2022, 5:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-you-think-of-the-70s-what-are-the-top-three-bands-that-come-to-mind/968415/89 "2022-07-25T17:47:33Z")
Eagles, Boston and America ---
**Author:** ![robby](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robby/32/11048_2.png) [@robby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/robby)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2022, 5:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-you-think-of-the-70s-what-are-the-top-three-bands-that-come-to-mind/968415/90 "2022-07-25T17:54:15Z")
Without looking at the OP’s list my three in order are: - Fleetwood Mac - Steve Miller Band - The Eagles Ok, now I’ve looked at the OP’s list. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2022, 5:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-you-think-of-the-70s-what-are-the-top-three-bands-that-come-to-mind/968415/91 "2022-07-25T17:55:30Z")
Thank you for the tally-to-date. ---
**Author:** ![flurb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/51bf81/32.png) [@flurb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/flurb)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2022, 5:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-you-think-of-the-70s-what-are-the-top-three-bands-that-come-to-mind/968415/92 "2022-07-25T17:55:59Z")
> [@What\_Exit](#): > > |Lynyrd Skynyrd|1 Damn, I feel like the only person on this board who grew up around rednecks. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![EinsteinsHund](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/einsteinshund/32/8400_2.png) [@EinsteinsHund](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EinsteinsHund)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2022, 6:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-you-think-of-the-70s-what-are-the-top-three-bands-that-come-to-mind/968415/93 "2022-07-25T18:19:42Z")
T. Rex Kraftwerk The Clash ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2022, 6:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-you-think-of-the-70s-what-are-the-top-three-bands-that-come-to-mind/968415/94 "2022-07-25T18:25:18Z")
First three that came to mind for me were: 1. Zep 2. Sabbath 3. Sly and the Family Stone ---
**Author:** ![EinsteinsHund](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/einsteinshund/32/8400_2.png) [@EinsteinsHund](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EinsteinsHund)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2022, 6:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-you-think-of-the-70s-what-are-the-top-three-bands-that-come-to-mind/968415/95 "2022-07-25T18:28:38Z")
> [@pulykamell](#): > > Sly and the Family Stone I was pondering Sly and the Family Stone, but then thought they were rather a classical 60s than 70s act. Though they damn well defined much of what happened in the 70s. ---
**Author:** ![Pardel-Lux](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pardel-lux/32/20182_2.png) [@Pardel-Lux](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pardel-Lux)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2022, 6:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-you-think-of-the-70s-what-are-the-top-three-bands-that-come-to-mind/968415/96 "2022-07-25T18:29:06Z")
That is a cool mix, and two exclusive picks too! I was thinking how to put Bowie in my list and wondered whether Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars would do the trick, T. Rex is a very elegant solution. (In the end, of course, I opted for the noisy and fast. Because of appearances and such 😉) ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2022, 7:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-you-think-of-the-70s-what-are-the-top-three-bands-that-come-to-mind/968415/97 "2022-07-25T19:35:25Z")
Yeah, it was hard to me to figure out where to place them. Similarly, The Who? 60s or 70s? They straddle. There’s a number of straddling acts. Stones I tend to think of more as 60s, but they are certainly 70s, too. Sly’s discrography starts in the late 60s and goes through the 70s. _There’s a Riot Going On_ was 1971 and _Stand_ misses the 70s by a year, but there’s the cultural argument that “the 70s” didn’t really start until, say, 1972 or so. It’s all a bit sloppy. I want to put Giorgio Moroder in there somewhere, but he’s not a band. Floyd might be #3, but then my choices ignore everything but classic rock music. Kraftwerk might work for me. ---
**Author:** ![Dinsdale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/97f17d/32.png) [@Dinsdale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dinsdale)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2022, 8:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-you-think-of-the-70s-what-are-the-top-three-bands-that-come-to-mind/968415/98 "2022-07-25T20:51:07Z")
My 3 faves at the time- and what came immediately to mind - were Rush, ELP, Queen. VERY hard to imagine how mine can be the first vote for Rush. And remember, guys, the 70s were when they were GOOD! 😉 Looking at some suggestions, I figure Zep, Stones, Who, and Floyd might be better choices - but, as mentioned, they did straddle the 60s-70s. Really iconic 70s bands were the likes of Foreigner, Journey crap. But damned if I’m gonna vote for the likes of them. And I got all kinds of love for The Clash, Ramones, Elvis, Willy DeVille (seriously/)…, but w/ debut albums coming out in 76-77, you’re missing a whole chunk of the decade. Hell, if we are going that route, we oughta offer up Television, cause EVERYONE was claiming Marguee Moon was the best album ever! During the mid 70s (high school), the bands I was really listening to and seeing were the likes of BOC, BTO, Thin Lizzy, Aerosmith, AC/DC… College - starting in 78 - was much about punk and new wave. Sabbath and Deep Purple likely oughta be up there. ---
**Author:** ![El\_DeLuxo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/el_deluxo/32/9043_2.png) [@El\_DeLuxo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/El_DeLuxo)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2022, 12:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-you-think-of-the-70s-what-are-the-top-three-bands-that-come-to-mind/968415/99 "2022-07-26T00:33:10Z")
Alice Cooper The Patti Smith Group Black Oak Arkansas And two of those artists are still going strong. ---
**Author:** ![JKellyMap](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jkellymap/32/15880_2.png) [@JKellyMap](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JKellyMap)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2022, 1:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-you-think-of-the-70s-what-are-the-top-three-bands-that-come-to-mind/968415/100 "2022-07-26T01:23:00Z")
I’m surprised the Stones keep getting included. By their own admission, they were “sucking in the Seventies” (except in 1971, 1978, and bits of 1972). [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-you-think-of-the-70s-what-are-the-top-three-bands-that-come-to-mind/968415.md?page=4) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-you-think-of-the-70s-what-are-the-top-three-bands-that-come-to-mind/968415.md?page=6)