Grateful Dead
Frank Zappa and whoever was in his backup band at the time
Parliament/Funkadelic
Or could go in a whole other direction with Clash/Ramones/Buzzcocks. Someone above mentioned the Dead Kennedys, and they did release their first single in 1979, but they’re really an 80s band.
Oddly, though, despite all the great music that came out of that decade, when I actually think of the term “70s music”, what comes to mind is crap like Fleetwood Mac, Sonny and Cher, or Peter Frampton. I guess I have internalized 70sphobia.
Not quite the 1st, but I too am surprised how little love they received in this thread. Perhaps everyone else has them just a little lower down in their top 10. lol
wow as an 80s kid whose parents didn’t listen to much rock made after 1982 on rock but I didn’t hear a lot of those unless I lived with my parents … Now if ya wanna talk about country music well I’m well versed in that …
I didn’t think this thread was about love, as much as cultural dominance. I didn’t take “Top” to mean “Best”. As wonderful as bands like Rush (and the Clash and Dead Kennedys, and X, etc) are, they didn’t put their stamp on the decade’s mass culture the way Zep or the BeeGees, or the Eagles did.
I dislike Led Zep (a general dislike of whiny or shrill singer voices…not a fan of Fleetwood Mac either for this reason) but had to admit that was the first and most Seventies group I could think of.
To me, it’s interesting that The Clash did not receive more votes, considering that almost every rock and roll band relevant today credit The Clash as being a major musical influence.
Although the Clash got their start in the 70s, I don’t think their significance was recognized until the 80s. London Calling wasn’t released until the last two weeks of the former decade.
The Top 3 bands from the 70s I still listen to the most Today are KISS, Aerosmith, and Black Sabbath. Though with the first two it is mostly their work from the 80s.
When I think of distinctively 70s bands I think of disco and specifically The Village People and The Bee Gees.
And 70s rock makes me think of Three Dog Night, Stealers Wheel, Sweet, Blue Swede, and Bachman-Turner Overdrive.