100 Greatest Rock Music Artists Of The 1970's

Bruce · **Posted:** Sun Dec 05, 2010 3:25 am

pave wrote:

Bruce wrote:

Most played songs on the radio:

http://www.digitaldreamdoor.com/pages/best_played.html

This is just in the U.S. I guess, but it shows how artists like Led Zep who sell more total albums than most of these other artists don't get the same kind of total airplay on any of their songs...

Stevie and Elton had songs on the list but no Zep:

Hard to say that an artist is the biggest of an entire decade when they don't really have even one song that the majority of music listeners in the country know.

both Stevie songs on that list were from the 60s. so your argument against Zep pretty much rules Stevie out too, as he doesn't have any 70s material that, to quote you "the majority of music listeners in the country know".

I think that "You Are The Sunshine Of My Life" would qualify even if it didn't make that list of most played songs. Even grandmothers knew that song in those days. When I used to DJ parties and weddings with mainstream crowds nobody ever asked for anything by Zep.

Of course "I Just Called To say I Love You" (from the 80s) was even better known. The thing is, older songs had more time to accumulate radio plays.

Bruce · **Posted:** Sun Dec 05, 2010 3:30 am

pave wrote:

Bruce wrote:

Most played songs on the radio:

http://www.digitaldreamdoor.com/pages/best_played.html

This is just in the U.S. I guess, but it shows how artists like Led Zep who sell more total albums than most of these other artists don't get the same kind of total airplay on any of their songs...

Stevie and Elton had songs on the list but no Zep:

Hard to say that an artist is the biggest of an entire decade when they don't really have even one song that the majority of music listeners in the country know.

both Stevie songs on that list were from the 60s. so your argument against Zep pretty much rules Stevie out too, as he doesn't have any 70s material that, to quote you "the majority of music listeners in the country know".

This same point is one of the things that hurts Zep the most. Their second most significant album (Led Zep II) is from 1969 and supposedly all of that credit goes to the 60s list despite the fact that Led Zep II was much bigger in the 70s than it was in the two months that it had in 1969. If was assigned most of its credit for the 70s it would be enough to take them clearly past Stevie.

pave · **Posted:** Sun Dec 05, 2010 3:39 am

Bruce wrote:

I think that "You Are The Sunshine Of My Life" would qualify even if it didn't make that list of most played songs. Even grandmothers knew that song in those days. When I used to DJ parties and weddings with mainstream crowds nobody ever asked for anything by Zep.

its not really shocking that you didn't receive any Zep requests at a wedding.

i still think you are putting too much stock into how many different types of people know a song, versus how many people in general.

-before any more discussion happens, for the record im a bigger Stevie and Elton fan than a Zep fan. any attempts to lump me into some "young white male (all true though) who only listens to hard rock" group will just piss me off. it's used in every argument in this part of the forum and its old, lazy, and fallacious. (not that you've done it to me, just pointing it out before it happens, cause it generally happens at some point by somebody)

out of interest, does lasting popularity count on this list, or only popularity during the 70s? cause i would think Stairway to Heaven would count as a song most of the country knows. i've seen a figure listed several places online that have it just under the 3 mil mark that the list stops at (the figure i keep seeing is 2.87 mil, but i have no idea how credible that is).

Bruce · **Posted:** Sun Dec 05, 2010 3:53 am

pave wrote:

Bruce wrote:

I think that "You Are The Sunshine Of My Life" would qualify even if it didn't make that list of most played songs. Even grandmothers knew that song in those days. When I used to DJ parties and weddings with mainstream crowds nobody ever asked for anything by Zep.

its not really shocking that you didn't receive any Zep requests at a wedding.

i still think you are putting too much stock into how many different types of people know a song, versus how many people in general.

-before any more discussion happens, for the record im a bigger Stevie and Elton fan than a Zep fan. any attempts to lump me into some "young white male (all true though) who only listens to hard rock" group will just piss me off. it's used in every argument in this part of the forum and its old, lazy, and fallacious. (not that you've done it to me, just pointing it out before it happens, cause it generally happens at some point by somebody)

out of interest, does lasting popularity count on this list, or only popularity during the 70s? cause i would think Stairway to Heaven would count as a song most of the country knows. i've seen a figure listed several places online that have it just under the 3 mil mark that the list stops at (the figure i keep seeing is 2.87 mil, but i have no idea how credible that is).

I guess you'd have to ask Lew. Not sure how he does his lists or who helped him with this one. For me, lasting popularity is at least as important as initial popularity. Certainly something like "Free Bird" that never got close to the top ten (studio or live version) has to be considered more popular overall than most songs that were in the top ten initially.

By the way, I see the eagles as far greater for the decade than Pink Floyd, at least in America. Again, only a small segment of the public knew Pink Floyd's songs. The only one I knew during the decade was "Money." To this date I've never heard that album and did not know "Another Brick" until it became a hit single in 1980.

John Lennon is way too high also. No way he's above the Bee Gees, Chicago and some others for the 70s. He didn't even make a recording for 4 or 5 years in the latter part of the decade.

gminer · **Joined:** Mon Oct 11, 2010 5:17 pm **Posts:** 2443

... the most popular songs of the 70`s for the EU based on The Euro 200 which is an independent chart for the 27 states of the EU compiled by APC-stats. (record sales, paid downloads, air-play data and additional album sales -pda & aas system-)... Take care

http://www.apcchart.com/

position apc-rank performer(s) title year
1 1 QUEEN BOHEMIAN RHAPSODY 1975
2 2 DEEP PURPLE CHILD IN TIME 1972
3 3 ROLLING STONES, THE ANGIE 1973
4 4 EAGLES, THE HOTEL CALIFORNIA 1977
5 5 MEAT LOAF PARADISE BY THE DASHBOARD LIGHT 1978
6 6 LED ZEPPELIN STAIRWAY TO HEAVEN 1971
7 8 JOHN LENNON IMAGINE 1971
8 9 GOLDEN EARRING, THE RADAR LOVE 1973
9 18 PINK FLOYD ANOTHER BRICK IN THE WALL 1979
10 21 JOHN MILES MUSIC 1976
11 23 DIRE STRAITS SULTANS OF SWING 1978
12 31 DOORS, THE RIDERS ON THE STORM 1971
13 32 AC/DC WHOLE LOTTA ROSIE 1978
14 37 ABBA DANCING QUEEN 1976
15 38 BEATLES, THE LET IT BE 1970
16 50 BLACK SABBATH PARANOID 1970
17 54 KISS I WAS MADE FOR LOVING YOU 1979
18 56 SIMON & GARFUNKEL BRIDGE OVER TROUBLED WATER 1970
19 67 DEREK & THE DOMINO'S & ERIC CLAPTON LAYLA 1971
20 76 FLEETWOOD MAC GO YOUR OWN WAY 1977
21 77 SUPERTRAMP SCHOOL 1974
22 81 ROLLING STONES, THE SYMPATHY FOR THE DEVIL 1973
23 87 KATE BUSH WUTHERING HEIGHTS 1978
24 90 KINKS, THE LOLA 1970
25 93 10CC DREADLOCK HOLIDAY 1978
26 95 10CC I'M NOT IN LOVE 1975
27 99 BOB MARLEY & THE WAILERS NO WOMAN NO CRY 1975
28 100 DAVID BOWIE HEROES 1977
29 101 ART GARFUNKEL BRIGHT EYES 1979
30 104 PETER MAFFAY DU 1971
31 105 POLICE, THE ROXANNE 1978
32 107 BEE GEES, THE STAYIN' ALIVE 1978
33 112 BOSTON MORE THAN A FEELING 1977
34 118 CREEDENCE CLEARWATER REVIVAL I PUT A SPELL ON YOU 1972
35 119 NORMAAL OEREND HARD 1977
36 122 ALICE COOPER HALO OF FLIES 1973
37 124 QUEEN SOMEBODY TO LOVE 1976
38 138 STEVE HARLEY & COCKNEY REBEL SEBASTIAN 1973
39 139 ERIC CLAPTON WONDERFUL TONIGHT 1978
40 141 ELECTRIC LIGHT ORCHESTRA MR. BLUE SKY 1978
41 146 DEEP PURPLE SMOKE ON THE WATER 1973
42 148 CHICAGO IF YOU LEAVE ME NOW 1976
43 154 NAZARETH LOVE HURTS 1974
44 156 ROD STEWART SAILING 1975
45 163 IKE & TINA TURNER PROUD MARY 1971
46 165 STATUS QUO ROLL OVER LAY DOWN 1975
47 176 QUEEN WE WILL ROCK YOU 1977
48 188 QUEEN WE ARE THE CHAMPIONS 1977
49 189 ELTON JOHN CANDLE IN THE WIND 1973
50 193 PINK FLOYD WISH YOU WERE HERE 1975

gminer · **Joined:** Mon Oct 11, 2010 5:17 pm **Posts:** 2443

.... and Mediabase numbers for the US as time goes by ... Take care

http://www.mmr247.com/WebLogon/WebLogon.asp

The 1970's
(rank - total audience impressions in millions - name - # of titles)

01. 27,297,444 EAGLES (62)
02. 26,091,111 ELTON JOHN (132)
03. 24,605,145 LED ZEPPELIN (66)
04. 21,075,746 FLEETWOOD MAC (114)
05. 14,821,969 EARTH, WIND & FIRE (57)
06. 14,760,417 BILLY JOEL (46)
07. 14,050,546 AEROSMITH (61)
08. 13,163,832 DOOBIE BROTHERS (84)
09. 12,798,655 BOB SEGER (69)
10. 12,144,798 LYNYRD SKYNYRD (60)
11. 12,076,979 STEVIE WONDER (60)
12. 12,026,744 BOSTON (19)
13. 11,989,265 ROLLING STONES (87)
14. 11,977,973 PINK FLOYD (72)
15. 11,555,841 MARVIN GAYE (43)
16. 10,862,113 CHICAGO (107)
17. 10,840,255 STEVE MILLER (40)
18. 10,328,094 VAN HALEN (22)
19. 9,614,505 BARRY WHITE (35)
20. 9,357,359 WHO (72)

The 1970's
(rank - year - name - title - audience impressions in millions - spins)

01. 1971 AL GREEN - Let's Stay Together : 3,777.406 (266,414)
02. 1977 ERIC CLAPTON - Wonderful Tonight : 3,752.677 (378,741)
03. 1977 EMOTIONS - Best Of My Love : 3,645.803 (279,714)
04. 1977 FLEETWOOD MAC - Dreams : 3,619.928 (329,911)
05. 1977 JIMMY BUFFETT - Margaritaville : 3,360.764 (324,976)
06. 1978 GLORIA GAYNOR - I Will Survive : 3,312.794 (233,081)
07. 1975 AEROSMITH - Sweet Emotion : 3,236.775 (405,114)
08. 1978 EARTH, WIND & FIRE - September : 3,220.045 (231,402)
09. 1972 EAGLES - Take It Easy : 3,205.806 (331,349)
10. 1974 BARRY WHITE - Can't Get Enough Of Your Love : 3,193.341 (210,456)
11. 1970 ELTON JOHN - Your Song : 3,170.366 (264,727)
12. 1977 FLEETWOOD MAC - Go Your Own Way : 3,108.402 (298,549)
13. 1977 FLEETWOOD MAC - Don't Stop : 3,002.936 (278,556)
14. 1973 AEROSMITH - Dream On : 2,997.484 (368,024)
15. 1975 AMERICA - Sister Golden Hair : 2,984.063 (267,310)
16. 1978 JOURNEY - Lights : 2,951.006 (324,788)
17. 1978 HEATWAVE - Always And Forever : 2,896.044 (244,122)
18. 1979 BOB SEGER - Old Time Rock & Roll : 2,844.909 (306,155)
19. 1970 SANTANA - Evil Ways : 2,824.413 (240,922)
20. 1973 MARVIN GAYE - Let's Get It On : 2,817.865 (198,135)

ClashWho · **Joined:** Mon Oct 11, 2010 5:45 pm **Posts:** 19147

gminer wrote:

.... and Mediabase numbers for the US as time goes by ... Take care

http://www.mmr247.com/WebLogon/WebLogon.asp

The 1970's
(rank - total audience impressions in millions - name - # of titles)

01. 27,297,444 EAGLES (62)
02. 26,091,111 ELTON JOHN (132)
03. 24,605,145 LED ZEPPELIN (66)
04. 21,075,746 FLEETWOOD MAC (114)
05. 14,821,969 EARTH, WIND & FIRE (57)
06. 14,760,417 BILLY JOEL (46)
07. 14,050,546 AEROSMITH (61)
08. 13,163,832 DOOBIE BROTHERS (84)
09. 12,798,655 BOB SEGER (69)
10. 12,144,798 LYNYRD SKYNYRD (60)
11. 12,076,979 STEVIE WONDER (60)
12. 12,026,744 BOSTON (19)
13. 11,989,265 ROLLING STONES (87)
14. 11,977,973 PINK FLOYD (72)
15. 11,555,841 MARVIN GAYE (43)
16. 10,862,113 CHICAGO (107)
17. 10,840,255 STEVE MILLER (40)
18. 10,328,094 VAN HALEN (22)
19. 9,614,505 BARRY WHITE (35)
20. 9,357,359 WHO (72)

Very impressive accomplishment for Van Halen, since all they have to work with is 1978 and 1979. Actually, I don't see how their placement is possible. Is their version of "You Really Got Me" that big a hit? And what else is there? This is years before they blew up with "Jump".

piper · **Posted:** Sun Dec 05, 2010 4:56 pm

ClashWho wrote:

Very impressive accomplishment for Van Halen, since all they have to work with is 1978 and 1979. Actually, I don't see how their placement is possible. Is their version of "You Really Got Me" that big a hit? And what else is there? This is years before they blew up with "Jump".

"Dance the Night Away" was their only other significant pop hit in the 1970's (#15 Billboard Hot 100).

ClashWho · **Joined:** Mon Oct 11, 2010 5:45 pm **Posts:** 19147

piper wrote:

ClashWho wrote:

Very impressive accomplishment for Van Halen, since all they have to work with is 1978 and 1979. Actually, I don't see how their placement is possible. Is their version of "You Really Got Me" that big a hit? And what else is there? This is years before they blew up with "Jump".

"Dance the Night Away" was their only other significant pop hit in the 1970's (#15 Billboard Hot 100).

Yeah, then I don't see how their placement is possible. Maybe that list is factoring in all of their recorded output. That's probably what's going on with Aerosmith, too.

Brian · **Joined:** Wed Oct 06, 2010 1:52 pm **Posts:** 2338

pave wrote:

if anything, we are just demonstrating why Elton should be above both. but i still don't see why Stevie is above Zeppelin.

I think musical impact is what puts Stevie ahead. They and Zep are pretty close in the rest of the criteria, but Stevie's advantage in musical impact is more than whatever advantage Zep might have in other criteria.

I do think Elton beats both of them in popularity, but not by all that much. I think both would beat him in influence, and Stevie would beat him in musical impact.

ClashWho · **Joined:** Mon Oct 11, 2010 5:45 pm **Posts:** 19147

Brian wrote:

pave wrote:

if anything, we are just demonstrating why Elton should be above both. but i still don't see why Stevie is above Zeppelin.

I think musical impact is what puts Stevie ahead. They and Zep are pretty close in the rest of the criteria, but Stevie's advantage in musical impact is more than whatever advantage Zep might have in other criteria.

I do think Elton beats both of them in popularity, but not by all that much. I think both would beat him in influence, and Stevie would beat him in musical impact.

However it shakes out, they're a solid top three. I'd probably rank them:

1. Stevie Wonder
2. Elton John
3. Led Zeppelin

If Led Zeppelin I and II counted, I'd have them higher.

gminer · **Joined:** Mon Oct 11, 2010 5:17 pm **Posts:** 2443

ClashWho wrote:

gminer wrote:

.... and Mediabase numbers for the US as time goes by ... Take care

http://www.mmr247.com/WebLogon/WebLogon.asp

The 1970's
(rank - total audience impressions in millions - name - # of titles)

01. 27,297,444 EAGLES (62)
02. 26,091,111 ELTON JOHN (132)
03. 24,605,145 LED ZEPPELIN (66)
04. 21,075,746 FLEETWOOD MAC (114)
05. 14,821,969 EARTH, WIND & FIRE (57)
06. 14,760,417 BILLY JOEL (46)
07. 14,050,546 AEROSMITH (61)
08. 13,163,832 DOOBIE BROTHERS (84)
09. 12,798,655 BOB SEGER (69)
10. 12,144,798 LYNYRD SKYNYRD (60)
11. 12,076,979 STEVIE WONDER (60)
12. 12,026,744 BOSTON (19)
13. 11,989,265 ROLLING STONES (87)
14. 11,977,973 PINK FLOYD (72)
15. 11,555,841 MARVIN GAYE (43)
16. 10,862,113 CHICAGO (107)
17. 10,840,255 STEVE MILLER (40)
18. 10,328,094 VAN HALEN (22)
19. 9,614,505 BARRY WHITE (35)
20. 9,357,359 WHO (72)

Very impressive accomplishment for Van Halen, since all they have to work with is 1978 and 1979. Actually, I don't see how their placement is possible. Is their version of "You Really Got Me" that big a hit? And what else is there? This is years before they blew up with "Jump".

... the list is for material from the 70`s and the radio play numbers up to the present .... Take care

gminer · **Joined:** Mon Oct 11, 2010 5:17 pm **Posts:** 2443

piper wrote:

ClashWho wrote:

Very impressive accomplishment for Van Halen, since all they have to work with is 1978 and 1979. Actually, I don't see how their placement is possible. Is their version of "You Really Got Me" that big a hit? And what else is there? This is years before they blew up with "Jump".

"Dance the Night Away" was their only other significant pop hit in the 1970's (#15 Billboard Hot 100).

... the timeline is from the 70`s to the present based on radio play .... Take care

VAN HALEN - Top Mediabase Tracks;
Key: rank - year - title - audience impressions in millions - (spins) - change % - top rank

1. 1978 You Really Got Me : 2,345.300 (299,238) 15.6 #781

3. 1978 Runnin' With The Devil : 2,188.510 (282,388) 16.4 #919

5. 1978 Jamie's Cryin' : 1,582.100 (211,443) 13.1 #1665
6. 1979 Dance The Night Away : 1,566.600 (183,319) 17.7

9. 1978 Ain't Talkin' 'Bout Love : 1,234.450 (175,615) 13.5

16. 1979 Beautiful Girls : 867.970 (124,257) 11.5
17. 1978 Eruption : 775.890 (108,147) 17.0

21. 1978 Ice Cream Man : 533.570 (76,837) 10.8

23. 1978 Feel Your Love Tonight : 367.690 (46,350) 13.0

36. 1979 Somebody Get Me A Doctor : 102.240 (9,888) 12.0

41. 1979 You're No Good : 69.030 (8,251) 10.9
42. 1978 I'm The One : 63.750 (5,459) 8.7

44. 1978 Atomic Punk : 50.780 (6,219) 14.1

47. 1979 Bottoms Up : 46.920 (6,085) 14.5

50. 1978 Little Dreamer : 24.540 (3,594) 14.2
51. 1979 D.O.A. : 23.250 (3,621) 12.7

65. 1979 Women In Love : 5.450 (590) 49.6

67. 1979 Light Up The Sky : 4.830 (672) 22.2

70. 1978 On Fire : 4.520 (608) 40.5

95. 1979 Outta Love Again : 1.820 (239) 43.1

97. 1979 Spanish Fly : 1.700 (213) 45.6

ClashWho · **Joined:** Mon Oct 11, 2010 5:45 pm **Posts:** 19147

I'll have to compare that to The Who when I figure out how to access the nutsie forums.

Taro · **Joined:** Thu Apr 14, 2011 11:48 am **Posts:** 655

Led Zeppelin vs. Stevie Wonder

Musical and Commercial Impact - I don't know what is commercial impact but in musical impact Led Zeppelin wins
Influence - Led Zeppelin easily
Importance of their Recorded Work from 1970-1979 only - Led Zeppelin (Led Zeppelin III, Led Zeppelin IV, Houses of the Holy, Physical Graffiti, Presence, In Through the Out Door - enough said)

Sorry Stevie, but you can't surpass the Zeps in their pinnacle.

And Wonder is more like a R&B rather than rock.

100 Greatest Rock Music Artists Of The 1970's

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