Rick Henry Christopher's Top 3 Picks in 1970s Music
Favorite Music of the 1970s
The following is a comprehensive list of my favorite music of the 1970s. It spans various genres and categories. There a little something for everybody. The very first section containing my overall favroites features a video for each entrant. Each successive category features only a video for the numbr one listing. ENJOY!
THE Top 3's!
Top Three Favorite Artists of the 70s Overall
3. Stevie Wonder / Carpenters
2. Donna Summer
1. Pink Floyd
Top Three Favorites Years in Music in the 1970s
3. 1977 / 2. 1979 / 1. 1975
Top Three Favorite Songs of 1977
3. “Way Down” by Elvis Presley
2. “Josie” by Steely Dan
1. “Sir Duke” by Stevie Wonder
Top Three Favorite Albums of 1977
3 Heroes by David Bowie
2 Hope by Klaatu
1 Aja by Steely Dan
(Stevie Wonder's "Songs in the Key of Life" was released in 1976)
Top Three Favorite Songs of 1979
3. “DJ” by David Bowie
2. “Hot Stuff” by Donna Summer
1. “One Way Or Another” by Blondie
Top Three Favorite Albums of 1979
3. Flex by Lene Lovich
2. Manifesto by Roxy Music
1. Replicas by Gary Numan and the Tubeway Army
Top Three Favorite Songs of 1975
3. “Listen To What the Man Said” by Paul McCartney and Wings
2. “Why Can’t We Be Friends” by War
1. “Philadelphia Freedom” by Elton John
Top Three Favorite Albums of 1975
3. Horizon by Carpenters
2. Wish You Were Here by Pink Floyd
1. Physical Graffiti by Led Zeppelin
Top Three Favorite Female Vocalists of the 1970s
3. Joni Mitchell
2. Donna Summer
1. Karen Carpenter
Top Three Favorite Male Vocalists of the 1970s
3. Paul Simon / Elton John
2. David Bowie
1. Stevie Wonder
Top Three Favorite Bands of the 1970s
3. Moody Blues
2. Led Zeppelin
1. Pink Floyd
Top Three Favorite Country Singers (Male) of the 1970s
3. Waylon Jennings
2. John Denver
1. Willie Nelson
Top Three Favorite Female Country Singers of the 1970s
3. Barbara Mandrell
2. Crystal Gayle
1. Dolly Parton
Top Three Favorite Male R&B/Soul/Funk Vocalists of the 1970s
3. Bill Withers
2. Al Green
1. Stevie Wonder
Top Three Favorite Female R&B/Soul/Funk Vocalists of the 1970s
3. Gwen Dickey (Rose Royce)
2. Diana Ross
1. Donna Summer
Top Three Favorite R&B/Soul/Funk Bands of the 1970s
3. Rufus featuring Chaka Khan
2. War
1. Earth, Wind and Fire
Top Quiet Storm Female Artists
3. Gwen Dickey (Rose Royce)
2. Roberta Flack
1. Natalie Cole
Top Quiet Storm Male Artists
3. Smokey Robinson
2. Marvin Gaye
1. Barry White
Top Quiet Storm Bands
3. The Dramatics
2. The Temptations
1. The Stylistics
Top Motown Artists
3. Diana Ross
2. The Commodores
1. Stevie Wonder
Top Three Philly Soul Artist
3. The Trammps
2. The O’Jays
1. Harold Melvin and the Bluenotes
Top Three Disco Artists of the 1970s
3. Kool and the Gang
2. Heatwave
1. Donna Summer
Top Three Disco Songs
3. “Don’t Let Me Be Misunderstood” by Santa Esmeralda
2. “Let’s All Chant” by The Michael Zagar Band
1. “I Feel Love” by Donna Summer
Top Three Adult Contemporary Female Singers
3. Helen Reddy
2. Olivia Newton-John
1. Anne Murray
Top Three Adult Contemporary Male Singers
3. Michael Johnson
2. James Taylor
1. Neil Diamond
Top Three Adult Contemporary Bands
3. America
2. Bread
1. Carpenters
Top Three Jazz Bands
3. Return To Forever
2. Mahavishnu Orchestra
1. Weather Report
Top Jazz Artists Male
3. Ornette Coleman
2. Miles Davis
1. Donald Byrd
Top Jazz Artist Female
3. Carla Bley
2. Roberta Flack
1. Joni Mitchell
Top Three Rock Female Singers
3. Suzy Quatro
2. Linda Ronstadt
1. Debbie Harry
Top Three Rock Male Singers
3. Freddie Mercury
2. David Gilmour
1. Robert Plant
Top Three Rock Bands
3. Blue Oyster Cult
2. Led Zeppelin
1. Pink Floyd
Top Three Favorite Classic Rock Tunes
(That I Keep Coming Back to Year After Year)
3. “Mr. Blue Sky” by ELO
2. “Bohemian Rhapsody” by Queen
1. ”Conquistador” by Procol Harum
Top Three Classic Rock Artists
3. Chicago
2. The Cars
1. Steely Dan
Top Three Progressive Rock Bands
3. Supertramp
2. Pink Floyd
1. Yes
Top Three New Wave/Post Punk/Alternative Artists Female Lead
3. Siouxsie and the Banshees
2. Blondie
1. Lene Lovich
Top Three New Wave/Post Punk/Alternative Artists Male Lead
3. The Police
2. Gary Numan and the Tubeway Army
1. Roxy Music
Top Singer/Songwriter Female
3. Carole King
2. Carly Simon
1. Joni Mitchell
Top Singer/Songwriter Male
3. James Taylor
2. John Lennon
1. Neil Young
Top Three California Sound Artists
3. Jackson Browne
2. Doobie Brothers
1. Beach Boys
Top Three Christian/Gospel Artists of the 70s
3. Larry Norman
2. The Mighty Clouds of Joy
1. Chris Christian
Top Three Guilty Pleasures Male Vocals
3. “Love’s Grown Deep” by Kenny Nolan
2. “Kung Fu Fighting” by Carl Douglas
1. “Jeans On” by David Dundas
Top Three Guilty Pleasures Female Vocals
3. “Doctor’s Orders” by Carol Douglas
2. “Half Breed” by Cher
1. ”Money, Money, Money” by ABBA
Top Three Novelty Songs
3. “King Tut” by Steve Martin
2. ”Telephone Man” by Meri Wilson
1. “Popsicle Toes” by Michael Franks
Top Three Solo Male Singers from a Band
3. David Gates (Bread)
2. David Gilmour (Pink Floyd)
1. Justin Hayward (Moody Blues)
Worthy Mention Bands
3. Ambrosia
2. Rush
1. Moody Blues
Worthy Mention Female
3. Phoebe Snow
2. Pat Benatar
1. Jennifer Warnes
Worthy Mention Male
3. Joe Jackson
2. David Byrne
1. Tom Petty
Worthy Mention Jazz
3. Wayne Shorter
2. Antonio Carlos Jobim
1. Santana
Worthy Mention New Wave/Post Punk/Alternative
3. Joy Division
2. B-52s
1. Talking Heads
Worthy Mention Grab Bag
3. “Who Loves You” by The Four Seasons
2. “Song For My Mother” by Maze featuring Frankie Beverly
1. “Dreadlock Holiday” by 10cc
🎼🎼🎼🎼🎼
I hope you enjoyed this cavalcade of music!!! Cuz, I sure did!!!
With Love, RHC ❤️
About the Creator
Rick Henry Christopher
Writing fulfills my need for intellectual stimulus, emotional release, and soothing the bruises of the day.
I’m an open book. I’m not afraid to show my face or speak my mind
Visit on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/vocalplusassist
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Comments (10)
So glad that Vocal let's you save stories! This is a fantastic list with some new choices for me. I predict I will be coming back to this story again and again. Thanks for the tips Rick! 🙏🙏🙏
What a cool list! I'm extra-excited to check out the Christian artists. Also, I forgot about Barbara Mandrell! I remember watching her TV show as a kid! Excellent work Cousin! 💕
Some very good picks!
So many great songs and music artists from the 70s! Definitely enjoy listening to some David Bowie ,Diana Ross, and Led Zeppelin.
That indeed was a cavalcade, Rick, many of which I had never heard before. Well & thoroughly done.
Amazing! 🌹 🌹 🌹 🌹 🌹 🌹 🌹 🌹 🌹
Great list! As someone who thinks the 70s is the greatest era of music, I found so many great songs in your top 3 lists. Still used in so many films and tv shows.
This was such a tour de force of excellent music, Rick! I'm saving this to keep it easily accessible.
What a comprehensive list! I was so glad to see Natalie Cole, Dolly Parton, Kool and the gang, Barry White, Rush and Yes make the cut. I had heard of The Weather Report before but couldn't Remember much about them, so I watched that vid first. And who can resist listening to a bad called Dreadlock Holiday 😅. Never heard of them. Awesome work, Rick. You put a lot of effort into this!
Love this top 3 reminds me of so many memories on each song.