Renaissance Granddad takes a look at some of his favorite rock from 1970!
The other day when I was writing about my favorite books from the 1970s, I mentioned that I considered my college years (1970-1975) as the greatest years in rock history! After writing that post, I was in the car and heard on the radio that WXPN is asking listeners to vote for what they consider the greatest year in rock music! My thoughts first went to 1971 and then quickly to 1970 then 1969, 68 and 67!! Actually, I think the ten-year period between 1967 and 1977 is the greatest decade in rock music and the five years that I was in college at the University of Florida and the University of Georgia (yes I am a mutt – a Gator DAWG?) maybe the pinnacle years of the decade! So with that being said I would like to take a stroll down memory lane and in a series of posts remember each year those five years!
Let’s look at 1970 first – 1970 was the year that I graduated from Burlington City High School and entered Florida. First, according to Wikipedia these are some of the bands that both disbanded and those that formed in 1970…..full list here
| Groups that Disbanded | Groups that Formed |
| The Beatles | Aerosmith |
| Simon & Garfunkel | America |
| Brian Auger and Trinity | Asleep At The Wheel |
| Blind Faith | Blackfoot |
| Electric Prunes | Bush |
| The Foundations | Cactus |
| Ginger Baker’s Air Force | Derek & the Dominoes |
| Jimi Hendrix Experience | Dixie Dregs |
| Illinois Speed Press | Doobie Brothers |
| The Marvelettes | Electric Light Orchestra |
| Nazz | Emerson, Lake and Palmer |
| Peter, Paul and Mary | Gentle Giant |
| Vanilla Fudge | Glass Harp |
| Kraftwerk | |
| Mark-Almond | |
| Queen | |
| Weather Report | |
| Wet Willie |
There are some rock bands on the list of the bands that formed in 1970 that went on to have pretty big careers!
Now come the rock albums according to Wikipedia there were 4,000 albums and 5,700 singles released in 1970. Here are 33 of those rock albums again as listed by Wikipedia. You can see the more complete list here at Wikipedia These are 33 of the top albums (IMHO) I will apologize upfront for not including anyones favorite!!
| Album | Artist |
| Bridge over Troubled Water | Simon & Garfunkel |
| Chicago | Chicago |
| American Woman | The Guess Who |
| Morrison Hotel | The Doors |
| Black Sabbath | Black Sabbath |
| Hey Jude | The Beatles |
| Moondance | Van Morrison |
| Sweet Baby James | James Taylor |
| Déjà Vu | Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young |
| Band of Gypsys | Jimi Hendrix |
| Ladies of the Canyon | Joni Mitchell |
| McCartney | Paul McCartney |
| Benefit | Jethro Tull |
| Bitches Brew | Miles Davis |
| In the Wake of Poseidon | King Crimson |
| Let It Be | The Beatles |
| Live at Leeds | The Who |
| Self Portrait | Bob Dylan |
| Supertramp | Supertramp |
| Workingman’s Dead | Grateful Dead |
| John Barleycorn Must Die | Traffic |
| A Question of Balance | The Moody Blues |
| Mad Dogs & Englishmen | Joe Cocker |
| Led Zeppelin III | Led Zeppelin |
| Get Yer Ya-Ya’s Out! The Rolling Stones in Concert | The Rolling Stones |
| Tea for the Tillerman | Cat Stevens |
| Paranoid | Black Sabbath |
| After the Gold Rush | Neil Young |
| Abraxas | Santana |
| American Beauty | Grateful Dead |
| The Man Who Sold The World | David Bowie |
| All Things Must Pass | George Harrison |
| Emerson Lake & Palmer | Emerson, Lake & Palmer |
A pretty impressive list don’t you think???? The ones that are in bold are ones in my vinyl collection!! Now come fifteen albums that were in my music rotation in 1970 and my not have gotten as much radio time as the above rock albums!!
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So was 1970 the best year in rock, if it wasn’t it’s right up near the top! Next up 1971!!
While I was writing this post I listened to A Question of Balance from The Moody Blues. This Moody Blues album never made it to my vinyl collection and I don’t know why!
