Top 3 Rock Bands of the 70s

Led Zeppelin is by far the best rock band of the 70s. This English rock band consisted of four members Robert Plant (vocals, harmonica), Jimmy Page (guitar), John Paul Jones (bass guitar, keyboards, mandolin), and John Bonham (drums). This incredibly talented group of singers and musicians rocked the entire 70s.

Led Zeppelin's first major 70s hits come from an album released late 1969, Led Zeppelin II. This album was followed by Led Zeppelin III, Led Zeppelin IV (ZOSO or whatever you want to call it), Houses of the Holy, Physical Graffiti and Presence. It is my personal opinion that the song selection below is the best of Led Zeppelin and the 70s. I tried to pick my top ten favorites but it was impossible to choose so few. I will say, that you will not find a single song on my list from the Presence album. What to say about the Presence album? Well, everyone, even the Zeppelin boys, are allowed to have a bad year.

Why is The Who number two? Well, there are not many rock bands other then Led Zeppelin that can pull off a 10 minute jam session and have people decade after decade excited about it. Other bands have tried but it gets annoying and tiring after the fifth time you've heard it, unless you are a diehard groupie. The Who does have this staying power and also rocked the entire 70s.

In early 1970 The Who recorded and released their first 70s album Live at Leeds, followed by Who's Next, Quadrophenia, The Who by Numbers, and ended the decade with Who are You. Unlike my favorite song picks for Led Zeppelin, I was able to limit my The Who 70s favorites to under ten songs. However, I do have a tie for first with Who Are You and My Generation. Some may argue that My Generation is a song of the sixties. This is true but I am allowing it to slip into the 70s because it was released on Live at Leeds, The Who's first 70s album. Not fair you say. Well, by now you children of the sixties should have moved on in life and realized that life is never fair. Check out The Who's best of the 70's below.

I have the Rolling Stones in third place. Is this really where they belong? I would argue that it is. They hit a low point during the mid 70s so they really need to take third place and be happy with it. The Rolling Stones band of the 70's consisted of Mick Jagger (lead vocalist), Keith Richards(guitarist), Bill Wyman(bass guitarist), Charlie Watts(drummer) and Mick Taylor later replaced by Ronnie Wood. They rocked the 70s and kept on rockin'.

In late 1969 The Rolling Stones released their first 70s hit album Let it Bleed, followed by Get Yer Ya-Ya's Out!, Sticky Fingers, Exile on Main St., Goats Head Soup, It's Only Rock 'n' Roll, Black and Blue, Love You Live and ending the 70s with Some Girls. My favorite Rolling Stones song is Beast of Burden. This was sung as a serenade to me by a boy I knew in high school. We never had a thing. However, I have forgotten many of the boys who were, rough enough, tough enough, rich enough and in love enough but I will always remember the boy with the Rolling Stones serenade. I hardly think that's what he had in mind but you can't always get what you want. Anyhow, the song selection below is the Rolling Stones best of the 70s and my favorites.