Last Updated on February 25, 2023
The ‘70s were an exceptionally epic time for rock music. Rock music, which came into its own in the ‘60s, exploded in popularity throughout the ‘70s. The genre evolved, merging a variety of influences into new and exciting sounds. These experimental sounds paved the way for new subgenres that would garner mainstream success.
Alongside rock music, disco, R&B, pop, soul, funk smooth jazz, jazz fusion and blue-eyed-soul enjoyed a great deal of success in the ‘70s. A number of bands and artists released their finest and most influential albums in that decade. While the ‘70s remain a distant memory, music from that magical era lives on.
The list below showcases a diverse number of ‘70s rock bands from different subgenres. If you love music from this decade, you will definitely have something to say. Feel free to express yourself in the comments section.
Table of Contents
Top 10 Famous Rock Bands of the ‘70s
- Led Zeppelin (Hard Rock/Blues Rock)
- Deep Purple (Hard Rock/Heavy Metal)
- Black Sabbath (Heavy Metal)
- The Who (Hard Rock/Rock)
- The Eagles (Rock/Country Rock)
- The Doors (Psychedelic Rock/Acid Rock)
- Pink Floyd (Psychedelic Rock)
- The Rolling Stones (Rock)
- The Allman Brothers Band (Southern Rock/Country Rock)
- The Mothers of Invention (Rock/Avant-Garde/Experimental)
Famous Rock Bands of the ‘70s #11—20
11. Kansas (Rock/Progressive Rock)
12. Blue Oyster Cult (Hard Rock/Heavy Metal)
13. King Crimson (Progressive Rock/Art Rock)
14. Queen (Rock)
15. Styx (Hard Rock/Arena Rock)
16. Lynyrd Skynyrd (Southern Rock/Blues Rock/Hard Rock)
17. Yes (Progressive Rock)
18. AC/DC (Hard Rock)
19. Fleetwood Mac (Rock/Pop Rock/Soft Rock)
20. Jethro Tull (Progressive Rock)
Best Rock Bands of the ‘70s #21—40
21. Rush (Progressive Rock/Hard Rock)
22. Bad Company (Rock/Hard Rock/Blues Rock)
23. Journey (Rock/Arena Rock/Hard Rock)
24. Blood, Sweat and Tears (Jazz Rock)
25. Genesis (Progressive Rock/Art Rock)
26. Chicago (Rock/Soft Rock)
27. Emerson, Lake & Palmer (Progressive Rock)
28. Thin Lizzy (Hard Rock)
29. America (Rock/Folk Rock/Soft Rock)
30. Bee Gees (Pop Rock/Soft Rock)
31. Grateful Dead (Rock)
32. Nazareth (Hard Rock/Heavy Metal)
33. The Moody Blues (Rock/Progressive Rock/Art Rock)
34. Steely Dan (Jazz Rock)
35. Captain Beefheart and His Magic Band (Experimental Rock/Avant-Garde)
36. The Marshall Tucker Band (Southern Rock)
37. The Byrds (Rock/Folk Rock)
38. Roxy Music (Art Rock/Glam Rock)
39. Kiss (Hard Rock/Shock Rock)
40. Electric Light Orchestra (Rock/Art Rock)
Famous Rock Bands of the ‘70s #41—60
41. Supertramp (Rock/Progressive Rock)
42. The Ozark Mountain Daredevils (Southern Rock/Country Rock)
43. Wings (Rock/Soft Rock)
44. Caravan (Progressive Rock)
45. Sweet (Glam Rock)
46. Mott The Hoople (Glam Rock)
47. The Flying Burrito Brothers (Country Rock)
48. Bread (Soft Rock)
49. T. Rex (Glam Rock)
50. Aerosmith (Hard Rock/Blues Rock)
51. Judas Priest (Hard Rock/Heavy Metal)
52. Boston (Hard Rock)
53. Heart (Rock)
54. Motorhead (Rock/Hard Rock/Heavy Metal)
55. Creedence Clearwater Revival (Roots Rock/ Swamp Rock/Country Rock)
56. Uriah Heep (Rock/Hard Rock/Heavy Metal)
57. Blondie (New Wave/Punk Rock)
58. Santana (Rock/Latin Rock/Blues Rock)
59. Foreigner (Hard Rock/Arena Rock)
60. ZZ Top (Rock/Blues Rock)
Famous Rock Bands of the ‘70s #61—80
61. The Beach Boys (Rock)
62. Gong (Progressive Rock/Space Rock/Psychedelic Rock)
63. Steve Miller Band (Rock/Blues Rock/)
64. The Kinks (Rock)
65. REO Speedwagon (Rock/Hard Rock)
66. Soft Machine (Jazz Rock/Jazz Fusion/ Progressive Rock)
67. The Doobie Brothers (Rock/Country Rock/Soft Rock/Blue-Eyed Soul)
68. Mud (Glam Rock)
69. Can (Experimental Rock)
70. Grand Funk Railroad (Hard Rock)
71. The Ramones (Punk Rock)
72. Hall & Oates (Soft Rock/Pop Rock/Blue-Eyed-Soul)
73. Slade (Glam Rock)
74. Crosby, Stills & Nash (Folk Rock/Country Rock)
75. Focus (Progressive Rock/Jazz Fusion/Instrumental Rock)
76. Alice Cooper (Hard Rock/Shock Rock)
77. Talking Heads (Rock/New Wave)
78. Wishbone Ash (Hard Rock/Blues Rock)
79. The Police (Rock/New Wave)
80. Hawkwind (Space Rock/Hard Rock)
Famous Rock Bands of the ‘70s #81—100
81. The Sex Pistols (Punk Rock)
82. Camel (Progressive Rock)
83. The Velvet Underground (Art Rock/Experimental)
84. The Cars (Rock/New Wave)
85. Seals & Croft (Folk Rock/Soft Rock)
86. Gentle Giant (Progressive Rock/Experimental Rock/Jazz Rock)
87. The Clash (Punk Rock)
88. Budgie (Heavy Metal/Hard Rock)
89. Status Quo (Boogie Rock/Rock)
90. Traffic (Progressive Rock/Jazz Rock)
91. Badfinger (Rock/Power Pop)
92. UFO (Hard Rock/Rock)
93. Foghat (Hard Rock/Blues Rock)
94. Dire Straits (Rock/Roots Rock)
95. The Guess Who (Rock/Hard Rock)
96. XTC (Pop Rock/New Wave/Rock)
97. Scorpions (Hard Rock/Rock)
98. Golden Earring (Hard Rock)
99. Funkadelic (Funk Rock)
100. The Stooges (Rock/Garage Rock/Proto-Punk)