How the '70s Dethroned the '60s as Popular Music's Golden Age

How the '70s Dethroned the '60s as Popular Music's Golden Age ... identifies as the end of the pop era and the beginning of the rock era. SkiptomaincontentNewsReviewsBestNewMusicFeaturesListsThePitchVideoReviewsExplorerBestof2021NewsletterPitchforkRadioWhatwasthesinglegreatestyearinrockhistory?Aswithmostcriticalthoughtexperiments,thisisaquestionwithnorightanswer,butonethat’sfunandusefultoargueaboutanyway.Thewaywerespondtoitprobablysaysmoreaboutmusic’spresentthanitspast.Dowerevisittheprimordialoozeof1951,whenIkeTurner’sKingsofRhythmrecorded“Rocket88,”atopcontenderforfirstrockandrollsong?Whatabout1956or1964,whenElvis’andthentheBeatles’EdSullivanperformancesheraldedsuccessivetidalwavesofyouthculture?Or1969,whenthatculturecoalescedatWoodstock,ageneration-definingeventoftheboomers’ownmaking?InhisrecentbookNeveraDullMoment:1971—TheYearThatRockExploded,BritishmusiccriticDavidHepwortharguesforaslightlylaterpointonthetimeline.Inhismind,1971“sawthereleaseofmoreinfluentialalbumsthananyyearbeforeorsince.”(Hepworthhappenedtobe21atthetime,whicheitherkillshiscredibilityorrendersitunimpeachable.)LedZeppelin’sIV,JoniMitchell’sBlue,MarvinGaye’sWhat’sGoingOn,DavidBowie’sHunkyDory,CaroleKing’sTapestry,Sly&theFamilyStone’sThere’saRiotGoin’On,LeonardCohen’sSongsofLoveandHate,andBlackSabbath’sMasterofRealityareonlythebeginningofthatlist.Itwasalsoanunprecedentedyearforactswhowouldwieldcultishinfluencefordecadestocome;CanreleasedTagoMago,BigStarformed,theModernLoverscommitted“Roadrunner”totape.But1971alsobeganwiththelegaldissolutionoftheBeatles,amomentHepworthidentifiesastheendofthepoperaandthebeginningoftherockera.What’sremarkablehereisn’ttheboldnessofdeclaringapost-Beatlesyeartheapotheosisofagenrethey’recreditedwithperfectingsomuchasthefactthattheopinionnolongerreadsascontrarianorevenparticularlycontroversial.Hepworthsetsoutto“shattertheclichéthattheearly’70swereamerelullbeforethepunkrockstorm,”butdoesthatclichéstillexisttobeshattered?Withoutusquitenoticing,the’70s—funkandglam’searlyyearsincluded—havecarvedoutasexaltedaplaceinthepop-musiccanonasthe’60s.Inmanyways,theirmasterpiecesspeakmorepowerfullytothepresentthanthehighlightsofanyotherdecadeinthe20thcentury.It’seasytodismissarevaluationofartifactsrangingfromFleetwoodMactocrochetedcroptopsasnothingmorethanasecondjourneyaroundthe20-yearwheelofnostalgia,andit’struethatthedecadeexperiencedabriefrenaissanceinthelate’90s.Butseenfromthedistanceof20moreyears,the1990s’’70sfixationwas—withafewstellarexceptions,likeMissyElliottsamplingAnnPeeblesonherbreakthroughsingle“TheRain”andtheFugeesrevivingRobertaFlack’s“KillingMeSoftlyWithHisSong”—afarshallowerrevivalthantheonewe’recurrentlyseeing.Weworeplatformsandals.MarcyPlaygroundwrungahitoutofthephrase“discosuperfly”pronouncedinadeadpanslackerdrawl.“That’70sShow”neverbotheredmakinganymeaningfulconnectionsbetweentheeraitdepictedandtheerainwhichitaired.Andwithitsnever-endingTVads,1998’sPureFunkcompilationputclassicslike“KungFuFighting”and“LadyMarmalade”backintocirculation.Butevenas’70snostalgiatookholdinthemidtolate’90s,the’60scontinuedtoexertastrongculturalinfluence.Beatlemaniaflaredupagainin1995,withTheBeatlesAnthology.Itseemscrucialthattheband’sreturntothespotlightcamesosoonafterthedeathofKurtCobain,whoseloveoftheBeatleswasconspicuousinthepopmelodiesheburiedunderscreaminganddistortion.Forkidswhomight’veheard “AboutaGirl”before“SheLovesYou,”itwasalmostasifthey’dsteppedintothevoidNirvanaleft,eventhoughtheirmessianicfigurehadbeendeadsince1980.Middleschoolersidentifiedashippies.WelistenedtoOasis,whoseprimesellingpointwasanarrogantbeliefthattheywerethenewBeatles.Iboughtpurple-tintedJohnLennonsunglasses.BecausewhoelsewasgoingtofillKurt’sConverse—Bush?NotthatitwasjusttheBeatles.In1997,MikeMyersinflicteduponusAustinPowers:InternationalManofMystery.ThecryogenicallydefrostedSwinging’60sLondonspyprovedpopularenoughtoheadlinetwomoremovies,reintroduce“groovy”tothelexicon,andexposeanewgenerationtoStrawberryAlarmClock’snoveltyhit“IncenseandPeppermints”(tothebemusementofourboomerparents).Twoyearslater,40millionviewerswatchedNBC’smade-for-TVfamilydrama“The’60s,”aneventendlesslyadvertisedviathepleadingchorusofJeffersonAirplane’s“SomebodytoLove.”Andletusneverforgetthatthe’90sgaveustwoWoodstock-brandedanniversaryfestivals—thesecondaBoschianmessofmud,rape,andfirethatdoubledasanaccidentalreminderofhowdangerousitistoconflatethepastwiththepresent.ContentThiscontentcanalsobeviewedonthesiteitoriginatesfrom.Wemayhaveleftourcapacityforfull-on,monoculturalnostalgiatripsinthelastcentury,whenitwasstillpossibleforanynon-sportsTVprogramtoattractanaudienceof40million.Butonthesmallerscalesweusetomeasuretrendsnow,the’70s—andparticularlythedecade’smusic—areascendant.DaftPunk’s2013discosingle“GetLucky”—acollaborationwithChic’sNileRodgers,whosestaccatoguitarjangledefinedthediscoera—remainsoneofthisdecade’sbiggesthits.ThiswintersawthepremiereofHBO’sMeDecaderecordindustrydrama“Vinyl.”Sure,itwasjustcancelledbecauseitwassobadnoonewatchedit,butthenetworkcertainlythoughtthedecadewasbankableenoughtojustifyaninitialinvestmentof$100million.And“Vinyl”isn’teven2016’sonlyprestigeTVshowaboutthe’70sNewYorkmusicscene.AugustwillbringBazLuhrmann’sNetflixseries“TheGetDown,”whichchroniclesthebirthofhip-hopintheBronx.Lastyearintheliteraryrealm,GarthRiskHallbergpublishedhisdebutnovel,CityonFire,whosesprawlingstoryissteepedinthedecade’snascentpunkscene—andexcitedpublishersenoughtofetcharare$2millionadvance.Atthesametime,popmusic’scanon—somethingHepworthpointsoutweonlystartedconsideringinthe’70s—isevolving.Thoughstillinthralltotheholy’60strinityofBeatles,Stones,andDylan,eventhemostconservativegatekeepersaremakingroomforlaterluminaries.ScanthelistofRockandRollHallofFameinductees,andyou’llseeroughlythesamenumberhadtheirheydayinthe’70sasinthe’60s—despitethefactthatmusicianswhoreleasedtheirfirstrecordin1979haveonlybeeneligiblefornominationsince2004.RollingStone’smostrecentlistofthe500greatestalbumsofalltimeiscobbledtogetherfromsurveysconductedin2003and2009.Buteventhen,its“panelofartists,producers,industryexecutives,andjournalists”ranked35releasesfromthe’60sand41fromthe’70sintheirtop100.(Thatnumberincludesafewgreatest-hitscompilations,whichseemsfairbecausethosealbumssurgedinpopularityduringthe’70s.AsHepworthnotes,theywerejustonesignofarecordindustrythathadmaturedenoughtoeffectivelycashinonitsownhistory.)Criticswhoaren’tquiteaspronetorockismasRShavebeenevenmoregeneroustothelaterdecade.EntertainmentWeekly’s2013rankingofthe100bestalbumsevermadefeaturednearlytwiceasmanyreleasesfromthe’70sasfromthe’60s.Imperfectinventorieslikethesehintatwhatdistinguishesthetwodecades’legaciesinourculturalmemory.Morethananythingelse,whatcharacterizesthe’70sistheirrelativediversity—notjustintermsofmusicians’personalidentities,butalsovis-a-vistheexplosionofsub-genresthatdevelopedoutoflarger’60spopcategorieslikerock,soul,andfolk.Withmorestylescamemorevoices.RollingStone’s’60spicksincludejust20artists,whilethe’70sportionisspreadoutamong33.Itwasadecadewhenrocksplinteredintobinarieslikehardandsoft,progandpunk,folk’sauthenticityfetishandglam’scelebrationofartifice,Southernrockand...NeilYoung.BlackSabbathandJudasPriesthelpedinventtheendlesslysubdividingcategoryofmetal,whileBobMarleyandJimmyCliffbroughtJamaicanreggaetotheworld.Krautrockbandsweretakingadvantageofrapidtechnologicaladvancementstobringelectronicmusicintothepoprealm.Especiallyforthequeer,female,andnon-whitemusiciansalienatedbyalate-’60srockscenethatworshipedbandsofwhitedudesandtokenizedeventheblackartiststheystolefrom(andthenrelegatedtotheR&Bcharts),punk,glam,funk,andparticularlydiscowererevelations.AndasHepworthnotes,hip-hop’soriginswereaudiblefromthedecade’sbeginning;beforeDJKoolHercthrewhisfirstpartyin1973,artistslikeSly&theFamilyStoneandGilScott-Heronwerereleasingalbumsthatstillinfluencethegenretoday.ContentThiscontentcanalsobeviewedonthesiteitoriginatesfrom.Anyonewithadecentgrasponthepasthalf-centuryofmusichistoryunderstandsallofthis.ButbookslikeNeveraDullMomentandWillHermes’recentclassic LoveGoestoBuildingsonFire:FiveYearsinNewYorkThatChangedMusicForever(1973-77)highlighthowquicklythisfragmentationwashappening.Theyalsomaketheimplicitargumentthatthisnewfounddiversitywasbetterformusicthanthemorehomogenouslandscapeofthe’60s.Afteradecadecharacterizedlargelybyahandfulofsoundsassociatedwiththeirplaceoforigin(BritishInvasionrock,SanFranciscopsych,GreenwichVillagefolk,BrillBuildingpop,DetroitMotown),youcouldsuddenlyfindjustasmanynascentmusicalmovementscoexistinginthesamecity.InNewYork,Hermestracedthenear-simultaneousevolutionofhip-hop,punk,salsa,disco,Minimalism,andtheloftjazzscene.Somanyofthesestylesdevelopedoutofmarginalizedracial,sexual,andclassidentitiesorpoliticalideologies,inanerawhenradicalyouthmovementshadalsobeguntosplinteralongidentitylines.Thesedivisionshavegrownevensharpersincethe’70s.Especiallynowthatwehaveanentertainmentindustrymassiveenoughtotargetthesmallaudiencesitspentdecadesignoringinfavorofapurelynotionalmainstream,we’vegottenusedtotheideathatweshouldembracethemusicofpeoplewholook,think,andfuckthewaywedo.That’stheworldthatmakessensetomanyofus,nottheonewhereeveryoneundertheageof30losttheirmindsoverfourwhiteBritishmensingingabouthowtheywantedtoholdourhand.ContentThiscontentcanalsobeviewedonthesiteitoriginatesfrom.Noneofthiswasatthetopofmymindwhenthemusicofthe’70sstartedtocrowdoutPaulandJohnandMickandKeithandBobonmymixtapes,atatimewhenpreferringPattiSmithwasanopinionyoucouldn’tarticulatewithouthavingtodefend.Itwasthelate’90s.Iwasinmyearlyteens.AndthepunkandglamrockIgrewtoloveasmuchasanymusicreleasedinmylifetimerepresentedsomanythingsIwasbuttheBeatlesweren’t:angry,female,increasinglywaryofsexualandgenderbinaries.Thethrilloftransgressingagainstbabyboomerorthodoxyaside,I’mnotsurefailingtoappreciategreatartistswhosepointsofviewdifferfromyourownshouldeverbeasourceofpride.ButIalsocan’timaginecarvingoutaworldviewwithoutdiscoveringvoicesthatspoketomyownunexaminedthoughtsandexperiences.Almosttwodecadeslater,moreofusthaneverlookinthemirrorandseesomeonewhoisn’tstraight,white,andmale.FewerthanhalfofAmericanteenagersidentifyasheterosexual.Itwon’tbetoolongbeforeracialminoritiesarethemajority.We’reusedtothinkingofthe’60sasthedecadethatshapedthepresent,butlookat photosfromParadiseGarageandthentellmewe’renotlivinginanerathatowesmoretothosekidsthantheonesatWoodstock—onewhosestrugglesandtriumphsareinherentinaworldwherepeopleofallkindscoexistwithoutsubsumingtheiridentitiestomassculture.RememberhowweallmournedBowie,whodefinedthatdecade’spopspiritasmuchasanyoneartistcould,andthenPrince,whoemergedinitsfinalyearsandsynthesizeditsgreatestcontributionstomakesomethingentirelynewinthe’80s.Rememberthatitwasthefluidityoftheiridentitiesandtheirideasthatmadeusrealize,aftertheydied,thattheywerethepatronsaintsofthepresent.Deathsolidifiescanons,too.ContentThiscontentcanalsobeviewedonthesiteitoriginatesfrom.“Ifmy21-year-oldselfwasn’tpayingcloseattention,hemightatfirstthinkthatthealternativesocietythathadbeensketchedoutinthepagesoftheundergroundpapersof1971hadactuallycometopass,”HepworthwritesinNeveraDullMoment’sepilogue.“Insomerespectsthesubcultureappearedtohaveconqueredthemainstream.AblackmanintheWhiteHouse,openlygaypeopleinpubliclife,womenleadingpoliticalparties,hotentertainmentstoriesleadingthenews,androckfestivalstakingplaceallovertheworld.Everythingthatwasoncealternativeisnowmainstream.”What’scuriousisthatHepworthdoesn’tquitefinishthethought.Hedoesn’tgetaroundtosayingwhathis21-year-oldselfwouldnoticeifhewerepayingcloseattentionto2016.Soletmetakeastabatit.Maybehe’dnoticethatthemainstreamasitwasunderstoodby1971wasalwaysanillusionanyway—smokeandmirrorsobscuringactsofmid-centurymass-mediaerasurethatpreventedmillionsofpeoplefromseeingthemselvesinthemusictheyloved.The’60sgaveussomeofthegreatestsongseverrecorded,butsomanyofthemwerewritten,performed,andpromotedundertheassumptionthatthedefaultidentitywouldhaveuniversalresonance.Ittookanotherdecadeforpoptobecomeasdiverseastheyoungpeoplewholovedit.TagsBooksessayTheBeatlesPrincePattiSmithDavidBowieSlyandtheFamilyStoneBobDylanBlackSabbathMetalRockPop/R&BGetHotLinksAdailyroundupofthemostimportantstoriesinmusicSignUpNow