{"id":600814,"date":"2026-04-23T03:05:10","date_gmt":"2026-04-23T03:05:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/600814\/"},"modified":"2026-04-23T03:05:10","modified_gmt":"2026-04-23T03:05:10","slug":"3-rock-songs-that-defined-the-1970s-without-being-the-obvious-picks","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/600814\/","title":{"rendered":"3 Rock Songs That Defined the 1970s Without Being the Obvious Picks"},"content":{"rendered":"

Only a small group of songs can represent a musical era in hindsight. The top tier of music from a particular decade is a hard thing to clinch. But beneath the biggest hits are songs that are equally important to an era\u2019s sound, though not as celebrated. The three rock songs below all helped define the 1970s<\/a>, even though none were the decade\u2019s biggest hits. These songs aren\u2019t unknown by any means, but they aren\u2019t the first ones that come to mind when the mainstream thinks of 70s rock.<\/p>\n

[RELATED: 4 Disco Hits From the 1970s That Make Life Worth Living]<\/a><\/p>\n

\u201cMake It With You\u201d \u2014 Bread<\/p>\n

Coming in at the top of the decade, the first song on this list represents the soft rock of the 70s. In this era, folk and rock began to morph into one, subdued genre. Bread was an important piece of this sub-genre\u2019s development. Their music was immensely popular at the time, and many still listen to these mellow legends today. But, in terms of the mainstream, non-rock fans, their music isn\u2019t on quick draw.<\/p>\n

\u201cMake It With You\u201d quietly helped define the 1970s folk rock scene. Few other bands were as instrumental in turning away from the 60s psychedelic era into something far more subtle. If you want a song that is indicative of the uniquely 70s genre-bending sound of rock, this song is your gateway.<\/p>\n

\u201cCold, Cold, Cold\u201d \u2014 Little Feat<\/p>\n

Little Feat\u2019s \u201cCold, Cold, Cold\u201d exemplifies the genre-bending sound that rock was starting to lean toward in the 1970s. This song blends funk, R&B, jam-band looseness, and classic-rock roots. The 70s saw a focus on virtuoso musicanship rather than huge anthems. This song exemplifies that mindset.<\/p>\n

Little Feat was a band\u2019s band. Their instrumentation was endlessly influential on their fellow rockers, giving them another reason to be featured on this list. Mainstream, rock dabblers may not know these 70s giants, but superfans and their peers certainly do.<\/p>\n

\u201cTenth Avenue Freeze-Out\u201d \u2014 Bruce Springsteen<\/p>\n

While much of the 60s was focused on larger-than-life psychedelia, the 1970s saw artists shrink back down to earth. Many rockers turned away from writing about heady topics and instead focused on real stories and humanity. Bruce Springsteen\u2019s rise was emblematic of that shift.<\/p>\n

His 1975 release \u201cTenth Avenue Freeze-Out\u201d features everything great about a grounded rock anthem from this era. Springsteen tells the story of forming The E Street Band in the lyrics, bottling up their legacy into one, level-headed track.<\/p>\n

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