Decade consensus · Indie & Adult Alternative · 0 year-end countdowns + 1 decade countdowns

The best indie rock songs of the 1970s

This ranking of the 1970s combines 0 year-end countdowns from 1970 through 1979 with one “songs of the decade” countdowns aired by 90.9 The Bridge. The top song of the '70s is “Bohemian Rhapsody” by Queen, which charted on 1 countdowns and reached number one one times. The decade’s most-charted artists are David Bowie, Led Zeppelin, Stevie Wonder, Steely Dan and The Rolling Stones.

908songs charted

0year-end countdowns

1decade countdowns

Top 100 songs of the '70s

Top 1000 →

#	Song	Strength	Lists	Best	#1s	Year
1	Bohemian Rhapsody Queen	100	1	#1	1	–
2	What's Going On Marvin Gaye	100	1	#2	–	–
3	Heroes David Bowie	100	1	#3	–	1977
4	Born to Run Bruce Springsteen	100	1	#4	–	–
5	Heart of Glass Blondie	100	1	#5	–	–
6	Baba O'Riley The Who	99	1	#6	–	–
7	Life on Mars David Bowie	99	1	#7	–	–
8	Let It Be The Beatles	99	1	#8	–	–
9	Shattered The Rolling Stones	99	1	#9	–	–
10	Mr. Blue Sky Electric Light Orchestra	99	1	#10	–	–
11	Ballroom Blitz Sweet	99	1	#11	–	–
12	Year Of The Cat Al Stewart	99	1	#12	–	–
13	Stairway to Heaven Led Zeppelin	99	1	#13	–	–
14	Wild Horses The Rolling Stones	99	1	#14	–	–
15	London Calling The Clash	98	1	#15	–	1980
16	Rocket Man (I Think It's Gonna Be a Long Time) Elton John	98	1	#16	–	–
17	Dancing Barefoot The Patti Smith Group	98	1	#17	–	–
18	Marquee Moon Television	98	1	#18	–	–
19	Let's Get it On Marvin Gaye	98	1	#19	–	–
20	No Woman, No Cry Bob Marley	98	1	#20	–	–
21	Psycho Killer Talking Heads	98	1	#21	–	2005
22	Tangled Up in Blue Bob Dylan	98	1	#22	–	–
23	Teenage Kicks The Undertones	98	1	#23	–	–
24	Young Americans David Bowie	97	1	#24	–	–
25	Sultans of Swing Dire Straits	97	1	#25	–	1978
26	Wish You Were Here Pink Floyd	97	1	#26	–	–
27	Dream On Aerosmith	97	1	#27	–	–
28	Into the Mystic Van Morrison	97	1	#28	–	–
29	Badlands Bruce Springsteen	97	1	#29	–	–
30	Layla Derek and the Dominos	97	1	#30	–	–
31	The Low Spark Of High Heeled Boys Traffic	97	1	#31	–	–
32	More than a Feeling Boston	97	1	#32	–	–
33	Night Moves Bob Seger	96	1	#33	–	–
34	Go All The Way Raspberries	96	1	#34	–	–
35	The Logical Song Supertramp	96	1	#35	–	–
36	Brandy(you're a Fine Girl) Looking Glass	96	1	#36	–	–
37	Ziggy Stardust David Bowie	96	1	#37	–	–
38	Hello It's Me Todd Rundgren	96	1	#38	–	–
39	Three Little Birds Bob Marley	96	1	#39	–	–
40	Shelter From the Storm Bob Dylan	96	1	#40	–	–
41	Thunder Road Bruce Springsteen	96	1	#41	–	–
42	Stuck in the Middle With You Stealers Wheel	95	1	#42	–	–
43	Superstition Stevie Wonder	95	1	#43	–	–
44	The Chain Fleetwood Mac	95	1	#44	–	–
45	It's Too Late Carole King	95	1	#45	–	–
46	God Save the Queen The Sex Pistols	95	1	#46	–	1977
47	Thirteen Big Star	95	1	#47	–	–
48	Midnight Train to Georgia Gladys Knight & The Pips	95	1	#48	–	–
49	Take It Easy Jackson Browne	95	1	#49	–	–
50	Let's Stay Together Al Green	95	1	#50	–	–
51	American Pie Don McLean	95	1	#51	–	–
52	Blitzkrieg Bop The Ramones	94	1	#52	–	–
53	Coney Island Baby Lou Reed	94	1	#53	–	–
54	My Sharona The Knack	94	1	#54	–	–
55	Butter Boy Fanny	94	1	#55	–	–
56	Comfortably Numb Pink Floyd	94	1	#56	–	1980
57	Going to California Led Zeppelin	94	1	#57	–	–
58	I Will Survive Gloria Gaynor	94	1	#58	–	–
59	All the Young Dudes Mott the Hoople	94	1	#59	–	–
60	I'll Be Around The Spinners	94	1	#60	–	–
61	The Man With The Child In His Eyes Kate Bush	93	1	#61	–	–
62	Ever Fallen in Love The Buzzcocks	93	1	#62	–	–
63	Ooh La La The Faces	93	1	#63	–	–
64	Love Reign O'er Me The Who	93	1	#64	–	–
65	September Gurls Big Star	93	1	#65	–	–
66	Life During Wartime Talking Heads	93	1	#66	–	–
67	Funeral for a Friend/Love Lies Bleeding Elton John	93	1	#67	–	–
68	She's Lost Control Joy Division	93	1	#68	–	–
69	Hotel California The Eagles	93	1	#69	–	–
70	Boys Don't Cry The Cure	92	1	#70	–	1986
71	Pump It Up Elvis Costello & the Attractions	92	1	#71	–	–
72	My Sweet Lord George Harrison	92	1	#72	–	–
73	I Want to See the Bright Lights Richard & Linda Thompson	92	1	#73	–	–
74	Who by Fire Leonard Cohen	92	1	#74	–	–
75	Misty Mountain Hop Led Zeppelin	92	1	#75	–	–
76	A Case Of You Joni Mitchell	92	1	#76	–	–
77	Somebody to Love Queen	92	1	#77	–	–
78	Silly Love Songs Paul McCartney and Wings	92	1	#78	–	–
79	Fame David Bowie	91	1	#79	–	–
80	Dancing Queen ABBA	91	1	#80	–	–
81	Behind Blue Eyes The Who	91	1	#81	–	–
82	Get Back The Beatles	91	1	#82	–	–
83	what's So Funny (About Peace, Love, and Understanding)? Elvis Costello	91	1	#83	–	–
84	Instant Karma! John Lennon	91	1	#84	–	–
85	Disorder Joy Division	91	1	#85	–	–
86	Maybe I'm Amazed Paul McCartney	91	1	#86	–	–
87	Won't Get Fooled Again The Who	91	1	#87	–	–
88	Damaged Goods Gang of Four	90	1	#88	–	–
89	Jolene Dolly Parton	90	1	#89	–	–
90	Suffragette City David Bowie	90	1	#90	–	–
91	Surrender Cheap Trick	90	1	#91	–	1978
92	I Wish Stevie Wonder	90	1	#92	–	–
93	Coyote Joni Mitchell	90	1	#93	–	–
94	Just What I Needed The Cars	90	1	#94	–	–
95	Good Times Chic	90	1	#95	–	–
96	Tangerine Led Zeppelin	90	1	#96	–	–
97	Changes David Bowie	89	1	#97	–	–
98	Evil Woman Electric Light Orchestra	89	1	#98	–	–
99	I Feel Love Donna Summer	89	1	#99	–	–
100	I'll Take You There Staple Singers	89	1	#100	–	–

Station countdowns of the '70s

Listener-voted “best of the decade” countdowns as broadcast.

90.9 The Bridge · 2022 90.9 The Bridge Top 909 Songs of the '70s 908 songs · partial

About this ranking

The 1970s ranking adds together two kinds of evidence: the year-end countdowns from each year of the decade, and the retrospective “songs of the decade” countdowns that stations aired afterwards. Year-end lists capture what listeners loved at the time; decade countdowns capture what lasted. Every appearance earns percentile-based points, and the totals are ranked. See the methodology for details.