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Criteria: Songs listed are from Rock 'n' Roll and related sub-genres. Rankings are based on initial and lasting popularity and on acclaim received from critics and musicians.

Edited By: Brian
Last Updated: 2026-08-24

1970
1. Layla – Derek and the Dominos
2. Bridge Over Troubled Water – Simon and Garfunkel
3. Let It Be – The Beatles
4. Your Song – Elton John
5. Paranoid – Black Sabbath
6. Get Up (I Feel Like Being A) Sex Machine – James Brown
7. Have You Ever Seen the Rain – Creedence Clearwater Revival **
8. My Sweet Lord – George Harrison **
9. Fire and Rain – James Taylor
10. Lola – The Kinks

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1971
1. Stairway to Heaven – Led Zeppelin
2. Imagine – John Lennon
3. What’s Going On – Marvin Gaye
4. Let’s Stay Together – Al Green
5. American Pie – Don McLean
6. Maggie May – Rod Stewart
7. Ain’t No Sunshine – Bill Withers **
8. Baba O’Riley – The Who **
9. Brown Sugar – The Rolling Stones
10. Family Affair – Sly and the Family Stone

https://digitaldreamdoor.com/pages/bg_h ... ts_71.html

1972
1. Superstition – Stevie Wonder
2. Smoke on the Water – Deep Purple
3. Papa Was a Rollin’ Stone – The Temptations
4. Heart of Gold – Neil Young
5. Rocket Man – Elton John **
6. Walk on the Wild Side – Lou Reed
7. Lean on Me – Bill Withers
8. You’re So Vain – Carly Simon **
9. Love Train – The O’Jays **
10. I’ll Take You There – The Staple Singers

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1973
1. Let’s Get It On – Marvin Gaye
2. Free Bird – Lynyrd Skynyrd
3. Midnight Train to Georgia – Gladys Knight and the Pips
4. Dream On – Aerosmith
5. Piano Man – Billy Joel
6. Killing Me Softly with His Song – Roberta Flack
7. Living for the City – Stevie Wonder
8. Knockin’ on Heaven’s Door – Bob Dylan **
9. The Joker – The Steve Miller Band **
10. Money – Pink Floyd

https://digitaldreamdoor.com/pages/bg_h ... ts_73.html

1974
1. Sweet Home Alabama – Lynyrd Skynyrd
2. No Woman, No Cry – Bob Marley and the Wailers
3. Killer Queen – Queen **
4. You Ain’t Seen Nothin’ Yet – Bachman-Turner Overdrive
5. Rebel Rebel – David Bowie **
6. Waterloo – Abba
7. Rock Your Baby – George McCrae
8. Lady Marmalade – LaBelle
9. You’re the First, The Last, My Everything – Barry White **
10. Can’t Get Enough of Your Love, Babe – Barry White **

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1975
1. Born to Run – Bruce Springsteen
2. Bohemian Rhapsody – Queen
3. Wish You Were Here – Pink Floyd
4. Walk This Way – Aerosmith
5. Kashmir – Led Zeppelin
6. I’m Not in Love – 10cc
7. Rock and Roll All Nite – KISS **
8. Low Rider – War
9. Thunder Road – Bruce Springsteen
10. Rhiannon – Fleetwood Mac **

https://digitaldreamdoor.com/pages/bg_h ... ts_75.html

1976
1. Hotel California – The Eagles
2. Dancing Queen – Abba
3. Go Your Own Way – Fleetwood Mac
4. More Than a Feeling – Boston
5. (Don’t Fear) The Reaper – Blue Oyster Cult
6. Blitzkrieg Bop – The Ramones
7. The Boys Are Back in Town – Thin Lizzy
8. Anarchy in the UK – The Sex Pistols
9. Sir Duke – Stevie Wonder **
10. Night Moves – Bob Seger

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1977
1. Stayin’ Alive – The Bee Gees
2. We Will Rock You/We Are the Champions – Queen
3. Dreams – Fleetwood Mac
4. Heroes – David Bowie
5. I Feel Love – Donna Summer
6. Psycho Killer – Talking Heads **
7. Mr. Blue Sky – Electric Light Orchestra **
8. How Deep Is Your Love – The Bee Gees **
9. One Love/People Get Ready - Bob Marley and the Wailers **
10. Easy – Commodores **

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1978
1. I Will Survive – Gloria Gaynor
2. Sultans of Swing – Dire Straits
3. Heart of Glass – Blondie
4. Roxanne – The Police
5. Le Freak – Chic
6. September – Earth, Wind and Fire **
7. Miss You – The Rolling Stones
8. Because the Night – Patti Smith **
9. Y.M.C.A. – Village People **
10. I Wanna Be Sedated – The Ramones

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1979
1. Don’t Stop ‘Til You Get Enough – Michael Jackson
2. Another Brick in the Wall, Part 2 – Pink Floyd
3. Rapper’s Delight – The Sugarhill Gang
4. Highway to Hell – AC/DC **
5. London Calling – The Clash
6. Good Times – Chic
7. Rock with You – Michael Jackson **
8. Comfortably Numb – Pink Floyd
9. Hot Stuff – Donna Summer
10. Boys Don't Cry - The Cure **

https://digitaldreamdoor.com/pages/bg_h ... ts_79.html

** indicates new entry.

Here is my update for the top 10 of each year in the 1970's, done with the intent of keeping these lists consistent with the decade list update. New entries to the top 10 are followed by **. Again, comments are welcome.

1970
1. Layla – Derek and the Dominos
2. Bridge Over Troubled Water – Simon and Garfunkel
3. Let It Be – The Beatles
4. Your Song – Elton John
5. Paranoid – Black Sabbath
6. Get Up (I Feel Like Being A) Sex Machine – James Brown
7. Have You Ever Seen the Rain – Creedence Clearwater Revival **
8. My Sweet Lord – George Harrison **
9. Fire and Rain – James Taylor
10. Lola – The Kinks

1971
1. Stairway to Heaven – Led Zeppelin
2. Imagine – John Lennon
3. What’s Going On – Marvin Gaye
4. Let’s Stay Together – Al Green
5. American Pie – Don McLean
6. Maggie May – Rod Stewart
7. Ain’t No Sunshine – Bill Withers **
8. Baba O’Riley – The Who **
9. Brown Sugar – The Rolling Stones
10. Family Affair – Sly and the Family Stone

1972
1. Superstition – Stevie Wonder
2. Smoke on the Water – Deep Purple
3. Papa Was a Rollin’ Stone – The Temptations
4. Heart of Gold – Neil Young
5. Rocket Man – Elton John **
6. Walk on the Wild Side – Lou Reed
7. Lean on Me – Bill Withers
8. You’re So Vain – Carly Simon **
9. Love Train – The O’Jays **
10. I’ll Take You There – The Staple Singers

1973
1. Let’s Get It On – Marvin Gaye
2. Free Bird – Lynyrd Skynyrd
3. Midnight Train to Georgia – Gladys Knight and the Pips
4. Dream On – Aerosmith
5. Piano Man – Billy Joel
6. Killing Me Softly with His Song – Roberta Flack
7. Living for the City – Stevie Wonder
8. Knockin’ on Heaven’s Door – Bob Dylan **
9. The Joker – The Steve Miller Band **
10. Money – Pink Floyd

1974
1. Sweet Home Alabama – Lynyrd Skynyrd
2. No Woman, No Cry – Bob Marley and the Wailers
3. Killer Queen – Queen **
4. You Ain’t Seen Nothin’ Yet – Bachman-Turner Overdrive
5. Rebel Rebel – David Bowie **
6. Waterloo – Abba
7. Rock Your Baby – George McCrae
8. Lady Marmalade – LaBelle
9. You’re the First, The Last, My Everything – Barry White **
10. Can’t Get Enough of Your Love, Babe – Barry White **

1975
1. Born to Run – Bruce Springsteen
2. Bohemian Rhapsody – Queen
3. Wish You Were Here – Pink Floyd
4. Walk This Way – Aerosmith
5. Kashmir – Led Zeppelin
6. I’m Not in Love – 10cc
7. Rock and Roll All Nite – KISS **
8. Low Rider – War
9. Thunder Road – Bruce Springsteen
10. Rhiannon – Fleetwood Mac **

1976
1. Hotel California – The Eagles
2. Dancing Queen – Abba
3. Go Your Own Way – Fleetwood Mac
4. More Than a Feeling – Boston
5. (Don’t Fear) The Reaper – Blue Oyster Cult
6. Blitzkrieg Bop – The Ramones
7. The Boys Are Back in Town – Thin Lizzy
8. Anarchy in the UK – The Sex Pistols
9. Sir Duke – Stevie Wonder **
10. Night Moves – Bob Seger

1977
1. Stayin’ Alive – The Bee Gees
2. We Will Rock You/We Are the Champions – Queen
3. Dreams – Fleetwood Mac
4. Heroes – David Bowie
5. I Feel Love – Donna Summer
6. Psycho Killer – Talking Heads **
7. Mr. Blue Sky – Electric Light Orchestra **
8. How Deep Is Your Love – The Bee Gees **
9. One Love/People Get Ready - Bob Marley and the Wailers **
10. Easy – Commodores **

1978
1. I Will Survive – Gloria Gaynor
2. Sultans of Swing – Dire Straits
3. Heart of Glass – Blondie
4. Roxanne – The Police
5. Le Freak – Chic
6. September – Earth, Wind and Fire **
7. Miss You – The Rolling Stones
8. Because the Night – Patti Smith **
9. Y.M.C.A. – Village People **
10. I Wanna Be Sedated – The Ramones

1979
1. Don’t Stop ‘Til You Get Enough – Michael Jackson
2. Another Brick in the Wall, Part 2 – Pink Floyd
3. Rapper’s Delight – The Sugarhill Gang
4. Highway to Hell – AC/DC **
5. London Calling – The Clash
6. Good Times – Chic
7. Rock with You – Michael Jackson **
8. Comfortably Numb – Pink Floyd
9. Hot Stuff – Donna Summer
10. Boys Don't Cry - The Cure **