The 1970s have been described by many as a wild and wacky decade that pushed societal boundaries. After a rollercoaster experience, Americans breathed a sigh of relief and said goodbye to a unique time in history.
Emerging from the 1960s, the country yearned for change. People let their hair down and prepared for what was to come.
Music underwent significant changes; new genres of music were introduced, including Funk. Funk, characterized by an eclectic mix of horns, drums, and vocals, originated in the Midwest among African American artists, with Akron, Ohio, being the ground zero. The city produced such memorable Funk bands as The Ohio Players, Slave, Faze-O, Heatwave, Lakeside, and Zapp, featuring Roger. Incredibly, they crossed paths as they set the standard for future groups. They topped the charts and sold out arenas for most of the decade.
By the late 1970s, Funk had begun to have a big influence on music in other parts of the country, notably the South. For instance, the group Brick, which got its start in Atlanta, garnered national attention with songs like "Aint gonna hurt nobody," "Dazz," "Dusic," and other masterpieces which struck a chord with listeners. On Soul Train, their lead band member explained their knack for "making up words" to enhance their sound, being, as he put it, that they were from a place far away from the rest of the country.
Aside from Brick, The Commodores, a renowned funk and R&B group from Tuskegee, Alabama, recorded the 1976 smash hit "Brick House, which is a staple on Southern R&B radio stations nearly fifty years later.
Other Funk bands included Earth, Wind & Fire, George Clinton, Parliament, The Gap Band, The Isley Brothers, Tower of Power, Kool & the Gang, The Average White Band, and Wild Cherry, among others. Most have remained intact and continue to make music, having had a profound impact on R&B, Rap, and other musical styles.
Go-go, a subgenre of funk, emerged in the late 1970s in Washington, D.C. Created by legendary musician Chuck Brown, Go-go "...is defined by its heavy, syncopated percussion, nonstop groove, call-and-response vocals, and live performance focus." It also has roots in the Blues and R&B music scene and is enjoyed today in the capital city.
As Funk was being celebrated for its iconic sound, Disco Music made its way onto the scene, and it was more than just an art form. It had a profound influence on fashion, dance, and everyday life. The media and nightclubs fiercely supported the new style of music, which originated in Latin, African American, and LGBT dance halls in New York City during the late 1960s, before gaining national attention and influencing American culture. Disco clubs also flourished nationwide, with the infamous Disco ball hanging from the ceiling. America was ready for something new.
Black female vocalists played a significant role in disco's success, dominating with its characteristic features: soaring vocals, prominent bass lines, and flashy dance moves. (1) The late Donna Summer, who was hailed as the Queen of Disco, released a host of top-charting and heartfelt disco tracks such as "On the Radio," "Hot Stuff," and "Last Dance," to name a few. She was known for getting into the groove by swaying her hips during live performances and in videos. In 1978, Gloria Gaynor recorded "I Will Survive," which not only ruled the airwaves but is also considered the Disco anthem that resonated with marginalized groups in society. Lastly, Thelma Houston's iconic release, "Don't Leave Me This Way," was something most Americans could identify with, and it propelled her to disco royalty.
A list of Disco performers from the Seventies includes KC and the Sunshine Band, The Tramps, Sister Sledge, Carl Douglas, Van McCoy, The Bee Gees, ABBA, Rose Royce, The Village People, and A Taste of Honey, among others, who listeners could not get enough of.
Traditional soul, pop, and R&B musicians jumped on the disco bandwagon as it was one of the most popular forms of music at the time, and were regular guests on music programs such as Soul Train, American Bandstand, and the Midnight Special. (2) Their work remains timeless.
Unfortunately, during the early 1980s, Disco suffered backlash from disenchanted bystanders who rallied for its downfall by publicly burning disco records and trivializing its contribution to popular culture and authenticity, forcing it underground in the form of dance music. It was later banned on most radio stations, and music labels refused to sign Disco legends, to the dismay of its fans.
Aside from Funk and Disco, other genres of music that had been around for generations underwent a transformation in the 1970s, changing the musical landscape. At the beginning of the decade, pure Soul, as it was often called due to the smooth delivery of the artists, infiltrated urban radio with a sound unlike Motown, Stax, or Chess Records of the 1950s and '60s. Notable artists include The Chi-lites, Sly and the Family Stone, The Originals, The Dramatics, The Blue Notes, The Jackson Five, Marvin Gaye, Barry White, and Memphis star Al Green, to name a few. Many Female singers, such as Sylvia Roberson, Betty Wright, and Gene Night, also contributed to 70's Soul.
The era was heavily influenced by Philadelphia, which had a distinctive brand of Soul Music. Key artists were signed to the renowned Philadelphia International Records and other local labels, giving rise to the Philadelphia sound, known for its lush orchestral arrangements and smooth vocals, according to AI. They comprise the following: Hal Melvin and the Blue Notes, The Spinners, The O'Jays, The Delfonics, Teddy Pendergrass, The Stylistics, Blue Magic, Billy Paul, The Manhattans, The Main Ingredient, Barbara Mason, John Oates, and many other successful acts that made the label famous. Their music impacted generations.
Along with Soul music, R&B music developed a new sound in the 70s, challenging the past. Gone was the restraint of the '50s, the rawness of the '60s; a relaxed version of the genre was born, which captured the nation's attention, with artists like Gladys Knight and the Pips, Issac Hayes, and The Spinners. Others include The O'Jays, Jackson Five, Commodores, Isley Brothers, Barry White, Marvin Gaye, and Kool and the Gang, among countless others. They were regulars on the popular musical programs Soul Train and American Bandstand.
R&B in the mid-to-late 1970s often featured younger musicians or newcomers whose focus was on love songs and relationships. For instance, groups such as Brothers Johnson, Slave, and Switch, which were popular among African American youth, emphasized romance or finding that special someone. Additionally, Hall and Oats' smash recording "Sara Smile" and Heatwave's "Always and Forever" were mimicked by black boys everywhere. Lastly, G. C. Cameron's hit song "It's So Hard to Say Goodbye to Yesterday" became the motto for the 1976 graduating class after serving as the backdrop for the motion picture Cooley High, a coming-of-age film for black youth at the time. They remain timeless classics.
Other notable R&B entertainers from the latter half of the 1970s include Mass Production, Peaches & Herb, Ashford & Simpson, The Silvers, Cheryl Lynn, Nile Rodgers and Chic, DeBarge, Rose Royce, GQ, and others who made the Seventies worthwhile. R&B radio has kept the memory alive.
Like other music genres of the groovy Seventies, rock music underwent a radical transformation while forging an emotional connection with many listeners. (2) Rock evolved from rock and roll in the mid-to-late 1960s to a more complex, diverse, and sophisticated sound, according to AI, which carried over into the new decade. It also abandoned its R&B roots in search of a new identity. In the early 1970s, soft rock played a key role with unforgettable artists such as Carol King, Carly Simon, and Jim Croce, who tragically lost his life in a plane crash. Many others made a name for themselves or captured the essence of the times, like Chicago, The Bee Gees, and Helen Redding, who, in 1972, recorded the unofficial women's anthem "I am woman."
Over the course of the 1970s, Rock music branched into distinct subgenres, including soft rock, hard rock, heavy metal, progressive rock, arena rock, and punk rock, according to A.I. However, it was not a one-size-fits-all, as artists experimented with different sounds and were classified as either British or American rock groups. They found a home on newly created FM rock stations, late-night television, Don Kirshner's Rock Concert, and the Midnight Special, and had a loyal following among young white male college students.
During this time, rock bands were numerous, with something for everyone. For instance, groups like the Eagles, Boston, Chicago, Genesis, the Doobie Brothers, and Kansas appealed to a mainstream audience, whereas The Who, Pink Floyd, Led Zeppelin, Fleetwood Mac, and AC/DC found success among hardcore fans.
Seventies music not only provided us with great memories but also had a major impact on popular culture. For instance, Disco was associated with platform shoes, bell-bottom pants, and wide collar shirts for men. Moreover, the Afro hairstyle and dance moves, such as the Bump and Robot, were aligned with the Soul and R&B scene. Braided hair was also popular among black teens on the dance floor from New York City to Albany, Georgia. Lastly, Rock fans, especially white male youth, decorated their rooms with posters of their favorite artist and proudly displayed their likeness on T-shirts. It was an interesting time to be young.
Today, musical groups and artists who stir hearts and become icons are a thing of the past. The interest is there, but the talent may be lacking. For those of us who lived in that magical decade of the 1970s, we will never forget the music that made us smile, dance all night, buy large speakers, and crowd record shops for the latest masterpiece. We listened to awesome radio and played records in living rooms and nightclubs, which were transformed into an oasis of fun that kept us going.
