The 1970s were the golden age of Western rock! Recommended classics and hit songs
Western music of the 1970s, which began with the symbolic event that signaled the end of the 1960s—the breakup of The Beatles—saw a wide variety of genres flourish alongside traditional rock, including hard rock, progressive rock, and glam rock, with many stadium bands achieving record-breaking hits.
As a counter-movement, punk rock emerged, making it undeniable that this was a pivotal era in rock history.
In this feature, we present a lineup centered on classic, definitive numbers—masterpieces and hit songs that colored the golden age of Western rock in the ’70s.
It’s a recommended guide for young music fans who are interested in ’70s Western rock but aren’t sure where to start listening!
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The 1970s were the golden age of Western rock! Recommended classic and hit songs (11–20)
LaylaDerek and the Dominos
Also famous in Japan under the title “Itoshi no Layla,” this is one of the most passionately emotional love songs of the ’70s! It’s a signature track for Eric Clapton—one of the world’s three great guitarists and a globally renowned songwriter from the UK—and a classic with high name recognition in Japan.
In fact, it’s the title track from Layla and Other Assorted Love Songs, the only album released in 1970 by Derek and the Dominos, the band Clapton formed with American musicians.
Many people will recognize it as soon as they hear the iconic, weeping guitar phrase in the intro.
On the other hand, the original version actually runs over seven minutes, so there may be many who aren’t familiar with the mellow, piano-led instrumental section in the latter half.
Guest guitarist Duane Allman’s fluid slide guitar is also superb—this is a masterpiece that reveals new discoveries the more you listen.
Won’t Get Fooled AgainThe Who
Alongside the Beatles and the Rolling Stones, The Who have secured their place in history as one of the world-renowned rock bands to come out of the UK.
Released in 1971, their ninth album, Who’s Next— which topped the UK charts and reached No.
4 in the US—firmly cemented the band’s popularity.
Among its tracks, Won’t Get Fooled Again stands as one of their signature songs.
Known in Japan by the title “Muhō no Sekai” (“Lawless World”), this over-eight-and-a-half-minute epic boldly weaves synthesizer phrases into The Who’s trademark dynamic hard rock.
For the early 1970s, it was hailed as an avant-garde work that fused elements reminiscent of later techno.
In fact, even those who might not realize it’s a song by The Who may know this classic as the theme for the popular TV series CSI: Miami.
This Town Ain’t Big Enough For Both Of UsSparks
Sparks is a band formed by the contrasting Mael brothers: vocalist Russell, who stands out with his striking appearance, and Ron, whose trademark is his mustache and perpetually stern expression as he plays the keyboard.
Although they’re from California in the United States, their contrarian attitude and unorthodox musicality feel decidedly British—and it’s interesting that the UK was the first place to truly embrace them.
Their career spans over 50 years, and many artists openly cite them as an influence.
In 2021, director Edgar Wright made the documentary The Sparks Brothers, which was released in Japan in April 2022 and drew many music fans to theaters.
They were slated to appear at Summer Sonic in August 2022, as well as perform solo shows in Japan.
Given their wide-ranging musical style, it’s hard to pick a single signature song, but here I’d like to introduce their lead single This Town Ain’t Big Enough for Both of Us from their classic third album Kimono My House, released in 1974.
It’s one of their hallmark tracks, which achieved major success in the UK and across Europe.
With a song structure that defies standard rock formats, a somewhat theatrical atmosphere, and melodies rich in falsetto, it’s singular and wonderfully strange.
Savor this masterpiece by the iconoclastic geniuses of the ’70s—a shining example of their uniquely imaginative sensibility that few could dream up.
Born to RunBruce Springsteen
Known by the nickname “The Boss,” Bruce Springsteen is world-renowned as a quintessential American rock artist.
Though he was initially promoted as a singer-songwriter, he proudly asserted his identity as a rock ’n’ roller, and here we spotlight the title track from his 1975 masterpiece Born to Run, which became his first Top 10 hit in the U.S.
Also famous in Japan under the title “Ashita Naki Bōsō,” this song distills the essential appeal of Springsteen as the ultimate rock ’n’ roller: a band ensemble that’s irresistibly cool, anchored by guitar yet rich with brass sections.
Beyond the sound, the lyrics—imbued with the brilliance and struggles of youth unique to one’s twenties—feel as if they’re racing forward, hot-blooded and urgent.
It’s an eternal rock anthem that speaks to the timeless conflicts of young people, and one I hope everyone living in the 2020s will give a listen to.
Anarchy In The U.K.SEX PISTOLS
In the punk rock movement that erupted in the UK from the late ’70s onward, the Sex Pistols stand as arguably the most important and historic icon.
Their influence on the music scene, fashion, and broader culture can’t be summed up in a few sentences, and even in the 2020s their blend of reality and myth continues to enthrall people—for instance, in July 2022 the official Disney streaming service Disney+ began streaming the original drama Pistols based on the band.
If there’s one song that epitomizes them, it’s surely Anarchy in the U.K.
Released in November 1976 as their debut single, it was a shock to the system—and the fact that it came out on major label EMI seems incredible in hindsight.
That said, the band was dropped from the label after the release…
Listening to Anarchy in the U.K.
again, beyond Johnny Rotten’s charismatic, incendiary lyrics and delivery, what shines is the pop melodic sensibility of original member and bassist Glen Matlock, who composed the song—making it catchy, straightforward, and undeniably cool.
If the band had been mere hype, their influence wouldn’t have endured for decades; the fact that it has is proof that their music was simply outstanding.
It stands as one of the finest songs of ’70s punk rock.