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Think you know everything about '70s rock? Think again! Join us as we count down our picks for the most criminally underrated bands that peaked in the 1970s, only to fade into obscurity over time. From proto-metal pioneers to power-pop legends and punk innovators, these groups deserve way more recognition than history gave them. Which forgotten '70s band is your favorite?
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00:07Welcome to WatchMojo, and today, we're counting down our picks for the bands that saw their
00:12creative, critical, and commercial peak in the 1970s, only to become underrated over time.
00:26Number 20, Poco. Southern California rock didn't get more singular than Poco.
00:40Founded by Richie Fure and Jim Messina, the band continued the deep, ethereal songwriting
00:46of Buffalo Springfield. Rusty Young drove their new sound with a prominent steel guitar that
00:51bridged energetic rock with authentic country. And as singing talent was basically a prerequisite
00:56to be in the band, the harmonies were pure magic. But Poco's consistent output and acclaim
01:03relied in consistent sharding. Never mind frequent personnel changes,
01:14with bassist Randy Meisner boosting the sound's profitability through the Eagles.
01:19Key, Fure, and Timothy Schmidt are all in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, but Poco is not.
01:30Hey, it's never too late for country rockers to pick up the pieces.
01:34Number 19, Raspberries.
01:37The British invasion thrived in the 1970s through a band from Cleveland, Ohio.
01:48The Raspberries were heavily influenced by those groups, but with a unique twist
01:53in Wally Bryson's hard-driving guitar and Eric Carman's serene voice.
01:58Their breakout hit, Go All The Way, is still a staple of 70s pop rock.
02:03Of course, the Raspberries had several hits and no shortage of hidden gems.
02:16They had big fans within the industry, but were underappreciated by rock snobs for their
02:21lack of grit. While this served Carmen well in his iconic solo career, the band that launched
02:28him dissolved into a relic of contemporary pop culture.
02:38But let's not pretend that the Raspberries are anything other than power pop at its finest.
02:45Number 18, Sir Lord Baltimore.
02:48Black Sabbath can't take all the credit for inventing heavy metal.
02:52But the New York trio, Sir Lord Baltimore, was the first band credited by that term.
02:57She said that I should, I said that I would.
03:01She called me a liar, maybe a liar.
03:05They definitely lived up to the honor with their uniquely intense and dark form of hard rock.
03:10Their fittingly titled debut, Kingdom Come, is considered a landmark album among metalheads.
03:16According to the charts, however, it was lost on the mainstream.
03:19Sir Lord Baltimore broke up after their namesake album charted even lower, only to lay the groundwork
03:25for stoner rock by further distinguishing their style.
03:29Their short-lived reunion as a Christian act in the 2000s suggests that they would have continued
03:35evolving, if given the opportunity.
03:37I'm gonna feel the world, I'm gonna feel the world, it's time to shine now.
03:45Certainly, that little they gave still packs a punch.
03:49Number 17, Dead Boys.
03:52Whoever thinks early punk is tame next to hardcore has clearly forgotten the Dead Boys.
04:04They emerged from Cleveland, Ohio to become one of the most talked-about acts at New York's
04:09CBGB, mainly thanks to unhinged frontman, Stiv Bader's.
04:14Behind the noise of these live shows was equally infectious riffs and lyrical nihilism like nobody
04:21had heard before.
04:22Unfortunately, not many did hear them.
04:24The Dead Boys disbanded after two divisive albums, with a re-recording of the first coming
04:30with their permanent reunion in 2017.
04:32By then, the band's influence could be heard in punk acts from the dankest underground to
04:38the top of the charts.
04:44The Dead Boys deserved to live on, in more than just a dedicated cult following.
04:50Number 16, Montrose.
04:52Everyone in the early 70s wanted to jam with the San Francisco Session guitarist who worked
04:58with the likes of Herbie Hancock, Van Morrison, and Edgar Winter.
05:02As surprising as it probably was for Ronnie Montrose to settle on hard rock for his namesake
05:07band, it wasn't your usual hard rock.
05:17It was a gearhead-banging barrage of thunderous rhythms and elite guitar playing.
05:23The breakout star, however, was wailing frontman Sammy Hagar.
05:27So, after he left amid conflicts with Montrose over creative direction, the group steadily
05:33fell apart.
05:35However big they might have gotten, their direct influence on guitar-driven heavy music
05:39is big enough.
05:41Never mind the indirect influence that cements Montrose as a must-hear for real rockers.
05:47I've got the fire!
05:49I've got the fire!
05:56Number 15, Camel.
05:58At a time, when progressive rock was focusing more on technique, Camel still prioritized storytelling.
06:12Make no mistake, the British ensemble's stunning musicianship enhanced their whimsical
06:17lyrics and atmosphere.
06:19Their use of fantasy, philosophy, and English folk tradition in conjunction with modern rock
06:24enchanted a strong cult following.
06:26They disbanded in the 1980s after regular personnel changes had rendered their sound more jazzy
06:32and pop.
06:33But the combination of that and Camel's original sound would be a key influence on the neo-prog
06:39movement of the following decade.
06:41It was around that time that guitarist Andrew Latrimer revived the project, and the spirit
06:46of 70s prog with it.
06:50I've gone to the end of the line.
06:54Despite producing no new music since 2002, Camel never gets old.
07:00Number 14, Budgie.
07:03While English groups like Black Sabbath and Deep Purple were popularizing heavy metal, the
07:08Welsh power trio Budgie was perfecting it.
07:11I ain't messing, call your name, don't you ever turn your back on a friend.
07:20It was a matter of picking up the pace on bluesy hard rock without frills and with a refreshing
07:25sense of self-awareness to the songwriting.
07:27The band's skills and intense live performances, led by Burke Shelley's piercing vocal prowess,
07:33won a strong cult following.
07:35The fans they influenced would go on to form bands like Metallica, Iron Maiden, Alice in
07:40Chains, and Soundgarden.
07:42The band that started it all, however, went out with a whisper before the 90s.
07:52Budgie would occasionally reunite afterward to show new generations of metalheads how
07:58the real ones did it, and should still be celebrated.
08:02Number 13, Gentle Giant.
08:05These prog rockers' chart performance may not have been giant, but their music sure was.
08:19True to their name overall, Gentle Giant mingled classical and jazz-infused jamming with literary
08:25folk lyrics as skillfully as any of their contemporaries.
08:30Key to this versatility was the fact that every member played multiple instruments brilliantly.
08:36It was remarkable to hear and dazzling to witness in energetic live performances.
08:41It would certainly push the technical standards of prog for years to come, but the liner notes
08:47for the album, Acquiring the Taste, stated that Obscurity was a risk worth taking for artistic
08:52freedom.
08:53Then in 1980, Obscurity finally felled Gentle Giant.
09:03Nevertheless, their legacy still stands tall among connoisseurs of complex music.
09:09Number 12, Wishbone Ash.
09:13Sometimes, making prog more mainstream works out both artistically and commercially.
09:18But Wishbone Ash of Devon England thrillingly experimented with elevated genres and folk storytelling
09:24within the framework of American-style hard rock.
09:28Man will die, man will say, the sky will fall, the earth will break.
09:36Much of their glowing word of mouth came from the groundbreaking use of virtuosic twin lead
09:41guitar harmony by Andy Powell and Ted Turner.
09:44In addition to critical acclaim, Wishbone Ash were so popular in the 1970s that they scored
09:51arena gigs, and they've been going strong ever since.
09:55Their audience merely peaked prior to internal tensions, personnel changes and shifting public
10:01tastes since the 80s.
10:11That hasn't stopped the true fans from following Wishbone Ash's continued dedication to pushing
10:17rock's sophistication and hooks.
10:19Number 11, Can.
10:22Krautrock's popularity in Germany and beyond seemed unlikely for a sub-genre so avant-garde.
10:28Maybe that had something to do with Can of Cologne sharpening the hooks.
10:40At the heart of this was drummer Yaki Liebetseid and bassist Holger Chukai's mastery of funky,
10:46jazzy fusion.
10:48When this was mixed with trippy melodic soundscapes and Deimo Suzuki's intense vocals, fans would
10:54never want the groove to end.
10:55It didn't quite jam with the mainstream until the album Eggie Bam Yazi supercharged the krautrock
11:01craze.
11:02Good luck getting Vitamin C out of your system once you hear it.
11:13Unfortunately, this versatility would be the creatively conflicted band's undoing in 78.
11:18But looking at the reunions and continued cult stardom, we can't seem to get enough of Can.
11:24Number 10, Atlanta Rhythm Section.
11:27Timeless hits like So Into You and Imaginary Lover remain soft rock staples.
11:40Make no mistake, Atlanta Rhythm Section was anything but soft in the first half of the
11:4670s.
11:46The Georgia ensemble were an early force in Southern rock, whose massive lineup of killer
11:52musicians brought the heart of country to the heart of hard rock.
11:56They also weren't above serenading audiences with ambient, introspective ballads.
12:02As that style gained more traction commercially, ARS began skewing adult contemporary, without
12:08ever fully parting with the band's hard stuff.
12:18Either way, their various styles fell out of fashion by the 80s.
12:22Still, as ARS has persisted into the new millennium, that diverse talent still thrills hard and soft
12:29rock niches alike.
12:31Number 9, Ambrosia.
12:39There's a good chance you don't know these versatile LA rockers by name, and that's a
12:44genuine shame because they're responsible for some of the grooviest, most dynamic pop
12:49music of the 1970s.
12:51Originally founded as a progressive rock band in the vein of Rush, Ambrosia gradually transitioned
12:57to a sound inspired by the blue-eyed soul and soft rock of the era.
13:09However, they never totally abandoned their roots.
13:13While their singles made highly effective use of lead singer David Pak's soulful vocals,
13:18their deep cuts retain a distinctly technical flair.
13:21Listen to the 1978 album Life Beyond LA, a silky smooth showcase for Ambrosia's ability
13:29to think outside the box.
13:31I'm out here waiting, praying, trying to keep from saying that I don't miss you.
13:37Number 8, Blue Oyster Cults.
13:40Seasons don't fear the reaper, nor do the wind, the sun, and the rain.
13:45It's okay, you can admit it.
13:47The first thing you thought of when we named this band was Will Ferrell and Moore Cowbell.
13:53While we're sure the guys in Blue Oyster Cult might not be thrilled about that, the iconic
13:58SNL sketch provided younger viewers with an opportunity to dig into their impressive discography.
14:03Their non-reaper songs show a heavy side that could rival even Black Sabbath.
14:08But those weren't the songs that caught on.
14:12For more of the heavy stuff, check out their first few albums, like 1972's Self Title,
14:191973's Tyranny and Mutation, and 1974's Secret Treaties.
14:24City's all playing now, with rock and roll.
14:31Number 7, Mott the Hoople.
14:34All the young dudes, carry the dudes.
14:40Eye-popping name aside, Mott scored their biggest hit in 1972 with the generational anthem,
14:46All the Young Dudes.
14:48Of course, it certainly didn't hurt that none other than David Bowie, from whom they scored
14:53a crucial cosign, wrote and produced it.
15:04Following years of cult appeal with little mainstream success, that song blew them into
15:09the stratosphere.
15:10The resulting album of the same name was subsequently produced by Bowie.
15:14Although Mott only released a handful of albums before disbanding in 1980, give them a shot.
15:20You'll find that they're much more than just some young dudes.
15:25Now it's a mighty long way down Rock and Roll.
15:28Number 6, The Runaways.
15:31It's unfortunate that an all-female rock band was once developed as a novelty act.
15:37Hello world!
15:38I'm your wild girl!
15:40I'm your shh-shh-shh-shh-shh-shh-shh-shh-shh-shh-shh-shh-shh-shh.
15:44Well, the Runaways hauled out of Hollywood to defy any accusation of gimmick.
15:49Their rock hit harder than most, thanks to punk and metal influences.
15:53Plus, the wild chops of teen vocalist Sheree Curry.
15:57Sadly, her erratic lifestyle drove her out of the band before its collapse in 79.
16:01But from the ashes came the revolutionary solo careers of Joan Jett and Lita Ford.
16:07Meanwhile, Curry stayed with music and acting after achieving sobriety.
16:11She also wrote a memoir that was adapted into the 2010 biopic The Runaways.
16:16The Runaways have the most chance of any group I've seen to do what the Beatles did,
16:22to tear this world apart.
16:24The eponymous group were underappreciated in their own time,
16:27but are now seen as an explosive force in feminist rock.
16:32Number 5. Flamin' Groovies
16:43Legendary producer Brian Eno once said of the Velvet Underground that he thought,
16:48despite low album sales, that everyone who bought one started a band.
16:53The same could be said of 70s power pop pioneers Flamin' Groovies.
16:58Although the group didn't quite break on through to the next level of fame,
17:02they've been cited as being among the founding fathers of punk rock.
17:06This is largely attributed to their relocation to the UK, at which point, they became associated
17:19with legends like the Ramones and Sex Pistols. Despite several lineup shuffles and pervasive
17:25infighting, the Flamin' Groovies' work stands as a rousing 70s time capsule that deserves
17:31a little more appreciation.
17:36Number 4. Badfinger
17:47If Baby Blue sounds familiar to you, then chances are you heard it in the closing moments
17:53of the AMC crime drama Breaking Bad. Having said that, you might have forgotten that Badfinger
17:59were reliable hitmakers throughout the 1970s, like Moth the Hoople and David Bowie.
18:05This Welsh power pop band was championed by the one and only Paul McCartney. Maybe you've
18:11heard of him. The former Beatle even wrote and produced the hit song, Come and Get It
18:15for them.
18:15If you want it, here it is, come and get it. But you better hurry, cause it's going fast.
18:25Their discography is well worth exploring, especially for those curious to explore the
18:30extended universe of the Beatles, but also in its own right. Without You, for example,
18:36has become a hit when covered, respectively, by Harry Nilsson and Mariah Carey, among countless
18:41others.
18:49Number 3. April Wine
18:57Do you like songs about rock music, and just generally about rockin' out? Then these beloved
19:04hard rockers from Canada are just the band for you. Founded in Waverly, Nova Scotia in
19:10the late 60s, April Wine found most of their success in their home and native land, but have
19:15maintained an international cult fanbase in the decades since their 70s peak.
19:27Even still, they racked up an impressive number of American hits, including I Like to Rock and the
19:33hot chocolate cover You Could Have Been a Lady, which reached the top 40 of the Billboard Hot 100
19:40in 1972. Oh, Canada, indeed.
19:50Number 2. Television
19:59The 2023 passing of television frontman Tom Verlaine unleashed an outpouring of love for those artfully
20:07minded punks. While we wish it had been under better circumstances, there's no better time than
20:14the present to appreciate what television did with the then-budding genre. Regular fixtures at the
20:20legendary CBGB nightclub in New York City, television subverted expectations by taking inspiration from
20:27unconventional sources like jazz and the minimalist compositions of Steve Reich.
20:40The band released only two albums during the 1970s, 1977's Marquee Moon and the following year's
20:47Adventure. The fact that there's so little music credited to them is a testament to their outsized
20:53influence and the long shadow they cast over the future of rock music.
21:15Before we continue, check out this single from Sound Mojo's album Balance, classical music
21:20reimagined as rock, hard rock, and metal. Check out the full track and album below.
21:39Number 1. Big Star
21:48They're routinely acclaimed as one of the best and most influential bands of the 1970s.
21:55But it took decades for them to be recognized as such. Their sound, emphasizing sugary sweet
22:01melodies and harmonies and jangly guitar riffs, proved to be a major reference point for the
22:06alternative rock boom of the 80s and 90s.
22:17In fact, such giants as R.E.M. and The Replacements have called Big Star one of their most prominent
22:23sources of inspiration. At the very least, they consistently received warm critical notices for the
22:30moving, deeply felt songwriting of co-singers Chris Bell and Alex Chilton. Billboard said it best in their review of
22:37Big Star's debut album, No. 1 record. Every cut could be a single.
22:42Won't you let me meet you at the pool?
22:49What 70s deep cut bands do you want to promote? Take us back in time in the comments.
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