Anniversary Series - 1970!

I've been talking about doing more kinds of articles this year, and this is the beginning of one idea I've been tinkering with for a while: anniversary articles!

Okay, so maybe it's not the most original idea, and I admit that I'll be talking about music that came out before I was born for some of these, but it's still something different, right?  At least it breaks up all the video articles I keep doing, right?  Anyways, let's get started with 1970 and celebrate it's 50th anniversary!

While the year started with big songs from Chicago and The Guess Who, namely "25 or 6 to 4" and "American Woman" respectively, but the one that stands out the most (at least retrospectively) is Black Sabbath's debut album, kicking off the beginning of heavy metal.  While critics didn't care for what they doing, often calling them Cream knock-offs, the band gained an immediate fanbase, and it's easy to see why.  With it's big riffs and horror-like sound, they made a distinct impact to the music of the time, and set the stage for so many other bands to follow.

1970 was also a time of endings, as it provided the last Beatles album to be released from the band just after their official break-up.  Famous for a rooftop concert that provided takes for the album, it features the iconic ballad as the title track, "Let It Be," and the back-to-roots rock song "Get Back," showing their departure from the more complex arrangements from their Sgt. Pepper's days.  Overall, it marked the end of a saga that had changed rock and roll forever.

As the year moves on, we see a number of bands really standing out, with Deep Purple coming into their own with In Rock, and bands like Creedence Clearwater Revival and Santana only getting bigger, with songs like "Lookin' Out My Back Door," "Who'll Stop the Rain," and "Black Magic Woman," "Oye Como Va," respectively.

Progressive Rock would make some significant steps during this year as well.  Pink Floyd's Atom Heart Mother shows the band getting closer to their iconic sound, Hawkwind makes their debut as does Emerson Lake & Palmer with their ballad "Lucky Man," Genesis gives us "The Knife," and Yes start including a symphonic orchestra to their efforts with Time and a Word.

As the year winds down, we get more hard rock and heavy metal.  Led Zeppelin's III, with massive tracks like "The Immigrant Song," "Celebration Day," and "Gallows Pole" becoming arena rock standouts (even if that last one is acoustic, it's still an epic song!).  This is followed up by Black Sabbath's second record, featuring massive hits like "Paranoid," "Iron Man," and "War Pigs."

At the end of the end of the year, Creedence Clearwater Revival also gives us a second record in Pendulum, notable for the hit "Have You Ever Seen the Rain," while Eric Clapton forms Derek and the Dominos to give us "Layla."

Anyways, I hope you enjoyed that retrospective of 1970, clearly a big year for rock and metal music.  I've thrown together a Spotify playlist for the year that includes all these songs and many others.  If you feel I've missed something, let me know!  Until then, rock on! \m/