250 Greatest Rock Songs of the 1970s
Criteria: Songs listed are from Rock 'n' Roll and related sub-genres from the 1970s. Rankings are based on initial and lasting popularity and on acclaim received from critics and musicians.
Newly added names: **
Newly added names: **
1. Stairway to Heaven
Led Zeppelin
2. Hotel California
The Eagles
3. Superstition
Stevie Wonder
4. Imagine
John Lennon
5. What's Going On
Marvin Gaye
6. Born to Run
Bruce Springsteen
7. Bohemian Rhapsody
Queen
8. Let's Stay Together
Al Green
9. Stayin' Alive
The Bee Gees
10. Dancing Queen
ABBA
11. Layla
Derek and the Dominos
12. Bridge Over Troubled Water
Simon and Garfunkel
13. Let It Be
The Beatles
14. Go Your Own Way
Fleetwood Mac
15. American Pie
Don McLean
16. Sweet Home Alabama
Lynyrd Skynyrd
17. I Will Survive
Gloria Gaynor
18. Sultans of Swing
Dire Straits
19. Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough
Michael Jackson
20. Heart of Glass
Blondie
21. Maggie May
Rod Stewart
22. Another Brick in the Wall, Part 2
Pink Floyd
23. More Than a Feeling
Boston
24. Your Song
Elton John
25. (Don't Fear) The Reaper
Blue Oyster Cult
26. Let's Get It On
Marvin Gaye
27. Ain't No Sunshine
Bill Withers
28. Paranoid
Black Sabbath
29. Free Bird
Lynyrd Skynyrd
30. Get Up (I Feel Like Being a) Sex Machine
James Brown
31. Smoke on the Water
Deep Purple
32. Midnight Train to Georgia
Gladys Knight and the Pips
33. Dream On
Aerosmith
34. We Will Rock You/We Are the Champions
Queen
35. Dreams
Fleetwood Mac
36. Have You Ever Seen the Rain
Creedence Clearwater Revival
37. Roxanne
The Police
38. Le Freak
Chic
39. Baba O'Riley
The Who
40. Heroes
David Bowie
41. Papa Was a Rollin' Stone
The Temptations
42. Rapper's Delight
The Sugarhill Gang
43. Highway to Hell
AC/DC
44. Heart of Gold
Neil Young
45. London Calling
The Clash
46. Piano Man
Billy Joel
47. Good Times
Chic
48. Brown Sugar
The Rolling Stones
49. My Sweet Lord
George Harrison
50. Killing Me Softly with His Song
Roberta Flack
51. Rocket Man
Elton John
52. Wish You Were Here
Pink Floyd
53. I Feel Love
Donna Summer
54. Rock with You
Michael Jackson
55. Psycho Killer
Talking Heads
56. No Woman, No Cry
Bob Marley and the Wailers
57. Walk This Way
Aerosmith
58. Family Affair
Sly and the Family Stone
59. Walk on the Wild Side
Lou Reed
60. Bang a Gong (Get It On)
T. Rex
61. Kashmir
Led Zeppelin
62. Won't Get Fooled Again
The Who
63. Lean on Me
Bill Withers
64. I'm Not in Love
10cc
65. Fire and Rain
James Taylor
66. Blitzkrieg Bop
The Ramones
67. Lola
The Kinks
68. Theme from "Shaft"
Isaac Hayes
69. Living for the City
Stevie Wonder
70. Comfortably Numb
Pink Floyd
71. Hot Stuff
Donna Summer
72. The Boys Are Back in Town
Thin Lizzy
73. September
Earth, Wind and Fire
74. You're So Vain
Carly Simon
75. Riders On the Storm
The Doors
76. Boys Don't Cry
The Cure **
77. Immigrant Song
Led Zeppelin **
78. Funkytown
Lipps, Inc.
79. Move on Up
Curtis Mayfield **
80. Anarchy in the UK
The Sex Pistols
81. Me and Bobby McGee
Janis Joplin
82. It’s Too Late
Carole King
83. All Right Now
Free
84. Tired of Being Alone
Al Green
85. Knockin' on Heaven’s Door
Bob Dylan
86. Tiny Dancer
Elton John
87. Message in a Bottle
The Police
88. Who'll Stop the Rain
Creedence Clearwater Revival
89. Sir Duke
Stevie Wonder **
90. Night Moves
Bob Seger
91. The Joker
The Steve Miller Band
92. We Are Family
Sister Sledge
93. Mr. Blue Sky
Electric Light Orchestra **
94. ABC
The Jackson 5 **
95. My Sharona
The Knack
96. Rock and Roll All Nite
KISS
97. Love Train
The O’Jays
98. Miss You
The Rolling Stones
99. Just My Imagination
The Temptations
100. How Deep Is Your Love
The Bee Gees **
Led Zeppelin
2. Hotel California
The Eagles
3. Superstition
Stevie Wonder
4. Imagine
John Lennon
5. What's Going On
Marvin Gaye
6. Born to Run
Bruce Springsteen
7. Bohemian Rhapsody
Queen
8. Let's Stay Together
Al Green
9. Stayin' Alive
The Bee Gees
10. Dancing Queen
ABBA
11. Layla
Derek and the Dominos
12. Bridge Over Troubled Water
Simon and Garfunkel
13. Let It Be
The Beatles
14. Go Your Own Way
Fleetwood Mac
15. American Pie
Don McLean
16. Sweet Home Alabama
Lynyrd Skynyrd
17. I Will Survive
Gloria Gaynor
18. Sultans of Swing
Dire Straits
19. Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough
Michael Jackson
20. Heart of Glass
Blondie
21. Maggie May
Rod Stewart
22. Another Brick in the Wall, Part 2
Pink Floyd
23. More Than a Feeling
Boston
24. Your Song
Elton John
25. (Don't Fear) The Reaper
Blue Oyster Cult
26. Let's Get It On
Marvin Gaye
27. Ain't No Sunshine
Bill Withers
28. Paranoid
Black Sabbath
29. Free Bird
Lynyrd Skynyrd
30. Get Up (I Feel Like Being a) Sex Machine
James Brown
31. Smoke on the Water
Deep Purple
32. Midnight Train to Georgia
Gladys Knight and the Pips
33. Dream On
Aerosmith
34. We Will Rock You/We Are the Champions
Queen
35. Dreams
Fleetwood Mac
36. Have You Ever Seen the Rain
Creedence Clearwater Revival
37. Roxanne
The Police
38. Le Freak
Chic
39. Baba O'Riley
The Who
40. Heroes
David Bowie
41. Papa Was a Rollin' Stone
The Temptations
42. Rapper's Delight
The Sugarhill Gang
43. Highway to Hell
AC/DC
44. Heart of Gold
Neil Young
45. London Calling
The Clash
46. Piano Man
Billy Joel
47. Good Times
Chic
48. Brown Sugar
The Rolling Stones
49. My Sweet Lord
George Harrison
50. Killing Me Softly with His Song
Roberta Flack
51. Rocket Man
Elton John
52. Wish You Were Here
Pink Floyd
53. I Feel Love
Donna Summer
54. Rock with You
Michael Jackson
55. Psycho Killer
Talking Heads
56. No Woman, No Cry
Bob Marley and the Wailers
57. Walk This Way
Aerosmith
58. Family Affair
Sly and the Family Stone
59. Walk on the Wild Side
Lou Reed
60. Bang a Gong (Get It On)
T. Rex
61. Kashmir
Led Zeppelin
62. Won't Get Fooled Again
The Who
63. Lean on Me
Bill Withers
64. I'm Not in Love
10cc
65. Fire and Rain
James Taylor
66. Blitzkrieg Bop
The Ramones
67. Lola
The Kinks
68. Theme from "Shaft"
Isaac Hayes
69. Living for the City
Stevie Wonder
70. Comfortably Numb
Pink Floyd
71. Hot Stuff
Donna Summer
72. The Boys Are Back in Town
Thin Lizzy
73. September
Earth, Wind and Fire
74. You're So Vain
Carly Simon
75. Riders On the Storm
The Doors
76. Boys Don't Cry
The Cure **
77. Immigrant Song
Led Zeppelin **
78. Funkytown
Lipps, Inc.
79. Move on Up
Curtis Mayfield **
80. Anarchy in the UK
The Sex Pistols
81. Me and Bobby McGee
Janis Joplin
82. It’s Too Late
Carole King
83. All Right Now
Free
84. Tired of Being Alone
Al Green
85. Knockin' on Heaven’s Door
Bob Dylan
86. Tiny Dancer
Elton John
87. Message in a Bottle
The Police
88. Who'll Stop the Rain
Creedence Clearwater Revival
89. Sir Duke
Stevie Wonder **
90. Night Moves
Bob Seger
91. The Joker
The Steve Miller Band
92. We Are Family
Sister Sledge
93. Mr. Blue Sky
Electric Light Orchestra **
94. ABC
The Jackson 5 **
95. My Sharona
The Knack
96. Rock and Roll All Nite
KISS
97. Love Train
The O’Jays
98. Miss You
The Rolling Stones
The Temptations
100. How Deep Is Your Love
The Bee Gees **
101. Money
Pink Floyd
102. Bennie and the Jets
Elton John
103. Because the Night
Patti Smith
104. Changes
David Bowie
105. Low Rider
War
106. Goodbye Yellow Brick Road
Elton John
107. Thunder Road
Bruce Springsteen
108. War
Edwin Starr
109. Higher Ground
Stevie Wonder
110. Brass in Pocket
The Pretenders
111. Killer Queen
Queen
112. I'll Take You There
The Staple Singers
113. Angie
The Rolling Stones
114. A Horse with No Name
America
115. Black Magic Woman
Santana
116. You Ain't Seen Nothin' Yet
Bachman-Turner Overdrive
117. School's Out
Alice Cooper
118. Rebel Rebel
David Bowie
119. Boogie Wonderland
Earth Wind & Fire / The Emotions **
120. Band on the Run
Paul McCartney and Wings
121. La Grange
ZZ Top **
122. Black Dog
Led Zeppelin
123. Iron Man
Black Sabbath **
124. Mercy Mercy Me
Marvin Gaye
125. Y.M.C.A.
Village People
126. Moondance
Van Morrison
127. Waterloo
ABBA
128. You Are the Sunshine of My Life
Stevie Wonder
129. Take It Easy
Eagles
130. I Wanna Be Sedated
The Ramones
131. Stuck in the Middle with You
Stealers Wheel
132. One Love / People Get Ready
Bob Marley and the Wailers **
133. I Can See Clearly Now
Johnny Nash
134. Video Killed the Radio Star
The Buggles **
135. Rock Your Baby
George McCrae
136. What a Fool Believes
The Doobie Brothers
137. Disco Inferno
The Trammps
138. Rhiannon
Fleetwood Mac
139. Lady Marmalade
LaBelle
140. Sweet Emotion
Aerosmith
141. American Girl
Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers **
142. Tumbling Dice
The Rolling Stones
143. One of These Nights
Eagles
144. Easy
Commodores **
145. Reeling in the Years
Steely Dan
146. Play That Funky Music
Wild Cherry
147. Just the Way You Are
Billy Joel
148. Got to Give It Up
Marvin Gaye
149. Dust in the Wind
Kansas
150. I'll Be There
The Jackson 5
151. Ramblin' Man
The Allman Brothers
152. That's the Way (I Like It)
KC & the Sunshine Band
153. Old Time Rock 'n' Roll
Bob Seger & the Silver Bullet Band
154. I'll Be Around
The Spinners
155. Starman
David Bowie **
156. Rock and Roll
Led Zeppelin
157. Get Up, Stand Up
The Wailers
158. Surrender
Cheap Trick
159. Maybe I'm Amazed (studio version) <
Paul McCartney
160. If You Don’t Know Me by Now
Harold Melvin & the Blue Notes
161. Just What I Needed
The Cars
162. Is This Love
Bob Marley and the Wailers **
163. God Save the Queen
The Sex Pistols
164. Night Fever
The Bee Gees
165. Me and Mrs. Jones
Billy Paul
166. The Chain
Fleetwood Mac **
167. Carry On Wayward Son
Kansas
168. Burning Love
Elvis Presley
169. Signed, Sealed, Delivered, I'm Yours
Stevie Wonder **
170. Baker Street
Gerry Rafferty
171. Long Train Runnin'
The Doobie Brothers
172. You're the First, The Last, My Everything
Barry White **
173. Best of My Love
The Emotions
174. American Woman
The Guess Who
175. Wuthering Heights
Kate Bush **
176. Runnin' with the Devil
Van Halen
177. Without You
Nilsson
178. Paradise by the Dashboard Light
Meat Loaf
179. Flash Light
Parliament
180. Wonderful Tonight
Eric Clapton
181. Tangled Up in Blue
Bob Dylan
182. Don't Stop Me Now
Queen **
183. Ohio
Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young
184. Can’t Get Enough of Your Love, Babe
Barry White
185. I Was Made for Lovin' You
KISS **
186. Cars
Gary Numan
187. Back Stabbers
The O’Jays
188. Drift Away
Dobie Gray
189. Tear the Roof off the Sucker (Give Up the Funk)
Parliament
190. Listen to the Music
The Doobie Brothers
191. The Logical Song
Supertramp
192. Brick House
Commodores
193. LA Woman
The Doors
194. One Way or Another
Blondie
195. Barracuda
Heart **
196. Do Ya Think I'm Sexy?
Rod Stewart **
197. Crocodile Rock
Elton John
198. Roundabout
Yes
199. That Lady
The Isley Brothers
200. Oh Girl
The Chi-Lites
Pink Floyd
102. Bennie and the Jets
Elton John
103. Because the Night
Patti Smith
104. Changes
David Bowie
105. Low Rider
War
106. Goodbye Yellow Brick Road
Elton John
107. Thunder Road
Bruce Springsteen
108. War
Edwin Starr
Stevie Wonder
110. Brass in Pocket
The Pretenders
111. Killer Queen
Queen
112. I'll Take You There
The Staple Singers
113. Angie
The Rolling Stones
114. A Horse with No Name
America
115. Black Magic Woman
Santana
116. You Ain't Seen Nothin' Yet
Bachman-Turner Overdrive
117. School's Out
Alice Cooper
118. Rebel Rebel
David Bowie
119. Boogie Wonderland
Earth Wind & Fire / The Emotions **
120. Band on the Run
Paul McCartney and Wings
121. La Grange
ZZ Top **
122. Black Dog
Led Zeppelin
123. Iron Man
Black Sabbath **
124. Mercy Mercy Me
Marvin Gaye
125. Y.M.C.A.
Village People
126. Moondance
Van Morrison
127. Waterloo
ABBA
128. You Are the Sunshine of My Life
Stevie Wonder
129. Take It Easy
Eagles
130. I Wanna Be Sedated
The Ramones
131. Stuck in the Middle with You
Stealers Wheel
132. One Love / People Get Ready
Bob Marley and the Wailers **
133. I Can See Clearly Now
Johnny Nash
134. Video Killed the Radio Star
The Buggles **
135. Rock Your Baby
George McCrae
136. What a Fool Believes
The Doobie Brothers
137. Disco Inferno
The Trammps
138. Rhiannon
Fleetwood Mac
139. Lady Marmalade
LaBelle
140. Sweet Emotion
Aerosmith
141. American Girl
Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers **
142. Tumbling Dice
The Rolling Stones
143. One of These Nights
Eagles
144. Easy
Commodores **
145. Reeling in the Years
Steely Dan
146. Play That Funky Music
Wild Cherry
147. Just the Way You Are
Billy Joel
148. Got to Give It Up
Marvin Gaye
149. Dust in the Wind
Kansas
150. I'll Be There
The Jackson 5
151. Ramblin' Man
The Allman Brothers
152. That's the Way (I Like It)
KC & the Sunshine Band
153. Old Time Rock 'n' Roll
Bob Seger & the Silver Bullet Band
154. I'll Be Around
The Spinners
155. Starman
David Bowie **
156. Rock and Roll
Led Zeppelin
157. Get Up, Stand Up
The Wailers
158. Surrender
Cheap Trick
159. Maybe I'm Amazed (studio version) <
Paul McCartney
160. If You Don’t Know Me by Now
Harold Melvin & the Blue Notes
161. Just What I Needed
The Cars
162. Is This Love
Bob Marley and the Wailers **
163. God Save the Queen
The Sex Pistols
164. Night Fever
The Bee Gees
165. Me and Mrs. Jones
Billy Paul
166. The Chain
Fleetwood Mac **
167. Carry On Wayward Son
Kansas
168. Burning Love
Elvis Presley
169. Signed, Sealed, Delivered, I'm Yours
Stevie Wonder **
170. Baker Street
Gerry Rafferty
171. Long Train Runnin'
The Doobie Brothers
172. You're the First, The Last, My Everything
Barry White **
173. Best of My Love
The Emotions
174. American Woman
The Guess Who
175. Wuthering Heights
Kate Bush **
176. Runnin' with the Devil
Van Halen
177. Without You
Nilsson
178. Paradise by the Dashboard Light
Meat Loaf
179. Flash Light
Parliament
180. Wonderful Tonight
Eric Clapton
181. Tangled Up in Blue
Bob Dylan
182. Don't Stop Me Now
Queen **
183. Ohio
Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young
184. Can’t Get Enough of Your Love, Babe
Barry White
185. I Was Made for Lovin' You
KISS **
186. Cars
Gary Numan
187. Back Stabbers
The O’Jays
188. Drift Away
Dobie Gray
189. Tear the Roof off the Sucker (Give Up the Funk)
Parliament
190. Listen to the Music
The Doobie Brothers
191. The Logical Song
Supertramp
192. Brick House
Commodores
193. LA Woman
The Doors
194. One Way or Another
Blondie
195. Barracuda
Heart **
196. Do Ya Think I'm Sexy?
Rod Stewart **
197. Crocodile Rock
Elton John
198. Roundabout
Yes
199. That Lady
The Isley Brothers
200. Oh Girl
The Chi-Lites
201. The Passenger
Iggy Pop **
202. Solsbury Hill
Peter Gabriel **
203. Do It Again
Steely Dan **
204. Train in Vain
The Clash
205. Instant Karma
John Lennon
206. Time
Pink Floyd
207. O-o-h Child
The Five Stairsteps
208. Love and Happiness
Al Green **
209. Aqualung
Jethro Tull
210. Band of Gold
Freda Payne
211. Life in the Fast Lane
Eagles
212. Werewolves of London
Warren Zevon
213. Running on Empty
Jackson Browne
214. Cocaine
Eric Clapton
215. Oye Como Va
Santana
216. 50 Ways to Leave Your Lover
Paul Simon **
217. Behind Blue Eyes
The Who
218. Love to Love You Baby
Donna Summer
219. Shining Star
Earth Wind & Fire **
220. The Long and Winding Road
The Beatles
221. One Nation Under a Groove
Funkadelic
222. Autobahn
Kraftwerk
223. Who Are You
The Who
224. Mr. Big Stuff
Jean Knight
225. Wild World
Cat Stevens **
226. Have You Seen Her
The Chi-Lites
227. Radar Love
Golden Earring
228. Refugee
Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers
229. Cruisin'
Smokey Robinson
230. We’re an American Band
Grand Funk
231. Long Cool Woman
The Hollies
232. Fly Like an Eagle
The Steve Miller Band
233. Roadhouse Blues
The Doors
234. What I Like About You
The Romantics
235. December, 1963 (Oh, What a Night)
The Four Seasons
236. Gimme Gimme Gimme (A Man After Midnight)
ABBA **
237. Pick Up the Pieces
Average White Band
238. Kiss and Say Goodbye
The Manhattans
239. Joy to the World
Three Dog Night
240. The Payback
James Brown
241. Big Yellow Taxi
Joni Mitchell **
242. Margaritaville
Jimmy Buffett
243. Go All the Way
The Raspberries
244. When Will I See You Again
The Three Degrees
245. 25 or 6 to 4
Chicago
246. You Make Me Feel Brand New
The Stylistics
247. Tell Me Something Good
Rufus
248. Oliver’s Army
Elvis Costello
249. Truckin'
The Grateful Dead
250. Rock Steady
Aretha Franklin **
Iggy Pop **
202. Solsbury Hill
Peter Gabriel **
203. Do It Again
Steely Dan **
204. Train in Vain
The Clash
205. Instant Karma
John Lennon
206. Time
Pink Floyd
207. O-o-h Child
The Five Stairsteps
208. Love and Happiness
Al Green **
209. Aqualung
Jethro Tull
210. Band of Gold
Freda Payne
211. Life in the Fast Lane
Eagles
212. Werewolves of London
Warren Zevon
213. Running on Empty
Jackson Browne
214. Cocaine
Eric Clapton
215. Oye Como Va
Santana
216. 50 Ways to Leave Your Lover
Paul Simon **
217. Behind Blue Eyes
The Who
218. Love to Love You Baby
Donna Summer
219. Shining Star
Earth Wind & Fire **
220. The Long and Winding Road
The Beatles
221. One Nation Under a Groove
Funkadelic
222. Autobahn
Kraftwerk
223. Who Are You
The Who
224. Mr. Big Stuff
Jean Knight
225. Wild World
Cat Stevens **
226. Have You Seen Her
The Chi-Lites
227. Radar Love
Golden Earring
228. Refugee
Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers
229. Cruisin'
Smokey Robinson
230. We’re an American Band
Grand Funk
231. Long Cool Woman
The Hollies
232. Fly Like an Eagle
The Steve Miller Band
233. Roadhouse Blues
The Doors
234. What I Like About You
The Romantics
235. December, 1963 (Oh, What a Night)
The Four Seasons
236. Gimme Gimme Gimme (A Man After Midnight)
ABBA **
237. Pick Up the Pieces
Average White Band
238. Kiss and Say Goodbye
The Manhattans
239. Joy to the World
Three Dog Night
240. The Payback
James Brown
241. Big Yellow Taxi
Joni Mitchell **
242. Margaritaville
Jimmy Buffett
243. Go All the Way
The Raspberries
244. When Will I See You Again
The Three Degrees
245. 25 or 6 to 4
Chicago
246. You Make Me Feel Brand New
The Stylistics
247. Tell Me Something Good
Rufus
248. Oliver’s Army
Elvis Costello
249. Truckin'
The Grateful Dead
250. Rock Steady
Aretha Franklin **
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Edited By: Brian
Last Updated: 2026-08-26
Last Updated: 2026-08-26
