Best Songs of the 1970s

I found several lists of the best songs of the 1970s and combined them into a single meta-list, which is organized by rank (that is, with the songs on the most lists at the top).  The listing for each song includes the title, the performer, the year of the performance, the songwriter(s), the year the song was written, and whether the song was featured in any films.  In the case of multiple versions of the song by different artists, I have chosen the version that was the biggest hit.  Please note: these are not my personal opinions.

On 6 lists

  • Dancing Queen – ABBA (1976). Wr: Benny Andersson, Bjorn Ulvaeus & Stig Anderson (1975).
  • Rapper’s Delight – Sugarhill Gang (1979). Wr: Sylvia Robinson, Big Bank Hank, Wonder Mike, Master Gee, Bernard Edwards & Nile Rodgers (1979).

On 5 lists

  • What’s Going On – Marvin Gaye (1971). Wr: Renauldo Benson, Al Cleveland & Marvin Gaye (1970).
  • Let’s Stay Together – Al Green (1971). Wr: Al  Green, Willie Mitchell & All Jackson (1971).
  • Superstition – Stevie Wonder (1972). Wr: Stevie Wonder (1972).
  • Bohemian Rhapsody – Queen (1975). Wr: Freddie Mercury (1975).
  • Born To Run – Bruce Springsteen (1975). Wr: Bruce Springsteen (1975).
  • Stayin’ Alive – Bee Gees, in the movie Saturday Night Fever (1977). Wr:  Barry, Robin & Maurice Gibb (1977).
  • Heart of Glass – Blondie (1978). Wr: Deborah Harry & Chris Stein (1978).

On 4 lists

  • Let It Be – The Beatles (1970). Wr: John Lennon & Paul McCartney (1969).
  • Get Up (I Feel Like Being a) Sex Machine – James Brown (1970). Wr: James Brown, Bobby Byrd & Ron Lenhoff (1970).
  • Imagine – John Lennon (1971). Wr: John Lennon (1971).
  • Stairway To Heaven – Led Zeppelin (1971). Wr: Robert Plant & Jimmy Page (1971).
  • Jolene – Dolly Parton (1973). Wr: Dolly Parton (1973).
  • No Woman No Cry – Bob Marley & the Wailers (1974). Wr: Bob Marley (1974).
  • Tangled Up In Blue – Bob Dylan (1975). Wr: Bob Dylan (1975).
  • Anarchy in the U.K. – Sex Pistols (1976). Wr: Paul Cook, Steve Jones, John Lydon, Glen Matlock & Jamie Reid (1976).
  • I Feel Love – Donna Summer (1977). Wr: Donna Summer, Giorgio Moroder & Pete Bellotte (1976).
  • Dreams – Fleetwood Mac (1977). Wr: Stevie Nicks (1976).
  • Blitzkrieg Bop – The Ramones (1976). Wr: Tommy Ramone & Dee Dee Ramone (1976).
  • Heroes – David Bowie (1977). Wr: David Bowie & Brian Eno (1977).
  • Rock Lobster – The B-52’s (1978). Wr: Fred Schneider & Ricky Wilson (1978).
  • Don’t Stop ‘Til You Get Enough – Michael Jackson (1979). Wr: Michael Jackson (1978).
  • My Sharona – The Knack (1979). Wr: Doug Fieger & Berton Averre (1979).
  • London Calling – The Clash (1979). Wr: Joe Strummer & Mick Jones (1979).

On 3 lists

  • My Sweet Lord – George Harrison (1970). Wr: George Harrison (1969).
  • Layla – Derek and the Dominos (1970). Wr: Eric Clapton & Jim Gordon (1970).
  • Move On Up – Curtis Mayfield (1970). Wr: Curtis Mayfield (1970).
  • Paranoid – Black Sabbath (1970). Wr: Geezer Butler, Tony Iommi, Ozzy Osbourne & Bill Ward (1970).
  • Maggie May – Rod Stewart (1971). Wr: Rod Stewart & Martin Quittenton (1971).
  • Baba O’Riley – The Who (1971). Wr: Pete Townshend (1971).
  • Family Affair – Sly & the Family Stone (1971). Wr: Sly Stone (1971).
  • Life on Mars? – David Bowie (1971). Wr: David Bowie (1971).
  • Walk on the Wild Side – Lou Reed (1972). Wr: Lou Reed (1972).
  • Love and Happiness – Al Green (1972). Wr: Al Green & Teenie Hodges (1972).
  • Pink Moon – Nick Drake (1972). Wr: Nick Drake (1972).
  • Roadrunner – The Modern Lovers (rec. 1972, rel. 1976). Wr: Jonathan Richman (1970).
  • Killing Me Softly With His Song – Roberta Flack (1973). Wr: Norman Gimbel & Charles Fox (1971).
  • Search and Destroy – The Stooges (1973). Wr: Iggy Pop & James Williamson (1973).
  • Let’s Get It On – Marvin Gaye (1973). Wr: Marvin Gaye & Ed Townsend (1973).
  • September Gurls – Big Star (1974). Wr: Alex Chilton (1973).
  • Thunder Road – Bruce Springsteen (1975). Wr: Bruce Springsteen (1975).
  • Wish You Were Here – Pink Floyd (1975). Wr: David Gilmour & Roger Waters (1975).
  • American Girl – Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers (1976). Wr: Tom Petty (1976).
  • Go Your Own Way – Fleetwood Mac (1976). Wr: Lindsey Buckingham (1976).
  • The Boys Are Back in Town – Thin Lizzy (1976). Wr: Phil Lynott (1976).
  • Psycho Killer – Talking Heads (1977). Wr: David Byrne, Chris Frantz & Tina Weymouth (1974).
  • Got To Give It Up – Marvin Gaye (1977). Wr: Marvin Gaye (1976).
  • God Save the Queen – Sex Pistols (1977). Wr: Glen Matlock, John Lydon, Paul Thomas Cook & Stephen Philip Jones (1976).
  • How Deep Is Your Love – Bee Gees, in the movie Saturday Night Fever (1977). Wr: Barry, Robin & Maurice Gibb (1977).
  • Alison – Elvis Costello (1977). Wr: Elvis Costello (1977).
  • Uptown Top Ranking – Althea & Donna (1977). Wr: Althea Forrest, Donna Reid & Errol Thompson (1977).
  • Lust For Life – Iggy Pop (1977). Wr: Iggy Pop & David Bowie (1977).
  • Marquee Moon – Television (1977). Wr: Tom Verlaine (1977).
  • Wuthering Heights – Kate Bush (1978). Wr: Kate Bush (1977).
  • Teenage Kicks – The Undertones (1978). Wr: John O’Neill (1977).
  • Ever Fallen in Love (With Someone You Shouldn’t’ve) – Buzzcocks (1978). Wr: Pete Shelley (1977).
  • September – Earth, Wind & Fire (1978). Wr: Maurice White, Al McKay & Allee Willis (1978).
  • Damaged Goods – Gang of Four (1978). Wr: Andy Gill, Jon King, Hugo Burnham & Dave Allen (1978).
  • Hong Kong Garden – Siouxsie and the Banshees (1978). Wr: John McKay, Kenny Morris, Siouxsie Sioux & Steven Severin (1978).
  • Transmission – Joy Division (1979). Wr: Ian Curtis, Peter Hook, Stephen Morris & Bernard Sumner (1978).
  • Typical Girls – The Slits (1979). Wr: Viv Albertine, Tessa Pollitt, Ariane Forster & Paloma Romero (1979).
  • Making Plans for Nigel – XTC (1979). Wr: Colin Moulding (1979).
  • I Wanna Be Your Lover – Prince (1979). Wr: Prince (1979).
  • Train In Vain – The Clash (1979). Wr: Mick Jones (1979).