60 YEARS OF THE ROCK ERA. This update: 1975.

60 YEARS OF

ROCK

(1955-2015)

1975

  
     

 

-Neil Sedaka enjoys a chart resurgence, scoring 2 #1s in the US.

-All 6 Led Zeppelin albums are on the charts simultaneously: a first.

-Ritchie Blackmore quits Deep Purple. 

-The film version of 'Tommy" premieres, with Elton John & Tina Turner in the cast.

-Van McCoy's tribute to disco dance craze "The Hustle"reaches #1.

-Elton John's 'Captain Fantastic & The Brown Dirt Cowboy' LP debuts at #1 in US: a first.

-Alice Cooper is injured on stage, breaking 6 ribs.

-Stevie Wonder renews his Motown contract for a reported $13 million.

-Peter Gabriel quits Genesis. 

-Jackie Wilson has a heart attack onstage singing the line: "my heart is crying". 

-John Lennon's 4-year fight to live in the US ends with the former Beatle allowed to stay.

-Baby Sean is born to John Lennon & Yoko Ono.

-Bruce Springsteen makes the cover of Time & Newsweek simultaneously. 

-The Sex Pistols play their 1st show.    

 

    

     

     

The music of 1975 offered something for everyone. Rock fans had new albums from Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd and Peter Frampton. Bruce Springsteen's profile grew with "Born To Run". Fleetwood Mac, having added Lindsey Buckingham & Stevie Nicks to its line-up, was redifining its sound. Funk was giving way to disco. The Bee Gees drew inspiration from Miami's scene and disco. David Bowie developed his own approach to funk with "Fame" and "Golden Years". New disco stars emerged: KC & The Sunshine Band, Gloria Gaynor and numerous one-hit wonders. In Australia, a Swedish group that had been dismissed as a one-hit wonder saw 3 of its songs go to #1; each one replacing its predecessor at the top. Before ABBA, only The Beatles had achieved such a feat. Queen released "Bohemian Rhapsody", a risky and lengthy single that defies categorization. By year's end, The Sex Pistols were poised to kick start the next major trend in music.