THE 200 ESSENTIAL SONGS OF THE 1970s. This update: #10. A new song added daily.

THE 200 MOST ESSENTIAL SONGS OF THE 1970s It was the decade of glam, disco, funk, Philly Soul, heavy metal, the singer/songwriter, punk and new wave. Here are the 200 songs that mattered most during the Seventies, in terms of influence, impact and success. To be eligible, the song needed to be released- as a single or on an album- during the years 1970-1979.

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WHAT'S GOING ON Marvin Gaye [1971] Marvin Gaye dragged Motown down a new direction for his music in the 1970s. Label chief Berry Gordy Jr was against the idea of his male star tackling serious social issues. Gaye stuck to his guns. He delivered "What's Going On", reacting to his brother Frankie's experiences at the Vietnam War. Gaye took soul music to new themes: universal social issues during one of his country's turbulent periods.  Stevie Wonder soon followed Gaye's lead.