Quiz: Can You Match All These '70s Hit Songs to Their Artists? Only Experts Will Succeed

What kind of music do you hear in your mind when you think of the ‘70s? Maybe it’s the sparkly grand piano glissando of an ABBA song, or the groovy guitar riffs at the start of Fleetwood Mac’s biggest hits. Maybe it’s also a much harder and heavier rock sound, or maybe it’s a gentle acoustic guitar pattern. Regardless, the music of the ‘70s has a knack for transporting listeners right back to the decade it’s from, carrying with it the hazy glamor of a distinct time in history with a very memorable soundtrack to match. How well do you know the top hits of the ‘70s? Match the songs to the artists who created them with the quiz below.

How well did you do? Did you get them all, or is it time to pull out your bell-bottoms and put on your records? Read on to learn a bit more about some of the decade’s top songs—spoilers for the quiz ahead, of course!

The Music of the ‘70s

The ‘70s saw an extraordinary variety of genres develop from the psychedelic folk and rock-heavy years of the ‘60s. The dawn of the decade saw the deaths of Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin, and Jim Morrison at the age of 27. In the coming years, rock and roll would branch off into hard rock, heavy metal, progressive rock, and many other genres. Disco and reggae also rose in popularity. Major acts like Pink Floyd, The Who, Led Zeppelin, and The Rolling Stones filled stadiums. Meanwhile, car stereos became more common, as did 8-track tapes and cassettes, making music more accessible for those in motion.

According to ChartMasters, the biggest act of the ‘70s was Pink Floyd, followed by the Eagles, Led Zeppelin, Queen, Elton John, ABBA, and Bob Marley. Each year of the ‘70s saw different songs reach the top of the chart, and the huge diversity in these tracks is emblematic of the sonic diversity of the ‘70s. 

The Biggest Hit Songs in Each Year of the ‘70s

Per American Songwriter, Simon and Garfunkel’s “Bridge Over Troubled Water” was the top song of 1970. In 1971, that honor went to “Joy to the World” by Three Dog Night. 1972 saw Roberta Flack’s “The First Time I Ever Saw Your Face” ascend, and 1973’s top song was Tony Orlando & The Dawn’s “Tie a Yellow Ribbon Round the Ole Oak Tree.” Up next, 1974’s top song was Barbra Streisand’s “The Way We Were.” In 1975, the biggest track was Captain & Tennille’s “Love Will Keep Us Together.” 

Wings’ “Silly Love Songs” took the top spot in 1976, and Rod Stewart’s “Tonight’s the Night (Gonna Be Alright)” ascended in 1977. Disco ruled the later years of the ‘70s, with Andy Gibb’s “Shadow Dancing” soaring to the top. Finally, “My Sharona” by The Knack took over in 1979, showing how prominent new wave had become. Of course, the top-selling songs of each decade don’t necessarily correspond to the most influential or long-lasting hits of the era, and everyone has their own opinions on which songs are the best. But one thing most of us—or at least those of us taking this quiz—can agree on is that the ‘70s had some pretty great music.