Top 20 most iconic 70s singers and their greatest hits
The 1970s was a golden era of music, during which many artists created timeless hits that have continued to be famous for generations. However, some singers from this era have since influenced much of modern pop culture and today’s most popular artists. Discover some of the most iconic 70s singers and their greatest hits.
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
- Most iconic 70s singers
- 20. Carole King
- 19. Barry White
- 18. Paul McCartney
- 17. Olivia Newton-John
- 16. Elvis Presley
- 15. Rod Stewart
- 14. Freddie Mercury
- 13. Billy Joel
- 12. Michael Jackson
- 11. Al Green
- 10. Dolly Parton
- 9. Bob Marley
- 8. James Brown
- 7. Donna Summer
- 6. Diana Ross
- 5. John Denver
- 4. Marvin Gaye
- 3. Stevie Wonder
- 2. David Bowie
- 1. Elton John
- FAQs
We strive to provide our readers with valuable insights and information through our various rankings and lists. In creating this list of the most iconic 70s singers, we have considered various factors such as the singers' album sales, chart-topping hits, awards, fan base and popularity, and critical acclaim and reviews.
Most iconic 70s singers
The 1970s was an exciting decade for music, filled with talented singers and unforgettable songs. Many of these artists created music that is still popular today. Here is a list of some of the most famous singers from the 1970s and their greatest hits that captured the hearts of millions.
| Name | Date of birth |
| Elton John | 25 March 1947 |
| David Bowie | 8 January 1947 |
| Stevie Wonder | 13 May 1950 |
| Marvin Gaye | 2 April 1939 |
| John Denver | 31 December 1943 |
| Diana Ross | 26 March 1944 |
| Donna Summer | 31 December 1948 |
| James Brown | 3 May 1933 |
| Bob Marley | 6 February 1945 |
| Dolly Parton | 19 January 1946 |
| Al Green | 13 April 1946 |
| Michael Jackson | 29 August 1958 |
| Billy Joel | 9 May 1949 |
| Freddie Mercury | 5 September 1946 |
| Rod Stewart | 10 January 1945 |
| Elvis Presley | 8 January 1935 |
| Olivia Newton-John | 26 September 1948 |
| Paul McCartney | 18 June 1942 |
| Barry White | 12 September 1944 |
| Carole King | 9 February 1942 |
20. Carole King
Source: Getty Images
- Full name: Carole King Klein
- Date of birth: 9 February 1942
- Age: 82 years old (as of 2024)
- Place of birth: Manhattan, New York, United States
Carole King is one of the most successful songwriters in American history. She rose to stardom in the 1970s with her album Tapestry, which included classics such as It's Too Late, I Feel the Earth Move, and You've Got a Friend.
19. Barry White
Source: Getty Images
- Full name: Barry Eugene White
- Date of birth: 12 September 1944
- Date of death: 4 July 2003
- Age at the time of death: 58
- Place of birth: Galveston, Texas, United States
Barry White was one of the best black singers in the 70s. He recorded 20 studio albums during his career. His most tremendous success came in the 1970s as a solo singer with numerous hit songs such as Can't Get Enough of Your Love, Babe and You're the First, the Last, My Everything.
18. Paul McCartney
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- Full name: Sir James Paul McCartney
- Date of birth: 18 June 1942
- Age: 82 years old (as of 2024)
- Place of birth: Walton, Liverpool, United Kingdom
Paul McCartney is an English singer, songwriter and musician who gained widespread recognition as a member of The Beatles. His iconic songs include Maybe I'm Amazed, Band on the Run, Live and Let Die, and Silly Love Songs.
On 18 June 2019, during an interview with Guitar.com, Paul, who is one of the richest singers in the world, spoke about his passion for creating music, famously saying:
One of my biggest thrills...is sitting down with a guitar or a piano and just out of nowhere, trying to make a song happen
17. Olivia Newton-John
Source: Getty Images
- Full name: Dame Olivia Newton-John
- Date of birth: 26 September 1948
- Date of death: 8 August 2022
- Age at the time of death: 73
- Place of birth: Cambridge, United Kingdom
Olivia Newton-John was an English-Australian singer, actress, and activist best known for her pop and country music career. As one of the female singers of the 70s, she released numerous notable hits, including Physical, Hopelessly Devoted to You, and Magic.
16. Elvis Presley
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- Full name: Elvis Aaron Presley
- Date of birth: 8 January 1935
- Date of death: 16 August 1977
- Age at the time of death: 42
- Place of birth: Tupelo, Mississippi, United States
One of the most famous 70s singers is Elvis Presley. He is regarded as one of the most significant cultural figures of the 20th century. Known as the King of Rock and Roll, Elvis released 24 studio albums alongside popular songs such as Heartbreak Hotel, Jailhouse Rock, and Suspicious Minds.
15. Rod Stewart
Source: Getty Images
- Full name: Sir Roderick David Stewart
- Date of birth: 10 January 1945
- Age: 79 years old (as of 2024)
- Place of birth: Highgate, London, United Kingdom
Rod Stewart is one of the best-selling and richest rockstars of all time. Known for his distinctive raspy voice, he began his career in 1962 and gained prominence with songs such as Maggie May and Da Ya Think I'm Sexy? He is also known for his successful albums Every Picture Tells a Story (1971) and Never a Dull Moment (1972).
On 11 May 2022, during an interview with Entertainment Tonight, Rod described his ongoing passion for music. He said:
It's part of who I am. In fact, it is who I am. This is what the good lord put me on this earth to do, nothing else.
14. Freddie Mercury
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- Full name: Freddie Mercury
- Date of birth: 5 September 1946
- Date of death: 24 November 1991
- Age at the time of death: 45
- Place of birth: Stone Town, Tanzania
Freddie Mercury came into the spotlight as the lead vocalist and pianist of the rock band Queen. Considered among the greatest rock stars in history, Freddie Mercury recorded and released numerous albums and hit songs, including Bohemian Rhapsody, We Will Rock You, and Somebody to Love.
13. Billy Joel
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- Full name: William Martin Joel
- Date of birth: 9 May 1949
- Age: 75 years old (as of 2024)
- Place of birth: The Bronx, New York, United States
Billy Joel has been a solo artist since the 1970s. Throughout his career, he has released thirteen studio albums, including Cold Spring Harbor (1971), Piano Man (1973), and Turnstiles (1976). Billy Joel's notable songs include Uptown Girl, Just the Way You Are, and New York State of Mind.
12. Michael Jackson
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- Full name: Michael Joseph Jackson
- Date of birth: 29 August 1958
- Date of death: 25 June 2009
- Age at the time of death: 50
- Place of birth: Gary, Indiana, United States
Michael Jackson, the "King of Pop", began his solo career in 1971, recording multiple successful singles. He became a global solo star with his 1979 album Off the Wall. He is also recognised for his iconic music videos for Beat It, Billie Jean, and Thriller.
11. Al Green
Source: Getty Images
- Full name: Albert Leornes Greene
- Date of birth: 13 April 1946
- Age: 78 years old (as of 2024)
- Place of birth: Forrest City, Arkansas, United States
Al Green is widely recognised for recording notable songs in the early 1970s, such as Take Me to the River, Tired of Being Alone, Love and Happiness, and Let's Stay Together. With a career spanning almost 60 decades, he has won 11 Grammy Awards, including the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award.
10. Dolly Parton
Source: Getty Images
- Full name: Dolly Rebecca Parton
- Date of birth: 19 January 1946
- Age: 78 years old (as of 2024)
- Place of birth: Pittman Center, Tennessee, United States
Having been in the music industry since 1955, Dolly Parton has released 50 albums, including The Fairest of Them All (1970), Touch Your Woman (1972) and Bubbling Over (1973). Her 1974 album, Jolene, achieved critical acclaim and turned her into an international sensation with hits such as Jolene and I Will Always Love You.
9. Bob Marley
Source: Getty Images
- Full name: Robert Nesta Marley
- Date of birth: 6 February 1945
- Date of death: 11 May 1981
- Age at the time of death: 36
- Place of birth: Nine Mile, Jamaica
Bob Marley is regarded as one of the pioneers of reggae. He was most active in the 1970s, releasing ten studio albums that produced numerous international hits, such as Is This Love, Stir It Up and No Woman, No Cry. In 1984, Bob Marley released an album titled Legend and it remains one of the best-selling albums of all time.
8. James Brown
Source: Getty Images
- Full name: James Joseph Brown
- Date of birth: 3 May 1933
- Date of death: 25 December 2006
- Age at the time of death: 73
- Place of birth: Barnwell, South Carolina, USA
James Brown, also known as the Godfather of Soul, began his career in the 1950s and became famous in the '60s and '70s with songs such as I Got You (I Feel Good), Papa's Got a Brand New Bag and Get Up (I Feel Like Being a) Sex Machine. With a career spanning over 50 years, James recorded 59 studio albums.
7. Donna Summer
Source: Getty Images
- Full name: Donna Adrian Gaines
- Date of birth: 31 December 1948
- Date of death: 17 May 2012
- Age at the time of death: 63
- Place of birth: Boston, Massachusetts, United States
Donna Summer gained prominence during the disco era of the 1970s and became known as the "Queen of Disco". She released several hit songs, including Hot Stuff, Last Dance, and Bad Girls and recorded seventeen albums. Summer succumbed to lung cancer on 17 May 2012.
6. Diana Ross
Source: Getty Images
- Full name: Diana Ross
- Date of birth: 26 March 1944
- Age: 80 years old (as of 20224)
- Place of birth: Detroit, Michigan, United States
Diana Ross is a female singer from the 1970s. She is widely known as the "Queen of Motown Records." She first became known as the lead singer of The Supremes and began her solo career in the 1970s, releasing popular songs such as Endless Love, Ain't No Mountain High Enough and I'm Coming Out.
5. John Denver
Source: Getty Images
- Full name: Henry John Deutschendorf Jr
- Date of birth: 31 December 1943
- Date of death: 12 October 1997
- Age at the time of death: 53
- Place of birth: Roswell, New Mexico, United States
John Dever was one of the most popular acoustic artists of the 1970s and one of the bestselling artists of that decade. During his over three-decade career, Denver released around 300 songs and 26 albums. His notable songs include Take Me Home, Country Roads, Annie's Song, and Rocky Mountain High.
4. Marvin Gaye
Source: Getty Images
- Full name: Marvin Pentz Gaye Jr
- Date of birth: 2 April 1939
- Date of death: 1 April 1984
- Age at the time of death: 44
- Place of birth: Washington, D.C., United States
Marvin Gaye began his music career in the 1960s with Motown Records and became famous in the '70s with hits like What's Going On, Let's Get It On, and Sexual Healing. He released numerous albums, including What's Going On (1971) and Let's Get It On (1973).
3. Stevie Wonder
Source: Getty Images
- Full name: Stevland Hardaway Morris
- Date of birth: 13 May 1950
- Age: 74 years old (as of 2024)
- Place of birth: Saginaw, Michigan, United States
Stevie Wonder is without a doubt, one of the most famous 70s music artists. The blind piano player became famous with hits such as Superstition, I Just Called To Say I Love You, and Signed, Sealed, Delivered I'm Yours. Stevie's music blends soul, R&B, and pop, and he is known for playing multiple instruments.
2. David Bowie
Source: Getty Images
- Full name: David Robert Jones
- Date of birth: 8 January 1947
- Date of death: 10 January 2016
- Age at the time of death: 69 years
- Place of birth: Brixton, London, United Kingdom
David Bowie is one of the most famous solo male singers of the 70s. He started his career in the 1960s and became famous for his hit songs including Space Oddity, Changes, and Heroes. David released many successful albums and is considered among the most influential musicians of the 20th century.
1. Elton John
Source: Getty Images
- Full name: Sir Elton Hercules John
- Date of birth: 25 March 1947
- Age: 77 years old (as of 2024)
- Place of birth: Pinner, United Kingdom
Elton John is one of the most iconic 70s singers known for his powerful voice and unique musical style, which blends rock, pop, and classical influences. He has released over 30 albums and is celebrated for numerous hit songs, including Your Song, Rocket Man, and Candle in the Wind.
FAQs
- Who was the most popular 70s singer? The most famous singers of the 1970s include Elton John, David Bowie and Stevie Wonder.
- Who dominated 70s music? The 1970s music scene was dominated by various artists, including Donna Summer, Elton John and Carole King.
- Who was the #1 pop artist of the 1970s? The #1 pop artist of the 1970s was Elton John, who achieved success with multiple chart-topping albums and singles, including Candle in the Wind and Bennie and the Jets.
- Who was the female singer in the 1970s? The 1970s showcased influential female singers such as Carole King, Donna Summer and Olivia Newton-John.
- Who was the biggest-selling artist of the 1970s? Forbes states Sir Elton John sold over 300 million records, making him one of the best-selling musicians internationally.
- Who had the most hits in the 70s? The Bee Gees had the highest number of top hits on the Billboard Hot 100 chart during the 1970s.
The 1970s was an unforgettable decade for music, filled with iconic singers and songs that continue to inspire and entertain people today. Most iconic 70s singers such as Elton John, Stevie Wonder and Marvin Gaye created timeless hits that defined the sounds of rock, soul, disco, and pop.
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