Candidates for the RNRHOF Singles Category, Pt. 2: The 1970’s

Hello everyone!  I am back again to continue my blog series of suggested candidates for the Singles category of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.  Previous blog entries included an Introduction explaining the rules I’ve set and how to make the Singles category a relevant and successful side-category for the Hall, and a blog highlighting viable candidates for the 1950’s and 1960’s.

Today’s blog will highlight 25 songs I feel would make for great candidates for the 1970’s, an era that the Hall has yet to touch upon when it comes to the Singles category.  Musically, the 70’s was a much more diverse decade compared to the 50’s and 60’s, so there’s lots of genres and styles represented here.  Some of the choices are among the greatest songs ever made (as in top 5 or top 10), as well as some controversial choices.  Like with previous blogs, I am ultimately making the argument for each of these candidates that a Singles category induction is more appropriate than a Performers induction, which I’m sure many people will disagree with.  But that’s the name of the game!  Anyways, let’s get started shall we?  25 of the greatest songs from the 70’s that deserve to be inducted into the Singles category of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame!

Derek & the Dominoes- Layla (1970): We’re gonna kick off the 1970’s portion of the blog series with a bang.  At the start of my blog series, I alluded to one act that I do think has enough of a case for a RNRHOF induction, but I ultimately put as a Singles Category candidate instead, and this is the artist.  There’s no real need to discuss the credentials of “Layla.”  Any music fan worth their salt knows about the greatness and legacy of “Layla” as a rock classic.  For my money, it’s easily a top 5 song of all-time, if not No. 1.  That being said, the real discussion is down to whether or not Derek & the Dominoes should be inducted as a performer or if just a singles induction for “Layla” is enough.  For my money, to be worthy of being inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame you should exemplify a number of qualities or some combination of said qualities.  Sure, there’s the usual qualities; innovation, influence, critical success and musical excellence.  Those are the main qualities the HOF lists and what many Rock Hall critics look at as well.  I do, however, think things like longevity, popularity, commercial success (yes) and defining a particular genre or period of rock n’ roll history is just as important. 

The case for “Layla” as a worthy Singles induction is unquestioned.  It’s one of the greatest songs of all-time.  It clearly should be recognized.  But does Derek & the Dominoes meet the criteria as a Performer inductee.  There’s no doubt they match the musical excellence.  Outside of Led Zeppelin, is there a better “blues-rock” band?  I wouldn’t say they were innovative.  I do think there’s easily a case for influence, just on the popularity of “Layla” alone and its influence on generations of guitar players. Many see the album as the very best work of Eric Clapton’s career as well.  What ultimately hurts them in my view and probably a lot of other people, however, is their lack of longevity and the little output they had.  One studio album and one live album.  As great as the album Layla and Other Assorted Love Songs is, it didn’t change the face of music like the Sex Pistols or Lauryn Hill did with their sole albums.  For my personal opinion, I wouldn’t be upset at all if Derek & the Dominoes were inducted as a performer, but I also recognize that there’s certainly a good argument to be made that they fall short.  Plus, this would make for a fourth induction for Eric Clapton, which might be overkill to say the least.  That’s where a Singles induction for “Layla” makes sense.  It’s definitely not the only great song they made of course.  But come on, it’s “Layla.”  It clearly should be honored with a Singles induction.

Edwin Starr- War (1970): Next, we get to one of the greatest anti-war protest songs in music history and one of the most enduring, Edwin Starr’s 1970 classic, “War.”  Edwin Starr, himself, had a number of memorable songs in the 1960’s (“25 Miles” is amazing), but “War” stands head and shoulders above the rest of his work when it comes to longevity and being memorable and iconic.  It’s without a doubt the song he’s most well known for.  As one of the defining singles of 70’s R&B and one of the defining anti-war songs in American music, it’s a must for the Singles category.

Free- All Right Now (1970): Another possibly controversial choice as I’m sure there’s plenty of rock fans that believe Free as a band deserve to be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.  IMO, I think they fall short of being inducted as they weren’t major innovators by any means and weren’t around long enough to reach a HOF worthy level compared to some their early hard rock peers.  However, there’s no denying their 1970 single, “All Right Now” is one of the biggest rock classics of the 70’s and is still one of the most enduring songs in rock history.  It is an essential single of 70’s rock and easily worthy of induction into the Singles category.  I’m sure there will be plenty of disagreements with this choice, but I’m sticking to it.

The Five Stairsteps- O-o-h Child (1970): A classic single of 1970’s R&B, this song is one of the most hopeful and optimistic songs ever recorded and is a truly inspirational song.  It’s simply one of the greatest songs ever made.  The Five Stairsteps were one of the most notable R&B groups of the late 60’s and early 70’s and are a group that admittedly has a case for induction into the RNRHOF.  Ultimately though, I am slotting them here in the Singles category, mainly because this song largely overshadows the rest of their work, as is the case with many of the artists on this list.  This song is too great to ignore however, and endures as a classic of American R&B.  Thus, it is a great candidate for the Singles category.

Argent- Hold Your Head Up (1971): Now we get to yet another classic staple of classic rock radio from the band Argent.  “Hold Your Head Up” is another inspirational song that is catchy as hell and a clear highlight of the career of Rod Argent.  Unfortunately, however, this song is largely what the band is known for, and thus the band falls short of a Performers induction into the RNRHOF.  But this makes them a perfect candidate for the Singles category.  “Hold Your Head Up” is an essential 70’s rock song and a worthy candidate for the Singles category.

Don McLean- American Pie (1971): We’ve already had “Layla.”  Now we have, yet another potential top 5 song of all-time with “American Pie.”  Like “Layla,” I don’t think I need to explain the credentials of “American Pie” as a song.  It’s really more about the artist in question, Don McLean.  Unlike Derek & the Dominoes, Don McLean did have a long career where he has a real body of work to critique and judge on.  I would imagine that among singer-songwriter aficionados, they would make a case that Don is worthy of a RNRHOF induction as a Performer.  Ultimately, I think he falls short and a Singles category induction for “American Pie” is more appropriate.  And it’s really nothing to be ashamed of.  I mean Don McLean wrote and performed a song that is greater than any recorded by probably 95% of the greatest music acts of all-time.  Not too shabby.

Johnny Nash- I Can See Clearly Now (1972): Is there a more perfect pop song than “I Can See Clearly Now?”  It might also be the most hopeful and optimistic song recorded (even more than “O-o-h Child”).  Come to think of it, that seems to be a theme for this list.  “I Can See Clearly Now” is one of the greatest singles of the 70’s, and just a song that is impossible to not smile through.  It’s an amazing song and the biggest hit of Johnny’s career.  It’s endured with numerous covers and is a song that still inspires people 50 years after it’s initial release and will continue to do so throughout time.  It deserves to be recognized.  While Johnny had a very long and successful career, his career is largely defined by this song, thus making him and the song a perfect candidate for the Singles category.

Lynn Collins- Think (About It) (1972): Next we get to a song that was more influential than popular per se.  Lynn Collins’ 1972 funk classic, “Think (About It)” is one of the most influential R&B songs to come from the 1970 as it provided the soundtrack for much of rap music throughout the 80’s, 90’s, and 00’s, thanks to the many samples used of the song.  In it’s time, it was a top 10 hit on the R&B charts and reached No. 66 on the Billboard charts.  Its biggest legacy is the influence it had on future R&B and rap music, which was immense.  Like most candidates for this list, this song is largely what Lynn Collins is known for, and is thus, a perfect candidate for the Singles category.

Stealers Wheel- Stuck in the Middle with You (1972): Next up, we have a band that is largely known as a one-hit wonder (though they had 2-3 other minor hit songs) with a song that is a staple of classic rock radio.  The folk-pop classic, “Stuck in the Middle with You” by Stealers Wheel.  It, of course, received renewed interest thanks to its now legendary use in Quentin Tarantino’s first film Reservoir Dogs.  The song has become one of most the iconic examples of a song used for a film scene in cinema history.  It’s also an enduring classic of the 70’s and makes for a great candidate for the Singles category.

Dobie Gray- Drift Away (1973): “Drift Away” is one of the greatest soft rock songs of the 70’s and one of the most enduring songs of that decade.  Dobie Gray of course had a number of hit songs that are memorable in their own right, but “Drift Away” is by far the defining song of Dobie’s career.  As one of the biggest radio hits of the rock n’ roll era, it is deserving of induction for the Singles category.

The Hues Corporation- Rock the Boat (1973/4): Arguably one of the most important singles of the 1970’s, “Rock by the Boat” by the Hues Corporation is often cited as the first disco song to hit No. 1 on the billboard charts, thus ushering in the disco age in mainstream American pop culture.  In its wake, disco would come to dominate the pop charts for the remainder of the 1970’s and early 1980’s.  So, the song was certainly a landmark for American music in the 1970’s.  It’s impact and place in music history, enough warrants an induction for the Singles category.

Harry Chapin- Cats in the Cradle (1974): Like Don McLean, Harry Chapin is another singer-songwriter that one could argue should be considered for induction into the RNRHOF as a Performer.  I, however, think he falls a bit short, so I think an induction of his classic single, “Cats in the Cradle” is a more appropriate form of honoring his work.  “Cats in the Cradle” is one of the greatest story songs of all-time highlighting a number of powerful subjects including the vicious cycle of the American work system, where parents often don’t have enough time to spend with their children, leaving long-term mental and emotional scarring in the process.  The song also touches on the dynamic of the father and son relationship in truly heartbreaking fashion with the father not having enough time for his son, and then as they get older, the son then doesn’t have enough time for his father due to simply life and responsibilities getting in the way.  It’s one of the most tragic and heartbreaking songs ever written IMO, and it’s a song I and millions of other men can relate to with regards to our relationship with our fathers and sons (father in my case, no sons for me.  I plan on keeping it that way for the remainder of my life!).  It’s a tragic, emotional, and heartbreaking song that is also one of the greatest ever written, IMO.  Thus, it is a great candidate for the Singles category.

Elvin Bishop- Fooled Around and Fell in Love (1975): This selection could be considered cheating as Elvin Bishop is indeed a member of the RNRHOF, through his work with the Paul Butterfield Blues Band.  However, his solo work is completely separate from the Paul Butterfield Blues Band, and he’s not inducted as a solo artist, so he qualifies!  As a solo artist, Elvin is something of a one hit wonder as his only major hit song is the 1975 classic “Fooled Around and Fell in Love.”  It’s the song he’s largely known for as a solo artist, thus I think a Singles Category induction is more appropriate.  As for the song, it’s one of the most enduring “ballads” of the classic rock era.  It received renewed interest and popularity thanks to its use in the Marvel Comics film, Guardians of the Galaxy.  What would movie soundtracks be without music of the 1950’s, 60’s, 70’s, and 80’s?  Just saying!  Anyways, “Fooled Around and Fell in Love” is a touchstone of the 70’s classic rock era and makes for a great candidate for the Singles category.

The Trammps- Disco Inferno (1976): One of the defining songs of the disco era, The Trammps, “Disco Inferno” set the dance music world on fire upon its release in late 1976.  However, it would take another year or so before becoming a major pop hit thanks to its inclusion on the Saturday Night Fever soundtrack.  The song today is a touchtone of the disco era in the late 1970’s and is considered to be one of the greatest dance songs of all-time.  Though the band had a successful run in the 1970’s, the group is largely known for this dance classic, thus making it a prime candidate for the Singles category.

Thelma Houston- Don’t Leave Me This Way (1976):  Thelma Houston’s 1976 cover of the Harold Melvin and the Bluenotes classic, “Don’t Leave Me This Way” was one of the biggest hit songs of the disco era and arguably it’s greatest ballad.  The song would top both the Billboard R&B charts and Pop charts and won a Grammy award.  The song is considered among the greatest dance songs ever recorded and is a defining recording of Thelma’s career.  As a defining song of the disco period, it is an essential inductee for the Singles category.

Vicki Sue Robinson- Turn the Beat Around (1976): We have yet another disco and dance classic with Vicki Sue Robinson’s Latin-flavored single, “Turn the Beat Around.”  The song was the only major hit of Vicki’s career and was innovative in combining Latin music with American disco.  It was among the most unique sounding singles of the disco era and is another classic of the genre, and an essential inductee for the Singles category.  Interesting side-note.  “Turn the Beat Around” is the highest ranked disco song (outside of the Bee Gees) on my 500 Favorite Songs of the 1970’s list.  Thus, making it my second favorite disco song.

Gloria Gaynor- I Will Survive (1978): And here we have one of the greatest feminist anthems in the history of music with Gloria Gaynor’s 1978 classic single, “I Will Survive.”  What Aretha Franklin’s “Respect” was for the Civil Rights era in the 1960’s, “I Will Survive” was for the disco era in the late 70’s.  The song was added to the National Recording Registry by the Library of Congress in 2016, thus exemplifying the song’s massive impact on American culture.  Gloria Gaynor had a very successful career in her own right, and some would argue she deserves induction into the RNRHOF as a performer, but I’m listing her here, because “I Will Survive” largely overshadows the rest of her recording career, IMO.  I am sure many will disagree.  But “I Will Survive” is an essential single worthy of induction into the Singles category.  That can’t be denied.

The Undertones- Teenage Kicks (1978): And now we get to the late 1970’s punk rock scene, which is a pretty unlikely choice as punk music is largely associated with bands with bigger discographies and classic albums, thus building stronger cases for Performer inductions in the process.  One of the bands that was certainly notable and important in their time, but IMO, fall short of a worthy Performers inductee is the Undertones.  Unlike most of the notable punk bands of the late 70’s and early 80’s, the Undertones are largely defined by a single song, the 1978 classic “Teenage Kicks.”  Though they certainly had a notable career with a number of albums and being probably the biggest punk band to come out of Ireland, they don’t quite match up to the other heavy hitters in the punk scene during the initial wave of punk, IMO.  However, their single, “Teenage Kicks” is a song on par with the very best of the genre and better than most and is a HOF worthy single in its own right.  Thus, why I think the Singles category is a more appropriate form for induction for the Undertones, particularly for “Teenage Kicks.”

The Village People- YMCA (1978): If there was ever a more perfect inductee for the Singles category than “Y.M.C.A.,” I’d like to hear it.  “Y.M.C.A.” is one of the most recognizable songs of the 1970’s and is an absolute cultural touchstone that endures today.  It became a phenomenon upon it’s release in 1978, going to No. 1 in 15 countries (though held to No. 2 in the US thanks to “Le Freak” by Chic and “Do Ya Think I’m Sexy” by Rod Stewart), developing its own hand-gesture based dance that would become a staple at weddings and other events, as well as becoming an anthem for LGBTQ culture while also becoming a staple song of choice for sporting events for decades to come.  Few songs in the history of rock and roll have crossed over to so many cultural groups.  It’s unquestionably a worthy inductee for the Singles category.  The real question though, is does the Village People deserve more?  There is certainly the case to be made.  The band was immensely important for the rise of LGBTQ artists in the American music scene, and from a singles standpoint they have more worthy songs for the Singles category, particularly “Macho Man.”  Ultimately though, I can’t quite put them as a HOF worthy band, largely due to much of their music being novelty-based, and just frankly not very good IMO.  Outside of their late 70’s peak, their later work is some of the most awful music I’ve heard (“Sex Over the Phone” being a prime example, though admittedly it is awesomely awful), and thus I just can’t consider them a worthy act for a Performers inductee for the HOF.  When it comes to disco artists that represent LGBTQ culture, I think Sylvester is a stronger choice as his overall discography holds up much better, was more influential to dance music as a genre, and IMO was just a better overall artist.  The Village People, as a Performers inductee, IMO falls short.  However, few songs in the history of rock and roll are more perfect for the Singles category than “Y.M.C.A.”  And while we’re at it, “Macho Man” should be inducted too.  Though that’s a candidate for another blog series on this subject.

M- Pop Muzik (1979): Next up, we have a song that that kind of predicted the future of music with the domination that pop, and dance music had on the 1980’s.  The song being “Pop Muzik” by M.  “Pop Muzik” was a pioneering song, becoming one of the first synth-pop and new wave songs to hit No. 1 on the American Billboard pop charts in 1979, and is thus a classic of the genre and period.  The song was also the only hit song from Robin Scott, better known as M.  Thus, it is a perfect candidate for the Singles category.  An induction for “Pop Muzik” would bring synth-pop and new wave to the Singles category.

Sister Sledge- We are Family (1979): Another classic single from the disco genre and era, 1979’s “We are Family” became a massive hit and anthemic song for various sub-cultures, and even sports teams.  Written by the songwriting team of Chic, Nile Rodgers and Bernard Edwards, the song established the team as an important songwriting duo for other artists, and also became the defining song of Sister Sledge’s recording career.  The song regularly cited as one of the greatest girl-group songs of all-time, one of the greatest R&B songs of all-time, and one of the greatest disco songs of all-time.  It was inducted into the National Recording Registry by the Library of Congress in 2017, thus further proving its lasting impact on American culture.  Though Sister Sledge had a very successful recording career with a number of memorable and great songs (“Pretty Baby” and “Got to Love Somebody” are among my other favorites), “We are Family” far surpasses those songs in influence and cultural impact, and thus a Singles category induction for this classic hit is more appropriate in my view.

The Buggles- Video Killed the Radio Star (1979): Now we get to a band and song that is tailor-made for the Singles category.  The new wave band the Buggles with their defining and iconic new wave single, “Video Killed the Radio Star.”  The Buggles are largely a one hit wonder and one album wonder, so there is very little of a recording career beyond the album and this massively influential song, thus killing any notion of a Performers induction into the Hall.  That being said, few songs are more appropriate for the Singles category than “Video Killed the Radio Star.”  Probably best known as the first music video played on MTV, the song is one of the cornerstone singles of the new wave genre.  Few songs more accurately predicted the future of music than “Video Killed the Radio Star.”  The title says it all.  Over the ensuing decade in the 80’s, music video would come to dominate radio play when it comes to importance in the music industry and the promotion and success of a musical artist.  The music industry changed completely in the 1980’s, becoming much more of a visually-minded industry, thanks to the cultural dominance of MTV and music videos.  And the song, from two years prior alluded to it all.  For my money, it’s one of the greatest songs of all-time just for that reason alone.  Not to mention the song itself is catchy, memorable, and enduring.  It’s a Hallmark of the new wave genre, and IMO, an essential inductee for the Singles category.

The Knack- My Sharona (1979): And now the genre of “Power-Pop” enters the conversation with the next two candidates, both from 1979.  The first we’ll talk about is “My Sharona” by the Knack.  At the time the song was hailed by rock fans and critics as an attempt to bring rock music back to the top of the charts and stop the reign of disco.  Ultimately within a few years, both disco and power pop would fade from the Billboard charts and become less popular genres in the mainstream.  But there’s no denying that “My Sharona” endured as one of the most perfectly crafted rock and pop songs of all-time.  It has endured in popularity and remains one of the most well-known songs of the late 70’s.  It’s also, by far, the biggest hit song of the Knack’s career and by far their defining song.  Thus, it is a perfect candidate for the Singles category.

The Romantics- What I Like About You (1979): Next up we have a song that is not only a classic of the Power-Pop genre but is, IMO, one of the most perfectly crafted rock and roll songs of all-time.  If I had to pick one song from 1960 and beyond that perfectly encapsulates what rock and roll music as a musical genre sounds like and should be, I would select “What I Like About You” by the Romantics.  The catchy chorus and background harmony vocals, the intense non-stop beat and pace, the hard but simple rhythm guitar riffs, the out of this world harmonica solo, and finally the short but to the point 3-minute length of the song.  It is quite possibly, IMO, the most perfectly crafted rock and roll song of all-time, on par with any recording from Elvis, Chuck Berry, or Little Richard.  It’s as close to a perfect song as there’s ever been, IMO.  Yes, I have a very high opinion of this classic song.  And I imagine many don’t think quite as highly of the song as I do.  But there’s no denying it’s status as a classic rock and pop song for the late 70’s/early 80’s period where new wave was on the verge of taking over rock n’ roll.  The Romantics had another massive hit song in the early 80’s with “Talking in Your Sleep.”  But the two songs together aren’t quite enough of a case for the Romantics to be inducted into the RNRHOF as a Performer, IMO.  And “Talking in Your Sleep” while being a good song, IMO is not a HOF worthy single.  “What I Like About You,” however is.  Much like Don McLean, the legacy of the Romantics is that of a solid band with a decent recording career but who managed to create one classic song that is greater than any song made by 95% of the greatest artists of all-time.  Thus, a perfect candidate for the Singles category.

The Sugarhill Gang- Rapper’s Delight (1979): And finally, we’re gonna wrap up the 70’s, and fittingly so, with our first rap song nominee, with the Sugarhill Gang’s seminal 1979 single, “Rapper’s Delight.”  “Rapper’s Delight” is of course the song that is credited with launching rap music into the mainstream of American music as it became the first rap single to reach the top 40 of the Billboard charts, while also proving that rapping wasn’t just a local activity for people to engage in, but a legitimate musical genre that could be put on record and be successful.  It’s one of the most important songs in the history of American music.  However, the Sugarhill Gang are another act that honestly has a strong case to be inducted into the RNRHOF.  Though they were only successful for a few years and many rap artists would soon greatly surpass their work, there’s no denying their importance in the history of rap.  I don’t think there’s a real right or wrong answer on whether you think they’re worthy of induction into the RNRHOF as Performers.  What it really boils down to is your opinion on the answer to a question.  Is the Sugarhill Gang important to rap and music in general for a larger body of work that allows them to meet more of the typical qualifications for a RNRHOF inductee (musical excellence, innovation, influence, popularity, longevity, commercial and/or critical success, defining a genre, time period, etc)?  Or is the Sugarhill Gang important to music mostly because of “Rapper’s Delight?  Which if the case, makes it seem more logical to just induct “Rapper’s Delight” in the Singles category.  Ultimately, I lean in the latter opinion, and thus that is why I decided to include them in this blog.  I think the Sugarhill Gang’s legacy on rap music and music in general is centered largely on the impact of “Rapper’s Delight,” and not so much on their entire discography, not to say there’s not other quality and important work there.  Ultimately, I think it’s more appropriate to induct “Rapper’s Delight” into the Singles category than induct the Sugarhill Gang into the RNRHOF as a Performer.  Anyone that disagrees, however, is not gonna get any argument from me.  I think there’s a case for both considerations and viewpoints.

That will do it for this edition of blog series on candidates for the Singles Category of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. The next and final part of the series will cover the 1980’s and first half of the 1990’s (90-95). So stay tuned for that. I hope everyone enjoyed the list, and feel free to let me know what you think in the comments!