I remember Badfinger during the early seventies. Great music. Then they were gone. Didn't know what happened to them until the book "Without You." Heartbreaking story. I started collecting everything I could find of theirs. They are phenomenal. If you haven't discovered Badfinger, and you love great pop and rock and roll, you're in for a treat.❤❤
@KyleWessels-c8z That bastard stole all their money and got away with it! "You murdered my best friend." Tragic. P.S. -- have you seen the video of Paul McCartney teaching them "Come and get it"? If not, check it out. His own demo is also available. It's said they didn't like the song and he had to shove it down their throats.
Well done video, Tom! I sort of knew you were alluding to Steely Dan after naming the previous artists in this video (especially David Bowie & Elton John). Donald Fagen and Walter Becker created so many genius songs in their discography away from the often played songs which are still played on the Boomer radio stations. The songs rarely played are the ones I go to most often, and Countdown To Ecstasy is my favourite pre-Aja albums by that outstanding band/duo. I've also heard the BS about referring to them as yacht Rock, and I recall hearing that anus with lips Robert Cristgau say that Steely Dan sounds exactly like their albums when you hear them perform in person, so there's no point attending their concerts. I detest most Rock "critics" as just mouth pieces for the record labels. I also love Donald Fagen's solo albums, the man is a genius at creating powerful riffs and jams, and I love his singing. I agree with you 100%!
Elton John from 71-76 was the only artist to have Beatles type popularity on both the singles and album charts. Capitol Records tried to push both The Raspberries and The Knack as the new Beatles.
@petercena9497 "I wanna be with you", "Let's pretend", "All by myself" and "Never gonna fall in love again" are way up among my all time favorite singles. But you can't mention Carmen/Raspberries in the same discussion as the Beatles. As for The Knack, at least they inspired Al Yankovic's "My Bologna".
You make a strong case for Steely Dan. From a creative standpoint I wouldn’t argue against them. What the Beatles had on all of the nominations you present were at least three (I say four) winsome, distinctive vocalists in one group. The solo ex-Beatles could not replicate that. In addition to your nominations, about 1970-72 Chicago could be considered “Beatle-like” as far as the popularity of their albums. From 1973-77 Stevie Wonder had a lot of that space. 1975-79, Fleetwood Mac?
Chicago was an ambitious pop-rock band with jazz influences and countercultural leftist politics from "Chicago Transit Authority" through "Chicago III." It was only after the success of their first single-disc album, "Chicago V," that they crossed firmly into pop -- and by the time they became Pete Cetera's backing band in the 1980s they were no longer recognizable as the same group who made the earlier albums. The double-LP "Chicago VII" (recorded at James William Guercio's Caribou Ranch studio -- namesake of Elton John's "Caribou") marked the end of their ambition and studio experimentation period. After that, they were commercially successful but their earlier fans no longer paid attention to the MOR radio fodder they were putting out...
Good call! I loved "the Dan" from their first album on (there were only six of them in the '70s, from "Can't Buy a Thrill" to "Aja") -- and I remember telling people when the eclectic and irresistibly tuneful (and twisted and funny and inventive) pop pastiche of "Pretzel Logic" came out in 1974 that it was the closest thing to another Beatles album we were ever likely to hear. Seemed like the perfect follow-up to "Abbey Road," actually -- in production, songwriting and sheer sound quality. Nobody will ever dominate all of popular culture like the Beatles did in America for those short years between 1964 and 1970, but you're right that the closest thing to that kind of infections pop pervasiveness in the '70s was the team of Elton John and Bernie Taupin -- the Lennon-McCartney (and Bacharach-David, and Goffin-King) of their era. We'll never see the likes of them again, either.
Another contender for me is Todd Rundgren and Utopia. Todd I think achieved much more individually but couldn't match the synergism of the Fab Four. Definitely a huge talent and an artist who covered a variety of musical genres.
Steely Dan like the Beatles offered quality lyrics and melodies. Plus the Dan pushed the chordal aspect of pop / rock music to another level. Also, excellent musicianship and audio quality. For me, The Beatles and Steely Dan's music never gets old. Good call.
Steely Dan is an interesting pick, Tom. Well supported in your video. When I saw the topic, the groups that first came to my mind were Badfinger, Big Star, ELO, and Squeeze. On reflection, I'd add two more: XTC and - dare I say it - the infamous Canadian group, Klaatu (the allegedly reunited Beatles -- but that was just a notorious rumor, wasn't it).
ABBA? The mania and lots of melodic hits were there. The two men were a creative songwriter duo. And behind the pop image there was a hidden toughness (e. g. Gimme Gimme Gimme).
I mentioned in my comment that they WERE once deemed as the new Beatles, presumably because they kept coming out with highly catchy songs all the time. They were the sort of songs that just stuck to your brain, and were absolutely impossible to forget. Obviously bands like Led Zeppelin and Steely Dan who were heavily mentioned here would not have appealed to fans of groups like The Bee Gees or Abba who wanted catchy songs all the time. There was nothing memorable like Night Fever or Super Trouper amongst bands like Steely Dan or Led Zeppelin.
As an insufferable rock snob in my misbegotten youth, l would have sneered and called Steely Dan Yacht Rock if that perjorative existed at the time. But somebody on the same accoustic singer/songwriter circuit as me used to play the Dan all the time, and l was floored at how good the songs and lyrics were in stripped down form. So when l decided to stop being such an asshole and started listening to the albums, l was blown away. Steely Dan for the win! Well, in my heart of hearts it'll ALWAYS be Big Star. But l'm a Dan fan for life.
Badfinger could have been the Beatles of the 70's. They wrote beautifully melodic songs with tight harmonies. If the band did not have the band luck they did, Tom Evans and Pete Ham could have been another Lennon and McCartney songwriting duo.
The Dan are a great choice...in fact I was crossing my fingers, hoping you would mention them in this video...but I still gotta go with Zeppelin. Not just the greatness...immense...or how influential they were...equally immense...but also how they were a case of collective genius, four talented musicians who came together to create otherworldly magic, greater than the sum of its parts, much like the Beatles, who, as solo artists, were never able to achieve the same impact. Some might argue that Lennon, McCartney, Plant also, have had stellar solo careers, and they're probably right, but not on the same level as their band efforts. If it weren't for the Beatles, or Led Zeppelin, would we even pay as much attention to them as solo artists? Possibly, but probably not. And that's why Zep is my choice for the 70s version of the Beatles. Great video, man.
Tried to pick ahead when I saw your caption. Led Zeppelin...nah too rough Aerosmith too hard. Queen...maybe? Steely Dan too much jazz. I settled on Elton John. Tumbleweed connection Madman across the water Honkey Chateau Don't shoot me I'm only the piano player Goodbye Yellow Brick Road Another good vid bro. Well thought out.
Off the top ive heard Rasberries/ Cheap Trick. Then again you have Knack, early REM, some even say U2 but thats going into 80's. I forgot ELO, ouch. I definitely missed but i do know a cat that says...KI$$! 😉
I was living in L.A. in the late 80's and I had a sudden yearning for Steely Dan and bought Aja and Gaucho! I listened to them over and over for a good couple months! They never had a permament band did they?
Pink Floyd is the 70s Beatles. The mere visual symbolism of that band’s album artwork is more well known globally than the song Stairway to Heaven. You’d have to remind 90% of boomers who badfinger even is, to everyone under 50 they were a mediocre band that got to record a McCartney song.
You're dead right about Steely Dan being the closest thing to a '70s Beatles, in terms of chameleon inventiveness. What they lacked was the same thing that other candidates lacked -- the multiplicity of personalities, influences, and voices. The Beatles always had those four (or five) distinctly different people pushing and shoving at the music, and compromises were made. Steely Dan had many more different contributors, but it all got filtered through the Becker/Fagen coffee filter. Make no mistake, though -- I love the first four Dan albums to death, admire in retrospect the fifth, bought the sixth when it was released and said, "huh?", and passed on the rest. Until I got the box set. But Steely Dan comes closer than anybody. The Eagles tried really hard. Bowie was just one voice (with many personalities, all of them cold). Zep got fairly close, but couldn't appeal to the gentle crowd -- you can't play them in a singles bar. 😛 The '70s was the beginning of the era of the dominant voice. Here's another perspective: If you're willing to allow some late-'60s stuff and mostly talking (with a little music), the real successors to The Beatles were The Firesign Theatre. They even explicitly stated "We wanted to be The Beatles". And they were. Four different personalities (and resumes), with voices that stood out, yet harmonized when necessary. They put out an impressive body of comedic work from the late '60s through the '00s, both together and in solo and duo configurations. Like The Beatles, two of them are still alive.
when this video popped up... my first thought (which wasn't even mentioned) was Klatuu... hands down. In the US, the first album was likely the only one heard... but they had four others. The second one, and best imo... was Hope. Take anything that alters the mind... and spin that one. as great as any 60's psych or even prog for that matter. The third... Sir Army Suit... was a bit of a let down from the first two... but still awesome in its own write (pun here). It had videos made for the first half of the album done in the Max Fleisher style of the 30's... one song even done backwards psych style. Last 2 releases were still good... but went nowhere. As far as Steely Dan goes... I have all the records you showed originals... the only one I really 'got' was the first one. I found them getting more pretentious with every release after. Anyways... great video as always... Cheers!
I did get into Steely Dan during their Aja-late 1970s period but think that Elton John/Bernie Taupin are a more accurate comparison to the Beatles, in terms of songs that later become “standards.”
I have to agree that Steely Dan does top the others that you mentioned. Oddly enough I came to know SD rather late in the game. My first album was The Royal Scam and the other albums grew on me later. Like the Beatles, Steely Dan was always changing. I can listen to anything by them now and it does not feel dated. I saw them eight to ten years ago in Portland, Oregon which was a truly great show which I didn't expect because I always thought that they were studio rats. As for the other candidates, They did have creative periods but did not cover as much ground as Steely Dan. I have to say that I got Led Zeppelin fatigue after the forth album and honestly I didn't think they were all that much.
I was 18 in 1976 Beatles fan. My vote goes to Elton and his band (so underrated). Like the Beatles Elton had 5 tremendous years amazing albums. Steely Dan good choice but people would cover Elton like bands covered the Beatles Steely Dan didn’t have that effect.
Yes, the Stones created very intersting characters. Howmuch time are you spending on S Dan? I think too much. Yes, goor Eagles - particularly their acoustic songs early in their career.
Provocative question But Beatles of 70s ? A band the grew from album to album A band with 3 great songwriters A band with 3 great singers A band that personified a mania A band with countless singles and great albums I can put forth a good argument for The Bee Gees
Other choices for some might be ELECTRIC LIGHT ORCHESTRA, maybe CHICAGO had their producer not stabbed them in the back, THE EAGLES as they were the #1 U.S. rock band for the decade, THE BEE GEES were there for the last few years of the decade (at least chartwise) while THREE DOG NIGHT were that big for the earlier part of the decade. Some might say PAUL MCCARTNEY AND WINGS, but a few other acts (THE JACKSON %) had that kind of success for a short period of time, though we are also talking about a hits act two wrote their music. Shows you how incredible that decade for music was, especially versus now.
I predicted you would pick Steely Dan from the video's outset, and then after you picked David Bowie I predicted Elton John. I would add Queen and The Police (even though the latter started mid-late 70's and ended early-mid 80's.)
If Led Zeppelin is obviously the great english band of that era, Steely Dan is definitly the best american band of the 70's far above The Eagles, Doobie Brothers, Poco or whoever. From "Can't buy a thrill" to "Gaucho" no bad or average album : Donald "McCartney" Fagen and Walter "Lennon" Becker are genius !
Strong argument made. You get bits and pieces of Beatles glimmer in several different 70s bands who didn’t sustain. But Steely Dan did and they continued that late Beatles George Martin refinement of studio technique, some might say to OCD perfectionist levels. Ps: If I ever read or hear anyone use the term “yacht rock” to describe SD, I’ll defer to Donald Fagan’s eloquent telephone response to the yacht rock documentary maker: “go f&ck yourself.”
First off, you don't define what you mean by "the Beatles of the '70's." Sure, we can glean some of what you mean when you talk about each band proposed as the answer, but a clear statement of what you mean would be better. I'd like to know what the six Steely Dan songs are that you're hearing on your local radio station. Mine only plays "FM" and "Hey Nineteen" any more. Back in the day, Steely Dan songs in regular rotation on the radio in my town were, in addition to the two I've already mentioned, "Do It Again," "Dirty Work," "Reelin' in the Years," "My Old School," "Rikki Don't Lose That Number," "Black Friday," "Bad Sneakers," "Kid Charlemagne," "Black Cow," "Aja," "Deacon Blues," "Peg," and "Josie."
Love YOU, but have always despised Steely Dan. If I get sent to Hell they will play SD to torture me. The Beatles of the '70s were The Bee Gees. "Dont forget to remember me", "If I only had my mind on something else", Man for all seasons", "Lonely Days", "How can you mend a broken heart", "The greatest man in the world", "Don't wanna live inside myself", "My world", "Run to me", "Mr Natural", "Nights on Broadway", "Jive talkin", "Fanny", "You should be dancin", "Love so right", "Boogie child" "Emotion", "How deep is your love", "More than a woman", "If I can't have you", "Tragedy", "Too much heaven". Beatles-level compositions throughout the whole decade.
Agreed on the Bee Gees. A career for the ages. One enjoyable album after another, going all the way back to their teen years in Australia. Masters of composition and harmony. And yes, Steely Dan bores me, except for "my old school.'
@stevenkaminsky I disliked disco, but I mostly found their disco era music to be Bee Gees with a heavier drum beat. I didn't see what all the fuss was about, as if they had betrayed their fans. "Emotion" is as Bee Gees as any composition could ever be.
I agree with you. The only Steely Dan song that caught me on was Do It Again, as I just liked that song, as the tune itself stood out. The rest of their songs were completely unmemorable. I suggested The Bee Gees in my comment, as for any band to replacece The Beatles, it had to be one who could come out with catchy songs all the time. The only Bee Gees' track you mentioned that I did not like was You Should Be Dancing which I thought was awful. In place of that, you could have mentioned Stayin' Alive and Night Fever, both of which were much nicer songs altogether.
I don't think there was a Beatles of the seventies. The nearest I could think of was solo John Lennon, or maybe the continuation ofThe Who. Pete Townshend wrote very distinctive songs, unlike members of Zep, Deep Purple or Black Sabbath, none of whom had a Pete Townshend. The nearest I could settle for are The Who, but even that doesn't seem quite correct. Elton John was just a geriatric crooner. If you had to bring a crooner into the subject, you should instead have mentioned Engelbert Humperdinck, as he was at least more listenable. I think The Bee Gees may have come near to it after re-emerging during the late seventies. But I suddenly remembered Abba were once considered as the new Beatles, presumably because they always came out with highly catchy and complete unforgettable songs (love 'em or hate 'em). But if there was a new Beatles, it had to be one that could keep coming out with highly catchy songs all the time, and songs that just stuck to your brain so that you could never forget them. You would just keep hearing them in your brain all the time. Obviously, Abba were much closer to that than Steely Dan, likewise The Bee Gees. There was nothing memorable like Night Fever or Super Trouper amongst the Steely Dan output, whose songs were virtually impossible to remember, apart from Do It Again.
There was no Beatles of the 70s, 80s, 90s, 00s, 10s, or 20s. Nobody has had the same popularity or influence on music and culture as the Beatles. There are numerous youtubers making a living analysing or reacting to Beatles records. The Beatles are known and loved by people around the world. Steely Dan have a loyal following, but they are disliked by as many people as those who love them. You used the word "slick" a lot in this video. Some of us don't like slick. I actually prefer the bootleg Android Warehouse album because it isn't slick. Anyway, Steely Dan are not in the same league as the Beatles.
The Raspberries. More guitar, great melodies, harmonies, ballads, rockers and memorable songs. Never understood the fascination and worship of Big Star, personally. Strained and whiny vocals on the ballads and yelling out of their vocal range on the rockers. They're third album was a dour mess.
Disagree. There is no 70's Beatles. I really like the Dan, but their songs are generally soft pop rock lacking in dynamics, melodic range, affect, which makes them easy listening and why many people see them as Yacht Rock. The track Aja puts me to sleep, and the drum solo, while technically and creatively superior, lacks excitement and competes with a saxophone. There is no Helter Skelter, Revolution or any Coltrane intensity, or much Nyro tempo and rhythmic variation. Incidentally, in a Rolling Stone interview about 4 years ago, Donald Fagen stated that Laura Nyro influenced them to be more " experimental". Real rock fusion is the Mahavishnu Orchestra - not the kind of music you play when sailing on a gentle breeze, more like music for a tempest.
I think Badfinger wanted to be The Beatles of the 70's but that's a tragic story of horrible management.
The Beatles were the Beatles of the 70s.
I agree. I don't think there ever was another Beatles.
Slade reminds me of early Beatles and they had a ton of hits in Europe. They were also very influential.
I remember Badfinger during the early seventies. Great music. Then they were gone. Didn't know what happened to them until the book "Without You." Heartbreaking story. I started collecting everything I could find of theirs. They are phenomenal. If you haven't discovered Badfinger, and you love great pop and rock and roll, you're in for a treat.❤❤
@KyleWessels-c8z That bastard stole all their money and got away with it! "You murdered my best friend." Tragic. P.S. -- have you seen the video of Paul McCartney teaching them "Come and get it"? If not, check it out. His own demo is also available. It's said they didn't like the song and he had to shove it down their throats.
thanx
Pete Ham committed suicide in 1975, which was so incredibly sad and tragic, thus ending the true Badfinger sound, as well as his songwriting.
@AlterMann57 His band-made said to the con-artist "You murdered my best friend."
Well done video, Tom! I sort of knew you were alluding to Steely Dan after naming the previous artists in this video (especially David Bowie & Elton John). Donald Fagen and Walter Becker created so many genius songs in their discography away from the often played songs which are still played on the Boomer radio stations. The songs rarely played are the ones I go to most often, and Countdown To Ecstasy is my favourite pre-Aja albums by that outstanding band/duo.
I've also heard the BS about referring to them as yacht Rock, and I recall hearing that anus with lips Robert Cristgau say that Steely Dan sounds exactly like their albums when you hear them perform in person, so there's no point attending their concerts. I detest most Rock "critics" as just mouth pieces for the record labels.
I also love Donald Fagen's solo albums, the man is a genius at creating powerful riffs and jams, and I love his singing.
I agree with you 100%!
Elton John from 71-76 was the only artist to have Beatles type popularity on both the singles and album charts.
Capitol Records tried to push both The Raspberries and The Knack as the new Beatles.
@petercena9497 "I wanna be with you", "Let's pretend", "All by myself" and "Never gonna fall in love again" are way up among my all time favorite singles. But you can't mention Carmen/Raspberries in the same discussion as the Beatles. As for The Knack, at least they inspired Al Yankovic's "My Bologna".
John Lennon said that it was ELO. It's hard not to agree!✌️
ABBA.
In my opinion, David Bowie was putting fantastic, cutting edge albums in the 70s and influencing the rock music scene at the same time.
You make a strong case for Steely Dan. From a creative standpoint I wouldn’t argue against them.
What the Beatles had on all of the nominations you present were at least three (I say four) winsome, distinctive vocalists in one group.
The solo ex-Beatles could not replicate that. In addition to your nominations, about 1970-72 Chicago could be considered “Beatle-like”
as far as the popularity of their albums. From 1973-77 Stevie Wonder had a lot of that space. 1975-79, Fleetwood Mac?
Chicago was an ambitious pop-rock band with jazz influences and countercultural leftist politics from "Chicago Transit Authority" through "Chicago III." It was only after the success of their first single-disc album, "Chicago V," that they crossed firmly into pop -- and by the time they became Pete Cetera's backing band in the 1980s they were no longer recognizable as the same group who made the earlier albums. The double-LP "Chicago VII" (recorded at James William Guercio's Caribou Ranch studio -- namesake of Elton John's "Caribou") marked the end of their ambition and studio experimentation period. After that, they were commercially successful but their earlier fans no longer paid attention to the MOR radio fodder they were putting out...
I thought you were going to make a case for Squeeze!
Katy Lied is my favorite, it sounds like they were having fun.
I was the only member of my family who was a big fan of Steely Dan. This guy Bob Ellison gave me a cassette of them and I was hooked!! 😊😊😊😊😊 😯 😲 😯 😯 😯
I follow your logic & agree.....❤
Good call! I loved "the Dan" from their first album on (there were only six of them in the '70s, from "Can't Buy a Thrill" to "Aja") -- and I remember telling people when the eclectic and irresistibly tuneful (and twisted and funny and inventive) pop pastiche of "Pretzel Logic" came out in 1974 that it was the closest thing to another Beatles album we were ever likely to hear. Seemed like the perfect follow-up to "Abbey Road," actually -- in production, songwriting and sheer sound quality. Nobody will ever dominate all of popular culture like the Beatles did in America for those short years between 1964 and 1970, but you're right that the closest thing to that kind of infections pop pervasiveness in the '70s was the team of Elton John and Bernie Taupin -- the Lennon-McCartney (and Bacharach-David, and Goffin-King) of their era. We'll never see the likes of them again, either.
Big Star............Beatles, Kinks, Byrds, Who, Velvets, Spoonful all rolled into one beautiful noise!!!
Another contender for me is Todd Rundgren and Utopia. Todd I think achieved much more individually but couldn't match the synergism of the Fab Four. Definitely a huge talent and an artist who covered a variety of musical genres.
Great topic Tom. I believe you are spot on with Steely Dan based on the criteria.
Steely Dan like the Beatles offered quality lyrics and melodies. Plus the Dan pushed the chordal aspect of pop / rock music to another level. Also, excellent musicianship and audio quality. For me, The Beatles and Steely Dan's music never gets old. Good call.
Steely Dan is an interesting pick, Tom. Well supported in your video. When I saw the topic, the groups that first came to my mind were Badfinger, Big Star, ELO, and Squeeze. On reflection, I'd add two more: XTC and - dare I say it - the infamous Canadian group, Klaatu (the allegedly reunited Beatles -- but that was just a notorious rumor, wasn't it).
Good choice. SD were in a league of their own in the 70s.
ABBA?
The mania and lots of melodic hits were there.
The two men were a creative songwriter duo.
And behind the pop image there was a hidden toughness (e. g. Gimme Gimme Gimme).
I mentioned in my comment that they WERE once deemed as the new Beatles, presumably because they kept coming out with highly catchy songs all the time. They were the sort of songs that just stuck to your brain, and were absolutely impossible to forget. Obviously bands like Led Zeppelin and Steely Dan who were heavily mentioned here would not have appealed to fans of groups like The Bee Gees or Abba who wanted catchy songs all the time. There was nothing memorable like Night Fever or Super Trouper amongst bands like Steely Dan or Led Zeppelin.
Thanks, Tom!
Good video. I would have taken it a different way, though. Bands that sounded like The Beatles such as Badfinger, The Rasberries, and Klatuu.
You are right!
As an insufferable rock snob in my misbegotten youth, l would have sneered and called Steely Dan Yacht Rock if that perjorative existed at the time. But somebody on the same accoustic singer/songwriter circuit as me used to play the Dan all the time, and l was floored at how good the songs and lyrics were in stripped down form. So when l decided to stop being such an asshole and started listening to the albums, l was blown away. Steely Dan for the win!
Well, in my heart of hearts it'll ALWAYS be Big Star. But l'm a Dan fan for life.
Badfinger could have been the Beatles of the 70's. They wrote beautifully melodic songs with tight harmonies. If the band did not have the band luck they did, Tom Evans and Pete Ham could have been another Lennon and McCartney songwriting duo.
The Dan are a great choice...in fact I was crossing my fingers, hoping you would mention them in this video...but I still gotta go with Zeppelin. Not just the greatness...immense...or how influential they were...equally immense...but also how they were a case of collective genius, four talented musicians who came together to create otherworldly magic, greater than the sum of its parts, much like the Beatles, who, as solo artists, were never able to achieve the same impact. Some might argue that Lennon, McCartney, Plant also, have had stellar solo careers, and they're probably right, but not on the same level as their band efforts. If it weren't for the Beatles, or Led Zeppelin, would we even pay as much attention to them as solo artists? Possibly, but probably not. And that's why Zep is my choice for the 70s version of the Beatles. Great video, man.
The Ramones with their melodic punk
@willieluncheonette5843 "I just wanna sniff some glue". 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
I thought of The Ramones, but then I thought not quite.
I love it. Never would have thought but that's cool.
@@GeraldM_inNC sittin in Queens eating refried beans
The Beatles were the ABBA of the 60s - great MOR pop.
Tried to pick ahead when I saw your caption.
Led Zeppelin...nah too rough
Aerosmith too hard.
Queen...maybe?
Steely Dan too much jazz.
I settled on Elton John.
Tumbleweed connection
Madman across the water
Honkey Chateau
Don't shoot me I'm only the piano player
Goodbye Yellow Brick Road
Another good vid bro. Well thought out.
Off the top ive heard Rasberries/ Cheap Trick. Then again you have Knack, early REM, some even say U2 but thats going into 80's. I forgot ELO, ouch. I definitely missed but i do know a cat that says...KI$$! 😉
I was living in L.A. in the late 80's and I had a sudden yearning for Steely Dan and bought Aja and Gaucho! I listened to them over and over for a good couple months! They never had a permament band did they?
Pink Floyd is the 70s Beatles. The mere visual symbolism of that band’s album artwork is more well known globally than the song Stairway to Heaven.
You’d have to remind 90% of boomers who badfinger even is, to everyone under 50 they were a mediocre band that got to record a McCartney song.
You're dead right about Steely Dan being the closest thing to a '70s Beatles, in terms of chameleon inventiveness. What they lacked was the same thing that other candidates lacked -- the multiplicity of personalities, influences, and voices. The Beatles always had those four (or five) distinctly different people pushing and shoving at the music, and compromises were made. Steely Dan had many more different contributors, but it all got filtered through the Becker/Fagen coffee filter. Make no mistake, though -- I love the first four Dan albums to death, admire in retrospect the fifth, bought the sixth when it was released and said, "huh?", and passed on the rest. Until I got the box set. But Steely Dan comes closer than anybody. The Eagles tried really hard. Bowie was just one voice (with many personalities, all of them cold). Zep got fairly close, but couldn't appeal to the gentle crowd -- you can't play them in a singles bar. 😛 The '70s was the beginning of the era of the dominant voice.
Here's another perspective: If you're willing to allow some late-'60s stuff and mostly talking (with a little music), the real successors to The Beatles were The Firesign Theatre. They even explicitly stated "We wanted to be The Beatles". And they were. Four different personalities (and resumes), with voices that stood out, yet harmonized when necessary. They put out an impressive body of comedic work from the late '60s through the '00s, both together and in solo and duo configurations. Like The Beatles, two of them are still alive.
when this video popped up... my first thought (which wasn't even mentioned) was Klatuu... hands down. In the US, the first album was likely the only one heard... but they had four others. The second one, and best imo... was Hope. Take anything that alters the mind... and spin that one. as great as any 60's psych or even prog for that matter. The third... Sir Army Suit... was a bit of a let down from the first two... but still awesome in its own write (pun here). It had videos made for the first half of the album done in the Max Fleisher style of the 30's... one song even done backwards psych style. Last 2 releases were still good... but went nowhere. As far as Steely Dan goes... I have all the records you showed originals... the only one I really 'got' was the first one. I found them getting more pretentious with every release after. Anyways... great video as always... Cheers!
Neil Young lyrics
I did get into Steely Dan during their Aja-late 1970s period but think that Elton John/Bernie Taupin are a more accurate comparison to the Beatles, in terms of songs that later become “standards.”
The KNACK
I have to agree that Steely Dan does top the others that you mentioned. Oddly enough I came to know SD rather late in the game. My first album was The Royal Scam and the other albums grew on me later. Like the Beatles, Steely Dan was always changing. I can listen to anything by them now and it does not feel dated. I saw them eight to ten years ago in Portland, Oregon which was a truly great show which I didn't expect because I always thought that they were studio rats. As for the other candidates, They did have creative periods but did not cover as much ground as Steely Dan. I have to say that I got Led Zeppelin fatigue after the forth album and honestly I didn't think they were all that much.
I was 18 in 1976 Beatles fan. My vote goes to Elton and his band (so underrated). Like the Beatles Elton had 5 tremendous years amazing albums. Steely Dan good choice but people would cover Elton like bands covered the Beatles Steely Dan didn’t have that effect.
Yes, the Stones created very intersting characters. Howmuch time are you spending on S Dan? I think too much. Yes, goor Eagles - particularly their acoustic songs early in their career.
Provocative question
But Beatles of 70s ?
A band the grew from album to album
A band with 3 great songwriters
A band with 3 great singers
A band that personified a mania
A band with countless singles and great albums
I can put forth a good argument for The Bee Gees
Other choices for some might be ELECTRIC LIGHT ORCHESTRA, maybe CHICAGO had their producer not stabbed them in the back, THE EAGLES as they were the #1 U.S. rock band for the decade, THE BEE GEES were there for the last few years of the decade (at least chartwise) while THREE DOG NIGHT were that big for the earlier part of the decade. Some might say PAUL MCCARTNEY AND WINGS, but a few other acts (THE JACKSON %) had that kind of success for a short period of time, though we are also talking about a hits act two wrote their music. Shows you how incredible that decade for music was, especially versus now.
I forgot the Gibbs. Nice.
I predicted you would pick Steely Dan from the video's outset, and then after you picked David Bowie I predicted Elton John.
I would add Queen and The Police (even though the latter started mid-late 70's and ended early-mid 80's.)
The Police were a great band, but were an entirely different band altogether, too different to be the new Beatles.. Queen I only liked some of.
If Led Zeppelin is obviously the great english band of that era, Steely Dan is definitly the best american band of the 70's far above The Eagles, Doobie Brothers, Poco or whoever.
From "Can't buy a thrill" to "Gaucho" no bad or average album : Donald "McCartney" Fagen and Walter "Lennon" Becker are genius !
Strong argument made. You get bits and pieces of Beatles glimmer in several different 70s bands who didn’t sustain. But Steely Dan did and they continued that late Beatles George Martin refinement of studio technique, some might say to OCD perfectionist levels.
Ps: If I ever read or hear anyone use the term “yacht rock” to describe SD, I’ll defer to Donald Fagan’s eloquent telephone response to the yacht rock documentary maker: “go f&ck yourself.”
Maybe... Pink Floyd.
Cheap Trick in my opinion though there is no Beatles of the 70s. The 70s had so many fantastic bands but none of them were the Beatles.
beat the meedles
First off, you don't define what you mean by "the Beatles of the '70's." Sure, we can glean some of what you mean when you talk about each band proposed as the answer, but a clear statement of what you mean would be better.
I'd like to know what the six Steely Dan songs are that you're hearing on your local radio station. Mine only plays "FM" and "Hey Nineteen" any more. Back in the day, Steely Dan songs in regular rotation on the radio in my town were, in addition to the two I've already mentioned, "Do It Again," "Dirty Work," "Reelin' in the Years," "My Old School," "Rikki Don't Lose That Number," "Black Friday," "Bad Sneakers," "Kid Charlemagne," "Black Cow," "Aja," "Deacon Blues," "Peg," and "Josie."
No love for Fleetwood Mac?
Love YOU, but have always despised Steely Dan. If I get sent to Hell they will play SD to torture me.
The Beatles of the '70s were The Bee Gees. "Dont forget to remember me", "If I only had my mind on something else", Man for all seasons", "Lonely Days", "How can you mend a broken heart", "The greatest man in the world", "Don't wanna live inside myself", "My world", "Run to me", "Mr
Natural", "Nights on Broadway", "Jive talkin", "Fanny", "You should be dancin", "Love so right", "Boogie child" "Emotion", "How deep is your love", "More than a woman", "If I can't have you", "Tragedy", "Too much heaven". Beatles-level compositions throughout the whole decade.
Agreed on the Bee Gees. A career for the ages. One enjoyable album after another, going all the way back to their teen years in Australia. Masters of composition and harmony. And yes, Steely Dan bores me, except for "my old school.'
@stevenkaminsky I disliked disco, but I mostly found their disco era music to be Bee Gees with a heavier drum beat. I didn't see what all the fuss was about, as if they had betrayed their fans. "Emotion" is as Bee Gees as any composition could ever be.
I agree with you. The only Steely Dan song that caught me on was Do It Again, as I just liked that song, as the tune itself stood out. The rest of their songs were completely unmemorable. I suggested The Bee Gees in my comment, as for any band to replacece The Beatles, it had to be one who could come out with catchy songs all the time. The only Bee Gees' track you mentioned that I did not like was You Should Be Dancing which I thought was awful. In place of that, you could have mentioned Stayin' Alive and Night Fever, both of which were much nicer songs altogether.
I don't think there was a Beatles of the seventies. The nearest I could think of was solo John Lennon, or maybe the continuation ofThe Who. Pete Townshend wrote very distinctive songs, unlike members of Zep, Deep Purple or Black Sabbath, none of whom had a Pete Townshend. The nearest I could settle for are The Who, but even that doesn't seem quite correct. Elton John was just a geriatric crooner. If you had to bring a crooner into the subject, you should instead have mentioned Engelbert Humperdinck, as he was at least more listenable.
I think The Bee Gees may have come near to it after re-emerging during the late seventies. But I suddenly remembered Abba were once considered as the new Beatles, presumably because they always came out with highly catchy and complete unforgettable songs (love 'em or hate 'em).
But if there was a new Beatles, it had to be one that could keep coming out with highly catchy songs all the time, and songs that just stuck to your brain so that you could never forget them. You would just keep hearing them in your brain all the time. Obviously, Abba were much closer to that than Steely Dan, likewise The Bee Gees. There was nothing memorable like Night Fever or Super Trouper amongst the Steely Dan output, whose songs were virtually impossible to remember, apart from Do It Again.
There was no Beatles of the 70s, 80s, 90s, 00s, 10s, or 20s. Nobody has had the same popularity or influence on music and culture as the Beatles. There are numerous youtubers making a living analysing or reacting to Beatles records. The Beatles are known and loved by people around the world. Steely Dan have a loyal following, but they are disliked by as many people as those who love them. You used the word "slick" a lot in this video. Some of us don't like slick. I actually prefer the bootleg Android Warehouse album because it isn't slick.
Anyway, Steely Dan are not in the same league as the Beatles.
I agree.
the Stones
The Raspberries. More guitar, great melodies, harmonies, ballads, rockers and memorable songs.
Never understood the fascination and worship of Big Star, personally. Strained and whiny vocals on the ballads and yelling out of their vocal range on the rockers. They're third album was a dour mess.
Disagree. There is no 70's Beatles. I really like the Dan, but their songs are generally soft pop rock lacking in dynamics, melodic range, affect, which makes them easy listening and why many people see them as Yacht Rock. The track Aja puts me to sleep, and the drum solo, while technically and creatively superior, lacks excitement and competes with a saxophone. There is no Helter Skelter, Revolution or any Coltrane intensity, or much Nyro tempo and rhythmic variation. Incidentally, in a Rolling Stone interview about 4 years ago, Donald Fagen stated that Laura Nyro influenced them to be more " experimental". Real rock fusion is the Mahavishnu Orchestra - not the kind of music you play when sailing on a gentle breeze, more like music for a tempest.
Eagles, hands down!
No such animal. People searched for The New Dylan with the same result.