We can argue all day long about what the best decade for music was, but in this writer’s opinion, it was the 1970s.
The 1960s were also great, but they felt like a benchmark-setting year, one where the public got to witness just how impactful music could be and therefore devotion to artists, styles and genres grew at an exceptional rate. However, while the potential of music was being realised, the boundaries surrounding sound were yet to be well and truly pushed. Nudged, sure, but there was a long way to go.
It was in the 1970s when musicians really started to tap into the potential that came with their given genre. There was no right or wrong way to experiment with sound; people could inject various styles and themes into their music in a bid to create something completely unique. A lot of these adventurous takes were lost amidst the sands of time; however, the songs that stuck with listeners back then still resonate today just as strongly.
Within the genres of pop, soul and rock, there were huge steps forward taken as musicians proved just how much they could achieve within their given styles. Some of these songs will be remembered for decades to come.
George Harrison’s 1971 song that will be remembered still and forever:
George Harrison – ‘My Sweet Lord’
1971 was the year of The Beatles’ solo projects. While you had people recognising John Lennon’s potential as a conscious songwriter, you also had onlookers realising just how much of a talent George Harrison was. While a few of his songs took off with The Beatles, he was never considered the band’s chief songwriter, and he took the opportunity that came with being a solo artist to really prove just how capable he was.
One of the biggest songs from his album All Things Must Pass is ‘My Sweet Lord’, and it will stand the test of time for multiple reasons. The first is simply the quality of the song. Harrison’s vocals, the catchy nature of the track and the fact that the harmonious outro resonates no matter what time period you listen in. However, it will also be considered timeless because it was such a historical statement of intent for Harrison. The man who had been pushed aside for so long finally had a platform where he could establish himself as a writer, and he was taking up all of it.
