Long before portable music devices, MTV, and, much later, streaming, most music lovers turned to AM radio to hear the biggest songs of the day. These tracks were practically inescapable due to the fact that AM radio was limited in scope and, thus, only a few stations played the biggest pop songs to appeal to the greatest number of people. If you were tuning your radio dial to the music station in the year 1970, then you likely heard these three songs constantly.
“Bridge Over Troubled Water” by Simon & Garfunkel
Simon & Garfunkel released “Bridge Over Troubled Water” in January 1970. In the decades since, it has become a pop music standard, covered by countless artists to the point that the song has become even larger than the folk duo’s musical legacy. Interestingly, this track was longer than most AM radios would play. But thanks to the success of Bob Dylan’s (even longer) track “Like A Rolling Stone”, Columbia Records was willing to risk it. Obviously, the risk paid off, peaking at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 under two months after its release.
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“(They Long To Be) Close To You” by The Carpenters
Karen Carpenter’s rich, warm voice was so prevalent in the 1960s and 70s that hearing her sing only a few words is liable to teleport you back in time. Those who were tuning in to AM radio in 1970 likely heard “(They Long To Be) Close To You” hundreds of times, considering its massive popularity following its May 1970 release. The sentimental ballad might seem a bit lush by today’s standards. However, back in 1970, listeners couldn’t get enough, helping the song reach the top of the charts worldwide.
“Raindrops Keep Fallin’ On My Head” by B.J. Thomas
B.J. Thomas released “Raindrops Keep Fallin’ On My Head” in October 1969. But if you were listening to AM radio at the time, you wouldn’t have known it. Music critics and radio stations didn’t take to the song exceptionally well. It remained largely out of rotation until Butch Cassidy And The Sundance Kid came out that December. Thomas’ song is prominently featured in the film starring Robert Redford and Paul Newman, and the popularity of this classic movie inevitably led to a boost in single sales and heavier radio rotation. By the end of 1970, you couldn’t turn on AM radio without hearing this track at least once a day.
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