Did you pick up the guitar as a youngin’ in the 1970s? If you still play the guitar today, you might have been inspired to start decades about by these rock songs from 1974. And even if they didn’t particularly inspire you, they’re definitely worth revisiting.
“Come And Get Your Love” by Redbone
Not only did Redbone likely inspire some 70s kids to pick up the guitar with this iconic song, but they probably also inspired countless garage bands to form in 1974. “Come And Get Your Love” by Redbone was one of the most popular pop-rock songs of the year, and it peaked at No. 5 on the Billboard Hot 100. Lolly Vegas’ lead guitar just can’t be matched.
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“Sweet Home Alabama” by Lynyrd Skynyrd
Few opening guitar riffs from the 1970s are as memorable as Ed King’s intro in “Sweet Home Alabama”. And those lead lines throughout the song are also pretty memorable, too. “Sweet Home Alabama” by Lynyrd Skynyrd dropped in the summer of 1974 and remains the band’s most well-known song. And many would consider it to be one of the most enduring Southern rock tunes of the decade. “Sweet Home Alabama” peaked at No. 8 on the Hot 100 chart.
“Killer Queen” by Queen
A couple of Queen tunes could have made it to this list, like “Brighton Rock. However, I went with “Killer Queen” because of how incredible Brian May’s guitar hooks are throughout this beloved Queen tune. A standout single from Sheer Heart Attack, “Killer Queen” was popular among fans and reached No. 12 on the Hot 100 chart and No. 2 on the UK Singles chart.
“Can’t Get Enough” by Bad Company
Bring back chunky guitar riffs, dang it! “Can’t Get Enough” by Bad Company is a fantastic song with incredibly memorable riffs a la Mick Ralphs and Paul Rodgers. And even if you weren’t a kid in the 70s, you’d probably be able to identify that instantly recognizable riff in a second. “Can’t Get Enough” is one of the best guitar-driven rock songs of 1974, and listeners at the time certainly vibed with it. This song topped the Cashbox Top 100 chart in the US and made it all the way to No. 5 on the Hot 100.
Photo by Ian Dickson/Shutterstock
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Glen Campbell playing guitar circa 1967. (Photo by Screen Archives/Getty Images)
