Disco dominated the AM formats for a large part of the decade. It could be played in the clubs continuously due to the similarity in beat from song to song. Some of the early hits were tied to dances, like Van McCoy's "The Hustle" from 1975. Disco reached its pinnacle in the late '70s when John Travolta starred in "Saturday Night Fever." The movie, which featured several hits by the Bee Gees, produced a soundtrack album that became the largest-selling record of all time in just six months.
Rock acts could be filed under multiple names like hard rock, country rock, psychedelic and progressive rock. Led Zeppelin, paced by guitarist Jimmy Page and singer Robert Plant, cemented its legendary rock status on stage and off. "Stairway to Heaven" from 1971 became an FM anthem. Ozzy Osbourne and Black Sabbath, Aerosmith, Judas Priest, Alice Cooper, and Kiss all gave hard rock fans plenty to choose from. Famous arena or progressive rock bands emerged during the '70s, including Boston, Queen, REO Speedwagon, Journey, Kansas and Styx. Some holdovers from the '60s continued their success through the '70s. The Rolling Stones posted a No. 1 single in 1978 with "Miss You." The Stones were still among the world's leading touring acts through 2010, but as of 2011, "Miss You" remained its last No. 1 song.
Soft-rock from singer-songwriters still had a place on AM radio in the '70s. Bob Dylan was still a factor, though he ended the decade with a switch to Christian music with "Slow Train Coming." Jim Croce, John Denver, Janis Ian, Neil Young, Don McLean, James Taylor, Billy Joel and Paul Simon were among those writers who posted big '70s hits. Simon started 1970 as part of Simon & Garfunkel and with a huge hit, "Bridge Over Troubled Water." The duo broke up the same year, though they would have another top 10 hit in 1975 with "My Little Town."
Some rock bands with a melodic, harmonious sound that stressed instrumentation over power chords also found success in the '70s. Fleetwood Mac featured an unusual mix of male and female musicians and mixed keyboards into its blues/rock sound. It scored one of the decade's best-selling albums with "Rumours" in 1977. The Eagles had their first hit, "Take It Easy," in 1972, and their biggest commercial success, the album "Hotel California," in 1977.
Stevie Wonder, Marvin Gaye, Al Green, Gladys Knight & the Pips, Earth, Wind & Fire and Curtis Mayfield were among the R&B artists that managed to "cross over" to pop charts in the '70s. Michael Jackson, who started the decade as part of the kid act the Jackson 5, had his first big solo success with "Off the Wall" in 1979. "Hardcore" soul fans favored the bass-driven sound of funk. James Brown was still around. But George Clinton and his bands Funkadelic and Parliament came to personify funk with tracks like "Tear the Roof Off the Sucker."