20 popular '70s bands that still perform today
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20 popular ’70s bands that still perform today
The Rolling Stones wave to the crowd at the Historic Atlantic City Convention Hall.
Looking back, the 1970s were full of musical heavyweights who paved the way for future artists. Yet, at the time, contemporary music fans simply experienced the decade as fertile ground for innovative musicians. Those 10 years gave birth to distinctly ’70s genres like disco and subgenres like hard rock, while other genres like R&B, soul, funk, and country continue to thrive today.
The ’70s produced some spectacular music and iconic acts that continued to have fruitful careers for years to come. Bands like Fleetwood Mac and Kiss were active for 50 years, while groups like the Bee Gees saw success for decades.
Other bands saw immense success in the ’70s but didn’t continue to perform in the coming decades. Led Zeppelin chose to split up after the death of their drummer, John Bonham, in 1980. Similarly, Creedence Clearwater Revival, who scored a #1 album in 1970, broke up in 1972 due to disagreements within the band.
Of course, there are legendary artists who helped create the gold standard in their specific genre and still perform today. Icons like Santana, Bruce Springsteen, and Billy Joel are mainstays of the touring circuit, but you might be surprised to learn that other ’70s acts are still active.
Stacker identified 20 music legends from the ’70s that still perform today. All acts included on this list were at the height of their fame in the ’70s and have performed in 2024 or have a show scheduled for 2025. Read on to see the full list.
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Alice Cooper
Alice Cooper performs during Fire Fight Australia at ANZ Stadium.
Since 1969, shock rock pioneer Alice Cooper has made a name for himself with theatrical sets featuring electric chairs to boa constrictors. The Alice Cooper band released their breakthrough third album, “Love It to Death,” in 1971. In 1975, Cooper put out his first solo album, “Welcome to My Nightmare.” Fifty years later, “The Godfather of Shock Rock” still spends six months out of the year on the road (and finds time to golf too!).
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Barry Manilow
Barry Manilow performs at The Palladium.
Barry Manilow dominated the mid-to-late ’70s with a bestselling studio album, 1978’s “Even Now,” and three #1 singles (1974’s “Mandy,” 1975’s “I Write the Songs,” and 1977’s “Looks Like We Made It”). During his lauded career, Manilow nabbed 50 Top 40 hits and sold over 85 million albums. And he still performs those toe-tapping hits today. The singer-songwriter has a Las Vegas residency at the Westgate Hotel and Casino that runs through 2025. The singer also spent 10 nights at New York City’s Radio City Music Hall during a 2024 residency.
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Billy Joel
Billy Joel performs at Madison Square Garden.
One of the most popular recording artists in the world, Billy Joel has sold more than 150 million albums since his career began in 1972. A lot of Joel’s success came during the ’70s. The Piano Man won four of his six Grammys during that decade and released his bestselling album “The Stranger” in 1977. In addition to touring throughout his career, in 2024, Joel concluded his historic residency at New York City’s Madison Square Garden, where he played 104 monthly shows throughout the course of 10 years.
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Bruce Springsteen
Bruce Springsteen performs during the 16th Annual Stand Up For Heroes Benefit.
Rising to mainstream success with “Born to Run,” Bruce Springsteen’s 1975 album peaked at #3 on the Billboard 200 chart and helped the singer-songwriter and his group the E Street Band establish their place in Heartland Rock history. Springsteen parted ways with his band in 1989 to pursue a solo career, launching a reunion 10 years later.
Since then, Springsteen has toured consistently, with the E Street Band usually backing him. During a concert in 2024, Springsteen addressed rumors of a farewell tour: “We’ve been around for 50 f—— years, and we ain’t quitting!” Springsteen declared. “We ain’t doing no farewell tour bulls—! Jesus Christ! No farewell tour for the E Street Band!”
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Chicago
The band Chicago perform at The Grand Ole Opry.
Chicago released a whopping 11 albums in the ’70s, with five topping the charts. During their successful run, the band suffered a devastating blow in 1978 with the death of guitarist and vocalist Terry Kath. But the prog rockers persevered and continue to be pillars in the rock world despite numerous lineup changes. Recording 38 albums and selling more than 100 million records over the course of their decade-spanning career, Chicago continues to tour frequently.
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Diana Ross
Diana Ross performs onstage at the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures.
Diana Ross was already a star with the Supremes when she decided to leave the group in 1970. The soul singer didn’t miss a beat when she went solo, releasing the #1 single “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough” that same year. She would go on to record three more hit singles during the decade. Ross released her most recent album, “Thank You,” in 2021 and toured as recently as 2024, with more dates on the horizon.
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Dolly Parton
Dolly Parton performs during halftime in the game between the Washington Commanders and the Dallas Cowboys.
Dolly Parton is so iconic that she has her own theme park called Dollywood. It was in the ’70s that the world fell in love with the larger-than-life country star. She ended 1970 with her first #1 country hit, “Joshua,” and has since garnered 24 more hits, as well as two #1 singles on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.
In the decades since her career started, Parton has expanded her sound into pop and even rock (she was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2022) and continues to inspire artists of all genres. Although Parton doesn’t actively tour, she still performs at least a handful of shows per year.
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Eagles
The Eagles in Concert at The Grand Ole Opry.
Arguably the biggest rock band of the ’70s, the Eagles’ two albums from that era—”Their Greatest Hits (1971-1975)” and “Hotel California”—are among the bestselling records of all time. Although all five of the band’s #1 hits were released during the ’70s, the Eagles have managed to ride the wave of success to the present day. The rockers are currently playing a residency at Las Vegas’ Sphere that runs through early 2025.
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Earth, Wind & Fire
Earth, Wind & Fire perform at Footprint Center.
When Maurice White founded Earth, Wind & Fire in 1969, he set out to do something that had never been done before. The result was an evolution of pop music that incorporated elements of funk, rock, soul, R&B, and jazz. The band released their self-titled debut album in 1971.
By 1975, they had a chart-topping album in “That’s The Way of the World,” which featured their only #1 hit, “Shining Star.” The band has gone through many lineup changes throughout the years, and White passed away from Parkinson’s disease in 2016. However, the group still tours today with White’s brother Verdine White being the band’s sole original member.
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Lynyrd Skynyrd
Damon Johnson and Keith Christopher of Lynyrd Skynyrd perform on stage.
Lynyrd Skynyrd is a quintessential southern rock band. They hit their peak in the mid-’70s with songs like “Free Bird,” “Sweet Home Alabama,” and “What’s Your Name.” Interestingly, despite their status as modern classics, none of the aforementioned songs reached #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 (only “Sweet Home Alabama” broke the top 10).
The band took a hiatus in 1977 after three of its members, including singer Ronnie Van Zant, died in a plane crash. In 1987, Lynyrd Skynyrd reformed as a tribute tour to prompt the band’s rebirth. The current lineup—led by Ronnie’s younger brother, Johnny Van Zant, on vocals—continues to tour and has shows slated for 2025.
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Neil Young
Neil Young performs on Day 7 of 2024 New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival.
A founding member of the popular 1960s rock band Buffalo Springfield, it wasn’t until going solo that Neil Young hit his peak. In 1972, the singer-songwriter released his biggest hit (and only chart-topper) “Heart of Gold,” which appeared on Young’s first #1 album, “Harvest.” The folk-rock legend has released over 40 studio albums during his prolific career, his latest being 2024’s “FU##IN UP.” Young recently wrapped up his “Love Earth” tour with his backing band Crazy Horse.
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Paul McCartney
Paul McCartney performs during Desert Trip at the Empire Polo Field.
When the Beatles broke up in 1970, Paul McCartney promptly began his solo career. That same year, he had his first #1 album in his solo debut, “McCartney.” The decade continued to go well for McCartney, who ended up with six chart-topping albums between his solo material and new band Wings. He’s been actively touring ever since.
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Peter Frampton
Peter Frampton performs in concert during the “Never Say Never” tour.
Live albums were all the rage in the ’70s, and Peter Frampton’s 1976 double LP “Frampton Comes Alive!” catapulted him into the limelight while simultaneously reenergizing his earlier songs into Top 40 hits. After scoring a #1 album, the singer-songwriter returned the next year with “I’m In You,” which peaked at #2 on the Billboard 200 chart. In 2019, the rock legend disclosed that he’d been diagnosed with a rare degenerative muscle disease four years prior and announced a farewell tour. However, Frampton returned to the stage in 2023. In 2024, he embarked on the aptly titled “Positively Thankful Tour.”
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Rod Stewart
Rod Stewart performs at Budweiser Stage.
The ’70s were an incredibly successful decade for Rod Stewart both as a solo artist and as a member of the Faces. The band’s debut album emerged in the spring of 1970, drawing comparisons to the Rolling Stones; Stewart’s sophomore album arrived later that fall. The following year also saw both a Faces and solo album release for Stewart. However, it was the latter, “Every Picture Tells a Story,” that shot Stewart to stardom after it topped the Billboard 200 chart.
The Faces broke up in 1975. Three years later, Stewart released his second #1 album, the disco-influenced “Blondes Have More Fun,” which included the hit single “Da Ya Think I’m Sexy?” The soft rock star still actively tours and has a Las Vegas residency slated for 2025.
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Santana
Carlos Santana performs on stage during the Oneness Tour 2024.
Led by vocalist and guitarist Carlos Santana, the band Santana is heralded for its innovative sound that fuses blues, jazz, and Latin rock. The band became famous after playing the Woodstock festival in 1969 and began the ’70s with two #1 albums: 1970’s “Abraxas” and 1971’s “Santana III.” In 1998, Santana was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. In 2016 the early ’70s lineup reunited to release “Santana IV.” The guitarist continues to tour both as a solo artist and with the group.
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Steve Miller Band
Steve Miller Band performs on stage in New York.
After making a name for himself in the ’60s as a blues rocker, Steve Miller reinvented himself as a pop-rock act in the ’70s to great success. In 1973, Miller released “The Joker,” which rose to platinum status while its title track topped the charts. Three years later, Miller released another incredibly popular album, “Fly Like an Eagle,” and solidified himself as one of the top-selling pop-rock artists of the decade. While Miller’s success has ebbed and flowed throughout his career, his band continues to tour.
CHARLY TRIBALLEAU // Getty Images
Stevie Wonder
Stevie Wonder performs on stage on the third day of the Democratic National Convention (DNC).
Stevie Wonder has succeeded in every stage of his career, as evidenced by him notching his first #1 hit in 1963 at just 13. Still, it was the ’70s that saw the R&B singer paving the way for future artists. During that decade, Wonder recorded five chart-topping singles, as well as his 1976 diamond platinum album “Songs in the Key of Life.” Despite beginning his career at such a young age and being an active musician for over 60 years, the soul icon has performed at least one live show annually since 1962.
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The Isley Brothers
The Isley Brothers perform with The Roots at the Six Degrees to Tennessee Roots Jam.
Both the sound and the lineup of the Isley Brothers have evolved immensely over the years. Yet while the siblings experimented with R&B, Motown, and funk, it was their foray into rock in the ’70s that led the brothers to success.
In 1975, the Isley Brothers released their 13th album, “The Heat Is On,” which became their first album to top the Billboard 200 chart (they didn’t record another #1 album until 2003’s “Body Kiss”). Unfortunately, four of the six Isley brothers have passed away. However, surviving members Ronald and Ernie are still actively touring.
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The Rolling Stones
The Rolling Stones Surprise Set in Celebration of “Hackney Diamonds”.
The Rolling Stones may have been calling themselves the world’s greatest rock band since the late ’60s, but it was during the ’70s that the band recorded six of their nine chart-topping records. Mick Jagger and company have been prolific in every decade of their career and have released numerous studio albums since forming in 1962, with their latest, “Hackney Diamonds,” released in 2023. They spent 2024 on the road in support of that album.
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Three Dog Night
Three Dog Night perform at Rock For HARK at Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel.
Three Dog Night had a heyday between 1969 and 1974, achieving more top 10 hits and record and concert ticket sales than any other artist. In 1970, the funk rock hitmakers scored their first #1 song in “Mama Told Me (Not to Come),” and by 1972, they recorded two more (“Joy to the World” and “Black and White”). In 1976, the band went on hiatus only to reunite in 1981 with all original members besides bassist Joe Schermie. Since then, Three Dog Night has played a handful of shows yearly with founder and vocalist Danny Hutton still leading the stage.
Story editing by Cynthia Rebolledo. Copy editing by Meg Shields. Photo selection by Clarese Moller.
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