[Golden Age of Rock] Debut Songs by Western Rock Bands of the 1970s
The rock scene of the ’70s was a golden era in which guitar riffs and psychedelic sounds evolved, vastly expanding the possibilities of music.
It was a tumultuous time that saw the birth of new genres one after another, including hard rock, progressive rock, and glam rock.
So, with what debut tracks did the bands that etched their names into the world’s rock history in that brilliant decade take their first steps? Here, we present a selection of debut songs that fired up rock fans of the time and remain as vibrant as ever today.
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[Golden Age of Rock] Debut Songs by 1970s Western Rock Bands (1–10)
Man on the Silver MountainNEW!Rainbow
Rainbow, the new band formed by guitarist Ritchie Blackmore after leaving Deep Purple.
This debut single from their 1975 release, the debut album Ritchie Blackmore’s Rainbow, is a true statement of intent for the band.
Blackmore’s sharp, heavy guitar riffs fuse with Ronnie James Dio’s powerful, expressive vocals to deliver an overwhelming impact.
The lyrics paint a grand fantasy world centered on a heroic figure to whom people turn for salvation—an approach that arguably defined the band’s future musical direction.
The fact that it’s the most frequently performed song in the band’s live history attests to its immense popularity among fans.
It’s a perfect track for when you want to experience the essence of 1970s hard rock, brimming with dramatic, classical flair.
Virginia PlainNEW!Roxy Music
Roxy Music fused art and fashion at a high level, shocking the rock scene of the 1970s.
Their debut track captivates with a groundbreaking song structure that overturns convention.
There’s no clear chorus; instead, oboe and synthesizer create a futuristic soundscape, while the lyrics depict a fictional, glittering scene influenced by pop art.
It feels as if the protagonist is peeking into the everyday life of the celebrities they dream about.
Released as a debut single in August 1972, the song reached No.
4 on the UK charts.
Interestingly, it was initially left off the album Roxy Music.
It was memorably used in the 1998 film Velvet Goldmine, and there’s even the quirky anecdote that it became the name of an airline’s aircraft.
Why not give it a listen on a night when you want to immerse yourself in a glamorous, avant-garde world?
Love → Building on FireNEW!Talking Heads
This is the landmark debut single by Talking Heads, the intellectual face of New York’s ’70s new wave.
Its thrilling world conjures the impulse of love as an act akin to entering a “burning building,” which is truly compelling.
Hearing David Byrne’s nervy vocals and the band’s still rough-hewn yet tightly wound sound, you can’t help but sense the emergence of their extraordinary talent.
Released in February 1977, the track initially didn’t belong to any studio album, but it can later be heard on compilations such as Sand in the Vaseline: Popular Favorites.
It’s a song for when you want to step just a little outside the everyday, letting you glimpse the origins of their artful sensibility.
[Golden Age of Rock] Debut Songs by 1970s Western Rock Bands (11–20)
White RiotNEW!The Clush
The Clash are a defining force of late-’70s London punk, beloved alongside the Sex Pistols as an iconic band of the era.
Their debut single, released in March 1977—before they went on to fuse diverse styles like reggae and dub—condenses the era’s urgency into just under two minutes of brilliance.
Over a blistering, hard-hitting tempo, the charismatic Joe Strummer’s punk-infused vocals deliver a searing critique of social apathy and a powerful call to take action.
The track appears on the UK edition of the album The Clash, and you can also see it performed in the film Rude Boy.
If you listen to it when you’re feeling dissatisfied with society or eager to change the status quo, it’s sure to give you a strong push forward.
You’ll be amazed by the depth of its message—it’s far more than merely rebellious music.
HushDeep Purple
Included on the 1968 album “Shades of Deep Purple.” It’s a cover of the single released in 1967 by American singer Billy Joe Royal.
The band is a five-piece rock group from the UK, formed in 1968, and considered one of the three great hard rock bands.
From their debut single, the noisy guitar and keyboard tones press in on the listener.
They do a great job covering the pop melody, and I think it’s really cool.
Evil WomanBlack Sabbath
In July 2025, just a few days after what turned out to be their final live performance, Ozzy Osbourne passed away, bringing Black Sabbath to an extraordinarily fitting close.
As the progenitors of all heavy rock, their monumental legacy will undoubtedly continue to be celebrated.
But did you know their debut single, “Evil Woman,” was actually a cover? The song was originally released in 1969 by the American blues-rock band Crow, reaching a respectable No.
17 on the Billboard chart in the United States.
It’s fascinating to compare the original with Sabbath’s version, so be sure to give both a listen.
Good Times Bad TimesLed Zeppelin
Led Zeppelin, one of the most successful rock bands in the world, propelled the hard rock boom of the ’70s and had a tremendous influence on later heavy metal acts.
Their debut track, “Good Times Bad Times,” released in 1969, still sounds incredibly cool today—the intense groove created by John Bonham’s rapid triplet bass drum patterns and John Paul Jones’s technical bass lines is simply unbeatable.