1973 in music
Appearance
| |||
---|---|---|---|
+... |
Events
January–April
- January 9 - Mick Jagger's request for a Japanese visa is rejected on account of a 1969 drug bust, putting an abrupt end to The Rolling Stones' plans to perform in Japan during their forthcoming tour of Hawaii, Australia and New Zealand.
- January 13 - Aerosmith make their debut by releasing the album Aerosmith
- January 14
- Elvis Presley's Aloha From Hawaii television special is seen around the world by more than 1 billion viewers
- Grateful Dead bassist Phil Lesh is arrested for drug possession in California.
- January 18 - The Rolling Stones' benefit concert for Nicaraguan earthquake victims raises over $350,000. (Mick Jagger adds $150,000 of his own money to the total in May). On December 22, 1972, an earthquake destroyed Managua, the capital of Nicaragua.
- January 21 - The Rolling Stones open their tour of Hawaii, Australia and New Zealand in Honolulu, Hawaii.
- January 30 - Kiss performs their first concert, at the Coventary Club in Queens.
- February 14 - David Bowie collapses from exhaustion after a performance at New York's Madison Square Garden.
- March 1 - The Joffrey Ballet's Deuce Coupe Ballet opens. The ballet is set entirely around music by The Beach Boys.
- March 5 - Jimi Hendrix's former personal manager, Michael Jeffery, is killed in a plane crash. Jeffery was travelling from Majorca to England. All passengers on board the plane were killed.
- March 6 - The New York Office of the US Immigration Department cancels John Lennon's visa extension five days after granting it.
- March 7 - The director of talent acquisition at Columbia Records, John H. Hammond suffers a non-fatal heart attack following a performance by one of his most recent finds, Bruce Springsteen.
- March 8 - Paul McCartney is fined $240 after pleading guilty to charges of growing marijuana outside his Scottish farm.
- March 24 - Lou Reed is bitten on the buttocks by a fan during a concert in Buffalo, New York.
- March 25 - Pink Floyd releases the landmark album The Dark Side of the Moon.
- March 28 - Led Zeppelin releases Houses of the Holy just prior to their lucrative 1973 tour of the United States, wherein the concert film The Song Remains the Same is filmed.
- April 3 - Capitol Records releases two collections of The Beatles' greatest hits, The Beatles 1962-1966 and The Beatles 1967-1970 (commonly referred to as the "Red Album" and the "Blue Album", respectively).
- April 16 - Paul McCartney's first television special, James Paul McCartney, airs on television. The special includes performances by McCartney and Wings.
- Opening of CBGB's
May–August
- May 4 - July 29 - Led Zeppelin embarks on a tour of the United States, during which they set the record for highest attendance for a concert, 56,800, at the Tampa Stadium in Tampa, Florida. The record was previously held by The Beatles. Performances for the movie The Song Remains the Same are also filmed.
- May 9 - Mick Jagger adds $150,000 of his own money to the $350,000 raised by The Rolling Stones' January 18 benefit concert for the victims of the Nicaraguan earthquake.
- May 25 - Mike Oldfield releases Tubular Bells, the first release on Richard Branson's newly launched Virgin label.
- July 1 - Slade play a sell-out Earls Court in London after two number one singles that year.
- July 3 - David Bowie 'retires' his stage persona Ziggy Stardust in front of a shocked audience at the Hammersmith Odeon at the end of his British tour.
- July 28 - Summer Jam at Watkins Glen rock festival attended by 600,000 to see The Allman Brothers Band, The Band, and the Grateful Dead.
September–December
- September 1 - The Rolling Stones open their European tour in Vienna, Austria.
- October 13 - Family play their last concert at De Montfort Hall at Leicester Polytechnic (now De Montfort University) before splitting up for good. A farewell party at a local Holiday Inn after the show ends in a good-natured melee, with people jumping in or pushed into the motel pool.
- October 19 - The Who release Quadrophenia, one of their most critically acclaimed albums.
- October 20 - Queen Elizabeth II opens Sydney Opera House.
- December 25 - Universal Pictures releases The Sting, reviving interest in the ragtime music of Scott Joplin.
- December 31 - Brothers Malcolm and Angus Young perform under the name AC/DC at the former Sydney nightclub 'Chequers' for their New Year's Eve party.
Unknown dates
- AC/DC forms
- Royal Manchester College of Music and the Northern School of Music merge to create the Royal Northern College of Music.
- The Santa Fe Chamber Music Festival is launched, with Pablo Casals as its president.
- Television forms
- Journey forms
- Kiss forms
- Michael Schenker left Scorpions to join U.F.O..He was replaced temporarily by Uli Roth.
- U.F.O. signs a contract with Chrysalis Records.
- The Ronettes break up, and Ronnie Bennett begins a solo career
- The London Symphony Orchestra becomes the first British orchestra invited to take part in the Salzburg Festival.
- The Open Mind disbands.
- Australian pop/rock band Tin Tin disbands.
- Scorpions disbanded briefly before re-emerging with Dawn Road (Uli Roth's band).
- The Everly Brothers break up.
- New line up of UK pop group Brotherhood of Man are formed. This line-up still continues today.
Albums released
- Abandoned Luncheonette - Hall and Oates
- The Adventures of Panama Red - New Riders of the Purple Sage
- Aerosmith - Aerosmith (debut)
- African Herbsman - Bob Marley & the Wailers
- After the Ball - John Fahey
- Afrodisiac - Fela Kuti
- Aladdin Sane - David Bowie
- All American Boy - Rick Derringer
- Aloha from Hawaii: Via Satellite - Elvis Presley
- Angel Clare - Art Garfunkel (solo debut)
- Angel's Egg - Gong
- Anthology - Quicksilver Messenger Service
- Any Day Now - Scott Walker
- Any Old Wind That Blows - Johnny Cash
- Ashes Are Burning - Renaissance
- Ass - Badfinger
- At the Rainbow - Focus
- Bachman-Turner Overdrive - Bachman-Turner Overdrive (debut)
- Bachman-Turner Overdrive II - Bachman-Turner Overdrive
- Bananamour - Kevin Ayers
- Band on the Run - Paul McCartney and Wings
- Barry Manilow I - Barry Manilow (debut)
- Basic Miles - Miles Davis
- The Beatles 1962-1966 - The Beatles
- The Beatles 1967-1970 - The Beatles
- Beck, Bogert & Appice - Beck, Bogert & Appice
- Behind Closed Doors - Charlie Rich
- Berlin - Lou Reed
- The Best of Top of the Pops '73 - Top of the Poppers
- Bette Midler - Bette Midler
- Better Days - Paul Butterfield
- Billion Dollar Babies - Alice Cooper
- Birds of Fire - Mahavishnu Orchestra
- Bio - Chuck Berry
- Blackboard Jungle Dub - Lee Perry
- Black Caesar - James Brown
- Bloodshot - The J. Geils Band
- The Blue Ridge Rangers - John Fogerty (solo debut)
- Boulders - Roy Wood (solo debut)
- Brain Salad Surgery - Emerson, Lake & Palmer
- Brothers and Sisters - The Allman Brothers Band
- Burnin' - Bob Marley & the Wailers
- Byrds - The Byrds
- Canto Por Travesura - Víctor Jara
- Call Me - Al Green
- Cameo - Dusty Springfield
- The Captain and Me - The Doobie Brothers
- Catch a Fire - Bob Marley & the Wailers
- Chicago VI - Chicago
- A Christmas Present - Merle Haggard
- Closer To It - Brian Auger
- Closing Time - Tom Waits (debut)
- Comin' Atcha - Madeline Bell
- Comin' Right At Ya - Asleep at the Wheel (debut)
- Conference of the Birds - Dave Holland
- Cosmic Slop - Funkadelic
- Cosmic Wheels - Donovan
- Countdown to Ecstasy - Steely Dan
- Country Casanova - Commander Cody
- Crazy Eyes - Poco
- Cyan - Three Dog Night
- Daltrey - Roger Daltrey (solo debut)
- The Dark Side of the Moon - Pink Floyd
- Deliver the Word - War
- Desperado - Eagles
- Diamond Girl - Seals and Crofts
- Diana & Marvin - Diana Ross and Marvin Gaye
- Dixie Chicken - Little Feat
- Don't Shoot Me I'm Only the Piano Player - Elton John
- Double Diamond - If
- Dreams Are Nuthin' More Than Wishes - David Cassidy
- Drift Away - Dobie Gray
- Dueling Banjos - Eric Weissberg and Steve Mandel
- Dylan - Bob Dylan
- Electric Jewels - April Wine
- ELO 2 - Electric Light Orchestra
- Elvis - Elvis Presley
- Enlightenment - McCoy Tyner
- Eric Clapton's Rainbow Concert - Eric Clapton
- Essence to Essence - Donovan
- Everybody Likes Some Kind of Music - Billy Preston
- Facets - Miles Davis
- Fanfare for the Warriors - Art Ensemble of Chicago
- Fantasy - Carole King
- Fare Forward Voyagers - John Fahey
- Farewell to Paradise - Emitt Rhodes
- The Faust Tapes - Faust
- Felona e Sorona - Le Orme
- The First Songs - Laura Nyro
- Flying Teapot - Gong
- Focus III - Focus
- Foghat - Foghat
- For Everyman - Jackson Browne
- For Your Pleasure - Roxy Music
- Foreigner - Cat Stevens
- 4 - The Chieftains
- Four Sider - Herb Alpert
- The Four Tops Story - The Four Tops
- Frampton's Camel - Peter Frampton
- Fresh - Sly & the Family Stone
- Full Moon - Kris Kristofferson & Rita Coolidge
- Full Sail - Loggins and Messina
- Funky Kingston - Toots & the Maytals
- Future Days - Can
- Genesis Live - Genesis
- Gentleman - Fela Kuti
- Gimme Something Real - Ashford & Simpson
- Goats Head Soup - The Rolling Stones
- Goodbye Yellow Brick Road - Elton John
- The Gospel Road - Johnny Cash
- GP - Gram Parsons (solo debut)
- Grand Hotel - Procol Harum
- Greetings from Asbury Park, N.J. - Bruce Springsteen & the E-Street Band (debut)
- Hank Wilson's Back - Leon Russell
- Hard Nose the Highway - Van Morrison
- Hat Trick - America
- Head Hunters - Herbie Hancock
- Head to the Sky - Earth, Wind and Fire
- Heartbreaker - Free
- Hello! - Status Quo
- Hey Now Hey (The Other Side of the Sky) - Aretha Franklin
- History of the Grateful Dead, Volume One (Bear's Choice) - The Grateful Dead
- Holland - The Beach Boys
- Honky Tonk Heroes - Waylon Jennings
- Houses of the Holy - Led Zeppelin
- The Human Menagerie - Cockney Rebel
- I Love Dixie Blues, So I Recorded Live In New Orleans - Merle Haggard
- I'm a Writer Not a Fighter - Gilbert O'Sullivan
- Icarus - Paul Winter
- Imagination - Gladys Knight & the Pips
- In A Glass House - Gentle Giant
- In Concert - Derek and The Dominos
- In the Right Place - Dr. John
- Innervisions - Stevie Wonder
- Inside - Eloy
- Inside Out - John Martyn
- It All Comes Back - Paul Butterfield
- It's Only a Movie - Family
- IV - Faust
- Jazz Grooves - King Curtis
- Johnny Cash and His Woman - Johnny Cash
- Join Inn - Ash Ra Tempel
- The Joker - Steve Miller Band
- Jonathan Livingston Seagull - Neil Diamond
- Joy - Isaac Hayes
- Julien - Dalida
- Just Rock and Roll - Bill Haley & His Comets
- Killing Me Softly - Roberta Flack
- Kracker Brand - Kracker
- Ladies Invited - The J. Geils Band
- Larks Tongues in Aspic - King Crimson
- Last of the Brooklyn Cowboys - Arlo Guthrie
- Last Train to Hicksville - Dan Hicks and his Hot Licks
- Leon Live! - Leon Russell
- Let's Get It On - Marvin Gaye
- Life in a Tin Can - The Bee Gees
- A Little Touch of Schmilsson in the Night - Harry Nilsson
- Live 1973 - Gram Parsons and The Fallen Angels
- Live in Europe - Creedence Clearwater Revival
- Live in Japan: Spring Tour 1973 - Donovan
- Living in the Material World - George Harrison
- The London Bo Diddley Sessions - Bo Diddley
- Long Hard Climb - Helen Reddy
- Love Devotion Surrender - Carlos Santana and John McLaughlin
- Lucy & Carly - The Simon Sisters Sing for Children - The Simon Sisters
- Made in Japan - Deep Purple
- Main Street People - The Four Tops
- Mama Was a Rock and Roll Singer Papa Used to Write All Her Songs - Sonny & Cher
- Maria Muldaur - Maria Muldaur (solo debut)
- Marjory Razorblade - Kevin Coyne
- The Marshall Tucker Band - The Marshall Tucker Band (debut)
- Masterpiece - The Temptations
- Mekanïk Destruktïw Kommandöh - Magma
- Milagre Dos Peixes - Milton Nascimento
- Mind Games - John Lennon
- Moondog Matinee - The Band
- The Morning After - Maureen McGovern
- Muscle of Love - Alice Cooper
- Music and Me - Michael Jackson
- My Tennessee Mountain Home - Dolly Parton
- Mystery to Me - Fleetwood Mac
- Neu! 2 - Neu!
- Never Turn Your Back On a Friend - Budgie
- The New Age - Canned Heat
- New York Dolls - New York Dolls (debut)
- Newport Jazz Festival: Live at Carnegie Hall - Ella Fitzgerald
- Night Vision - Bruce Cockburn
- (No Pussyfooting) - Robert Fripp and Brian Eno
- No Ruinous Feud - Incredible String Band
- Now & Then - The Carpenters
- Ol' Blue Eyes Is Back - Frank Sinatra
- On the Third Day - Electric Light Orchestra
- On the Road to Freedom - Alvin Lee
- Ooh La La - Faces
- Ooh So Good 'N' Blues - Taj Mahal
- The Original Tap Dance Kid - Jimmie Spheeris
- Over-Nite Sensation - Frank Zappa
- Painter - Painter
- Paris 1919 - John Cale
- A Passion Play - Jethro Tull
- Pat Garrett & Billy the Kid - Bob Dylan
- Penguin - Fleetwood Mac
- The Phosphorescent Rat - Hot Tuna
- Piano Man - Billy Joel
- Pieces of a Man - Gil Scott-Heron (studio debut)
- Pin Ups - David Bowie
- Pipedream - Alan Hull (solo debut)
- Planxty - Planxty (debut)
- Please Don't Ever Change - Brinsley Schwarz
- The Pointer Sisters - The Pointer Sisters (debut)
- Precious Lord: New Recordings of the Great Songs of Thomas A. Dorsey (various artists)
- Preservation: Act 1 - The Kinks
- Pretty Much Your Standard Ranch Stash - Mike Nesmith
- (pronounced 'lĕh-'nérd 'skin-'nérd) - Lynyrd Skynyrd (debut)
- Quadrophenia - The Who
- Queen - Queen (debut)
- Ragas - Ravi Shankar
- Rainbow - McGuinness Flint
- Rainbow - Neil Diamond
- Rainshine - Edwards Hand
- Raised on Rock/For Ol' Times Sake - Elvis Presley
- Raw Power - The Stooges
- Razamanaz - Nazareth
- Red Rose Speedway - Paul McCartney and Wings
- Renaissance - The Miracles
- Ridin' The Storm Out - REO Speedwagon
- Rigor Mortis Sets In - John Entwhistle
- Ring Ring - ABBA (debut)
- Ringo (album) - Ringo Starr
- Rock and Roll All Night Long - Hurriganes (debut)
- Roger McGuinn - Roger McGuinn (solo debut)
- Roll on Ruby - Lindisfarne
- Rosie - Fairport Convention
- Sabbath Bloody Sabbath - Black Sabbath
- Second Album - Roy Buchanan
- Selling England by the Pound - Genesis
- Separate Ways - Elvis Presley
- Sextant - Herbie Hancock
- Ship Ahoy - The O'Jays
- Shoot Out at the Fantasy Factory - Traffic
- Shotgun Willie - Willie Nelson
- Sing It Again Rod - Rod Stewart
- The Singer - Liza Minnelli
- Sings in Italian for you - Dalida
- The Six Wives of Henry VIII - Rick Wakeman
- Slaughter's Big Rip-Off - James Brown
- The Smoker You Drink, The Player You Get - Joe Walsh
- Smokey - Smokey Robinson (solo debut)
- Sold America - Kinky Friedman (debut)
- Solid Air - John Martyn
- Solo Concerts: Bremen/Lausanne - Keith Jarrett
- Song of the New World - McCoy Tyner
- Songs That Made America Famous - Patrick Sky
- Space Ritual (live) - Hawkwind
- Starring Rosi - Ash Ra Tempel
- Stranded - Roxy Music
- Stretch - Scott Walker
- Styx II - Styx
- Sunday Morning Coming Down - Johnny Cash
- Suzi Quatro - Suzi Quatro (debut)
- The Sweet - Sweet (US debut/compilation)
- Sweet Freedom - Uriah Heep
- Sweet Revenge - John Prine
- Take Love Easy - Ella Fitzgerald and Joe Pass
- Takin' My Time - Bonnie Raitt
- Tales from Topographic Oceans - Yes
- Tanx - T. Rex
- 10cc - 10cc (debut)
- There Goes Rhymin' Simon - Paul Simon
- These Foolish Things - Bryan Ferry (solo debut)
- Thirty Seconds Over Winterland - Jefferson Airplane
- 3 + 3 - Isley Brothers
- Time Fades Away - Neil Young
- Tommy As Performed by the London Symphony Orchestra and Chamber Choir - London Symphony Orchestra
- Totally Instrumental with One Exception - Merle Haggard
- Touch Me - Gary Glitter
- Touch Me in the Morning - Diana Ross
- Tower of Power - Tower of Power
- Tres Hombres - ZZ Top
- Triumvirate - Mike Bloomfield
- Tropic Appetites - Carla Bley
- True Stories and Other Dreams - Judy Collins
- Try It Before You Buy It - Mike Bloomfield
- Tubular Bells - Mike Oldfield (debut)
- Tyranny and Mutation - Blue Öyster Cult
- Uriah Heep Live - Uriah Heep
- Virtuoso - Joe Pass
- Wake of the Flood - The Grateful Dead
- We Still Ain't Got No Band - The Persuasions
- Welcome - Santana
- The Well Below the Valley - Planxty
- We're All Together for the First Time - Dave Brubeck and Gerry Mulligan
- We're an American Band - Grand Funk Railroad
- Where Are You Now, My Son? - Joan Baez
- Whirlwind Tongues - Bloodrock
- A White Sport Coat and a Pink Crustacean - Jimmy Buffett
- Who Do We Think We Are - Deep Purple
- Wild and Peaceful - Kool & the Gang
- Wild Tales - Graham Nash
- The Wild, the Innocent & the E-Street Shuffle - Bruce Springsteen
- Wishbone Four - Wishbone Ash
- A Wizard, a True Star - Todd Rundgren
- Wizzard Brew - Wizzard (debut)
- Workshop - NRBQ
- Yessongs - Yes
Biggest hit singles
The following songs achieved the highest chart positions in the charts of 1973.
# | Artist | Title | Year | Country | Chart Entries |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | The Rolling Stones | Angie | 1973 | US BB 1 - Sep 1973, Canada 1 - Sep 1973, Holland 1 - Sep 1973, France 1 - Sep 1973, Switzerland 1 - Sep 1973, Norway 1 - Oct 1973, Australia 1 for 5 weeks Jun 1974, Australia Goset 1 - Oct 1973, Europe 3 of the 1970s, Germany 4 - Jan 1974, Belgium 4 of all time, UK 5 - Sep 1973, Italy 6 of 1974, Austria 8 - Oct 1973, DDD 11 of 1973, Australia 19 of 1973, RYM 27 of 1973, Poland 43 of all time, Scrobulate 51 of ballad, US CashBox 69 of 1973, OzNet 71, Germany 190 of the 1970s, WXPN 571, Acclaimed 1093 | |
2 | Tony Orlando & Dawn | Tie a Yellow Ribbon 'round the Old Oak Tree | 1973 | UK 1 - Mar 1973, US BB 1 - Mar 1973, US CashBox 1 of 1973, Canada 1 - Mar 1973, Holland 1 - Apr 1973, Norway 1 - May 1973, Australia 1 of 1973, Éire 1 - Apr 1973, Australia 1 for 7 weeks Dec 1973, Australia Goset 1 - May 1973, Austria 2 - Jun 1973, France 3 - Apr 1973, Germany 10 - Jun 1973, South Africa 10 of 1973, US BB 11 of 1973, TOTP 14, Global 33 (5 M sold) - 1973, POP 36 of 1973, DDD 88 of 1973 | |
3 | The Sweet | The Ballroom Blitz | 1973 | Canada 1 - Aug 1975, France 1 - Oct 1973, Éire 1 - Sep 1973, Australia Goset 1 - Nov 1973, UK 2 - Sep 1973, Norway 2 - Oct 1973, Switzerland 3 - Sep 1973, Germany 3 - Jan 1974, Holland 4 - Sep 1973, US BB 5 - Aug 1975, Austria 5 - Nov 1973, Australia 9 of 1974, Scrobulate 9 of glam rock, US BB 11 of 1975, RYM 15 of 1973, POP 30 of 1975, US CashBox 46 of 1975, DDD 51 of 1973, Germany 137 of the 1970s, TheQ 188, OzNet 217, Acclaimed 2373 | |
4 | Elton John | Crocodile Rock | 1973 | US BB 1 - Dec 1972, Canada 1 - Dec 1972, Switzerland 1 - Jan 1973, Italy 1 of 1973, Australia Goset 2 - Jan 1973, Norway 3 - Feb 1973, US CashBox 4 of 1973, Germany 4 - Jan 1973, UK 5 - Nov 1972, Australia 5 of 1973, Austria 6 - Feb 1973, France 9 - Dec 1972, POP 9 of 1973, Holland 12 - Dec 1972, OzNet 12, US BB 16 of 1973, RYM 26 of 1972, DDD 27 of 1972, Germany 223 of the 1970s, Acclaimed 2325 | |
5 | Roberta Flack | Killing Me Softly With His Song | 1973 | US BB 1 - Feb 1973, Canada 1 - Feb 1973, Australia 1 for 2 weeks Nov 1973, Australia Goset 1 - Mar 1973, Grammy in 1973, Holland 3 - Feb 1973, Norway 4 - Aug 1973, France 5 - Apr 1973, UK 6 - Feb 1973, DDD 8 of 1973, Australia 17 of 1973, Austria 19 - Dec 1973, US CashBox 21 of 1973, RYM 25 of 1973, Switzerland 32 - Oct 1996, RIAA 101, Rolling Stone 360, Acclaimed 631, OzNet 863 |
Other selected hit singles
- "5:15" - The Who
- "Ain't No Woman (Like the One I've Got)" - The Four Tops
- "All I Know" - Art Garfunkel
- "All the Way from Memphis" - Mott the Hoople
- "Alright Alright Alright" - Mungo Jerry
- "Angel Fingers" - Wizzard
- "Angie " - The Rolling Stones
- "Are You Man Enough" - The Four Tops
- "Armed and Extremely Dangerous" - First Choice
- "Bad Bad Leroy Brown" - Jim Croce
- "The Ballroom Blitz" - The Sweet
- "Basketball Jones" - Cheech and Chong
- "Be" - Neil Diamond
- "Behind Closed Doors" - Charlie Rich
- "Blinded By the Light" - Bruce Springsteen
- "Blockbuster!" - The Sweet
- "Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy" - Bette Midler
- "Call Me (Come Back Home)" - Al Green
- "Candle in the Wind" - Elton John
- "Caroline" - Status Quo
- "China Grove" - The Doobie Brothers
- "The Cisco Kid" - War
- "Could It Be I'm Falling in Love" - The Spinners
- "Cum on Feel the Noize" - Slade
- "Daddy's Home" - Jermaine Jackson
- "Daisy a Day" - Jud Strunk
- "Dancing in the Moonlight" - King Harvest
- "Daniel" - Elton John
- "Delta Dawn" - Helen Reddy
- "Diamond Girl" - Seals and Crofts
- "Do It Again" - Steely Dan
- "Do You Wanna Dance" - Barry Blue
- "Do You Wanna Dance?" - Bette Midler
- "Do You Wanna Touch Me" - Gary Glitter
- "Don't Expect Me to be Your Friend" - Lobo
- "Don't Let Me Be Lonely Tonight" - James Taylor
- "Doo Doo Doo Doo Doo (Heartbreaker) - The Rolling Stones
- "Dream On" - Aerosmith
- "Drive-in Saturday" - David Bowie
- "D'yer Mak'er" - Led Zeppelin
- "Elected" - Alice Cooper
- "Eye Level" - Simon Park Orchestra
- "Feelin' Stronger Every Day" - Chicago
- "Frankenstein" - Edgar Winter Group
- "Get Down" - Gilbert O'Sullivan
- "Goodbye Yellow Brick Road" - Elton John
- "Gypsy Man" - War
- "Half-Breed" - Cher
- "Heartbeat, It's a Lovebeat" - DeFranco Family
- "Helen Wheels" - Paul McCartney and Wings
- "Hellraiser" - The Sweet
- "Hello, Hello, I'm Back Again" - Gary Glitter
- "Hello, Hooray" - Alice Cooper
- "Hello, It's Me" - Todd Rundgren
- "Here I Am (Come and Take Me)" - Al Green
- "Hi, Hi, Hi" - Wings
- "Higher Ground" - Stevie Wonder
- "Hocus Pocus" - Focus
- "I Believe In You (You Believe in Me)" - Johnny Taylor
- "I Got a Name" - Jim Croce
- "I Love You Love Me Love" - Gary Glitter
- "I Wanna Be With You" - The Raspberries
- "I Wish It Could Be Christmas Everyday" - Wizzard
- "I'm Doing Fine Now" - New York City
- "I'm Gonna Love You Just a Little More Baby" - Barry White
- "I'm Just a Singer (In a Rock and Roll Band)" - The Moody Blues
- "I'm The Leader Of The Gang (I Am)" - Gary Glitter
- "I've Got to Use My Imagination" - Gladys Knight & The Pips
- "If You Don't Know Me By Now" - Harold Melvin and the Blue Notes
- "If You Want Me To Stay" - Sly and The Family Stone
- "Il es tu" (French version of "Touch the Wind") - Mocedades
- "Jambalaya (On the Bayou)" - John Fogerty
- "The Jean Genie" - David Bowie
- "Jimmy Loves Mary Ann" - Looking Glass
- "The Joker" - Steve Miller Band
- "Just You 'N' Me" - Chicago
- "Keep On Truckin'" - Eddie Kendricks
- "Keeper of the Castle" - The Four Tops
- "Killing Me Softly with His Song" - Roberta Flack
- "Kodachrome" - Paul Simon
- "Lamplight" - David Essex
- "Leave Me Alone (Ruby Red Dress)" - Helen Reddy
- "Let It Ride" - Bachman-Turner Overdrive
- "Let's Get It On" - Marvin Gaye
- "Let Me Be There" - Olivia Newton John
- "Life on Mars" - David Bowie
- "Live and Let Die" - Wings
- "Living For the City" - Stevie Wonder
- "Long Train Runnin'" - The Doobie Brothers
- "Love Train" - The O'Jays
- "Loves Me Like a Rock" - Paul Simon (with The Dixie Hummingbirds)
- "Mama Loo" - Les Humphries Singers
- "Masterpiece" - The Temptations
- "Me and Mrs. Jones" - Billy Paul
- "Merry Xmas Everybody" - Slade
- "Midnight Train to Georgia" - Gladys Knight and The Pips
- "Midnight Rider" - Gregg Allman
- "Mind Games" - John Lennon
- "Money" - Pink Floyd
- "The Morning After" - Maureen McGovern
- "The Most Beautiful Girl" - Charlie Rich
- "My Coo-Ca-Choo" - Alvin Stardust
- "My Love" - Paul McCartney & Wings
- "My Music" - Loggins and Messina
- "Natural High" - Bloodstone
- "The Night the Lights Went Out in Georgia" - Vicki Lawrence
- "No More Mr. Nice Guy" - Alice Cooper
- "Nutbush City Limits - Ike and Tina Turner
- "Oh, Babe, What Would You Say" - Hurricane Smith
- "One of a Kind (Love Affair)" - The Spinners
- "Painted Ladies" - Ian Thomas
- "Photograph" - Ringo Starr
- "Playground in My Mind" - Clint Holmes
- "Ramblin' Man" - Allman Brothers Band
- "Reelin' in the Years" - Steely Dan
- "Relay" - The Who
- "Right Place Wrong Time" - Dr. John
- "The Right Thing To Do" - Carly Simon
- "Rocky Mountain High" - John Denver
- "Rocky Mountain Way" - Joe Walsh
- "Roll Over Beethoven" - Electric Light Orchestra
- "Rubber Bullets" - 10cc
- "Sail On Sailor" - The Beach Boys
- "Saturday Night's Alright for Fighting" - Elton John
- "See My Baby Jive" - Wizzard
- "Shambala" - Three Dog Night
- "Show and Tell" - Al Wilson
- "Sing" - The Carpenters
- "Sitting" - Cat Stevens
- "Smoke on the Water" - Deep Purple
- "Sorrow" - David Bowie
- "Soul Makossa" - Manu Dibango
- "Space Race" - Billy Preston
- "Stir It Up" - Johnny Nash
- "Stuck In the Middle With You" - Stealer's Wheel
- "Superstition" - Stevie Wonder
- "Sylvia" - Focus (band)
- "Take Me to the Mardi Gras" - Paul Simon
- "Tie a Yellow Ribbon Round the Old Oak Tree" - Tony Orlando & Dawn
- "Time in a Bottle" - Jim Croce
- "That Lady, Pt. 1 & 2" - The Isley Brothers
- "The Dean And I" - 10cc
- "Top of the World" - The Carpenters
- "Touch Me in the Morning" - Diana Ross
- "Trouble Man" - Marvin Gaye
- "Tu Te Reconnaitras" (Wonderful Dream) - Anne-Marie David (Eurovision winner)
- "We May Never Pass This Way (Again)" - Seals and Crofts
- "Welcome Home" - Peters & Lee
- "Whisky in the Jar" - Thin Lizzy
- "Why Me" - Kris Kristofferson
- "Wildflower" - Skylark
- "Will It Go Around in Circles" - Billy Preston
- "The World Is A Ghetto" - War
- "Yesterday Once More" - The Carpenters
- "You Are the Sunshine of My Life" - Stevie Wonder
- "You're So Vain" - Carly Simon
- "Your Mama Don't Dance" - Kenny Loggins & Jim Messina
Published popular music
- "And I Love You So" w.m. Don McLean
- "Candle in the Wind" w. Bernie Taupin m. Elton John
- "I'll Have to Say I Love You in a Song" w.m. Jim Croce
- "I've Got to Use My Imagination" w.m. Gerry Goffin & Barry Goldberg
- "Last Song" w.m. Lawrence Wayne Evoy
- "Liaisons" w.m. Stephen Sondheim from the musical A Little Night Music
- "Midnight Train to Georgia" w.m. Jim Weatherly
- "Nadia's Theme" m. Barry DeVorzon and Perry Botkin, Jr., from the TV soap opera The Young and the Restless
- "(Say Has Anybody Seen) My Sweet Gypsy Rose" w.m. Irwin Levine & L. Russell Brown
- "Piano Man" w.m. Billy Joel
- "Send in the Clowns" w.m. Stephen Sondheim from the musical A Little Night Music
- "Stuck n the Middle with You" w.m. Joe Egan & Gerry Rafferty
- "There Used To Be A Ballpark" w.m. Joe Raposo
- "Top of the World" w.m. John Bettis & Richard Carpenter
- "The Way We Were" w. Alan Bergman & Marilyn Bergman m. Marvin Hamlisch from the film The Way We Were
- "Yesterday Once More" w.m. John Bettis & Richard Carpenter
"Misdemeanor" Foster Sylvers
Classical music
- Jean Absil - Concerto for Piano and Orchestra No. 3
- William Alwyn - Fantasy Sonata for flute and harp
- Gloria Coates - Music on Open Strings (Symphony no. 1)
- George Crumb - Makrokosmos, Volume II for amplified piano
- Alberto Ginastera - String Quartet no. 3
- Lou Harrison - Organ Concerto with Percussion
- Anthony Iannaccone - Rituals
- Frank Martin - Requiem
- Luigi Nono - Canto per il Vietnam
- Carl Orff - De Temporum Fine Comoedia
- Dmitri Shostakovich - Six Poems of Marina Tsvetaeva, op. 143
Opera
- de la Figo - Bronski eu Lot
- Nikolai Korndorf - Feast in the Time of Plague
Musical theater
- Gigi (Alan Jay Lerner and Frederick Loewe) - Broadway production
- Grease London production
- Gypsy (Jule Styne and Stephen Sondheim) - London production opened at the Piccadilly Theatre on May 29 starring Angela Lansbury, Barrie Ingham and Zan Charisse
- Irene Broadway revival
- Here Comes the Groom Broadway production
- The King and I (Rodgers & Hammerstein) - London revival
- A Little Night Music (Stephen Sondheim) - Broadway production
- No, No, Nanette (Irving Caesar, Otto Harbach, Vincent Youmans) - London revival
- The Pajama Game (Richard Adler and Jerry Ross) - Broadway revival
- Pinocchio Broadway production
- Pippin London production
- Raisin Broadway production
- The Rocky Horror Show (Richard O'Brien) - London production
- Seesaw Broadway production opened at the Uris Theatre on March 18 and ran for 296 performances
- Treasure Island London production opened at the Mermaid Theatre on December 17. Starred Bernard Miles, Jonathan Scott Taylor and Spike Milligan.
- Two Gentlemen from Verona London production
Musical films
- Godspell (Movie)
- Jesus Christ Superstar (Film)
- Lost Horizon (w. Hal David m. Burt Bacharach) released March 14
- Robin Hood animated feature released November 8
- Tom Sawyer
Births
- January 9 - Sean Paul, reggae and dancehall artist
- January 10 - Aerle Taree, Arrested Development
- January 12 - Matt Wong, Reel Big Fish
- February 21 - Justin Sane, singer, guitarist and songwriter
- March 17 - Caroline Corr, The Corrs drummer
- April 3 - Marija Gluvakov, pianist
- April 4 - Kelly Price, soul singer
- April 29 - Mike Hogan, The Cranberries bassist
- May 2 - Justin Burnett, film score composer
- May 5 - Casino Versus Japan, electronic musician
- May 14
- Natalie Appleton, singer
- Shanice, singer
- May 17 - Joshua Homme, guitarist and vocalist for Queens of the Stone Age
- June 10 - Faith Evans, singer, songwriter, record producer and actress
- June 23 - Marie N, Eurovision-winning singer
- July 4 - Gackt, singer, songwriter, and musician
- July 5 - Bengt Lagerberg, The Cardigans
- July 11 - Andrew Bird, singer-songwriter
- July 15 - Buju Banton, reggae/dancehall artist
- July 25 - Ladybug, vocalist (Digable Planets)
- July 29 - Wanya Morris (Boyz II Men)
- August 15 - Adnan Sami, singer, music composer, pianist
- August 22
- Beenie Man, reggae/dancehall artist
- Howie Dorough (Backstreet Boys)
- October 2 - Lene Nystrøm (Aqua)
- November 3 - Mick Thomson, guitarist of Slipknot
- November 28 - Jade Puget (AFI)
- December 8 - Corey Taylor, vocalist of Slipknot
- December 11 - Mos Def, rapper
Deaths
- January 16 - Clara Ward, gospel singer
- January 23 - Kid Ory, jazz trombonist and bandleader
- February 3 - Andy Razaf, composer, poet and lyricist
- February 19 - Joseph Szigeti, violinist
- March 5 - Michael Jeffery, Jimi Hendrix's personal manager
- March 8 - Ron Pigpen McKernan, Grateful Dead (stomach hemorrhage)
- March 26 - Noel Coward, composer and dramatist
- April 18 - Willie 'The Lion' Smith, US jazz pianist
- May 21 - Vaughn Monroe, US singer and bandleader
- July 3
- Betty Grable, US actress and singer
- Karel Ančerl, conductor
- July 6 - Otto Klemperer, conductor
- July 14 - Clarence White, guitarist The Byrds
- August 17 - Jean Barraqué, French classical composer
- September 6 - William Henry Harris, organist and composer
- September 16 - Víctor Jara, Chilean folk singer (murdered)
- September 17 - Hugo Winterhalter, US conductor and arranger
- September 19 - Gram Parsons, guitarist/vocalist (drug overdose)
- September 20
- Jim Croce, 30, singer-songwriter (plane crash)
- Ben Webster, jazz saxophonist
- October 16
- Gene Krupa, drummer
- Jorge Peña Hen, composer
- October 22 - Pablo Casals, cellist
- November 10 - Zeke Zettner, The Stooges
- November 11 - David "Stringbean" Akeman, US country musician
- November 18 - Alois Hába, composer
- November 27 - Frank Christian, jazz trumpeter
- December 20 - Bobby Darin, American singer and actor (b. 1936)
- December 31 - Emile Christian, jazz trombonist
- date unknown - Cäwdät Fäyzi, Tatar composer and folklorist