1970 in music

Table of contents

1 Events 2 Albums released 3 Top hits 4 Published popular songs 5 Musical theater 6 Musical films 7 Births 8 Deaths 9 Awards 9.1 Grammy Awards 9.2 Eurovision Song Contest

Events

• January 3 - Davy Jones announces he is leaving the Monkees.
• January 7 - Max Yasgur, owner of the New York farm where the 1969 Woodstock Festival was held, is sued for $35,000 in property damages by neighboring farmers
• January 14 - Diana Ross performs with the Supremes for the last time.
• January 16 - John Lennon's London Art gallery exhibit of lithographs, Bag One, is shut down by Scotland Yard for displaying "erotic lithographs"
• January 24 - James Shep Sheppard, of The Heartbeats and Shep and the Limelites, is found murdered in his car on the Long Island Expressway
• January 26 - Simon and Garfunkel release their final album together, Bridge Over Troubled Water. The title track and album stay #1 on the Billboard charts for six weeks and go on to win a record six Grammys at the 13th Grammy Awards, including "Record of the Year," "Song of the Year," and "Album of the Year."
• January 28 - The newly formed group Band of Gypsies breaks up when guitarist Jimi Hendrix walks out after playing just two songs, telling the audience "I'm sorry we just can't get it together".
• February 11 - The film The Magic Christian, starring Peter Sellers and Ringo Starr premieres in New York City. The film's soundtrack album, including Badfinger's "Come and Get It," (which is written and produced by Paul McCartney), is also released on Apple Records.
• February 11 - John Lennon pays £1,344 in fines for 96 people who had protested against the South African rugby team playing in Scotland.
• February 14 - The Who records Live At Leeds in Yorkshire, England
• February 17 - Joni Mitchell announces that she is retiring from live performances, following her show at London's Royal Albert Hall. Mitchell would be back performing concerts within a year.
• February 23 - Ringo Starr appears on the television show Laugh-In
• February 27 - Jefferson Airplane is fined $1,000 for using profanity during a concert in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
• February 28 - Led Zeppelin performs in Copenhagen under the pseudonym The Nobs, due to threats of lawsuits from Count Evan von Zeppelin, descendant of airship designer Ferdinand von Zeppelin
• March 4 - Janis Joplin is fined $200 for using obscene language during a concert performance in Tampa, Florida
• March 6 - Cult leader and suspected murderer Charles Manson releases an album titled Lies to help finance his defense.
• March - Jim Morrison of The Doors is found guilty of indecent exposure and profanity because of his behavior during a March 1, 1969 concert. Morrison is sentenced to eight months of hard labor and a $500 fine.
• March 20 - David Bowie marries model Angela Barnett
• April 2 - The London Magistrate's Court hears arguments on John Lennon's indecency summons for his exhibition of erotic lithographs during his art exhibit on January 16
• April 17 - Johnny Cash performs at the White House at the invitation of President Richard M. Nixon.
• April 24 - Grace Slick of Jefferson Airplane is invited to a party at the White House by Tricia Nixon, daughter of US President Richard Nixon. Slick arrives at the party with Abbie Hoffman, who is on trial for conspiring to riot at the 1968 Democratic National Convention. Hoffman is not allowed into the White House and leaves with Slick.
• May 15 - The Beatles' last LP, Let It Be, is released in the United States
• July 26 - Guitarist Jimi Hendrix plays at his hometown of Seattle at Sicks Stadium where under the influence of drugs starts verbally abusing members of the audience.
• September 6 - During his final European tour, guitarist Jimi Hendrix is greeted by booing and jeering by German fans at his late appearance on stage and incoherent stage performance. Bassist Billy Cox quits the tour and heads back to the United States as a result.
• The Beatles break up. All four band members release solo albums.
• Simon and Garfunkel break up, and both members of the duo go on to solo careers.
• The Dave Clark Five break up
• Isle of Wight Festival
• Genesis forms
• Styx forms
• Jimmy Buffett begins recording
• Eric Clapton leaves Blind Faith for a solo career

• Let It Be - The Beatles
• Cucumber Castle - The Bee Gees
• Black Sabbath - Black Sabbath
• Paranoid - Black Sabbath
• Sex Machine - James Brown
• On Stage - Elvis Presley
• Down to Earth - Jimmy Buffett
• Close to You - The Carpenters
• II - Chicago
• Cosmo's Factory - Creedence Clearwater Revival
• Deja Vu - Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young
• Bitches Brew - Miles Davis
• A Tribute to Jack Johnson - Miles Davis
• In Rock - Deep Purple
• Layla and Other Assorted Love Songs - Derek & the Dominoes
• Morrison Hotel - The Doors
• Self Portrait - Bob Dylan
• Emerson, Lake and Palmer - Emerson, Lake & Palmer
• Portrait - Fifth Dimension
• Chapter 2 - Roberta Flack
• This Girl's in Love with You - Aretha Franklin
• Spirit in the Dark - Aretha Franklin
• All Things Must Pass - George Harrison
• Band of Gypsys - Jimi Hendrix
• Small Talk at 125th and Lennox - Gil Scott-Heron
• Closer to Home - Grand Funk Railroad
• American Beauty - The Grateful Dead
• A Tribute to the Best Damn Fiddle Player in the World - Merle Haggard
• ABC - Jackson 5
• Elton John - Elton John
• Pearl - Janis Joplin
• Led Zeppelin III - Led Zeppelin
• Plastic Ono Band - John Lennon
• McCartney - Paul McCartney
• Ladies of the Canyon - Joni Mitchell
• Climbing - Mountain
• 12 Steps - Randy Newman
• The Point - Harry Nilsson
• The Isaac Hayes Movement - Isaac Hayes
• Fun House - Iggy & the Stooges
• Benefit - Jethro Tull
• Atom Heart Mother - Pink Floyd
• Abraxas - Santana
• Bridge Over Troubled Water - Simon & Garfunkel
• Tea for the Tillerman - Cat Stevens
• Sweet Baby James - James Taylor
• It Ain't Easy - Three Dog Night
• Naturally - Three Dog Night
• John Barleycorn Must Die - Traffic
• Live at Leeds - The Who
• Moondance - Van Morrison
• Loaded - The Velvet Underground
• After the Gold Rush - Neil Young

• "(I Know) I'm Losing You" - Rare Earth
• "(If You Let Me Make Love to You Then) Why Can't I Touch You?" - Ronnie Dyson
• "(They Long to Be) Close to You" - Carpenters
• "(You've Got Me) Dangling on a String" - Chairmen of the Board
• "25 or 6 to 4" - Chicago
• "5-10-15-20 (25-30 Years of Love)" - The Presidents
• "A Song of Joy (Himno A La Alegria)" - Miguel Rios
• "ABC" - The Jackson 5
• "After Midnight" - Eric Clapton
• "Ain't It Funky Now (Part 1)" - James Brown
• "Ain't No Mountain High Enough" - Diana Ross
• "Airport Love Theme (Gwen & Vern)" - Vincent Bell & Orchestra
• "All I Have To Do Is Dream" - Bobbie Gentry & Glen Campbell
• "All Right Now" - Free
• "Always Something There to Remind Me" - R.B. Greaves
• "American Woman" - The Guess Who
• "Amos Moses" - Jerry Reed
• "Are You Ready?" - Pacific Gas & Electric
• "Arizona" - Mark Lindsay
• "As the Years Go By" - Mashmakhan
• "Baby Hold On" - The Grass Roots
• "Ball of Confusion (That's What the World Is Today)" - The Temptations
• "Band of Gold" - Freda Payne
• "Be My Baby" - Andy Kim
• "Big Yellow Taxi" - The Neighborhood
• "Black Magic Woman " - Santana
• "Black Night " - Deep Purple
• "Blowing Away" - The 5th Dimension
• "Border Song (Holy Moses)" - Aretha Franklin
• "Born to Wander" - Rare Earth
• "Breaking Up Is Hard to Do" - Lenny Welch
• "Bridge Over Troubled Water" - Simon & Garfunkel
• "Brother Rapp (Parts 1 & 2)" - James Brown
• "Call Me" - Aretha Franklin
• "Call Me Super Bad" - James Brown
• "Candida" - Dawn
• "Can't Stop Loving You" - Tom Jones
• "Cecilia" - Simon & Garfunkel
• "Celebrate" - Three Dog Night
• "Check Out Your Mind" - The Impressions
• "Chicken Strut" - The Meters
• "Close To You " - The Carpenters
• "Closer to Home" - Grand Funk Railroad
• "Come And Get It" - Badfinger
• "Come Running" - Van Morrison
• "Come Saturday Morning" - The Sandpipers
• "Come Together /Something " - The Beatles
• "Cottage Cheese " - Crow
• "Cracklin' Rosie" - Neil Diamond
• "Cry Me A River" - Joe Cocker
• "Cupid " - Johnny Nash
• "Daughter of Darkness" - Tom Jones
• "Deeper and Deeper" - Freda Payne
• "Didn't I (Blow Your Mind This Time)" - The Delfonics
• "Do It" - Neil Diamond
• "Do the Funky Chicken" - Rufus Thomas
• "Do What You Wanna Do " - Five Flights Up
• "Do You See My Love (for You Growing)" - Jr. Walker & The All-Stars
• "Does Anybody Really Know What Time it is" - Chicago
• "Domino" - Van Morrison
• "Don't Play That Song (You Lied)" - Aretha Franklin
• "Down on the Corner" - Creedence Clearwater Revival
• "Easy Come, Easy Go" - Bobby Sherman
• "El Condor Pasa" - Simon & Garfunkel
• "Eli's Coming" - Three Dog Night
• "Engine Number 9" - Wilson Pickett
• "Everybody Is A Star" - Sly & The Family Stone
• "Everybody's Got the Right to Love" - The Supremes
• "Everybody's Out of Town" - B.J. Thomas
• "Everything is Beautiful" - Ray Stevens
• "Everything's Tuesday" - Chairmen of the Board
• "Evil Ways" - Santana
• "Evil Woman Don't Play Your Games With Me" - Crow
• "Express Yourself" - Charles Wright & The Watts 103rd St. Rhythm Band
• "Fancy" - Bobbie Gentry
• "Fire and Rain" - James Taylor
• "For the Good Times" - Ray Price
• "For the Love of Him" - Bobbi Martin
• "For You Blue" - The Beatles
• "Games" - Redeye (band)
• "Get Ready" - Rare Earth
• "Get Up I Feel Like Being Like a Sex Machine (Part 1)" - James Brown
• "Gimme Dat Ding" - The Pipkins
• "Give Me Just A Little More Time" - The Chairman of the Board
• "Go Back " - Crabby Appleton
• "God, Love and Rock & Roll" - Teegarden & Van Winkle
• "Gotta Hold on to This Feeling" - Jr. Walker & The All-Stars
• "Green-Eyed Lady" - Sugarloaf
• "Groovy Situation" - Gene Chandler
• "Gypsy Woman" - Brian Hyland
• "Hand Me Down World" - The Guess Who
• "He Ain't Heavy, He's My Brother" - Neil Diamond
• "He Ain't Heavy, He's My Brother" - The Hollies
• "Heaven Help Us All" - Stevie Wonder
• "Heed the Call" - Kenny Rogers & the First Edition
• "Hello Darlin'" - Conway Twitty
• "Hey Lawdy Mama" - Steppenwolf
• "Hey There Lonely Girl " - Eddie Holman
• "Hey, Mister Sun" - Bobby Sherman
• "Hi-De-Ho" - Blood, Sweat & Tears
• "Hitchin' a Ride" - Vanity Fare
• "Holly Holy" - Neil Diamond
• "Honey Come Back" - Glen Campbell
• "House of the Rising Sun" - Frijid Pink
• "I (Who Have Nothing)" - Tom Jones
• "I Ain't Got Time Anymore" - The Glass Bottle
• "I Am Somebody (Part 2)" - Johnnie Taylor
• "I Found That Girl" - The Jackson 5
• "I Just Can't Help Believing" - B.J. Thomas
• "I Really Don't Want to Know" - Elvis Presley
• "I Think I Love You" - The Partridge Family
• "I Want to Take You Higher" - Ike & Tina Turner
• "I Want You Back " - The Jackson 5
• "If I Were a Carpenter" - Johnny Cash & June Carter
• "If I Were Your Woman" - Gladys Knight & The Pips
• "If You Could Read My Mind" - Gordon Lightfoot
• "I'll Be There" - The Jackson 5
• "I'll Never Fall in Love Again" - Dionne Warwick
• "I'm Not My Brother's Keeper" - The Flaming Ember
• "Immigrant Song" - Led Zeppelin
• "In the Summertime" - Mungo Jerry
• "Indiana Wants Me " - R. Dean Taylor
• "Instant Karma (We All Shine On)" - John Ono Lennon
• "Isn't It a Pity" - George Harrison
• "It Don't Matter to Me" - Bread
• "It's a New Day (Parts 1 & 2)" - James Brown
• "It's a Shame" - Spinners
• "It's All In the Game" - Four Tops
• "It's Impossible " - Perry Como
• "It's Only Make Believe" - Glen Campbell
• "I've Lost You" - Elvis Presley
• "Jam Up and Jelly Tight" - Tommy Roe
• "Jennifer Tomkins" - Street People
• "Jingle Jangle" - The Archies
• "Joanne" - Michael Nesmith & The First National Band
• "Julie, Do Ya Love Me" - Bobby Sherman
• "Kentucky Rain" - Elvis Presley
• "Knock Three Times " - Dawn
• "Lay A Little Lovin' On Me" - Robin McNamara
• "Lay Down (Candles in the Rain)" - Melanie with The Edwin Hawkins Singers
• "Leaving on a Jet Plane" - Peter, Paul and Mary
• "Let A Man Come in and Do the Popcorn (Part 2)" - James Brown
• "Let It Be" - The Beatles
• "Let Me Go to Him" - Dionne Warwick
• "Let's Work Together" - Canned Heat
• "Let's Work Together (Part 1)" - Wilbert Harrison
• "Little Green Bag" - George Baker Selection
• "Lola " - The Kinks
• "Lonely Days " - The Bee Gees
• "Long and Winding Road" - The Beatles
• "Long Lonesome Highway" - Michael Parks
• "Long Long Time" - Linda Ronstadt
• "Look What They've Done to My Song, Ma" - The New Seekers
• "Looking Out My Back Door " - Creedence Clearwater Revival
• "Look-Ka Py Py" - The Meters
• "Love Grows (Where My Rosemary Goes)" - Edison Lighthouse
• "Love Land" - Charles Wright & The Watts 103rd St. Rhythm Band
• "Love on a Two Way Street" - The Moments
• "Love or Let Me Be Lonely" - The Friends of Distinction
• "Love the One You're With" - Stephen Stills
• "Lucretia MacEvil" - Blood, Sweat & Tears
• "Ma Belle Amie" - The Tee Set
• "Make It Easy on Yourself" - Dionne Warwick
• "Make it With You" - Bread
• "Make Me Smile " - Chicago
• "Mama Told Me (Not to Come)" - Three Dog Night
• "Maybe" - The Three Degrees
• "Merry Christmas, Darling " - The Carpenters
• "Midnight Cowboy" - Ferrante and Teicher
• "Mississippi" - John Phillips
• "Mississippi Queen" - Mountain
• "Mongoose " - Elephants Memory
• "Montego Bay" - Bobby Bloom
• "Most of All" - B.J. Thomas
• "Mr. Bojangles" - Nitty Gritty Dirt Band
• "My Baby Loves Lovin'" - White Plains
• "My Sweet Lord" - George Harrison
• "Na Na Hey Hey Kiss Him Goodbye" - Steam
• "Neanderthal Man" - Hotlegs
• "Never Had a Dream Come True" - Stevie Wonder
• "No Matter What" - Badfinger
• "No Time " - The Guess Who
• "Oh Happy Day" - Glen Campbell
• "Ohio" - Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young
• "One Less Bell to Answer" - The 5th Dimension
• "Only Love Can Break Your Heart" - Neil Young
• "Ooh Child" - The Five Stairsteps
• "Our House" - Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young
• "Out In the Country" - Three Dog Night
• "Overture from Tommy (A Rock Opera)" - The Assembled Multitude
• "Patches" - Clarence Carter
• "Peace Will Come (According to Plan)" - Melanie
• "Precious, Precious" - Jackie Moore
• "Psychedelic Shack" - The Temptations
• "Puppet Man" - The 5th Dimension
• "Question" - The Moody Blues
• "Raindrops Keep Fallin' On My Head" - B.J. Thomas
• "Rainy Night In Georgia" - Brook Benton
• "Reach Out and Touch (Somebody's Hand)" - Diana Ross
• "Reflections of My Life" - Marmalade
• "Remember Me" - Diana Ross
• "Ride Captain Ride" - Blues Image
• "Rubber Duckie" - Ernie (Jim Henson)
• "Save the Country" - The 5th Dimension
• "See Me, Feel Me " - The Who
• "Share the Land" - The Guess Who
• "She Came in Through the Bathroom Window" - Joe Cocker
• "Shilo" - Neil Diamond
• "Signed, Sealed, Delivered, I'm Yours" - Stevie Wonder
• "Silver Bird" - Mark Lindsay
• "Sly, Slick & The Wicked " - Lost Generation
• "Snowbird" - Anne Murray
• "Solitary Man " - Neil Diamond
• "Somebody's Been Sleeping " - 100 Proof
• "Somebody's Watching You" - Little Sister
• "Someday We'll Be Together" - Diana Ross and the Supremes
• "Somethings Burning" - Kenny Rogers & the First Edition
• "Son of a Preacher Man" - Aretha Franklin
• "Soolaimon (African Trilogy II)" - Neil Diamond
• "Spill the Wine" - Eric Burdon and War
• "Spirit in the Dark" - Aretha Franklin
• "Spirit In The Sky " - Norman Greenbaum
• "Stand By Your Man" - Candi Staton
• "Steal Away" - Johnnie Taylor
• "Still Water (Love)" - The Four Tops
• "Stoned Love" - The Supremes
• "Stoney End" - Barbra Streisand
• "Stop the War Now" - Edwin Starr
• "Sugar Sugar" - Wilson Pickett
• "Summertime Blues" - The Who
• "Super Bad (Parts 1 & 2)" - James Brown
• "Sweet Mary" - Wadsworth Mansion
• "Take a Letter Maria" - R. B. Greaves
• "Teach Your Children" - Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young
• "Tell It All, Brother " - Kenny Rogers & the First Edition
• "Temma Harbour" - Mary Hopkin
• "Tennessee Bird Walk" - Jack Blanchard & Misty Morgan
• "Thank You " - Sly & The Family Stone
• "Thank You (Falettin me Be Mice Elf Agin)" - Sly & The Family Stone
• "That's Where I Went Wrong" - Poppy Family
• "The Bells" - The Originals
• "The End of Our Road" - Marvin Gaye
• "The Letter" - Joe Cocker with Leon Russell
• "The Long and Winding Road" - The Beatles
• "The Love You Save" - The Jackson 5
• "The Rapper" - The Jaggerz
• "The Sly, Slick, and the Wicked" - The Lost Generation
• "The Tears Of A Clown" - Smokey Robinson & the Miracles
• "The Thrill Is Gone" - B.B. King
• "The Touch Of You " - Brenda & The Tabulations
• "The Wonder of You" - Elvis Presley
• "Tighter, Tighter" - Alive and Kicking
• "Travelin' Band" - Creedence Clearwater Revival
• "Trying to Make a Fool of Me" - The Delfonics
• "Turn Back the Hands of Time" - Tyrone Davis
• "Ugena Za Ulimwengu (Unite the World)" - The Temptations
• "United We Stand " - The Brotherhood Of Man
• "Up Around the Bend" - Creedence Clearwater Revival
• "Up on Cripple Creek" - The Band
• "Up the Ladder to the Roof" - The Supremes
• "Vehicle" - The Ides of March
• "Venus" - Shocking Blue
• "Viva Tirado (Part 1)" - El Chicano
• "Walk A Mile in My Shoes" - Joe South & The Believers
• "War" - Edwin Starr
• "We Gotta Get You a Woman" - Runt (Todd Rundgren)
• "Westbound #9" - The Flaming Ember
• "We've Only Just Begun " - The Carpenters
• "What Is Truth?" - Johnny Cash
• "Which Way You Goin' Billy? " - Poppy Family
• "Whole Lotta Love " - Led Zeppelin
• "Who'll Stop The Rain" - Creedence Clearwater Revival
• "Who's Your Baby" - The Archies
• "Winter World of Love" - Engelbert Humperdinck
• "Without Love" - Tom Jones
• "Wonderful World, Beautiful People" - Jimmy Cliff
• "Woodstock " - Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young
• "Yellow River" - Christie
• "You Don't Have To Say You Love Me" - Elvis Presley
• "You Need Love Like I Do (Don't You)" - Gladys Knight & The Pips
• "Your Song" - Elton John
• "Your Time to Cry" - Joe Simon
• "You're the One (Part 1)" - Little Sister

• "Have You Ever Seen The Rain?" w.m. John C. Fogerty
• "If Not For You" w.m. Bob Dylan
• "Kentucky Rain" w.m. Eddie Rabbitt & Dick Heard
• "Lookin' Out My Back Door" w.m. John C. Fogerty
• "Who'll Stop The Rain?" w.m. John C. Fogerty

• ''1776, London production
• Applause, Broadway production
• ''The Boy Friend, Broadway revival
• Cabaret, Vienna production
• Company, Broadway production
• Dames at Sea, Broadway revival
• ''The Great Waltz, London production
• Joy, Broadway production
• Last Days of Isaac, Broadway production
• The Me Nobody Knows, Broadway production
• Minnie's Boys, Broadway production
• Ododo, Broadway production
• Purlie, Broadway production
• The Rothschilds, Broadway production
• Touch, Broadway production
• Two by Two, Broadway production

• Darling Lili
• On a Clear Day You Can See Forever
• Scrooge
• Song of Norway

• January 13 - Zach de la Rocha, Rage Against The Machine
• January 26 - Kirk Franklin
• January 27 - Mark Trojanowski, Sister Hazel
• March 27 - Brendan Hill, Blues Traveler
• March 27 - Mariah Carey
• April 10 - Mike Mushok, Staind
• May 19 - Prince Be, P.M. Dawn
• June 13 - Rivers Cuomo, Weezer
• June 22 - Steven Page, Barenaked Ladies
• July 8 - Beck Hansen
• July 24 - Jennifer Lopez
• August 31 - Debbie Gibson
• September 5 - Liam Lynch
• September 7 - Chad Sexton, 311
• September 9 - Macy Gray
• September 23 - Ani Difranco
• September 25 - Gene Ween, Ween
• October 29 - S.A, 311
• October 31 - Linn Berggren, Ace Of Base
• November 1 - Mags Furuholmen, a-ha
• December 2 - Treach, Naughty By Nature
• December 6 - Ulf Ekberg, Ace Of Base

• January 31 - Slim Harpo
• March 16 - Tammi Terrell, singer, brain tumors, 24 years old
• Mid 1970 - Nick Pantas, guitarist Elf
• September 3 - Alan Wilson, singer Canned Heat
• September 18 - Jimi Hendrix
• October 4 - Janis Joplin

Grammy Awards

• Grammy Awards of 1970
  • Record of the Year: "Bridge Over Troubled Water," Simon and Garfunkel
  • Song of the Year: "Bridge Over Troubled Water," Simon and Garfunkel
  • Album of the Year: Bridge Over Troubled Water, Simon and Garfunkel
  • Best Contemporary Song: "Bridge Over Troubled Water," Simon and Garfunkel
  • Best Engineered Record: "Bridge Over Troubled Water," Simon and Garfunkel, and Roy Halee
  • Best Arrangement Accompanying Vocalists: "Bridge Over Troubled Water," Simon and Garfunkel

• Eurovision Song Contest 1970