Top 10 Greatest 1970s Rock Ballads

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Picking 10 of the greatest 1970s rock ballads is an exercise in basically asking myself what mood I am in today. There are so many compelling 1970s rock ballads that naming just 10 feels like a crime. But that is what these lists are about: they are about picking 10 songs, sometimes picking 10 songs out of hundreds of thousands.

It is what makes it fun; it is what makes it daunting. Of course, every time I publish an article like this, people say, “How could you have forgotten such and such?” And I love that because it tells me one thing: that I am not alone in loving this music, and that writing articles like this helps celebrate it and keep this music alive.

So, of course, so many deserve to be on this list, but in the end, I am going with the first 10 that come to mind: 10 powerful ballads that stand as some of the best released in the 1970s. So what do you think? I know you will tell me.

# 10 – You and Me – Alice Cooper

I remember hearing this for the first time on the radio, wondering who this was. I loved the song instantly. It spoke to me. I was growing up in the Bronx.

Growing up in the 1970s in New York City, especially in the Bronx, songs like this resonated with people. I was shocked to find out that it was Alice Cooper. It instantly became one of my favorite songs. “You and Me” by Alice Cooper appeared as the lead single from his 1977 album Lace and Whiskey.

Read More: Top 10 Alice Cooper Songs

# 9 – Two Out of Three Ain’t Bad – Meat Loaf

“Two Out of Three Ain’t Bad” by Meat Loaf arrives as a defining moment in our countdown of the 10 greatest rock ballads of the 1970s. The song appeared on his epic 1977 album Bat Out of Hell, produced by Todd Rundgren. It was released as a single in the U.S. in March 1978 and in the U.K. on July 21, 1978.

Jim Steinman wrote the song, and it came out of sessions for an album recorded at studios including Bearsville Studios in Woodstock, New York, and The Hit Factory in New York City. The musicians included Meat Loaf on lead vocals; Todd Rundgren on guitar and backing vocals; Kasim Sulton on bass; Roger Powell on synthesizer; John “Willie” Wilcox on drums; and Roy Bittan on piano. Kenneth Ascher arranged the strings.

The single spent 23 weeks on the Billboard Hot 100, peaking at No. 11 in the U.S. It also reached No. 9 on the U.S. Cash Box Top 100, No. 5 in Canada, No. 9 in New Zealand, and No. 11 in Australia and Austria.

In the context of the decade’s ballad tradition, this song stands out for its lyrical twist and orchestral drama, proving that even the most operatic pieces could find a place on rock radio and still resonate deeply with listeners.

Read More: Top 10 Meat Loaf Songs

# 8 – I’ve Loved These Days – Billy Joel

I have always felt that few songs capture the fading glow of an era quite like Billy Joel’s “I’ve Loved These Days,” a track from his 1976 album Turnstiles. It stands firmly among the most reflective rock ballads of the 1970s.

An early version of the song was recorded in New York during sessions with producer James William Guercio, featuring Nigel Olsson on drums and Dee Murray on bass. Joel later abandoned that approach and recorded the album with his own touring musicians: Liberty DeVitto, Doug Stegmeyer, Richie Cannata, Russell Javors, and Howie Emerson.

Billy Joel produced the final version himself, working with engineers Don Puluse and John Bradley and mixer Bruce Botnick. The album’s recording involved studios in New York and overdubbing and mixing at Caribou Ranch in Colorado. Orchestral touches from arranger Ken Ascher and Joel’s own acoustic piano and vocal performance helped shape the finished recording.

Set within Turnstiles, an album created to celebrate Joel’s move back to New York and filled with themes of transition, “I’ve Loved These Days” offered a tongue-in-cheek farewell to Hollywood indulgence. It became one of the album’s most striking emotional moments.

Read More: Top 10 Billy Joel Songs

# 7 – Tuesday’s Gone – Lynyrd Skynyrd

Pronounced 'Lĕh-'nérd 'Skin-'nérd (SHM-CD)

I think when we’re talking big ballads in the 1970s and the band Lynyrd Skynyrd is mentioned in the same sentence, most people would think of the song “Free Bird,” or at least the first section of “Free Bird.” However, “Free Bird” wasn’t the song that challenged this one for a spot on the list. The song that really challenged “Tuesday’s Gone” was “Simple Man.”

It was tough to choose between those two songs, but in the end, we went with “Tuesday’s Gone” from the band’s debut album. This one is pretty powerful!

# 6 – Without You – Badfinger

I think it’s fair to say that most people know the phenomenal Harry Nilsson version of this song, which completely dominated the ’70s. It’s just so stunningly beautiful and heartbreaking. Or they know the Mariah Carey version from the ’90s.

But if it wasn’t for these guys, there would be neither. And that’s one of the reasons why I decided to choose the original version, written by the fabulous band Badfinger, who have been so underrated in rock history.

Read More: Top 10 Badfinger Songs

# 5 – Memory Motel – The Rolling Stones

There are so many great Rolling Stones ballads to choose from that came out in the decade of the 1970s. I think many people would have probably picked “Angie,” which is why these lists are always subjective. There is just something about the song “Memory Motel” that has always hit me deeply.

Perhaps it is because I attended high school on Long Island, not far from where this motel is located in Montauk. Maybe that is why this one feels a little more significant to me. I do remember how popular it was when it was first released.

Radio couldn’t get enough of it, at least the good stations like WNEW and WBAB, which played rock tracks. They played not just the hits, but also deep tracks like this fabulous song.

# 4 – River – Joni Mitchell

“River” by Joni Mitchell remains a standout in our article on the 10 best rock ballads of the 1970s, a quietly devastating song of longing and regret. Released in June 1971 on her album Blue, the song was written and produced by Mitchell herself, performed on piano, and recorded during a time when she was navigating personal heartbreak.

Although not released as a single at the time, it became her second-most widely recorded song and a modern holiday standard, despite its melancholic tone.

The track captures the emotional pivot from the winter imagery of “It’s coming on Christmas, they’re cutting down trees” to the yearning refrain “I wish I had a river I could skate away on,” borrowing a melodic hint from “Jingle Bells.” Although it was not a chart single on its original release, its influence is evident in more than a thousand cover recordings and its inclusion on numerous albums by other artists.

In the context of the 1970s rock ballad genre, “River” stands out for its use of minimal instrumentation and intimate delivery, which achieve lasting emotional resonance.

Read More: Top 10 Joni Mitchell Songs

# 3 – The Long and Winding Road – The Beatles

Let It Be (Special Edition)[Super Deluxe 5 CD/Blu-ray Audio]

I’ve always thought this is one of the most beautiful songs ever written. It just creeps into this list due to its release at the start of the decade. It’s one of those songs that has been recorded by so many artists, and I have to tell you, I especially love the Tony Bennett version.

Nonetheless, one of the most beautiful songs The Beatles ever composed was also one of the last ones they ever released. It kind of just felt right.

# 2 – The Last Resort – The Eagles

Ask any Eagles fan what song is their favorite track by the band, and I’m probably going to lay 2-to-1 odds that “The Last Resort” shows up quite a bit in their responses. I think we all remember the first time we heard this song when we first purchased this album, and how it blew us away.

The line when Don Henley sings, “Kiss it goodbye,” cuts right through you. This one was epic. It still is.

Read More: Top 10 Eagles Songs

# 1 – Since I’ve Been Loving You – Led Zeppelin

How could we not leave the number one spot for the greatest rock band of the 1970s? The only question was which song to choose. There were a lot of great ballads on the first two albums. However, those first two records were released in 1969.

Even so, Robert Plant’s vocal performance and Jimmy Page’s guitar work on this sensational blues ballad from Led Zeppelin III were just out of this world. And the live versions were stunning. If you want to turn somebody on to rock and roll ballads from the ’70s, this is where you start.

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Updated October 18, 2026.

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