10 songs from the 1970s you’ll be playing all summer long
The sound of the 1970s, or indeed any decade, is such an overwrought phrase that it almost loses the sense of what it actually stands for.
But when it comes to the ‘70s specifically, the footprint is visceral. It was the era of soul and groove, the height of experimental rock and the introduction of a newfound grit in the heavy metal surge, once the sonics of the swinging sixties had finally left. Oh, and there was sunshine too, plenty of it.
That stands up in both a musical and very literal sense, given that the summer of 1976 was famously one of the hottest ever experienced in the history of the UK, with record highs of 35.9 degrees noted in a small corner of Gloucestershire in July of that year, making the season one that would go down in legend.
Ever since, people who were there at the time, or those who just heard about it, have pined after those nostalgic days of searing heat and carefree worlds, obviously helped along by the songs that soundtracked it. To this end, we’ve picked ten of the best ’70s songs that act as summer anthems, because whether it’s 1976 or 2026, the sun can be felt anywhere.
10 of the best summer songs from the 1970s:
‘California’ – Joni Mitchell
There’s nothing better that embodies the spirit of summer than the shining hues of the ‘Golden State’ that point you towards Joni Mitchell’s ‘California’, a song that is less inclined to the idea of seasonal jetsetting than it is about returning home. While Mitchell did write the song in some lovely holiday destinations, like France and Spain, it was that familiar warmth she was really looking for.
Indeed, it was the climate, in both a weather and creative capacity, that she felt most longingly towards in ‘California’, much in the same way that most of us find nothing better than the Saturday afternoons lazing about in the garden when summer rolls around. Not all of us can be in California, of course, but its feelings stretch all over the globe.
‘Everybody Loves the Sunshine’ – Roy Ayers
It may be the most simple way of putting it, but when Roy Ayers uttered the words ‘Everybody Loves the Sunshine’, he couldn’t have created a more universal message. In fact, despite recording the song and the album of the same name, between New York and Hollywood, its release in 1976 couldn’t have been a better fit for the blistering heat of the UK.
But in terms of ‘70s summer anthems, there are few more iconic than Ayers’s creation, becoming a staple tagline for the entire genre of R&B. Having been covered by pivotal artists like D’Angelo and sampled by Tupac Shakur as well as countless others, that mantra of worshipping the rays still stands as one of the greatest summer tunes ever heard.
‘I Feel The Earth Move’ – Carole King
Albeit a far cry from R&B, Carole King can also have a valid claim to the throne for the best ‘70s summery tunes, as nothing can beat the soul-stirring, foot-stomping tones of 1971’s ‘I Feel The Earth Move’. Having said that, if the world were to actually “come tumbling down”, the warm months might be the best time to do it. At least everyone’s in a good mood.
In many ways, there’s no better music to soundtrack the heights of a glorious summer day than truly classic rock and pop, with King more than fulfilling the requirements of the latter. Imagine basking in the sun, with a drink in hand, possibly even with the barbecue on the go, for which a song like ‘I Feel The Earth Move’ is the perfect elixir.
‘Mr Blue Sky’ – ELO
Of course, something as heavy as a rock opera isn’t necessarily the typical fodder for a light and breezy summer anthem, but ‘Mr Blue Sky’ is the obvious exception in this case, if for nothing more than its plainly cloudless lyricism. Jeff Lynne said himself that the song was written about the wholesome joy of the sun reappearing after a period of dullness.
Let me tell you, living in Scotland, I can painfully relate to that. As it so happens, at the very moment that I write this, the sun is absolutely splitting the sky, finally giving the population a much-needed boost of serotonin after what seemed like a never-ending depression of winter. ELO’s ode to the light blue hues is exactly what we need.
‘Jane’ – Jefferson Starship
When the Jefferson Starship flight came to land, they did so in 1979 with the release of ‘Jane’. It was undoubtedly one of the most fiery tunes they ever released, but despite the sting and acerbic throttle, it was no match for the gates of hell. Instead, maybe place it on stage at a summer festival, and you can truly get the crowd rocking.
Being a classic example of the prime driving rock, you could also just as happily bundle into a car, hatch down the roof if you’re lucky to have a convertible, and take on the open road with a tune like ‘Jane’ bursting through the speakers. It’s feisty and unmistakable, and sometimes, when the laziness of summer gets a little too boring, the perfect pick-me-up.
‘Lovely Day’ – Bill Withers
It is, of course, a classic of the era, but something about a balmy sunrise in June will always bring Bill Withers to mind. Indeed, ‘Lovely Day’ perfectly encapsulates what it is to be a completely essential song: one that not only boosts the mood, but keeps it there for as long as you listen to it, and will never be forgotten.
Letting go of life’s troubles and stresses always seems that little bit easier when summer comes around in the calendar, whether it’s the promise of beer gardens on the weekend or just a simple walk in the park with an ice cream at the end of it. A song like Withers’ is the ideal soundtrack to any part of that, so you’d better get planning the itinerary.
‘Say You Love Me’ – Fleetwood Mac
Aside from being the latest song of the ‘70s to find a new breath of life in the algorithmic time capsule that is TikTok, it is worth the reminder that ‘Say You Love Me’ by Fleetwood Mac is one of their greatest mood-lifting tunes, and an essential addition to the summer playlist, if ever you’ve heard one.
A shimmering Christine McVie effort, it’s a sonic manifestation of a prancing paradise, skipping through fields and flowers, and soaking up the sun. In other words, it was written while she was still in love with John McVie, before shit hit the fan with the band and all of their relationships two years later, when Rumours came around.
‘The Boss’ – Diana Ross
No discussion about the ‘70s could ever be complete without at least a hint of Motown and disco coming into the picture, and Diana Ross delivered it by the bucketload on ‘The Boss’. The 1979 track was a world away from her ‘60s start with The Supremes, but in a landscape full of glitter and disco infernos, taking the party out into the street was the next best thing.
When you actually think about it, is there anything more suited to summer than disco? Sure, its typically nocturnal disposition may limit its reach to the hours of darkness when the nightclub scene comes alive, but in the case of Ross and a song like this, there are surely few better places to hear it than by a poolside, baking under the beautiful sun.
‘You Are The Sunshine of My Life’ – Stevie Wonder
Speaking once more of sun, you could honestly pick any number of Stevie Wonder’s defining hits of the era, and they would all readily fit the bill of a shining summer anthem, from ‘Sir Duke’ to ‘Don’t You Worry ‘bout A Thing’. Yet it was the simple bossa nova turns of ‘You Are The Sunshine of My Life’, released on 1972’s Talking Book, that had the most laid back appeal.
If you ever had to define the genesis of easy listening, this song should be the one that you instantly point towards. After all, when the sun is shining, and you just want to relax, you shouldn’t be bothered with the thrash of metal or the deep heaviness of lyrical introspection. All you need is to kick back and be carefree, and for that, Wonder has you covered.
‘Uh-Oh, Love Comes to Town’ – Talking Heads
A lot of artists intrinsically have a certain season that their music seems to match, but it’s far more difficult to determine when it comes to the Talking Heads. On one hand, you could argue that this is their entire point, but with a song like ‘Uh-Oh, Love Comes to Town’, its place is undeniably slap bang in the height of summer.
As the first track on their iconic debut album, it was essentially the calling card for everything the band was and what they set out to achieve. In that sense, it was a rollicking circus of constant fun, bright colours, new sounds, and a constant unpredictability of what would come next. Actually, when you think about it, summer might be their best season, after all.
