1970 in music explained

List of notable events in music that took place in the year 1970.

Specific locations

• 1970 in British music
• 1970 in Norwegian music

Specific genres

• 1970 in country music
• 1970 in heavy metal music
• 1970 in jazz

Events

• January 3 – Ex-Pink Floyd frontman Syd Barrett releases his first solo album The Madcap Laughs.
• January 4 – The Who drummer Keith Moon fatally runs over his chauffeur with his Bentley trying to escape a mob outside a pub. The death is later ruled an accident.
• January 7 – Max Yasgur, owner of the Bethel, New York farm where the 1969 Woodstock Festival was held, is sued for $35,000 in property damages by neighboring farmers.
• January 9 – Led Zeppelin performs at The Royal Albert Hall. John Bonham plays a fifteen-minute rendition of "Moby Dick".
• January 14 – Diana Ross and the Supremes perform for the last time together at the Frontier Hotel in Las Vegas.
• 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 & 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." In Britain it tops the album chart at regular intervals over the next two years, and becomes the best-selling album in Britain during the 1970s.
• January 27 – Miles Davis makes the final recordings for his experimental album Circle in the Round, featuring sitar and tabla.
• January 28 – The newly formed 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, is premiered in New York City. The film's soundtrack album, including Badfinger's "Come and Get It" (written and produced by Paul McCartney), is released on Apple Records.
• February 13 – English band Black Sabbath release their self titled debut album in the U.K., credited as the first major album in the heavy metal genre.^[1]
• February 14 – The Who record their live album Live At Leeds in Yorkshire, England. The Grateful Dead plays an equally historic concert on the same date at the Fillmore East, New York City.
• February 17 – Joni Mitchell announces that she is retiring from live performances, following her show at London's Royal Albert Hall. She would be back performing concerts within a year.
• February 23 – Ringo Starr appears on the television show Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In.
• February 27 – Jefferson Airplane is fined $1,000 for using profanity during a concert in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.
• February 28 – Elvis Presley performed at the Houston Astrodome. The King of Rock and Roll broke previous attendance records with a crowd of 36,299 - which was 10,000 more than the previous record.
• February 28 – Led Zeppelin perform in Copenhagen under the pseudonym The Nobs, to avoid a threatened lawsuit by Count Eva 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 to help finance his defense.
• March 7 – Mountain, one of the many bands credited as having influence in the development of heavy metal music, releases Climbing!, their debut album.
• March 11 – The 12th Annual Grammy Awards are presented in Chicago, Los Angeles, Nashville, New York and Atlanta. Blood, Sweat & Tears' self-titled album wins Album of the Year, The 5th Dimension's "Aquarius/Let the Sunshine In" wins Record of the Year and Joe South's "Games People Play" wins Song of the Year. Crosby, Stills & Nash win Best New Artist.
• March 15 – West German pavilion at Expo '70 in Osaka features 5½ hours' daily live performances of the music of Karlheinz Stockhausen (to September 13).
• March 19 – David Bowie marries model Angela Barnett.
• March 21 – In Amsterdam, Dana wins the 15th annual Eurovision Song Contest for Ireland with the song All Kinds of Everything (music and lyrics by Derry Lindsay and Jackie Smith). She is elected to the European Parliament some 29 years later.
• March 25 – José José gives a masterful performance of the song "El Triste" at the "Latin Song Festival II", predecessor of the OTI Festival.
• March 26 – Peter Yarrow (of Peter, Paul and Mary) pleads guilty to "taking immoral liberties" with a 14-year-old girl in Washington, D.C., on August 31, 1969.
• 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 3 – Minneapolis nightclub the Depot opens, eventually renamed to First Avenue.
• April 10 – Paul McCartney publicly announces that he has left The Beatles in a press release, written in mock-interview style, that is included in promotional copies of his first solo album and headlined in the Daily Mirror newspaper in the United Kingdom.
• April 14 – Michael Nesmith announces he has left The Monkees.
• April 17 – Johnny Cash performs at the White House at the invitation of President Richard M. Nixon.
• April 20 – Paul McCartney's first solo album, McCartney, is released.
• April 24 – Grace Slick of Jefferson Airplane is invited to a tea party at the White House by Tricia Nixon, daughter of U.S. 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. The pair planned to spike Nixon's tea cup with a heavy dose of LSD. Slick is recognized (although Hoffman is not) and told to leave because she is on the FBI list.
• May 4 – Charles Wuorinen, 32, becomes the youngest composer ever to win the Pulitzer Prize for Music.
• May 8 – The Beatles' last LP, Let It Be, is released.
  • • May 16 Randy Bachman leaves the Guess Who to start up Brave Belt.
  • The Who release Live at Leeds which is their first live album. Since its initial reception, Live at Leeds has been cited by several music critics as the best live rock recording of all time.
• May 20 – The Beatles' film Let It Be premières in London and Liverpool. None of the four band members are present at either screening.
• May 23–24 – Grateful Dead make their first British appearance at Hollywood Festival, Newcastle-under-Lyme, on a bill also featuring Black Sabbath, Free, and José Feliciano. Everyone is completely upstaged by the previously unknown Mungo Jerry, whose debut single "In the Summertime" becomes the best-selling hit of the year.
• June – Australian composer Peter Sculthorpe receives the MBE in the Queen's Birthday Honours.
• June 3 – The Kinks singer Ray Davies makes a 6000-mile round trip from New York to London and back- interrupting the band's American tour- to re-record one word on their latest single "Lola". In order to get any airplay in Great Britain he has to change the word "Coca-Cola" to a more subtle "cherry cola".
• June 7 – The Who play two shows of Tommy, at the New York Metropolitan Opera House.
• June 13
  • "The Long and Winding Road" becomes the Beatles' last U.S. Number 1 song, though it is never released as a single in Britain.^[2]
  • The Stooges play at the Cincinnati Pop Festival, Midsummer Rock.
• July 4 – The music countdown show American Top 40 debuts.
• July 17 – The Guess Who perform at the White House for President Nixon and his guest the Prince of Wales (now Charles III). At Pat Nixon's request, they do not play their breakthrough hit "American Woman" due to the song's supposed anti-American lyrics.
• July 26 – Guitarist Jimi Hendrix plays at his hometown of Seattle at Sicks Stadium where, under the influence of drugs, he starts verbally abusing members of the audience.
• August – Release in the United States of the album Songs of the Humpback Whale produced by Roger Payne, publicly demonstrating whale vocalization for the first time. It becomes an unexpected bestseller and influential in public support for whale conservation.^{[3] [4] [5] [6]}
• August 3 – Janis Joplin makes her final TV appearance, on the Dick Cavett Show.
• August 26–30 – The Isle of Wight Festival 1970 takes place on East Afton Farm off the coast of England. Some 600,000 people attend the largest rock festival of all time. Artists include The Moody Blues, Jimi Hendrix, The Who, The Doors, Chicago, Leonard Cohen, Miles Davis, Richie Havens, John Sebastian, Joan Baez, Ten Years After, Emerson, Lake & Palmer and Jethro Tull.
• August 30 – The Rolling Stones open their European tour in Malmö, Sweden.
• September 6 – During his final European tour, guitarist Jimi Hendrix is greeted by booing and jeering by German fans as a result of his late appearance on stage and incoherent stage performance. Bassist Billy Cox quits the tour and returns to the United States.
• September 16 – Jimi Hendrix makes his last appearance, with Eric Burdon & War jamming at Ronnie Scott's Club in London.
• September 18 – Death of Jimi Hendrix: Jimi Hendrix, aged 27, dies from a barbiturate overdose at his London hotel.
• October 4 – Janis Joplin, aged 27, is found dead from a heroin overdose in her bedroom in the Landmark Motor Hotel in Hollywood.
• October 10 – Newly independent Fiji adopts God Bless Fiji as its national anthem.
• October 30 – Jim Morrison of The Doors, found guilty of indecent exposure and profanity because of his behavior during a March 1, 1969, concert, is sentenced to eight months of hard labor and a $500 fine.^[7]
• November 9 – The blues rock studio double album Layla and Other Assorted Love Songs, the only album by Derek and the Dominos, is released, initially in the United States, the first presentation of the classic title track, "Layla", by English guitarist Eric Clapton and American drummer Jim Gordon.
• November 12 – After Yehudi Menuhin accepts honorary citizenship from Switzerland, he receives a letter from the United States State Department telling him that both he and his son will lose their US citizenship as a result.^[8]
• November 20 – The Kinks singer Ray Davies flies to a London studio to re-record one word in a new Kinks single for the second time in 1970. This time, he has to change a line in "Apeman"- "The air pollution is a-foggin' up my eyes" which sounds too much like "a-fuckin'".
• November 23 – The Electric Factory concert venue in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania' closes its doors.
• December 8 – John Lennon conducts a lengthy and intensely candid interview with Jann Wenner of Rolling Stone magazine. He discusses his new solo album and the influence of primal therapy on its creation, as well as his personal traumas dating back to childhood. He also makes many revelations about his time in The Beatles, including his account of the group's breakup.
• December 12 – The Doors play their final concert with singer Jim Morrison at The Warehouse in New Orleans, Louisiana. After the concert The Doors decide that they will not play live anymore due to Morrison's unpredictable live persona.
• December 31 – Paul McCartney files a lawsuit against the other members of The Beatles to dissolve their partnership, formally ending the band after 10 years.^{[9] [10]}

Bands formed

• See Musical groups established in 1970

Bands disbanded

• The Beatles break up permanently.
• The Nice disband.
• Bonzo Dog Doo-Dah Band split, with reunions in 1972, 1988, and 2006.
• Simon & Garfunkel – both members of the duo go on to solo careers, although they have reunited and performed together numerous times since breaking up.
• The Turtles (reform in 1983)
• Dave Clark 5 Many members would leave and new members formed 'Dave Clark & Friends' which lasted until 1973.

Albums released

In 1970, 4,000 albums and 5,700 singles were released in the US.^[11]

January

Day	Album	Artist	Notes
2	The Madcap Laughs		Solo Debut^[12]
5	Here's Loretta Singing "Wings Upon Your Horns"		-
7	Tony Sings the Great Hits of Today!		-
8	That's the Way Love Is		-
9	Magic Christian Music		UK
15	Back in the USA		-
	A Brand New Me		-
	This Girl's in Love with You		-
19	Hello, I'm Johnny Cash		-
	John B. Sebastian		Album recorded autumn 1968
23	A Song for Me		-
23	Jeremy Spencer		-
25	John Phillips (John, the Wolf King of L.A.)		-
26	Bridge over Troubled Water		-
	Chicago		aka Chicago II
27	Moondance		-
rowspan="13" valign="top"	-	On the Boards		-
Ain't It Funky		-
American Woman		-
Argent		-
Stone the Crows		-
Frijid Pink		-
Kool and the Gang		-
One Day at a Time		-
Try a Little Kindness		-
Redbone		-
Waylon		-
Barbra Streisand's Greatest Hits		Compilation
Big Band Sound		Compilation

February

Day	Album	Artist	Notes
1	Sweet Baby James		-
	The Delfonics		-
9	Burnt Weeny Sandwich		-
	Morrison Hotel		-
13	Black Sabbath		UK; released June 1970 in US
24	Funkadelic		-
26	Hey Jude		Compilation; aka The Beatles Again
27	Shazam		-
rowspan="11" valign="top"	-	The American Revolution		-
Dragonfly (Strawbs album)		-
Atomic Roooster		-
The Great Songs of Roy Orbison		Compilation
Knef		-
The Least We Can Do Is Wave to Each Other		-
Lord Sutch and Heavy Friends		-
My Prescription		-
Nilsson Sings Newman		Randy Newman compositions
Uncle Charlie & His Dog Teddy		-
Robin's Reign	Robin Gibb

March

Day	Album	Artist	Notes
6			recorded 1967–'68
	Psychedelic Shack		-
	Stevie Wonder Live		-
11	Déjà Vu		-
13	A Beard of Stars		-
	Egg		-
23	Leon Russell		-
25	Band of Gypsys		Live
	Vintage Violence		-
27	Easy Action	Alice Cooper	-
	First Step		-
	Sentimental Journey		-
30	Ginger Baker's Air Force		Live
	Bitches Brew		-
31	It Ain't Easy		-
	Bloodrock		-
rowspan="12" valign="top"	-	Climbing!		-
Get into Something		-
Cold Fact		-
Don't Think Twice		-
Desperado		-
Marriage on the Rocks/Rock Bottom		-
On Tour with Eric Clapton		Live
Still Waters Run Deep		-
Tom Rush		-
Travelin'		-
Watertown		-
Magick Brother		-

April

Day	Album	Artist	Notes
1	Ladies of the Canyon		-
9	Remedies		-
10	Elton John		-
	Getting to This		-
11	Zabriskie Point	Various Artists	Soundtrack, US Release
13	Farewell		Live
	Silk Purse		-
17	Brinsley Schwarz		-
	Cricklewood Green		-
	McCartney		-
20	Benefit		-
22	Live		Live
24	Mona Bone Jakon		-
26	Right On		-
28	What Love Has...Joined Together		-
-	12 Songs		-
	Burrito Deluxe		-
	Candles in the Rain		-
	Come Together	Ike & Tina Turner	-
	Cucumber Castle		-
	Eric Burdon Declares "War"		-
	The Grass Is Greener		US only
	I Looked Up		-
	The Isaac Hayes Movement		-
	Live Cream		Live 1968 + 1 studio outtake
	McLemore Avenue		instrumental covers LP of Abbey Road
	My Kind of Jazz		-
	Oh Happy Day		-
	Open		-
	Portrait		-
	Sit Down Young Stranger		-
	Soul on Top		-
	Zero She Flies		-

May

Day	Album	Artist	Notes
6	Poco		-
8	ABC		-
	Let It Be		-
11		Various Artists	Soundtrack
	Live at Leeds		Live^[13]
15	In the Wake of Poseidon		-
–	CJ Fish		-
	Hot Tuna		Live
	Live in London		Live
	Quatermass		-
	Thank Christ for the Bomb		-
	Will You Visit Me on Sunday?		-
	The World of Johnny Cash		-
	Writer		-

June

Day	Album	Artist	Notes
5	Deep Purple in Rock		-
	Barclay James Harvest		-
	Home		-
8	Self Portrait		-
12	Accept		-
	Gasoline Alley		-
14	Workingman's Dead		-
15	Closer to Home		-
19	Diana Ross		-
	... Very 'Eavy ... Very 'Umble		-
26	Fire and Water		-
30	Changes		-
rowspan="19" valign="top"	-	Third		-
Alone Together		-
Marrying Maiden		-
Sing Brother Sing		-
Blood, Sweat & Tears 3		-
Ecology		-
Electronic Meditation		-
Fotheringay		-
Hark! The Village Wait		-
It's a New Day - Let a Man Come In		-
Kristofferson		-
Memphis		-
Norwood		Soundtrack
On Stage		Live
The Other Side of Abbey Road
Parachute		-
Struttin'		-
Vehicle		-
Chilliwack		-

July

Day	Album	Artist	Notes
1	Cactus		-
	Everything Is Everything		-
3	Sweet Inspiration		-
7	Fun House		-
	Osmium		-
8	Cosmo's Factory		^[14]
20	Absolutely Live		Live
22	Don't Crush That Dwarf, Hand Me the Pliers		-
24	Time and a Word		-
rowspan="10" valign="top"	-	John Barleycorn Must Die		-
Number 5		-
Devotion		-
Free Your Mind... and Your Ass Will Follow		-
Full House		-
Humble Pie		-
James Gang Rides Again		-
The Last Puff		-
Live at London's Talk of the Town		Live
On the Waters		-

August

Day	Album	Artist	Notes
3	Future Blues		-
7	A Question of Balance		-
	Signed, Sealed & Delivered		-
	War & Peace		-
10	Weasels Ripped My Flesh		-
12	Eric Clapton		-
	Chapter Two		-
13	Metamorphosis		-
14	Hawkwind		-
	Supertramp		^[15]
17	Stage Fright		-
19	Close to You		-
24	Spirit in the Dark		-
31	Sunflower		-
-	A Woman Lives for Love	Wanda Jackson	-
	Come Saturday Morning		-
	Easy Does It		-
	From Home to Home		-
	Hank Williams the Roy Orbison Way		-
	Just for Love		-
	Mad Dogs & Englishmen		Live
	Ma Kelly's Greasy Spoon	Status Quo	-
	Mongrel		-
	The Rill Thing		-
	Mungo Jerry		-
	Something		-
	Whales & Nightingales		-

September

Day	Album	Artist	Notes
4	Get Yer Ya-Ya's Out! The Rolling Stones in Concert		Live
	If I Could Do It All Over Again, I'd Do It All Over You		-
8	Greatest Hits II		-
	Third Album		-
11	Encouraging Words	Billy Preston
14	Untitled		-
18	Kiln House		-
	Paranoid		UK; released January 1971 in US
19	Performance	Various Artists	Soundtrack
23	Abraxas		-
	Idlewild South		-
25	Beaucoups of Blues		-
	Mad Shadows	Mott the Hoople	^[16]
26	Leftover Wine	Melanie	Live (recorded at Carnegie Hall)
30	A Pocket Full of Miracles		-
rowspan="14" valign="top"	-	After the Gold Rush		-
Death Walks Behind You	Atomic Rooster
Curtis	Curtis Mayfield	-
Runt		-
Down Home	Seals and Crofts	-
Scorpio's Dance		-
The Glen Campbell Goodtime Album	Glen Campbell	-
Hello! The Osmond Brothers	The Osmonds	-
If	If	-
Jesus Christ Superstar	by Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice	-
Johnny Winter And	Johnny Winter	-
The Magnificent 7	The Supremes & The Four Tops	-
The Original Human Being	Blue Cheer	-
Sex Machine	James Brown	Live (some tracks recorded in studio with added reverb)

October

Day	Album	Artist	Notes
2	Atom Heart Mother		-
5	Led Zeppelin III		-
	Share the Land		-
15	Jackson 5 Christmas Album		Christmas
	Louis 'Country & Western' Armstrong		-
19	The Johnny Cash Show		Live
	New Feelin'	Liza Minnelli	-
	New Morning		-
	Shades of Rock		-
22	Miles Davis at Fillmore		Live
23	Chunga's Revenge		-
	Trespass		-
30	Tumbleweed Connection		-
	The Temptations Christmas Card		Christmas
rowspan="21" valign="top"	-	2nd Time Around		-
Be a Brother		-
Bloodrock 2		-
The First Ten Years		Compilation
Forever Yours		-
Indianola Mississippi Seeds		-
Just a Collection of Antiques and Curios		-
Looking In		-
New Ways but Love Stays		-
Potlatch		-
Shooting at the Moon		-
Skid		-
Tapestry		-
Tony Bennett's Something		-
U		-
UFO 1		-
Vintage Dead		Live
Warhorse		-
Washington County		-
Woodsmoke and Oranges		-
Wrong End of the Rainbow		-

November

Day	Album	Artist	Notes
3	Everything Is Everything		-
4	The Man Who Sold The World		US
9	No Dice		US
	Layla and Other Assorted Love Songs		-
11	That's the Way It Is		Soundtrack
16	The J. Geils Band		-
	Live Album		Live
18	Naturally		-
20	Despite It All		-
	Emerson Lake & Palmer		-
23	I Walk the Line		Soundtrack
	Stephen Stills		-
	Tea for the Tillerman		-
25	Christmas and the Beads of Sweat		-
27	All Things Must Pass		-
	Cruel Sister		-
	Gentle Giant		-
	Lola Versus Powerman and the Moneygoround, Part One		-
	Twelve Dreams of Dr. Sardonicus		-
30	13		Compilation
–	Loaded		-
	Barrett		-
	The Worst of Jefferson Airplane	Jefferson Airplane	Compilation
	Medusa		-
	American Beauty		-
	Greatest Hits		Compilation
	His Band and the Street Choir		-
	2 Years On		-
	Air Conditioning		-
	Almost in Love		-
	Anyway		-
	Blows Against the Empire		-
	Confessions of the Mind		-
	Play It Loud		-
	Osmonds		-
	Come to My Garden		-
	Little Fauss and Big Halsy		Soundtrack
	McDonald and Giles		^[17]
	Loose Salute		-
	Kraftwerk		-
	Moon Man		-
			-
	Singer of Sad Songs		-
	Starsailor		-
	Steppenwolf 7		-
	Sugar		-
	...To Be Continued		-
	Warhorse		-
	Words and Music	Jimmy Webb	-
	Workin' Together		-

December

Day	Album	Artist	Notes
4	The End of an Ear		-
	Wishbone Ash		-
9	Pendulum		-
11	John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band		-
	Lizard		-
	Yoko Ono/Plastic Ono Band		-
18	T. Rex		-
rowspan="21" valign="top"	-	H to He, Who Am the Only One		-
Just Another Diamond Day		-
Emitt Rhodes		-
The Black-Man's Burdon		-
Daughter of Time		-
Desertshore		-
The End of the Game		-
False Start		-
Highway		-
Ginger Baker's Air Force 2		-
Fanny		-
I Like Your Lovin' (Do You Like Mine?)		-
Kingdom Come		-
Lick My Decals Off, Baby		-
Looking On		-
Odetta Sings		-
Ry Cooder		-
Soul Rebels		-
'Til the Band Comes In		-
Watt		-
What About Me		-

Release date unknown

• 3 Shades of Blue - Johnny Hodges
• 4 Compositions for Sextet – Tony Oxley
• Affenstunde - Popol Vuh
• Afternoon of a Georgia Faun - Marion Brown
• Again – Oliver
• Alive! - Grant Green
  • • Andy Williams' Greatest Hits – Andy Williams The Andy Williams Show – Andy Williams The Awakening - Ahmad Jamal
• Back Home – Chuck Berry
• Band of Gold - Freda Payne
• Barrel – Lee Michaels
• The Big O – Roy Orbison
• Black Gold – Nina Simone
• Black on Black! - Sonny Phillips
  • Bless Her Heart...I Love Her - Hank Locklin Both Sides Now - Willie Nelson
• Bright Sun Is Shining – Barry Melton
• Bruce Cockburn - Bruce Cockburn
• The Candlestickmaker - Ron Elliott
• Canned Heat '70 Concert Live in Europe - Canned Heat
• Canto libre – Víctor Jara
• Christine Perfect - Christine McVie
• Come On Down! - Eddie Harris
  • Consciousness! - Eric Kloss Consummation - The Thad Jones/Mel Lewis Orchestra
• Copperfields – The Dillards
• Country and West - Dottie West
• Cowboy in Sweden – Lee Hazlewood
• Demon's Dance - Jackie McLean
• Doris Troy - Doris Troy
• Down to Earth – Jimmy Buffett
• Drives - Lonnie Smith
• Earth Rot - David Axelrod
• East Bay Grease - Tower of Power
• Eastwood Rides Again - The Upsetters
• Ebony Woman - Billy Paul
• Elastic Rock - Nucleus
• Electric Byrd - Donald Byrd
• The Electric Lucifer - Bruce Haack
• El Triste – José José
• Empty Rooms - John Mayall
• Entrance – Edgar Winter
• Everything I Play Is Funky - Lou Donaldson
• Fancy - Bobbie Gentry
• Fancy Free - Donald Byrd
• Fanny - Fanny
• Fat Mattress II - Fat Mattress
• Five Bridges - The Nice
• Flamingo - Flamin' Groovies
• Flat Baroque and Berserk – Roy Harper
• Fools – Kenny Rogers and The First Edition
• Focus Plays Focus – Focus
• Friend's Friend's Friend - Audience
• Glass Harp - Glass Harp
• Golden Earring - Golden Earring
• Good-byes and Butterflies – Five Man Electrical Band
• Good Vibes - The Natural Four
• Gravy Train - Gravy Train
• Greatest Hits - Phil Ochs
• Green Is Beautiful - Grant Green
• A Groovy Situation - Reuben Wilson
• Gula Matari – Quincy Jones
• Gypsy - Gypsy
• Here Comes Shuggie Otis - Shuggie Otis
• Here It 'Tis - Johnny "Hammond" Smith
• Hey America - James Brown
• High Tide - High Tide
• Honey Come Back - Patti Page
• Honey, Wheat and Laughter – Anne Murray
• It'll All Work Out in Boomland - T2
• I Am the Blues - Willie Dixon
• I'll Never Fall in Love Again - Dionne Warwick
• In Concert at the Troubadour, 1969 – Ricky Nelson
• Intensified – Desmond Dekker & the Aces
• Iron Mountain Depot - John Hartford
• Joe Farrell Quartet - Joe Farrell
• The Jumpin' Blues - Dexter Gordon
• - Jean-Luc Ponty
  • King of the Delta Blues Singers, Vol. II – Robert Johnson Klopfzeichen – Kluster
• The Last Poets - The Last Poets
• Laying My Burdens Down - Willie Nelson
• Liberation Music Orchestra - Charlie Haden
• Legal – Gal Costa
• Lie Back and Enjoy It – Juicy Lucy
• Live on Blueberry Hill - Led Zeppelin
• Lorca - Tim Buckley
• Loretta Lynn Writes 'Em & Sings 'Em – Loretta Lynn

• Loudon Wainwright III – Loudon Wainwright III
• Love Country Style - Ray Charles
• Lucifer's Friend – Lucifer's Friend
• Magma - Magma
• Magnetic South - Michael Nesmith
• Manal – Manal
• Manfred Mann Chapter Three Volume Two - Manfred Mann Chapter Three
• Marrying Maiden - It's a Beautiful Day
• Mashmakhan - Mashmakhan
• Masterpiece - The Masters Apprentices
• May Blitz - May Blitz
• Me & Jerry - Chet Atkins and Jerry Reed
• Melody Fair - Lulu
• Mona - The Carnivorous Circus - Mick Farren
• Moog Indigo - Jean-Jacques Perrey
• Morning Way - Trader Horne
• Mountains - Steamhammer
• Muscle Shoals Nitty Gritty - Herbie Mann
• Music Inspire by Lord of the Rings - Bo Hansson
• Natural Resources - Martha and the Vandellas
• The New Birth - New Birth
• New Routes - Lulu
• Nicely Out of Tune - Lindisfarne
• No BS - Brownsville Station
• Now I'm a Woman - Nancy Wilson
• Only for the Lonely - Mavis Staples
• Open Road – Donovan
• Parallelograms - Linda Perhacs
• The Partridge Family Album – The Partridge Family
• Patto - Patto
• Perry Como in Person at the International Hotel, Las Vegas – Perry Como
• Pretty Things - Lou Donaldson
• Primordial Lovers - Essra Mohawk
• Ptah, the El Daoud - Alice Coltrane
  • Raindrops Keep Fallin' on My Head – Andy Williams Raw Sienna - Savoy Brown
• Real Friends - The Friends of Distinction
• Red Clay - Freddie Hubbard
• Revolution – The Dubliners
• The Return of The Marvelettes - The Marvelettes
• Rick Sings Nelson – Ricky Nelson
• Right On – Wilson Pickett
• The Road to Ruin - John Martyn and Beverley Martyn
• Rock Festival – The Youngbloods
• Rose Garden – Lynn Anderson
• Runt - Todd Rundgren
• The Rubaiyat of Dorothy Ashby - Dorothy Ashby
• Sacrifice - Black Widow
• Seatrain – Seatrain
• Small Talk at 125th and Lenox – Gil Scott-Heron – Live
  • Snowbird – Anne Murray Something's Burning – Kenny Rogers and The First Edition
• Soul Liberation - Rusty Bryant
  • Spaces - Larry Coryell Stone Flute - Herbie Mann
• Stoned Guitar - The Human Instinct
• Stonehenge – Richie Havens
• Stormbringer! - John Martyn and Beverley Martyn
• Subway to the Country - David Ackles
• Sugarloaf – Sugarloaf
• Take Me to Tomorrow - John Denver
• Tammy's Touch - Tammy Wynette
  • Tap Root Manuscript – Neil Diamond Tarkio - Brewer & Shipley
• Tell It All Brother – Kenny Rogers and The First Edition
• Them Changes - Buddy Miles
• Things Ain't What They Used to Be (And You Better Believe It) – Ella Fitzgerald
• Things We Like - Jack Bruce
• Think Pink - Twink
• Tide – Antonio Carlos Jobim
• The Time Is Near - Keef Hartley
• Tin Tin - Tin Tin
• To Bonnie from Delaney - Delaney & Bonnie
• Toe Fat - Toe Fat
• Tommy James - Tommy James
• Ton-Ton Macoute! - Johnny Jenkins
• Tony Joe – Tony Joe White
• Trapeze – Trapeze
• Transition - John Coltrane
• A Tribute to the Best Damn Fiddle Player in the World (or, My Salute to Bob Wills) – Merle Haggard
• Turn It Over - The Tony Williams Lifetime
• USA Union – John Mayall
• The Use of Ashes - Pearls Before Swine
• Very Dionne - Dionne Warwick
• Warpig – Warpig
• We Went to Different Schools Together – the Jaggerz
• Whales & Nightingales - Judy Collins
• The Whispers - The Whispers
• Willard - John Stewart
• Wilson Pickett in Philadelphia - Wilson Pickett
• Yeti – Amon Düül II

Billboard Top popular records of 1970

from Billboard December 26, 1970 - Record Talent Edition pg TA-30

"Top Records OF 1970 (Based on Billboard's Charts)The information compiled for the Top Records of 1970 is based on the weekly chart positioning and length of time records were on the respective charts from theBillboard issue dates of January 3 through November 28, 1970. These recaps, as well as the weekly charts, do not reflect actual sales figures. The ratings take intoaccount the number of weeks the disk was on the chart, plus the weekly positions it held during its chart life. Each disk was given points accordingly for its respectivechart, and in addition, the No. 1 disk each week was assigned bonus points equal to the total number of positions on its respective chart.

Unfortunately, Billboard's late December print deadline prevented approximately 60 records from completing their full chart runs, and their formula also included approximately 50 records from 1969, some of which had enough points to rank in the 1970 chart. Joel Whitburn's Records Research books, archived issues of Billboard for November-December 1969 and December 1970-March 1971, and Hot 100 Year-End formulas were used to complete the December 26 year-end chart reprinted here.

The completed chart is composed of records that entered the Billboard Hot 100 during November-December 1969 (only when the majority of chart weeks were in 1970), January to November-December 1970 (majority of chart weeks in 1970). Records with majority of chart weeks in 1969 or 1971 are included in the year-end charts for those years, respectively, and multiple appearances are not permitted. Each week fifteen points were awarded to the number one record, then nine points for number two, eight points for number three, and so on. The total points a record earned determined its year-end rank. The complete chart life of each record is represented, with number of points accrued. There are no ties, even when multiple records have the same number of points. The next ranking category is peak chart position, then weeks at peak chart position, weeks in top ten, weeks in top forty, and finally weeks on Hot 100 chart.

The chart can be sorted by Artist, Song title, Recording and Release dates, Cashbox year-end ranking (CB) or units sold (sales) by clicking on the column header. Additional details for each record can be accessed by clicking on the song title, and referring to the Infobox in the right column of the song page. Billboard also has chart summaries on its website. Cashbox rankings were derived by same process as the Billboard rankings. Sales information was derived from the RIAA's Gold and Platinum database, the BRIT Certified database and The Book of Golden Discs,^[18] but numbers listed should be regarded as estimates. Grammy Hall of Fame and National Recording Registry information with sources can be found on Wikipedia.

	Artist	Title	Label	Recorded	Release Date	CB	Sales	Charts, Awards
1		"Bridge over Troubled Water"	Columbia 4-45079		November 1969		January 20, 1970	4	3.25	US Billboard 1970 #1, Hot100 #1 for 6 weeks, 14 total weeks, Grammy Hall of Fame 1998, National Recording Registry 2012, 264 points
2		"Raindrops Keep Fallin' on My Head"	Scepter 12265		June 1969		October 1969	6	3.00	US Billboard 1970 #2, Hot100 #1 for 4 weeks, 22 total weeks, Grammy Hall of Fame 2014 (CashBox ranking is 1969), 262 points.
3		"I'll Be There"	Motown 1171		June 1970		August 28, 1970	2	2.00	US Billboard 1970 #3, Hot100 #1 for 5 weeks, 16 total weeks, Grammy Hall of Fame 2011, 259 points
4		"(They Long To Be) Close to You"	A&M 1183		March 24, 1970		May 20, 1970	13	3.00	US Billboard 1970 #4, Hot100 #1 for 4 weeks, 17 total weeks, Grammy Hall of Fame 2000, 242 points
5		"My Sweet Lord"	Apple 2995		May 28, 1970			1	10.00^[19]	US Billboard 1970 #5, Hot100 #1 for 4 weeks, 14 total weeks, 238 points
6		"Let It Be"	Apple 2764		January 4, 1970		March 11, 1970	5	3.00	US Billboard 1970 #6, Hot100 #1 for 2 weeks, 14 total weeks, Grammy Hall of Fame 2004, 226 points
7		"I Think I Love You"	Bell 910		May 28, 1970		August 22, 1970	3	3.25	US Billboard 1970 #7, Hot100 #1 for 3 weeks, 19 total weeks, 225 points
8		"American Woman"	RCA Victor 74-0325		August 13, 1969		March 1970	10	2.00	US Billboard 1970 #11, Hot100 #1 for 3 weeks, 15 total weeks, 201 points
9		"The Tears of a Clown"	Tamla 54199		November 1966		September 24, 1970	11	1.50	US Billboard 1970 #8, Hot100 #1 for 2 weeks, 16 total weeks, 200 points
10	The Jackson 5	"I Want You Back"	Motown 1157		September 1969		October 6, 1969	14	1.25	US Billboard 1970 #10, Hot100 #1 for 1 week, 19 total weeks (CashBox ranking is 1969), 198 points
11		"War"	Gordy 7101		May 1970		June 10, 1970	9	3.00	US Billboard 1970 #9, Hot100 #1 for 3 weeks, 15 total weeks, Grammy Hall of Fame 1999, 196 points
12		"Ain't No Mountain High Enough"	Motown 1169		March 18, 1970		July 16, 1970	17	2.25	US Billboard 1970 #12, Hot100 #1 for 3 weeks, 14 total weeks, 194 points
13	The Jackson 5	"ABC"	Motown 1163		December 1969		February 24, 1970	6	1.50	US Billboard 1970 #13, Hot100 #1 for 2 weeks, 13 total weeks, Grammy Hall of Fame 2017, 191 points
14		"Mama Told Me (Not to Come)"	Dunhill 45-4239		1970		May 1970	15	1.50	US Billboard 1970 #14, Hot100 #1 for 2 weeks, 15 total weeks, 187 points
15		"Make It With You"	Elektra 45686		March 1970		April 1970	16	1.50	US Billboard 1970 #16, Hot100 #1 for 1 weeks, 17 total weeks, 185 points
16	The Jackson 5	"The Love You Save"	Motown 1169		March 1970		May 13, 1970	25	1.25	US Billboard 1970 #15, Hot100 #1 for 2 weeks, 14 total weeks, 183 points
17		"One Less Bell to Answer"	Bell 940		March 1970		April 1970	14	1.25	US Billboard 1970 #17, Hot100 #2 for 2 weeks, 19 total weeks, 179 points
18	The Carpenters	"We've Only Just Begun"	A&M 1217		June 13, 1970		August 21, 1970	20	2.00	US Billboard 1970 #18, Hot100 #2 for 4 weeks, 17 total weeks, Grammy Hall of Fame 1998, 176 points
19		"Venus"^[20]	Colossus 108		May 1969		November 1969	7	5.00	US Billboard 1970 #19, Hot100 #1 for 1 week, 14 total weeks, 165 points
20	The Beatles	"The Long and Winding Road"	Apple 2832		January 26, 1969		May 11, 1970	19	1.50	US Billboard 1970 #20, Hot100 #1 for 2 weeks, 10 total weeks, 147 points
21		"Cracklin' Rosie"	Uni 55250		November 4, 1968		July 30, 1970	26	6.00	US Billboard 1970 #21, Hot100 #1 for 2 weeks, 15 total weeks, 147 points
22		"Fire and Rain"	Warner Bros. 7423		December 1969		August 1970	37	1.50	US Billboard 1970 #22, Hot100 #3 for 3 weeks, 16 total weeks, 147 points, Grammy Hall of Fame 1998
23		"Instant Karma (We All Shine On)"	Apple 1818		January 27, 1970		February 6, 1970	22	2.00	US Billboard 1970 #23, Hot100 #1 for 2 weeks, 13 total weeks, 147 points
24		"Thank You (Falettinme Be Mice Elf Agin)"	Epic 5-10555		May 1969		December 1969	18	1.25	US Billboard 1970 #24, Hot100 #1 for 2 weeks, 13 total weeks, 146 points, Grammy Hall of Fame 2017
25		"Spirit In the Sky"	Reprise 0885		1968		January 1970	8	2.00	US Billboard 1970 #25, Hot100 #3 for 3 weeks, 15 total weeks, 146 points
26		"Ball of Confusion (That's What the World Is Today)"	Gordy 7099		April 14, 1970		May 7, 1970	28	1.25	US Billboard 1970 #26, Hot100 #3 for 3 week, 15 total weeks,^[21] US R&B 1965 #4, R&B #1 for 6 weeks, 16 total weeks, 142 points
27		"Band of Gold"	Invictus 9075		Jan 1970		February 1970	32	1.00	US Billboard 1970 #27, Hot100 #3 for 1 weeks, 20 total weeks, 142 points
28		"Candida"	Bell 903		May 1970		July 1970	29	2.00	US Billboard 1970 #28, Hot100 #3 for 2 weeks, 18 total weeks, 138 points
29		"Everything Is Beautiful"	Barnaby 2011		1970		March 1970	35	1.00	US Billboard 1970 #29, Hot100 #1 for 2 weeks, 13 total weeks, 137 points
30		"Signed, Sealed, Delivered (I'm Yours)"	Tamla 54196		May 1970		June 3, 1970	21	3.00	US Billboard 1970 #30, Hot100 #3 for 2 weeks, 14 total weeks, 131 points

Top 40 Chart hit singles

Song title	Artist(s)	Release date(s)	US	UK	Highest chart position	Other Chart Performance(s)
"ABC"			February 1970	1	8	1 (United States)	1 (U.S. Billboard Best Selling Soul Singles) - 14 (Australia) - 24 (Belgian)
"After Midnight"			October 1970	18	99	9 (Canada)	See chart performance entry
"Ain't It Funky Now (Part 1)"		Released in 1969 Charted in '69/'70	24	n/a	24 (United States)	3 (U.S. Billboard Best Soul Singles)
"Ain't No Mountain High Enough"			April 1970	1	6	1 (United States)	See chart performance entry
"Airport Love Theme (Gwen & Vern)"	Vincent Bell & Orchestra		April 1970	31	n/a	4 (Australia)	2 (U.S. Billboard Adult Contemporary)
"All Right Now"			May 1970	4	2	1 (Denmark, Sweden)	See chart performance entry
"Always Something There to Remind Me"			February 1970	27	n/a	12 (Canada)	3 (U.S. Billboard Easy Listening Chart) - 48 (Australia)
"Amazing Grace"			December 1970	15	5	5 (United Kingdom)	5 (U.S. Billboard Adult Contemporary) - 10 (Australia)
"American Woman"			March 1970	1	19	1 (Canada, United States)	1 (U.S. Cash Box Top Singles) - 4 (Switzerland, Netherlands [Dutch Charts]) - 7 (Austria) - 16 (New Zealand) - 43 (Australia)
"Amos Moses"			October 1970	8	n/a	2 (Canada)	16 (U.S. Billboard Hot Country Songs) - 34 (Australia)
"Are You Ready?"			April 1970	14	n/a	1 (Belgium)	2 (Netherlands [Dutch Top 40] / Netherlands [Single Top 100]) - 9 (Switzerlands) - 16 (West Germany) - 19 (Italy) - 44 (Australia)
"Arizona"			February 1970	10	n/a	2 (New Zealand)	3 (South Africa) - 4 (Canada) - 9 (U.S. Cash Box Top 100) - 10 (Australia) - 15 (Canada RPM Adult Contemporary) - 16 (U.S. Billboard Easy Listening)
"As the Years Go By"			June 1970	31	n/a	1 (Canada, Japan)	75 (Australia)
"Baby Take Me in Your Arms"		Released in 1969 Charted in '69/'70	23	n/a	15 (Canada)	14 (Canadian Adult Contemporary) - 19 (US Billboard Adult Contemporary) - 19 (US Cash Box Top 100) - 19 (US Record World Top 100)
"Be My Baby"		Released in 1969 Charted in '69/'70	9	n/a	1 (Canada)	1 (Australia) - 31 (US Billboard Adult Contemporary
"Big Yellow Taxi"			April 1970	67	11	6 (Australia)	14 (Canada) - 19 (Netherlands) - 33 (US Billboard Easy Listening)
"Black Magic Woman"			November 1970	4	n/a	4 (Canada, United States)	14 (West Germany) - 16 (Austria) - 29 (US Billboard Adult Contemporary) - 38 (Belgium)
"Black Night"			June 1970	66	2	1 (Belgium, Switzerland)	See Chart Performance Entry
"Candida"			July 1970	3	9		See Chart Performance Entry
"Cecilia"			April 1970	3	n/a	1 (Argentina, Netherlands, United States)
"Come And Get It"		Released in 1969 Charted in '69/'70	7	4	1 (New Zealand)	4 (Canada) - 5 (Ireland) - 6 (US Cash Box Top 100) - 14 (Australia)
"Cottonfields"			April 1970	n/a	5	1 (Australia, Norway)	See Chart Performance Entry
"Cry Me a River"			November 1970	11	n/a	7 (France)	13 (Netherlands) - 15 (Belgium, Canada) - 45 (Australia)
"Does Anybody Really Know What Time It Is"			October 1970	7	n/a	2 (Canada)	5 (US Billboard Adult Contemporary) - 5 (US Cash Box Top 100) - 17 (New Zealand) - 35 (Australia)
"Domino"			November 1970	9	n/a	8 (Canada)	9 (US Cash Box Top 100) - 22 (Netherlands)
"Easy Come, Easy Go"			January 1970	9	n/a	6 (Canada)	2 (Canada CHUM Chart) - 2 (US Billboard Easy Listening) - 7 (Canda RPM Adult) - 7 (US Cash Box Top 100)
"El Condor Pasa"			September 1970	18	n/a		See Chart Performance Entry]
"For the Good Times"			June 1970	11	n/a	11 (United States)	See Chart Performance Entry
"Get Ready"			February 1970	4	n/a	1 (Canada)	See Chart Performance Entry
"Get Up (I Feel Like Being a) Sex Machine"			July 1970	15	32	4 (Belgium)	See Chart Performance Entry
"Gimme Dat Ding"			May 1970	9	6	1 (New Zealand)	7 (Canada) - 7 (Ireland) - 7 (US Cash Box Top 100) - 8 (Netherlands) - 15 (South Africa) - 20 (US Billboard Easy Listening) - 61 (Australia)
"Give Me Just a Little More Time"			January 1970	3	3	3 (UK, US)	8 (US Billboard R&B) - 9 (Canada) - 9 (US Cash Box Top 100) - 90 (Australia0
"The Green Manalishi (With the Two-Prong Crown)"			May 1970	n/a	10	6 (Netherlands)	14 (Ireland) - 16 (West Germany
"Gypsy Woman"			June 1970	3	42	3 (Canada)	3 (US Cash Box Top 100) - 4 (South Africa) - 9 (Australia) - 61 (Italy)
"Hand Me Down World"			June 1970	17	n/a	10 (Canada)	13 (US Cash Box Top 100) - 65 (Australia)
"He Ain't Heavy, He's My Brother"			November 1970	20	n/a	18 (New Zealand)	4 (US Billboard Adult Contemporary) - 94 (Australia)
"He Ain't Heavy, He's My Brother"		Released in 1969 Charted in '69/'70	7	3	1 (South Africa)	See Chart Performance Entry
"Heaven Help Us All"			September 1970	9	29	9 (United States)	2 (US Billboard R&B) - 9 (US Cash Box Top 100) - 14 (Canada) - 88 (Australia)
"Hey, Mister Sun"			May 1980	24	n/a	19 (Canada)	3 (US Billboard Easy Listening) - 7 (Canada CHUM 30)
"Hitchin' a Ride"		Released in 1969 Charted in '69/'70	5	16	2 (South Africa)	3 (Canada) - 4 (US Cash Box Top 100) - 22 (US Billboard Easy Listening) - 24 (Australia)
"Holly Holy"		Released in 1969 Charted in '69/'70	6	n/a	2 (Canada, South Africa)	4 (US Cash Box Top 100) - 6 (Australia, Canada, New Zealand)
"Honey Come Back"			January 1970	19	4	2 (Ireland)	See Chart Performance Entry
"House of the Rising Sun"		Released in 1969 Charted in '69/'70	7	4	1 (Norway, West Germany)	See Chart Performance Entry
"I (Who Have Nothing)"			August 1970	14	16	6 (Belgium)	2 (US Billboard Adult Contemporary) - 10 (Canada) - 21 (Belgium)
"I Hear You Knocking"			November 1970	4	1	1 (Ireland, United Kingdom)	3 (Canada, Germany) - 4 (US Cash Box Top 100) - 6 (Australia)
"I Just Can't Help Believing"			June 1970	9	n/a	9 (United Kingdom)	1 (US Billboard Adult Contemporary) - 11 (US Cash Box Top 100) - 18 (Canada)
"If You Could Read My Mind"			November 1970	5	30	1 (Canada)	See Chart Performance Entry
"Immigrant Song"			November 1970	16	n/a	2 (Canada)	See Chart Performance Entry
"Indiana Wants Me"			August 1970	5	2	2 (Canada, Ireland, UK)	See Chart Performance Entry
"It Don't Matter to Me"			September 1970	10	n/a	6 (Canada)	2 (US Billboard Easy Listening) - 7 (US Cash Box Top 100) - 19 (New Zealand) - 29 (Australia)
"It's a Shame"			June 1970	14	20	14 (United States)	4 (US Billboard Hot Soul Singles) - 15 (US Cash Box Top 100) - 36 (Canada)
"It's Impossible"			September 1970	10	4	4 (United Kingdom)	See Chart Performance Entry
"It's Only Make Believe"			August 1970	10	4	1 (Australia)	See Chart Performance Entry
"I've Lost You"			July 1970	32	9	6 (Australia)
"5-10-15-20 (25-30 Years of Love)"			September 1970	11	n/a	11 (United States)	5 (US Billboard R&B) - 7 (US Cash Box Top 100) - 43 (Canada)
"Jingle Jangle"		Released in 1969 Charted in '69/'70	10	n/a	1 (Canada)	10 (New Zealand) - 15 (South Africa) - 37 (US Billboard Easy Listening)
"Joanne"			July 1970	21	n/a	3 (Australia)	4 (Canada) - 6 (US Billboard Adult Contemporary) - 13 (US Records World) - 17 (US Cashbox Top 100)
"Julie, Do Ya Love Me"			July 1970	5	28	3 (Canada)	2 (Canada - CHUM 30, US Billboard Easy Listening) - 3 (Australia- Go-Set, US Cash Box Top 100)
"Kentucky Rain"			January 1970	16	21	7 (Australia)
"Knock Knock, Who's There?"			March 1970	92	n/a	1 (New Zealand)
"Knock Three Times"			November 1970	1	n/a
"Lady D'Arbanville"			April 1970	n/a	8	2 (Netherlands)	11 (Spain) - 16 (New Zealand) - 20 (Australia) - 23 (Germany)
"Lay Down (Candles in the Rain)"			March 1970	6	n/a	1 (Canada, Netherlands)
"The Letter"			March 1970	7	39	7 (Canada, US)	27 (Australia)
"Little Green Bag"		Released in 1969 Chartred in '69/'71	21	n/a	3 (Belgium)
"Lola"			June 1970	9	2		See Chart Performance Entry
"Lonely Days"			November 1970	3	33	1 (Canada)	See Chart Performance Entry
"Look What They've Done to My Song Ma"			October 1970	14	44	1 (New Zealand)	See Chart Performance Entry
"Love Grows (Where My Rosemary Goes)"			January 1970	5	1	1 (Ireland, New Zealand, UK)
"Love the One You're With"			November 1970	14	37	6 (Canada)	See Chart Performance Entry
"Love or Let Me Be Lonely"			March 1970	6	n/a	2 (Canada)	8 (US Cash Box Top 100) - 8 (US Billboard Adult Contemporary) - 13 (US Billboard R&B Singles) - 55 (Australia)
"Ma Belle Amie"		Released in 1969 Charted in '69/'70	5	n/a	1 (South Africa)	See Chart Performance Entry
"Make It Easy on Yourself"			September 1970	37	n/a	2 (Australia)	24 (Canada) - 26 (US Billboard Hot Adult Contemporary) - 26 (US Billboard Hot Soul Singles)
"Make It with You"			April 1970	1	5	1 (United States)	1 (US Cashbox Top 100) - 2 (Canada) - 4 (US Billboard Easy Listening) - 6 (New Zealand) - 7 (Australia) - 10 (Ireland)
"Make Me Smile"			March 1970	9	n/a	9 (United Kingdom)	11 (Canada) - 11 (US Cash Box Top 100) - 24 (France) - 33 (Australia)
"Me And My Life"			August 1970	n/a	4	2 (Ireland)	See Chart Performance Entry
"Montego Bay"			September 1970	8	3	1 (Singapore)	See Chart Performance Entry
"Mr. Bojangles"			September 1970	9	n/a	2 (Canada, New Zealand)	9 (US Cash Box Top 100) - 10 (US Billboard Adult Contemporary) - 15 (Australia) - 28 (Netherlands)
"My Baby Loves Lovin'"			January 1970	13	9	4 (Canada)	See Chart Performance Entry
			July 1970	n/a	6	6 (United Kingdom)	10 (Ireland) - 14 (Belgium) - 21 (Netherlands) - 24 (Germany) - 26 (Netherlands Dutch Top 40) - 49 (Belgium)
"Neanderthal Man"			June 1970	22	2	2 (South Africa, UK)	3 (Switzerland) - 4 (West Germany) - 7 (Austria) - 10 (Belgium) - 13 (Canada) - 23 (Netherlands)
"Never Had a Dream Come True"			February 1970	31	6	6 (UK)	11 (US Billboard Best Selling Soul Singles) - 31 (US Billboard Easy Listening)
"New World in the Morning"			October 1970	n/a	17	1 (Ireland)	12 (US Billboard Hot Adult Contemporary Tracks) - 17 (New Zealand) - 24 (Netherlands) - 85 (Australia)
"No Matter What"			October 1970	8	5	1 (South Africa)	See Chart Performance Entry
"No Sugar Tonight"		Released in 1969 Charted in 1970	5	19	1 (Canada)	4 (US Cashbox Top 100) - 16 (New Zealand) - 43 (Australia)
"No Time"		Released in 1969 Charted in 1970	5	19	1 (Canada)	4 (US Cash Box Top 100) - 16 (New Zealand) - 43 (Australia)
"Ohio"			June 1970	14	n/a	13 (Netherlands)	13 (US Record World Top 100) - 14 (US Cash Box Top 100) - 16 (Canada) - 44 (Australia)
"Ooh Child"			April 1970	8	n/a	3 (Canada)	4 (US Cash Box Top 100) - 14 (US Billboard R&B Singles)
"Our House"			September 1970	30	n/a	9 (Netherlands)	See Chart Performance Entry
"Out in the Country"			August 1970	15	n/a	9 (Canada)	9 (US Cash Box Top 100) - 11 (US Billboard Adult Contemporary) - 85 (Australia)
"Paranoid"			August 1970	61	4	1 (Denmark, West Germany)	See Chart Performance Entry
"Patches"			July 1970	4	2	2 (United Kingdom)	1 (US Cash Box Top 100) - 2 (US Billboard R&B) - 4 (Ireland) - 10 (Australia) - 16 (Canada)
"Question"			April 1970	21	2	1 (Ireland, Netherlands)	See Chart Performance Entry
"The Rapper"			January 1970	2	n/a	2 (United States)	1 (US Record World Singles) - 2 (US Cash Box Top 100) - 3 (Canada) - 32 (Australia)
"Reach Out and Touch (Somebody's Hand)"			April 1970	20	33	20 (United States)	7 (US Billboard Best Selling Soul Singles) - 10 (US Cash Box Top 100) - 13 (Netherlands [Dutch Top 40]) - 18 (US Billboard Adult Contemporary) - 23 (Canada)
"Reflections of My Life"		Released in 1969 Charted in '69/'70	10	3	2 (Ireland)	See Chart Performance Entry
"Remember Me"			December 1970	16	7	7 (United Kingdom)	8 (US Cash Box Top 100) - 9 (Canada) - 10 (US Billboard R&B/Soul) - 20 (US Billboard Adult Contemporary)
"Ride Captain Ride"			May 1970	4	n/a	4 (Canada, United States)	5 (US Cash Box Top 100) - 23 (Australia)
"Ruby Tuesday"			December 1970	52	9	7 (New Zealand)	10 (South Africa) - 12 (Ireland) - 25 (Canada) - 34 (US Cash Box Top 100) - 70 (Australia)
"Share the Land"			September 1970	10	n/a	2 (Canada)	2 (Canada) - 63 (Australia)
"Silver Bird"			May 1970	25	n/a	10 (Canada)	7 (U.S. Billboard Adult Contemporary) - 15 (New Zealand) - 20 (U.S. Cash Box Top 100) - 33 (Australia)
"Snowbird"			June 1970	8	23	3 (New Zealand)	See Chart Performance Entry
"Something"			June 1970	55	4	4 (United Kingdom)	See Chart Performance Entry
"Spill the Wine"			May 1970	3	n/a	2 (Australia)	See Chart Performance Entry
"Stoned Love"			October 1970	7	3	3 (United Kingdom	See Chart Performance Entry

Other Chart hit singles

Published popular songs

• "An American Trilogy" medley written & arranged by Mickey Newbury
• "Bein' Green" w.m. Joe Raposo, from the TV series Sesame Street
• "Have You Ever Seen the Rain?" w.m. John C. Fogerty
• "I Love youuuuuu" w.m. Jeff Moss, from the TV series Sesame Street
• "If Not For You" w.m. Bob Dylan
• "Kentucky Rain" w.m. Eddie Rabbitt & Dick Heard
• "The Ladies Who Lunch" w.m. Stephen Sondheim. Introduced by Elaine Stritch in the musical Company.
• "Lookin' out My Back Door" w.m. John C. Fogerty
• "People in Your Neighborhood" w.m. Jeff Moss, from the TV series Sesame Street
• "Rubber Duckie" w.m. Jeff Moss, from the TV series Sesame Street
• "Teach Your Children" w.m. Graham Nash
• "(They Long to Be) Close to You" w. Hal David m. Burt Bacharach
• "Who'll Stop the Rain" w.m. John C. Fogerty
• "Where Do I Begin" (Love Story) – w. Carl Sigman, m. Francis Lai

Classical music

• Sir Arthur Bliss – Concerto for Cello and Orchestra
• Pierre Boulez - Cummings ist der Dichter
• George Crumb
  • Ancient Voices of Children for mezzo-soprano, boy soprano, oboe, mandolin, harp, amplified piano (and toy piano), and percussion (three players)
  • Black Angels (Images I) for electric string quartet
• Mario Davidovsky – Synchronisms No. 6 for piano and electronic sound
• Charles Dodge – Earth's Magnetic Field
• Henri Dutilleux – Figures de résonances for two pianos
• Morton Feldman
  • Madame Press Died Last Week at Ninety
  • The Viola in My Life 1, 2 and 3
• Luc Ferrari – Presque rien No. 1 "Le Lever du jour au bord de la mer"
• Miloslav Kabeláč – Symphony No. 8 "Antiphonies"
• György Ligeti – Continuum
• Witold Lutosławski – Concerto for Cello and Orchestra
• Olivier Messiaen – La Fauvette des Jardins
• Allan Pettersson – Symphony No. 9
• Poul Ruders – Piano Sonata No. 1
• Karlheinz Stockhausen
  • Expo for three players with short-wave radios, and sound projectionist
  • Mantra for two pianos and live electronics
  • Pole for two players with short-wave radios, and sound projectionist
• John Tavener – The Whale (recording)

Opera

• Herman D. Koppel – Macbeth

Jazz

See main article: 1970 in jazz.

Musical theater

• 1776, London production
• Applause (book: Betty Comden & Adolph Green, lyrics: Lee Adams, music: Charles Strouse) – Broadway production opened at the Palace Theater and ran for 896 performances
• The Boy Friend (Sandy Wilson) – Broadway revival
• Cabaret (Kander and Ebb) – Vienna production
• Company (Stephen Sondheim) – Broadway production opened at the Alvin Theater and ran for 705 performances
• Dames at Sea, Broadway revival
• Georgy, Broadway production opened at the Winter Garden Theater and ran for four performances
• Golden Bat Off-Broadway production opened at the Sheridan Square Playhouse on July 21 and ran for 152 performances
• The Great Waltz, London production
• Look to the Lilies (Jule Styne and Sammy Cahn) – Broadway production opened at the Lunt-Fontanne Theatre and ran for 25 performances
• The Me Nobody Knows, started as an off-Broadway production, then moved to Broadway, where it ran for 378 performances
• Minnie's Boys, Broadway production opened at the Imperial Theatre and ran for 80 performances
• Purlie, Broadway production opened at The Broadway Theatre and ran for 688 performances
• The Rothschilds (book: Sherman Yellen, lyrics: Sheldon Harnick, music: Jerry Bock), Broadway production opened at the Lunt-Fontanne Theatre on October 19 and ran for 507 performances. Starring Hal Linden, Jill Clayburgh and Paul Hecht.
• Two by Two, Broadway production opened at the Imperial Theatre and ran for 351 performances

Musical films

• The Aristocats, animated feature film with the voices of Phil Harris, Eva Gabor, Thurl Ravenscroft, Hermione Baddeley and Sterling Holloway
• Darling Lili, starring Julie Andrews, Rock Hudson, Lance Percival and Jeremy Kemp
• Dastak, Hindi film starring Sanjeev Kumar
• Johny Mera Naam, Hindi film starring Dev Anand and Pran
• Let It Be, a documentary film featuring The Beatles
• On a Clear Day You Can See Forever starring Barbra Streisand, Yves Montand and Bob Newhart
• Peau d'Âne, starring Catherine Deneuve and Jean Marais, with music by Michel Legrand
• Scrooge, starring Albert Finney, Alec Guinness, Kenneth More, Suzanne Neve and Anton Rodgers
• Song of Norway, starring Toralv Maurstad, Florence Henderson and Harry Secombe.
• Woodstock, a documentary film featuring Jimi Hendrix, The Who, Jefferson Airplane, Canned Heat and others

Births

• January – Frank Mullen, American rock singer (Suffocation)
• January 2
  • Eric Whitacre, composer
  • Karen Kamensek, orchestra conductor
• January 9
  • Carl Bell, American singer-songwriter, guitarist, and producer
  • Lara Fabian, Canadian-Belgian singer
  • Mia X, rapper
  • Alex Staropoli, Italian keyboard player and songwriter
  • Yang Hyun-suk, South Korean rapper (Seo Taiji and Boys)
• January 12
  • Raekwon, American rapper (Wu-Tang Clan)
  • Zack de la Rocha (Rage Against the Machine)
• January 18 – DJ Quik, rapper and record producer
• January 20 – Edwin McCain, American singer-songwriter and guitarist
• January 23 – Brendan O'Connor, Irish singer and television host
• January 26 – Kirk Franklin, American songwriter, choir director, gospel singer and rapper
• January 27 – Mark Trojanowski (Sister Hazel)
  • • January 31 Minnie Driver, English singer-songwriter and actress
  • Danny Michel, Canadian singer-songwriter and producer
    • February 18 Susan Egan, American actress and singer
  • Raine Maida, Canadian musician and beat poet^[22]
• February 20 - Son Ji-chang, South Korean singer (The Blue)
• February 26 – Linda Brava, Finnish violinist
• February 28 – Daniel Handler, accordionist and arranger (The Magnetic Fields)
• March 1 – Jason V Brock, American author, filmmaker, artist, scholar and musician
• March 5 – John Frusciante, American guitarist, singer, producer and composer (Red Hot Chili Peppers)^[23]
• March 7 – Vladislav Adelkhanov, Georgian classical violinist and writer
• March 8 - Van Hunt, American singer-songwriter, multi=instrumentalist, and record producer
• March 9
  • La India, salsa singer
  • Shannon Leto, American drummer and songwriter (Thirty Seconds to Mars)
• March 12 – Roy Khan, Norwegian singer-songwriter
• March 16 – Britt Walford, American musician (Slint)
• March 17 – Gene Ween, guitarist and vocalist (Ween)
• March 18 – Queen Latifah, American rapper, singer and actress
• March 21 – Jaya, Filipino singer and television personality
• March 24 – Sharon Corr, Irish musician
• March 25
  • Teri Moïse, American singer
  • Oh Hyun-kyung, South Korean actress
• March 27 – Brendan Hill, drummer (Blues Traveler)
• April 4 – Sean Kelly, Canadian guitarist
• April 5 – Miho Hatori, Japanese singer and songwriter (Cibo Matto)
• April 6 – Joe Gittleman, guitarist (The Mighty Mighty Bosstones)
• April 10
  • Mike Mushok, guitarist (Staind)
  • Q-Tip, rapper, record producer, singer, and DJ (A Tribe Called Quest)
• April 11 – Delroy Pearson, British singer (Five Star)
• April 12 – Nick Hexum, American singer and guitarist
• April 13
  • Eduardo Capetillo, Mexican actor and singer
  • Seagram, American rapper (d. 1996)
• April 14 – Shizuka Kudo, Japanese singer and actress
• April 17 – Redman, rapper
• April 18 – Greg Eklund, American rock drummer (Everclear)
• April 19 – Luis Miguel, Mexican singer
• April 20 – Sarantuya, Mongolian soprano
• April 22 – Regine Velasquez, Filipino singer, actress, model and record producer
• April 26 – Tionne "T-Boz" Watkins, singer and songwriter TLC
• May 1 – Sacha Perry, American jazz pianist and composer^[24]
• May 4 – Gregg Alexander, American singer, songwriter and producer (New Radicals)
• May 5 – Driss El Maloumi, Moroccan oud player and composer
• May 9 – Ghostface Killah, American rapper (Wu-Tang Clan)
  • • May 10 Perry Blake, Irish singer-songwriter
  • Craig Mack, American rapper (d. 2018)
• May 15 – Attrell Cordes (P.M. Dawn)^[25]
• May 17 – Jordan Knight, American singer (New Kids on the Block)
• May 18 – Billy Howerdel, guitarist, songwriter and producer (A Perfect Circle)
• May 23 – Matt Flynn, American musician (Maroon 5)
• June 2 – B-Real, rapper (Cypress Hill)
• June 3 – Peter Tägtgren, Swedish musician (Hypocrisy)
• June 6 – James Shaffer, musician
• June 8 – Seu Jorge, Brazilian pop samba singer=songwriter
• June 10 – Mike Doughty, American singer
  • • June 13 Cheryl "Coko" Clemons, American singer
  • Rivers Cuomo, American singer, guitarist and songwriter (Weezer)
• June 15 – Claus Norreen, Danish musician and record producer (Aqua)
• June 17 – Sasha Sokol, Mexican singer
• June 19
  • MJ Hibbett, English singer-songwriter
  • Brian Welch, American singer-songwriter and guitarist (Korn and Love and Death)
• June 20 – Jason Robert Brown, American playwright and composer
  • • June 21 Eric Reed, American pianist and composer (Black Note)
  • Pete Rock, American rapper and producer (Pete Rock & CL Smooth)
• June 22 – Steven Page, Canadian singer and songwriter (Barenaked Ladies)
  • • June 23 Christian Meier, Peruvian actor and singer
  • Yann Tiersen, Breton musician
    • June 24 Glenn Medeiros, American singer
  • Andres Raag, Estonian actor and singer
• June 25 – Roope Latvala, Finnish guitarist
• July 4 – Christian Giesler, American bass player (Kreator)
• July 6
  • Harald Nævdal (Demonaz Doom Occulta), Norwegian musician
  • Inspectah Deck, American rapper and hip-hop producer (Wu-Tang Clan)
• July 8 – Beck, American singer, songwriter, rapper, record producer, and multi-instrumentalist
• July 10
  • Gary LeVox, American singer
  • Jason Orange, British singer (Take That)
• July 12 – Juba Kalamka, American rapper (Deep Dickollective)
• July 14 – Thomas Lauderdale, American pianist (Pink Martini)
• July 15 – Chi Cheng (musician), American rock bassist
• July 17 - Mandy Smith, English model and singer
• July 18 – Gruff Rhys, Welsh musician, composer, producer, filmmaker and author
• July 19 – Sandee Chan, Taiwanese singer
• July 26 – Joan As Police Woman (Joan Wasser), American singer-songwriter
• August 3 – Itamar Golan, Israeli pianist
• August 7 – Kim Hill, singer
• August 11
  • Ali Shaheed Muhammad, American hip hop DJ, record producer, rapper and bass guitarist (A Tribe Called Quest)
  • Andy Bell, British bassist, guitarist, singer-songwriter, and producer
• August 19 – Joseph Cartagena (Fat Joe), American rapper
• August 23 – River Phoenix, American actor and singer of Aleka's Attic (d. 1993)
• August 24 – Kristyn Robyn Osborn, American country singer (SHeDAISY)
• August 27 - Park Myung-soo, South Korean singer
• August 28 – Sherrié Austin, Australian actress and singer
• August 30 – Guang Liang, Malaysian singer
  • • August 31 Debbie Gibson, American singer-songwriter
  • Epic Mazur, American vocalist, rapper, and record producer
• September 4 – Daisy Dee, Dutch singer
• September 5 – Liam Lynch, songwriter and music video director
• September 6
  • Cheyne Coates, Australian EDM-pop singer-songwriter and producer (Madison Avenue)
  • Kim English, American electronica, soul, gospel, and house music singer (d. 2019)
• September 7 – Chad Sexton, drummer (311)
  • • September 8 Benny Ibarra, Mexican singer
  • Neko Case, American singer-songwriter (K D LANG, case/lang/veirs, The New Pornographers)
• September 10
  • Jeff Marx, American Broadway composer
  • Ménélik, French rapper
• September 14 – Craig Montoya, bassist (Everclear)
• September 15 – Jukka Jokikokko, Finnish musician and studio engineer
• September 19 – Takanori Nishikawa, singer and actor (T.M. Revolution)
• September 20 – Robbie Chater, Australian DJ (The Avalanches)
• September 23 – Ani DiFranco, American singer, multi-instrumentalist, poet, songwriter, feminist icon and businesswoman
• October 5 – South Park Mexican, Chicano rapper
• October 6 – Amy Jo Johnson, American actress and singer
• October 7 – Neil Halstead, English musician, singer, lyricist and guitarist of Slowdive
• October 13 – Paul Potts, British tenor
  • • October 15 Eric Benét, American singer
  • Ginuwine, American singer, songwriter, dancer and actor.
• October 21 – Tony Mortimer, British singer (East 17)
  • • October 24 Jarkko Martikainen, Finnish rock musician
  • Jeff Mangum, American singer, songwriter, and musician (Neutral Milk Hotel)
• October 27 – Adrian Erlandsson, Swedish drummer
• October 29 - Toby Smith, English keyboardist (Jamiroquai) (d. 2017)
• October 31 – Linn Berggren, Swedish musician (Ace of Base)
• November 2 – Ely Buendia, Filipino rock lead singer and rhythm guitarist (The Eraserheads)
• November 4 – Efrim Menuck, Canadian musician (Godspeed You! Black Emperor)
• November 7 – Neil Hannon, Northern Irish musician (The Divine Comedy)
• November 9
  • Susan Tedeschi, American musician and singer
  • Scarface, American rapper (Geto Boys)
    • November 10 U-God, American rapper (Wu-Tang Clan)
  • Warren G, American rapper, DJ and producer
• November 12 – Sarah Harmer, Canadian singer-songwriter and guitarist
• November 15 – Jack Ingram, American singer-songwriter and guitarist
• November 20 – Phife Dawg, American rapper (A Tribe Called Quest) (d. 2016)
• November 24 – Julieta Venegas, Mexican singer, songwriter, instrumentalist and producer
• December 1 – Jonathan Coulton, American folk rock singer-songwriter
• December 2
  • Sergei Krylov, violinist
  • Treach, American rapper (Naughty by Nature)
• December 5 - Michel'le, African-American singer
• December 6
  • Christian Savill, English musician (Slowdive)
  • Ulf Ekberg, Swedish musician (Ace of Base)
• December 9 – Kara DioGuardi, American singer-songwriter, producer, television judge, musician, record producer, music publisher, A&R executive, composer and TV personality
• December 14 – Beth Orton, British singer-songwriter
• December 16 – Benjamin Kowalewicz, Canadian musician
• December 18
  • DMX, American rapper (d. 2021)
  • Cowboy Troy, American singer and rapper
  • Yannis Ploutarchos, Greek singer and songwriter
• December 24 – Will Oldham, American musician
• December 29 – Aled Jones, Welsh boy soprano, later baritone
• date unknown – Ralph Farris, American violist, violinist, composer, arranger, producer and conductor (ETHEL)

Deaths

• January 5 – Roberto Gerhard, composer, 73
• January 9 – Jani Christou, composer, 44 (car accident)
• January 17
  • Simon Kovar, bassoonist
  • Billy Stewart, scat singer, 32 (car accident)
• January 25 – Jane Bathori, opera singer, 92
• January 31 – Slim Harpo, blues musician, 46 (heart attack)
• February 1 – Blaž Arnič, composer, 69 (car crash)
• February 12
  • Ishmon Bracey, blues musician, 69
  • Nick Pantas, guitarist (Elf) (car accident)
  • André Souris, composer and writer, 70
• February 19 – Pavel Ludikar, operatic bass, 87
• February 20 – Albert Wolff, conductor, 86
• March 1 – Lucille Hegamin, blues singer, 75
• March 16 – Tammi Terrell, singer, 24 (brain tumor)
• April 12 – Kerstin Thorborg, operatic contralto, 73
• April 20 – Shakeel Badayuni, songwriter, 53 (diabetes-related)
• April 21 – Earl Hooker, blues musician, 41 (tuberculosis)
• April 23 – Adeline Genée, ballerina
• April 24 – Otis Spann, blues musician, 40 (liver cancer)
• April 26 – Gypsy Rose Lee, burlesque entertainer, 59 (cancer)
• May 11 – Johnny Hodges, jazz musician, 62 (heart attack)^[26]
• May 14 – Jack Fina, pianist and bandleader, 56 (heart attack)
• May 22 – John Waterhouse, Canadian violinist, conductor, and music educator, 92
• May 23 – Nydia Westman, actress and singer
• June – Calvin Boze, trumpeter and bandleader
• June 11 – Earl Grant, pianist and singer, 39 (car accident)
• June 16
  • Heino Eller, composer and music teacher
  • Lonnie Johnson, blues and jazz musician
• July 7 – Charles Tobias, US songwriter and singer
• July 12 – L. Wolfe Gilbert, Russian-born US songwriter
• July 13 – Roger Edens, composer and arranger, 64
• July 14 – Luis Mariano, singer and actor
• July 17 – Stanley Wilson, conductor, arranger and film composer, 54 (heart attack)
• July 23 – Leith Stevens, composer, 60 (heart attack)
• July 29 – Sir John Barbirolli, conductor and cellist, 70 (heart attack)
• July 29 – Jonel Perlea, Romanian conductor, 69
• July 30 – George Szell, conductor and composer, 73 (cancer)
• July 31 – Booker Ervin, jazz musician, 39 (kidney failure)
• August 10 – Bernd Alois Zimmermann, German composer, 52 (suicide)^[27]
• September 2
  • Mercedes Llopart, operatic soprano, 75
  • Kees van Baaren, composer and music teacher, 63
• September 3 – Alan Wilson, singer of Canned Heat, 27 (drug overdose)
• September 18
  • Jimi Hendrix, guitarist and singer, 27 (pulmonary aspiration)
  • Maxwell Davis, saxophonist, 54
• September 25 – Yefim Golyshev, Ukrainian violinist, painter and composer, 73
• October 2 – Bo Linde, Swedish composer, 37
• October 4
  • Janis Joplin, singer, 27 (heroin overdose)
  • George Frederick McKay, composer, 71
• October 13 – Julia Culp, operatic soprano ("the Dutch nightingale"), 90
• October 22
  • Pauline Donalda, operatic soprano, 88
  • Samson François, pianist, 46
• October 28 – Baby Huey, singer, 26 (heart attack)
• October 31 – Arvid Andersen, violinist, conductor and composer
• November 6 – Agustín Lara, composer, 73
• November 7 – Eddie Peabody, banjo player, 68
• November 19 – Maria Yudina, pianist, 71
• November 25 – Albert Ayler, saxophonist and composer, 34
• December 19 – Giulia Recli, composer and writer, 80
• December 23 – Mimi Benzell, operatic soprano, 46 (cancer)
• December 31
  • Ray Henderson, songwriter, 74
  • Cyril Scott, composer, 91
• date unknown
  • Efisio Melis, folk musician
  • Rokneddin Mokhtari, Iranian violinist

Awards

Grammy Awards

• Grammy Awards of 1970

Eurovision Song Contest

• Eurovision Song Contest 1970

Notes and References

1. Web site: Black Sabbath Biography. February 13, 2014. Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. September 21, 2015. https://web.archive.org/web/20150921203531/https://rockhall.com/inductees/black-sabbath/bio/. dead.
2. https://web.archive.org/web/20041011184849/http://www.beatles.com/html/thelongandwindingroad/ The Long And Winding Road
3. News: McLellan. Joseph. It's a Whale of a Song. 2022-11-28. The Washington Post. 1977-12-26.
4. Web site: Andersen. Kurt. How Pop Music Helped Save the Whales. Studio 360. https://web.archive.org/web/20150110135754/http://www.studio360.org/story/how-pop-music-helped-save-the-whales/. 2022-08-03. 2015-01-10.
5. Web site: Nature's greatest hit: The old and new songs of the humpback whale. David. Rothenberg. The Wire.
6. News: 'It always hits me hard': how a haunting album helped save the whales. Tim. Lewis. The Observer. 2020-12-06. London. www.theguardian.com.
7. https://ew.com/article/1992/10/30/jim-morrison-bares-all/ Jim Morrison bares all | Jim Morrison | Encore | Music | Entertainment Weekly
8. https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1499&dat=19701207&id=QB8qAAAAIBAJ&sjid=eCgEAAAAIBAJ&pg=7158,4477000 "Citizenship in peril, US advises Menuhin", Milwaukee Journal, December 7, 1970
9. Web site: Paul McCartney files a lawsuit to dissolve The Beatles' partnership. 1970-12-31. The Beatles Bible. 2019-01-19.
10. News: The Beatles – When Did They Split Up?. BBC. Newsround. 2014-02-13. 2001-11-30. https://web.archive.org/web/20101012083842/http://news.bbc.co.uk/cbbcnews/hi/find_out/guides/showbiz/the_beatles/newsid_1684000/1684982.stm. 2010-10-12. live.
11. https://books.google.com/books?id=42Wb1DeDZjcC&q=1970+4%2C000+%22albums+were+released%22&pg=PA5 Solid gold: the popular record industry | R. Serge Denisoff
12. Web site: Pink Floyd official site.
13. Web site: RIAA.
14. Cash Box July 18, 1970, page 42
15. Web site: Great Rock discography. 802.
16. Melody Maker ad - 29 August 1970 edition, page 11
17. Williams . Richard . 21 November 1970 . Outside the Court of the Crimson King . Melody Maker . https://web.archive.org/web/20221104015213/https://www.dgmlive.com/news/mcdonald-giles-giveaway . 4 November 2022.
18. Book: Murrells, Joseph . The book of golden discs . 1978 . London : Barrie & Jenkins . Internet Archive . 978-0-214-20512-5.
19. Book: Inglis, Ian . 2010 . The Words and Music of George Harrison . 23 . . Santa Barbara, CA . 978-0-313-37532-3 .
20. Web site: Morenz . Emily . I'm Your Venus: Lyrics And Meaning Of The Shocking Blue/Bananarama #1 . 2023-02-04 . Groovy History . en.
21. The Temptations . 2023-01-24 . Billboard . en-US.
22. http://www.ourladypeace.cc/bandology.htm Our Lady Peace bandology
23. Web site: Happy Birthday John Frusciante (Red Hot Chili Peppers) . Magnet Magazine . 3 November 2021 . 5 March 2021 . February 17, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220217185728/https://magnetmagazine.com/2021/03/05/happy-birthday-john-frusciante-red-hot-chili-peppers/ . dead .
24. Kaven, L., liner note, Eretics (Smalls, 2005).
25. News: Jon . Caramanica . Prince Be, Who Infused Rap With Mysticism, Dies at 46 . . June 19, 2016 . July 9, 2016.
26. News: Saxophonist Johnny Hodges Leaves $86,000 Estate To His Widow And Children.. December 28, 1972. JET. March 28, 2018.
27. Web site: Bernd Aloïs Zimmermann. Dictionnaire de la musique. Larousse. 12 May 2013. fr.