🎸 Best 70s British Rock Bands Guitar Songs

On this page, you’ll find classic guitar songs from iconic groups like Pink Floyd, T-Rex, Badfinger, Thin Lizzy, Emerson, Lake & Palmer, Foghat, Christie, Faces, Golden Earring, and White Plains.

Each band brought its own style — from psychedelic and progressive rock to glam, blues, and melodic pop-rock — creating a soundscape that still inspires guitarists around the world today.

Baby Blue is one of Badfinger's most iconic songs, featured on their 1971 album "Straight Up." The song was a significant success for the band, reaching No. 14 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in the United States.

Written by Pete Ham, the song's melodic and catchy sound struck a chord with listeners, making it a memorable part of the power pop genre. Its chart success solidified Badfinger as a prominent force in the early 1970s rock and pop music scene.

A noteworthy piece of trivia about "Baby Blue" is its role in the television series "Breaking Bad." The song was featured in the series finale, and this exposure led to a resurgence of interest in the song and Badfinger's music.

Day After Day is another notable track from Badfinger's 1971 album "Straight Up." Written by Pete Ham, the song became one of the band's most recognizable hits, reaching No. 4 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in the United States.

"Day After Day" has continued to enjoy popularity over the years, with its timeless melody making it a favorite choice for radio play and inclusion in various compilations of classic rock songs.

One interesting piece of trivia about the song is that it features George Harrison of The Beatles on slide guitar. Harrison's contribution to the song added a distinctive and memorable element to its sound.

No Matter What is a classic rock song by Badfinger, featured on their 1970 album "No Dice." This track, written by Pete Ham, stands as one of the band's signature tunes and exemplifies their talent for crafting infectious rock melodies.

"No Matter What" made a significant impact on the music scene, reaching No. 8 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in the United States.

Over the years, "No Matter What" has maintained its popularity, becoming a staple in classic rock radio playlists and compilation albums.

One interesting piece of trivia about the song is that it was produced by the legendary Todd Rundgren, adding an extra layer of musical excellence to the track.

San Bernadino was a single from the debut album from Christie called Christie in 1970.

The song was a top 10 in several countries and hit #1 in Switzerland.

Yellow River was a huge song for the band Christie when it was released as a single in 1970 from their album Christie.

The song went on to be a #1 in several places in Europe including the UK, and reached #23 in the US.

Affairs Of The Heart was a single from the bands 1992 album Black Moon, but it failed to chart anywhere. Their other single Black Moon, also failed to chart.

From The Beginning hails from the 1972 Trilogy album and made it to #39 in the US, which was the bands highest charting single.

Lucky Man is a song by the band Emerson, Lake & Palmer, from their first album released in 1970. It was written by Greg Lake when he was only 12 years old. The song features one of the earliest Moog synthesizer solos in rock music.

Released as a single in 1970, it made it to the top 20 in the Netherlands and also charted in the United States and Canada. The single was released again in 1973 and charted once more in the U.S. and Canada.

Stay With Me was this bands only major hit when it was released as a single back in 1971. Faces of course was a band in which both Rod Stewart and Ronnie Wood were both members.

The song if from their 3rd album "A Nod Is As Good As A Wink". The song reached #4 in Canada, #6 in the UK and #17 in the US.

Slow Ride is a track from the English band Foghat's 1975 album Fool For The City. The song was the bands highest charting single, reaching #20 in the US and #14 in Canada.

Going To The Run by Golden Earring is on their album called "Bloody Buccaneers," released in 1991. They also put out the song as a single, and it did really well on the charts, especially in the Netherlands, where it reached number 3.

The music video for the song is cool, directed by Dick Maas, a Dutch film director. In the video, a motorcycle rider crashes and gets taken care of by a nurse. People love this song because it's emotional and has strong music.

The success of "Going to the Run" and the "Bloody Buccaneers" album helped Golden Earring become popular again in the early 1990s.

Radar Love was a huge hit for Golden Earring back in 1973 when it was released as a single from their album "Moontan." The song reached the #1 spot in the Netherlands, #6 in Belgium, #7 in the UK, and #13 in the United States.

This track marked Golden Earring's first entry into the US Rock Charts. While music videos were not as common in the 1970s, there was a promotional film for "Radar Love." The video showed the band performing the song in a studio, mixed with driving scenes and images related to the song's theme of being on the road.

The song's lyrics, written by Barry Hay and George Kooymans, talk about freedom and adventure, capturing the spirit of the open road. The term "Radar Love" reflects a strong connection between people, even over long distances.

Twilight Zone by Golden Earring, released in 1982 from their "Cut" album, was a big hit for the band. It topped the charts in the Netherlands at #1 and did well in other countries, reaching #5 in Belgium and #10 in the United States.

This made it their highest-charting single in the US. The music video for "Twilight Zone" is cool, directed by Dick Maas. It combines live-action and animated parts, creating a unique and interesting visual experience that matches the mysterious feel of the song.

"Twilight Zone" has been featured in movies, TV shows, and commercials, showing its lasting popularity. It's a song that helped Golden Earring continue to be known for creating memorable and successful music in the rock genre.

1. Another Brick In The Wall is one of Pink Floyd's most famous songs and a standout track from their iconic 1979 album, "The Wall." The song is actually divided into three parts, creatively titled "Part 1," "Part 2," and "Part 3," each with its own unique characteristics.

"Another Brick in the Wall" became a massive hit for Pink Floyd, reaching number one on the charts in multiple countries, including the US and several European nations.

Fearless is a song by Pink Floyd from their album "Meddle," released in 1971. While it wasn't released as a single and didn't make it onto the charts, it's still a beloved track among fans.

The song has a calm and soothing vibe, with acoustic guitar and gentle vocals. One of its most distinctive features is the use of a crowd singing and chanting "You'll Never Walk Alone" toward the end, which creates a powerful and uplifting atmosphere.

This one is played in standard tuning with a down down up down up down up rhythm pattern and some riffs and some lead play as you'll see in my demo below. The chords you'll need are G, A#, C, A and a D.

Wish You Were Here is a heartfelt song by Pink Floyd from their 1975 album of the same name. Even though it wasn't released as a single, it's often considered one of their greatest songs.

The lyrics express feelings of longing and nostalgia, reflecting on the absence of someone important. The music features beautiful acoustic guitar melodies and emotive vocals, creating a deeply moving experience for listeners.

While a live version of the song was released as a single in 1995, it didn't make it onto the charts. Nonetheless, "Wish You Were Here" remains a beloved classic in Pink Floyd's catalog.

Get It On was released in 1971 by T. Rex (titled "Bang a Gong (Get It On)" in North America) is one of the most iconic glam rock tracks of the era. Featured on the band’s breakthrough album Electric Warrior, the song became a defining anthem for Marc Bolan and the glam rock movement.

It reached #1 on the UK Singles Chart and climbed to #10 on the Billboard Hot 100 in the U.S., helping to introduce American audiences to the British glam scene. With its infectious groove, sultry vocals, and layered production, “Get It On” blends rock and roll swagger with a seductive, bluesy edge. T

rivia lovers might enjoy knowing that the track features Rick Wakeman of Yes on piano and was inspired by Chuck Berry’s “Little Queenie,” which Bolan directly references in the lyrics.

Dancing In The Moonlight is a single from 1977 and can be found on the Thin Lizzy album Bad Reputation.

This song peaked at #14 in the UK and #4 in Ireland. This song title is sometime confused with a King Harvest song with the same name.

Jailbreak is one of Thin Lizzy's most iconic songs, known for its infectious energy and memorable guitar riffs. It's the title track from their sixth studio album, released in 1976. The song tells the story of a daring prison escape and has become synonymous with Thin Lizzy's signature sound.

While "Jailbreak" didn't achieve significant chart success in North America, it reached number 31 in the UK, solidifying Thin Lizzy's popularity in their homeland and across Europe.

Music videos weren't as prevalent or elaborate as they are today however live performances of "Jailbreak" have been captured on film and video, showcasing the band's electrifying stage presence and Phil Lynott's charismatic performance style.

The Boys Are Back In Town is arguably Thin Lizzy's most famous and enduring song. It was released in 1976 as a single from their album "Jailbreak" and quickly became a rock anthem. The single was a #1 in Ireland and hit #8 in Canada and #12 in the US.

Lyrically, "The Boys Are Back in Town" depicts the excitement and camaraderie of a group of friends reuniting and hitting the town for a night of revelry. The lyrics paint a vivid picture of the nightlife scene and capture the feeling of freedom and celebration.

The song's memorable guitar riff, composed by Thin Lizzy's guitarists Scott Gorham and Brian Robertson, has become iconic in the realm of classic rock. It's a driving force behind the song's infectious energy and has made it a favorite among fans and musicians alike.

My Baby Loves Lovin was recorded in 1969 but not released by White Plains until Jan of 1970, so technically it's a 70's hit song. The song was a top 10 in several countries reaching it's highest at #4 in Canada.