The biggest hard rock bands of the 1970's. Who were they?

Their sales don't show them to have been that big worldwide.

 

Hard rock made up a substantial amount of what Jethro Tull did musically on their records and in concert.

 

Are you Lars Ulrich?

 

The US/NA market was so big (comparatively) at the time that it hardly matters. For them, being dominant in the US is enough. This is not meant as a slight to other countries by any means.

 

That may be true, but they certainly sold well in parts of Europe, Asia, South America, Australia/New Zealand and even South Africa during their heyday. They were never huge in the UK in terms of album sales, but they still managed to sell out the largest venues in the country. This may have been due to the hype that Terry Knight (Manager) built for the band. Their peak years were the early 70's.

 

A lot bigger worldwide than Grand Funk Railroad

 

They were a bigger concert draw than they were at selling records outside the US

 

It's like I said earlier, if Ted Nugent did well in north america, but not everywhere else, can he really be considered one of the biggest if people around the globe (in countries such as, for example, Australia, the UK, Japan, and Germany etc) couldn't name one single song of his? (that's even if they know of him).

And the op also asks about "being known to the general public by name". I think that'd also include the general public in countries outside of north america knowing their songs, as well as knowing the artist.

 

No but I'm his cousin's brother's uncle's grandfather's former roommate.

 

In the 1970s, I have little doubt Grand Funk was known to the general public by name. The girls of the world were on notice to "Beware."

 

Not in Europe

 

How often do the folks on this site mention UK, Canada, Australia charts/sales compared to US? Rarely, if ever.

 

They wouldn't have been very well known in Europe, Australia, Japan etc. Their album sales and singles sales are virtually non existent in those places:Grand Funk Railroad discography - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia »

 

I don't think you read your own link. Their first six albums all charted in Australia.

 

My mistake. Australia, yes - four albums in the 70s (two were in the 60s) although, that was only up until 1972, so I think that can be forgiven. But non existent in Europe, Japan etc. I don't think they qualify as being one of the biggest 70s hard rock acts at all.

 

My first concert. If that wasn't hard rock, I don't know what was.

 

In 1971, they had sold 200,000 albums in Japan, according to the June 21st, 1971 issue of Billboard, which is not that bad. I don't think wikipedia discographies account for Japanese sales, since according to wikipedia, no Beatles albums charted in Japan either. Perhaps the Beatles just weren't that big either?

 

With or without 200,000 album sales in 1971 in Japan, I just don't think Grand Funk Railroad qualifies as one of the biggest hard rock acts of the 70s.

 

Actually, we mention it quite a bit. The problem is when people treat sales in other countries as being equal to sales in the US. The fact is that the US market was much larger back then, not just in terms of population, but disposable income. Some albums were not even available in other countries, except as grey market releases or expensive imports. Again, this isn't a slight on other countries, it just reflects the reality at that time, and is also why so many bands focused extensively on breaking into the US market.

 

In the US, acts like T Rex and Oasis are one-hit wonders.

 

'On July 17, 1971, Grand Funk became the first group to ever appear in Tokyo's World Series Baseball Stadium. Unfortunately the event got a bit out of hand when several Japanese fans, using a telephone pole as a battering ram, crashed the gates to the sold out show.'

An American Band »

The stadium had a capacity of around 50,000.

 

Canada and Australia have populations less than that of California. It reflects the reality even now. Of course, they're not equal.

The UK may only be 1/5 the population of the US, but they've equaled and sometimes even surpassed the US in setting the trends and tastes.

A string of national number one albums tell me that Powderfinger and the Tragically Hip must have been doing something right, even if they couldn't get arrested in the US or the UK.

 

Yes, I know this is really about your insecurities about Queen not being as popular in the US as everywhere else, but guess what? I like Queen and consider them to be one of the biggest hard rock bands in the 70s too!

 

I could have cited Slade instead of Bolan. My point is that US fans missed out on a lot of good rock & roll during the glam and Britpop eras (for example).

 

No argument from me - I agree that UK chart success does hold weight.