Folk rock took the world by storm in the 1970s, and the boom started around the time three songs from 1973 first hit the airwaves. These three tunes really predicted what would become of the genre.
Three Songs That Defined the Shift
- Stealers Wheel released “Stuck In The Middle With You” in 1973, blending early ’70s pop harmony vocals, rock rhythm, and accessible folk elements to peak at No. 6 on the Billboard Hot 100.
- Seals & Crofts proved the commercial appeal of folk rock with “Diamond Girl,” which reached No. 6 on the Hot 100 and No. 4 on the Easy Listening chart.
- Paul Simon shifted the genre’s perspective with “American Tune,” trading outward 1960s societal love songs for internal reflection, landing at No. 35 on the Hot 100 and No. 8 on the Easy Listening chart.
Rhythm and Pop Appeal in Stealers Wheel
There is a catchy rhythm within “Stuck In The Middle With You” that listeners of all ages find inescapable after hearing it for the first time. This classic gets stuck in your head forever, and few complain about it. Stealers Wheel combined the friendly folk aesthetic with the rhythmic drive of ’70s rock and the harmonious vocal styles typical of early ’70s pop. Serving as a mix of everything that made that era’s music great, the track also forecasted the future trajectory of folk rock throughout the decade. The track peaked at No. 6 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in 1973.
Commercial Crossover Success for Seals and Crofts
“Diamond Girl” by Seals & Crofts leans a little more toward soft rock than folk rock, but it exists somewhere between the two. This acoustic, folky classic remains unforgettable. Seals & Crofts proved that there was commercial appeal in folk rock when the single emerged as a crossover hit. The track reached No. 6 on the Hot 100 and No. 4 on the Easy Listening chart in the US.
Introspective Lyricism in Paul Simon
Paul Simon added to the list of folk rock songs from 1973 that hinted at what would become of the 1970s. The song features a traditional sound and the introspective, reflective lyricism expected from Simon. Folk musicians of the 60s had a tendency to look outward toward love and the world. Simon, with “American Tune,” looked inward, something that would become more popular with singer-songwriters in the 1970s. “American Tune” reached No. 35 on the Hot 100 after it dropped in 1973, and the song also made it to No. 8 on the Easy Listening chart in the US.
| Song Title | Artist | Billboard Hot 100 Peak | Easy Listening Peak |
|---|---|---|---|
| “Stuck In The Middle With You” | Stealers Wheel | No. 6 (1973) | – |
| “Diamond Girl” | Seals & Crofts | No. 6 | No. 4 |
| “American Tune” | Paul Simon | No. 35 (1973) | No. 8 |
Gijsbert Hanekroot captured photographs of the era’s musicians.
