What were the 1970s known for?
The 1970s are remembered for moments like these: 1972, Atari releases Pong; 1974, Ernő Rubik invents his cube; 1975, Jaws invents the summer blockbuster; 1977, Star Wars opens in theaters; 1977, Saturday Night Fever hits the dance floor; and 1979, Sony’s Walkman goes on sale. Scroll the timeline below for more, year by year.
The ’70s, one year at a time.
Swipe through 14 moments we still talk about. Think you know your ’70s? Hide the years and guess.
- FunOctober 11971
Walt Disney World opens in Florida.
Are we there yet?
Born in 1971? See your year → - Games1972
Atari releases Pong, the arcade hit that kicked off the video game boom.
Beep. Boop. Hooked.
Read: Classic arcade games → - Toys1974
Ernő Rubik invents his cube in Budapest, Hungary.
Did you ever solve it? Be honest.
Read: Timeless toys → - TVJanuary 151974
Happy Days premieres on ABC.
Aaay!
Play the ’70s quiz → - Movies1975
Jaws opens and invents the summer blockbuster.
Dun dun. Dun dun.
Take the drive-in movie quiz → - TVOctober 111975
Saturday Night Live premieres on NBC.
Live from New York!
Born in 1975? See your year → - GadgetsApril 11976
Apple is founded.
It started in a garage.
Read: Vintage gadgets → - Sci-fi1977
Star Wars opens and becomes the top-grossing film of the year.
A galaxy far, far away.
Born in 1977? See your year → - Disco1977
Studio 54 opens in New York City.
Velvet rope, mirror ball, all night long.
Play the disco quiz → - Disco1977
Saturday Night Fever puts John Travolta on the dance floor.
Strike the pose.
Shop the ’70s disco tee → - Games1977
The Atari 2600 home console goes on sale.
Wood grain never looked so good.
Read: Classic arcade games → - Movies1978
Grease hits theaters.
You’re the one that I want.
Take the drive-in movie quiz → - DiscoJuly 121979
Disco Demolition Night at Comiskey Park, Chicago.
The night disco “died.”
Read: When did disco die? → - GadgetsJuly 11979
Sony’s Walkman goes on sale in Japan.
Your mixtape goes everywhere now.
Read: Vintage gadgets → - Every year, 1970 to 1979 →
- Keep the time machine runningNext stop: the ’80sFlip through the ’80s →Or test yourself on the ’70s →
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Sources: each moment is checked against its Wikipedia article. Costs: US first-class postage history and the US Department of Labor minimum wage chart.
Pick a lane.
Most influential people
John Travolta
Starred in Saturday Night Fever (1977) and Grease (1978).
Elton John
Released Goodbye Yellow Brick Road in 1973.
Billie Jean King
Won the Battle of the Sexes match in 1973.
Steven Spielberg
Directed Jaws (1975).
Bee Gees
Powered the Saturday Night Fever soundtrack (1977).
TV and game shows
M*A*S*H
Premiered September 17, 1972 on CBS.
The Price Is Right
The Bob Barker version began in 1972.
Happy Days
Premiered January 15, 1974 on ABC.
Wheel of Fortune
Premiered January 6, 1975.
Saturday Night Live
Premiered October 11, 1975 on NBC.
Family Feud
Premiered in 1976.
Music and top hits
Billboard year-end No. 1 single for each year.
“Bridge over Troubled Water”
Simon & Garfunkel
“Joy to the World”
Three Dog Night
“The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face”
Roberta Flack
“Tie a Yellow Ribbon 'Round the Ole Oak Tree”
Tony Orlando and Dawn
“The Way We Were”
Barbra Streisand
“Love Will Keep Us Together”
Captain & Tennille
“Silly Love Songs”
Wings
“Tonight's the Night (Gonna Be Alright)”
Rod Stewart
“Shadow Dancing”
Andy Gibb
“My Sharona”
The Knack
Movies
Rank 1 in each year’s box office list.
Love Story
No. 1 at the box office
Fiddler on the Roof
No. 1 at the box office
The Godfather
No. 1 at the box office
The Exorcist
No. 1 at the box office
The Towering Inferno
No. 1 at the box office
Jaws
No. 1 at the box office
Rocky
No. 1 at the box office
Star Wars
No. 1 at the box office
Grease
No. 1 at the box office
Kramer vs. Kramer
No. 1 at the box office
Cars
Datsun 240Z
Arrived in the US for 1970.
AMC Gremlin
Introduced April 1, 1970.
Honda Civic
Launched in 1972.
Pontiac Trans Am
The black and gold star of Smokey and the Bandit.
Toys and games
Rubik’s Cube
Ernő Rubik invented it in 1974.
Pet Rock
The 1975 holiday hit.
Atari 2600
The home console went on sale in 1977.
Star Wars figures
Kenner’s action figures filled toy boxes in 1978.
Simon
The memory game came out in 1978.
Fashion
Bell-bottoms
The wider, the better.
Platform shoes
Three extra inches on the dance floor.
Leisure suits
Polyester, wide lapels, open collar.
Feathered hair
Brushed back and sprayed to stay.
Food and diner
Hamburger Helper
Hit grocery shelves in 1971.
Starbucks
The first store opened in Seattle in 1971.
Happy Meal
McDonald’s introduced it in 1979.
Sports
Secretariat
Won the Triple Crown in 1973.
Hank Aaron’s 715th
He passed Babe Ruth on April 8, 1974.
Thrilla in Manila
Ali and Frazier met on October 1, 1975.
A perfect 10
Nadia Comăneci scored the first in Olympic gymnastics.
Tech and gadgets
Pong
Atari’s arcade hit, 1972.
First handheld cell call
Made by Martin Cooper on April 3, 1973.
Apple II
Went on sale in 1977.
Walkman
Sony’s Walkman went on sale July 1, 1979.
What it cost back then
Stamp and wage on January 1 of each year.
| Year | Stamp | Minimum wage |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 6¢ | $1.60 |
| 1971 | 6¢ | $1.60 |
| 1972 | 8¢ | $1.60 |
| 1973 | 8¢ | $1.60 |
| 1974 | 8¢ | $1.60 |
| 1975 | 10¢ | $2.10 |
| 1976 | 13¢ | $2.30 |
| 1977 | 13¢ | $2.30 |
| 1978 | 13¢ | $2.65 |
| 1979 | 15¢ | $2.90 |
Then vs now: a stamp is 82¢ today (since July 12, 2026) and the federal minimum wage is $7.25.
See what everything cost the year you were born →Sources: Wikipedia, Billboard year-end charts, USPS postage history, US Department of Labor and US EIA.
’70s stories
Quarters on the Glass: Remembering the 80s Arcade
If you grew up in the late 70s or early 80s, you can probably still hear it. The electronic thump of Space Invaders marching down the screen. The...
Opens the live post →
When Did Disco Die? The Night the Music “Stopped” (and Why It Didn’t)
When did disco die? Most people point to one night: July 12, 1979, when Disco Demolition Night at Comiskey Park in Chicago ended with a crate of...
Saturday Night Never Left: The Retro 70s Disco Tee
Shop this tee Remember the first time the bass line hit and you simply had to move? Mirror balls spinning, the floor glowing, and nobody caring who...
Opens the live post →
When Disco Died: The Explosive Backlash Against 70s Dance Culture
What Was Disco Demolition Night? Disco Demolition Night was a July 12, 1979 promotion at Chicago’s Comiskey Park where rock DJ Steve Dahl blew up a...
Opens the live post →
Unique Vintage-Themed Tees: Discover Retro Fashion at Vintage Themed Tees on Etsy
Vintage fashion has a timeless appeal that resonates with people of all ages. From the retro designs of the 70s to the bold graphics of the 80s,...
Opens the live post →
Classic Vintage Hot Rods from the ’70s: A Throwback to the Golden Era
The 1970s was a time of great cultural and social change, with its influence stretching across music, fashion, and, of course, automobiles. The...
Opens the live post →Latest from the blog
Drive-In Movies: The Hollywood Hits That Packed the Lot
Picture a warm summer night, a car full of friends, and a giant screen glowing against the dark. For millions of Americans, drive-in movies were the...
Opens the live post →
Retro Arcade T-Shirt: Insert Coin to Play One More Time
Remember the weight of a pocket full of quarters? You’d walk into the arcade, the carpet glowing under black lights, and a wall of cabinets would be...
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The ’57 Chevy Bel Air: The Car That Taught America to Dream in Chrome
Somewhere in a dusty garage, under a canvas cover and a layer of memories, there’s probably a ’57 Chevy Bel Air still waiting for one more Sunday...
Opens the live post →Take a little of it home.
Shop nowAtari 2600+ console with joystick
The classic woodgrain console, now with HDMI and 10 games.
Shop nowSimon handheld memory game
Lights, sounds and that rising panic, just like back then.
Shop nowVictrola Journey Bluetooth suitcase record player
Spin your old 45s and LPs, or stream from your phone.
Sample listingCrate of 70s disco LPs
Sample listingShoebox of 1970s baseball cards
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