10 Perfect Rock Songs From 1971

As the '70s got underway, we had to deal with the real possibility that David Bowie was going to be a one hit wonder. Since his first single was the extraterrestrial song Space Oddity, the aura of the song just sounded like it was going to be forgotten once the Space Race ended. Bowie wasn't just set on rock domination. He had his eye on a life beyond the stars altogether.

Though Hunky Dory gave us the immortal anthem Changes, Life on Mars? is a clear indication of when Bowie became a standout in the rock community. While never achieving chart domination or anything, this is the kind of space themed rock song that did what Space Oddity hinted at, marrying traditional old time pianos to a song that builds to a climax that looks for life outside of what we thought was real.

Granted, you could argue that someone like Zeppelin may have had more of an impact on the sound of the '70s, or that an act like The Stones or the Beatles showed just how classy the rock genre could get at this point. This song is the one that marks a turning point for the entire rock genre as a whole. Outside of the fashion, this was like looking at the past, present, and future of rock and roll within the span of a few minutes.