While the music of the 1970s is often viewed through a narrow lens, the a decade was one in which established superstars thrived, the world of Top 40 music was reshaped by funk and disco, and punk, electronic, and new wave altered the sonic landscape of the popular song. The decade's music continues to resonate, not only through its influence on current artists, but in its extensive sampling in rap music, and its frequent use in films, television, and advertisements. 1,000 Essential Songs from the 1970s is a broad view of the most popular, important, and best music of the decade, capturing trends such as Philly Soul, the singer songwriter movement, and the U.K. punk scene. Author Steve Crawford provides historical data, humor, insights, and critical analysis on this travelogue through a decade that can feel both like yesterday to those of us who lived through it and an altogether entirely different world.