20 terrific bands that got their start in 1974

It could be argued that 1974 is the pivotal year of the 1970s when it comes to music. Not only is it the year that brought a wealth of classic albums—here are 25 of those records celebrating their 50th anniversary this year—along with a bunch of singles that defined the Super Sounds of the 1970s (“The Way We Were,” “Seasons in the Sun,” “Dancing Machine,” “Jungle Boogie”), it’s also a year that launched a number of bands who defined the sound of the second half of the 1970s and far beyond.

Many of the groups formed in 1974 could be roughly classified as punk, including the legendary Ramones and Blondie, but that’s hardly the only genre that had a foundational act find its inception here. Plenty of album rockers, smooth jazz artists, new age performers, and New Wave groups took their first steps in 1974. The following list, in alphabetical order, isn’t meant to be comprehensive, but rather a reflection of the bands that were busy being born 50 years ago.

20. The Undertones

Feargal Sharkey and his fellow Undertones first formed a band to play high-octane pop music in the vein of the British Invasion. That fondness for sharp hooks, big backbeats and melodic momentum served as an ideal foundation for the Irish group’s pivot to punk in the late 1970s, when they released a self-titled debut that rivaled any other record of the era.