This Is What Pop Culture Looked Like In 1973
Pop culture today is all about big franchises, celebrities, and sports teams. And the more money they generate, the more we see of it. But back in the seventies the world wasn't as big. There just weren't as many outlets to get your art out there, nor as many sub-genres and offshoots to broaden the pallette.
But there were stars for sure. And shine they did. In some ways, you could even get bigger then than you can now. This is especially true in music, where the kingmakers of radio and the music industry have been replaced by digital democratization, although Spotify's trying hard to assert itself as the head of the new model in an old way.
So with all that in mind, this is what pop culture looked like in 1973.
The Sting
After Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, Paul Newman and Robert Redford got together for another big hit, and everyone was there for it.
KISS Debut
KISS held their first concert in 1973, and people knew it was something different just by looking at their faces.
Hippie Fad
The hippie movement of the '60s changed the way people dressed, making everything even more comfortable in the '70s.
Giant Floor Ball
You either had one, or something else with that knitting pattern. You couldn't escape the pattern.
Enter the Dragon
Bruce Lee's best came out a few days after his death. It had a huge impact, and studios started looking for a successor. One of the candidates, Jackie Chan, got his butt kicked in Enter the Dragon by Lee himself.
Aloha from Hawaii
Elvis' concert in 1973 was watched by more people than saw the moon landing a few years before. That's how big the King was.
Disco Look
Music was shifting, and half of the people were dressing like this. If you didn't look like this, you were out.
CBGB Opens
The iconic venue was instrumental in the music shift of the seventies.
The Battle of the Sexes
Tennis player Billie Jean King defeated Bobby Riggs in a match seen by 90 million people on TV. It's also the largest live audience ever to see a tennis match in US history.
All in the Family
This was the TV show of the time, talking about controversial issues in ways that changed television forever.
Afro Time
There was nothing like it.
The Dark Side of the Moon
Pink Floyd released their iconic album and broke records that nobody else has surpassed yet.
Sonny and Cher
They made us laugh, but we didn't know what was going on behind the scenes.
M*A*S*H
1970s kids were raised with Shasta Cola and M*A*S*H.
Queen
The band's first album was released, but the world wasn't ready for them just yet.
The Exorcist
Horror was changed in 1973. With The Exorcist and other powerful films, like The Wicker Man and The Crazies, it inspired other creators who would revolutionize the genre again in the '80s.
Sideburns
The beard wasn't even part of the equation sometimes, but sideburns were a key element in 1970s fashion.
Serpico
In the middle of The Godfather, Al Pacino starred as Serpico, inspiring a lot of men's looks at the time.
Secretariat's Legacy
Secretariat became the first Triple Crown of Thoroughbred Racing winner since 1948 and also the best known horse in the history of the world.
Perfect Season
1973 was a great year to be a Miami Dolphins fan, as they completed a perfect season and won the Super Bowl against the Washington Redskins.