Grace Jones, 2000
Grace Jones started the decade as a successful model, and by 1997 she had appeared in Andy Warhol's Interview Magazine with six studio albums and a burgeoning acting career. Jones' striking, androgynous look, along with her magnetic presence and eccentric style, skyrocketed her to global recognition. She has appeared in the images of many influential artists of the era including Guy Bourdin, Jean-Paul Goude and Helmut Newton, immortalizing herself as a 70s idol.
Mick Jagger, 1977
Frontman of the Rolling Stones, and hard rock legend, Mick Jagger shaped the very fabric of 70s music. During the band's 1972 tour in the United States, Jagger embraced the glam rock aesthetic and sported effeminate fashions paired with glitter, makeup, and long hair on stage. Many have claimed that his performances have assisted in breaking down traditional notions of gender, and he has been credited with expanding the conventional definitions of masculinity for a large audience.
Cher, 1986
Cher began her climb to fame in the 1960s with her partner Sonny. The couple created several successful albums and television programs during the early 70s before she embarked on her solo acting and singing career. Cher’s deep, androgynous voice, paired with her outrageous fashions and complex lyrical content made her a standout performer of the decade, and redefined the concept of female celebrity. Her bold style and strong attitude both influenced and encapsulated the ambience of the 1970s.
David Bowie, 1994
David Bowie was a seventies icon in every right. He released eleven studio albums during the decade and within those he explored pertinent issues relating to gender and sexual expression. Bowie was known for transgressing the lines of gender with feminine costume and makeup to the point of drag, often finding inspiration in the glamorous aesthetic of Hollywood starlets. His presence and performances were fun, energetic and subversive— a perfect summation of the 70s.
Donna Summer, 1998
Disco originated in black & queer communities, and offered a sense of escape to marginalized populations. This music, supplemented by club culture, contributed to the sexual revolution and normalization of homosexuality & female sexuality. The second-wave feminism of the 1970s focused on these issues of female autonomy and Donna Summer’s discography precisely expresses the strive for women's liberation at the time with its unashamed and celebrated expression of female love & desire.
Lou Reed, 1977
Lou Reed was a friend and collaorator to many of the big names in art and music at the time, including Andy Warhol, David Bowie, and Patti Smith. Reed was not one to shy away from taboo subject matter about individuals on the fringe of society. He sang narratives about junkies, criminals, and sexual deviants. His 1972 album "Transformer" was an ode to the openly-queer Warhol and paid homage to the concurrent gay liberation movement. Additionally, one of his biggest muses was his transgender girlfriend, Rachel Humphreys.
