Musical acts from the '70s who are still playing today

“The Boss” hasn’t merely continued to be active. He’s put out new music, sure, but also continued to perform legendary concerts. Springsteen is known for epic sets that go hours at a time. He even did a Broadway show a few years ago!

The Beatles broke up long ago, and two of them are no longer with us. Ringo Starr is still around, but his output pales in comparison to McCartney, a guy who seems driven by music. He’s toured extensively and put out an album in 2020. There was also that single he did with Kanye West and Rihanna, which seems weirder with every passing day.

If you live in New York, it feels like you could accidentally stumble into a Billy Joel concert. He started a residency at Madison Square Garden that lasted for 74 straight months before the COVID-19 pandemic stopped it. He’s been on the same tour since 2014, and while he plans to wrap it up at the end of 2023, who’s to say what comes next?

After leaving Genesis, Gabriel never slowed down, and he’s still at it. He’s dropped a song from his new album “i/o” every full moon of 2023, and eventually he will likely tour off of the album once it is fully released.

Ross had a productive pandemic. During that time, she recorded her 25th album “Thank You” in her home studio. It was released in 2021, her first new album since 2006. During her tour off of “Thank You,” Ross actually performed at Queen Elizabeth II’s Platinum Jubilee.

Young is dedicated to sound fidelity and also to being incredibly prolific. In 2022, Young released “World Record.” It was his 15th album with his backing band Crazy Horse, but his 42nd album overall. He also released a live album in 2022, because why not?

Jones is one of those musicians who feel like more of a live act than an album artist. You go to see him croon and swoon, right? He’ll release albums of standards and covers, but it’s all about touring and live performance with the Welsh singer. Jones performed a two-night event in Cardiff in 2022, so he’s still at it.

It’s been a few years since Cher’s last been really active, but man was she active then. After releasing “Dancing Queen” in 2018, she toured off of it until 2020. During that same time, she had a residency in Las Vegas. Cher was also in the “Mamma Mia!” sequel in 2018 for good measure. Maybe she isn’t as active as she used to be, but until Cher says she’s retired, we expect to see her again.

We’re still waiting for Santana’s album “Blessings and Miracles,” which was announced in 2021. However, that month he performed with “Smooth” collaborator Rob Thomas, as well as Wyclef Jean, in Central Park. Also, he appeared on a single by the musicians FKJ in 2022. Hopefully his album is still in the works and hasn’t been kiboshed.

Technically, John is putting the finishing touches on what seemed to be his fifth or sixth farewell tour. However, even when “Farewell Yellow Brick Road” ends, we’re skeptical if it will truly be the end. After all, in 2015 he called his tour “The Final Curtain.” We could see another tour, or release, from Sir Elton.

When Cooper isn’t playing golf, he’s on seemingly an endless tour of his elaborate stage show. In 2021 he released “Detroit Stories," his 21st solo album, which was followed by a two-year tour. Considering that he has been on tour every year since 1995, we expect Cooper isn’t done yet.

Midler hasn’t toured since 2015, but since then, she has performed a few times. What she is definitely doing, though, is acting. In 2022, Midler returned for “Hocus Pocus 2.” Does it feature the Divine Miss M singing? You bet it does!

Pink Floyd is long since disbanded, but Waters has never stopped performing, touring, and making new music. In 2022 he released “The Lockdown Sessions,” comprised of home recordings during the pandemic. Later that year, he began his “This is Not a Drill” tour with his current backing band.

Manilow is another frequent “This is my last tour, I swear” promise maker who tends to backtrack. He's released 11 albums since his “One Night Live! One Last Time!” tour of 2004. That includes a 2020 album, his most recent release. Of course, he’s toured plenty since them as well.

Chicago is, and was, a large band, and it has had a revolving cast of members. There are three original members left, though. However, they keep touring, and the band, such as it is, just released its 38th album in 2022.

Stewart released his 31st album, “The Tears of Hercules,” in 2021. He had a Las Vegas residency for a while, and he said that he refused to perform in Qatar in 2022 due to human rights issues. Which, in addition to being a stand from Stewart, shows that he’s still interested in performing.

Apparently Darryl Hall and John Oates don’t like to be referred to as “Hall & Oates,” though they are always referred to as such. There were reportedly plans for a new album that got scuttled by the pandemic, but in 2022 Oates said that it might happen. The two don’t seem on the friendliest of terms, of many bandmates who didn’t like one another kept working together. In terms of staying active, Hall released a solo album in 2022, and Oates released a live album in 2020.

We’ve lost members of Fleetwood Mac, but Nicks remains. She released her first new music since 2014 in 2020, alongside a concert album from that 2014 release. Nicks performed live in 2021 at a festival, before eschewing five other planned solo shows due to fear of COVID-19. Fortunately, in 2022 we got two appearances from Nicks, including collaborating on a Gorillaz song.

Raitt’s career took a little while to get going, as she released her first album in 1971 but didn’t go platinum until 1989’s “Nick of Time.” She has never stopped recording, though. In 2022 she released a new album called “Just Like That…” and even made a music video for the single “Made Up Mind.”

As long as there is money to be made, it is hard to see Gene Simmons bringing an end to Kiss. Technically, Simmons, Paul Stanley, and the two other guys currently touring as “Kiss” have been on the band’s final tour since 2019. Their final show is supposed to happen in December of 2023, but Simmons has said he intends to keep touring as a solo artist…and Simmons and Stanley have thrown out the idea of a “new generation” of Kiss. One where they would make guest appearances, of course.