Disco may dominate our memories of 1979, but turn on an American radio that year and you also heard an astonishing amount of warm harmonies, romantic ballads, and impossibly smooth soft rock. Many of these songs were legitimate Top 10 hits, yet decades of changing playlists have pushed them surprisingly far out of the spotlight. For listeners who were there, however, sometimes all it takes is the opening few seconds to bring an entire era rushing back.

From Hendrix and Clapton to Tony Iommi and Eddie Van Halen, these are the riffs that helped make the electric guitar the defining instrument of an era.

Relive the greatest American Bandstand performances, from Buddy Holly and Chubby Checker to Prince, Madonna, and the Jackson 5, ranked by cultural impact and unforgettable television moments across four decades.