I grew up listening to pop music from the 1980s. Then around 1995 I found a radio station in Tampa Bay that played nothing but music from the 1970s (107.3 The Coast). At first I only liked the classic rock and disco music from that era. But slowly overtime, I came to love 70s pop more than 80s pop.

A few years ago I constructed my ultimate 70s pop 2-disc mix. This mix has no classic rock, disco or funk. That would be too easy. Instead I constructed 2 distinct categories for 70s pop: Polyester and Cheese. Polyester is that smug 70s sound that reeks of shag carpet and wood panels. It’s the serious side of pop, which now sounds so wonderfully ridiculous. Cheese is the sugary pop or fun side of pop. Think roller skates and bubble gum.

Enough background. Here is the greatest 70s pop mix ever. I give you Polyester and Cheese.

[POLYESTER]

Ambrosia - How Much I Feel Bob Welch - Sentimental Lady Bread - Sweet Surrender ELO - Strange Magic Gerry Rafferty - Baker Street Gino Vanelli - I Just Wanna Stop Jefferson Starship - Miracles Nicolette Larson - Lotta Love Paul Davis - I Go Crazy Walter Egan - Magnet and Steel Starbuck - Moonlight Feels Right Todd Rundgren - I Saw the Light Ace - How Long Dr. Hook - Sexy Eyes George McCrae - Rock Your Baby

[CHEESE]

Andy Kim - Rock me Gently Brothers Johnson - Strawberry Letter 23 Defranco Family - Heartbeat It’s a Love Beat Edison Lighthouse - Love Grows Where My Rosemary Grows Grassroots - Sooner or Later Honey Cone - Want Ads Jigsaw - Sky High Osmonds - One Bad Apple Partridge Family - I Think I Love You Pilot - Magic Raspberries - Go All the Way Badfinger - No Matter What Babys - Isn’t It Time Jackson 5 - ABC Sweet - Fox on the Run

UPDATE MAY 2011: Rupert Holmes - Escape removed for Walter Egan - Magnet and Steel. Alive Kicking - Tighter and Tighter removed for Badfinger - No Matter What