70s Music Heartthrobs Then and Now: A Walk Down Memory Lane With Our First Crushes

The Bee Gees — brothers Barry, Robin and Maurice Gibb — were one of the biggest bands of the '70s, and their Saturday Night Fever soundtrack defined the disco era. The harmonizing brothers first started their group way back in 1958, and became popular in the '60s ("To Love Somebody" is one of our favorite love songs of the decade!). In the '70s, they dominated the musical charts with classic tracks like "How Deep Is Your Love," "Night Fever" and "Stayin' Alive," and Barry Gibb's falsetto voice had fans swooning. 

Sadly, Barry is the lone surviving Gibb brother today. Maurice passed in 2003 and Robin passed in 2012, and their youngest brother, Andy, who was a teen icon in his own right, died at just 30 years old in 1988. Barry is still active today, and released his third solo album in 2021. He's received many awards for his legendary musical talents (he was even awarded knighthood in 2018!) and at 77, he remains one of the most powerful forces in pop music, with a legacy that's simply undeniable.

With hits like "Little Woman," "Julie, Do Ya Love Me" and "Easy Come, Easy Go," Bobby Sherman was one of the most beloved pop idols of the late '60s and early '70s. His concerts were known for being filled with screaming teen girls, and his blue-eyed, boy-next-door looks landed him in the pages of countless teen magazines. Sherman also appeared in a variety of TV shows, including Here Come the Brides, The Mod Squad and The Partridge Family.

Now 80, Sherman is retired, having performed his last concert in 2001. After appearing on an episode of the show Emergency! in 1974, he found a new calling, and left the spotlight to become a paramedic and police officer. He would work in law enforcement for decades, proving that he was far more than just a pretty face.

Donny Osmond started his career performing with his older brothers as The Osmonds in the early '70s. He also had a solo career, with hits like "Go Away Little Girl" and "Puppy Love." From 1976 to 1979, he and his sister hosted the variety show Donny & Marie, which furthered his popularity (Read more about Marie Osmond here!). Osmond tried to shake his squeaky-clean teen dream image in the '80s, and continued to release music into the '00s.

Now 65, he's remained a pop culture fixture, with appearances on shows like Dancing With the Stars and The Masked Singer.  While Osmond may still have a charmingly youthful look, today he has 14 grandchildren. As he told People, when it comes to his large, tight-knit family, "I consciously make an effort to take a back seat and just be grandpa, not a celebrity."

Leif Garrett began his career as a child actor, and by the late '70s, he was a teen pop star, complete with perfectly feathered hair and a pout. His biggest hit was "I Was Made for Dancin'" in 1978. In the '80s, he returned to his acting roots, and he tried to get into more rockin' music and shed his teen star origins.

Sadly, Garrett faced substance abuse issues and legal troubles starting in the '80s. This personal drama would continue for decades and lead to an appearance on Celebrity Rehab With Dr. Drew in 2010. Now 61, Garrett is still kicking, and in 2020, he told Closer Weekly that he was sober and working on a screenplay and book, as well as trying to get more film and TV work.

There's something special in those Cassidy genes! Shaun Cassidy is the younger half-brother of The Partridge Family heartthrob David Cassidy (who sadly passed at 67 in 2017), and he became a teen pop star himself in the late '70s. His songs "Da Doo Ron Ron" and "Hey Deanie" were big hits, and he also became a popular actor, appearing in shows like The Hardy Boys, Breaking Away and General Hospital. 

The multitalented star moved into stage acting in the '80s and '90s, and created, wrote and produced a variety of TV shows. Most recently, he executive produced the medical drama New Amsterdam and wrote a number of episodes. At 64, his TV resume is just as impressive as his '70s teen idol status.

You probably know Rick Springfield best for his '80s hit "Jessie's Girl" or his role on General Hospital, but did you know he started out as a teen idol in his native Australia? It's true! His debut single, "Speak to the Sky" was released back in 1972, and songs like "Take a Hand" helped solidify his teenybopper status (and his good looks certainly didn't hurt!). In fact, he was often billed as the next David Cassidy! In an interview, he quipped, "I wasn’t, which I am glad for because it would have been a short career."

Later in the '70s, Springfield focused more on his acting career, and in the early '80s, he would have his US breakthrough. Now 74, Springfield released a new album, Automatic, just this year. He's also kept his multi-hyphenate status, with many a TV guest appearance in the '00s and beyond. 

As one of the best-selling musicians of all time, Neil Diamond has a legacy that goes far beyond just being a teen idol. While he started out in the '60s, and was a successful songwriter, he found mega-fame in the '70s with songs like "Cracklin' Rosie" and "Song Sung Blue." (Read about more of our favorite Neil Diamond songs here!). His concerts sold out constantly, and were filled with adoring female fans. There's truly no denying the power of his emotional, anthemic hits.

Now 82, Diamond has since retired, but his music lives on through movie soundtracks, sports game singalongs and even a recent musical.

Okay, we know what you're thinking — John Travolta is primarily known as an actor. But let's not forget that he showed his musical chops in Grease, singing on classic tracks like "Summer Nights" and "You're the One That I Want." The combination of Travolta and Olivia Newton-John's vocals was irresistible, and helped make the 1978 movie musical a stone cold classic. Travolta had previously released an album in 1976, and he'd have two more that decade. His solo albums may not have performed particularly well on the charts, but that didn't stop him from becoming one of the most enduring crushes of the '70s.

Now 69, the cool, cleft-chinned star is still acting, having won over a new fanbase in the '90s with his legendary turn in Pulp Fiction. His most recent foray into music was a duet with Miley Cyrus, "I Thought I Lost You," that appeared on the soundtrack for the 2008 Disney animated movie Bolt. While we're glad Travolta's still acting, we think he's overdue to release a new song!