Cool topic!

I LOVE '70's (and 60's!!!) rock.  I think Brian Jones is an overlooked Stone.  Mick Ronson's crunchy guitar sounds with 'Changes' comes to mind as somehow bridging the 70's and the 80's, but what the fuck do I know - that may be the style/substance thing I sometimes get with Bowie. 

Someone said, I think it was one of the sisters from Heart, that the 70's were all about the fascination with guitar, and the 80's were about the fascination with the synthesizer.  As a kid, I remember thinking the synth intro/line/hook whatever from the guy who wrote 'Cars' was spine tingling - it just hadn't been done before - which, while notable, may not be so memorable.

One last thing - maybe DB can answer this - something that stands out for me from the 80's is the percussive use of something - I don't know if it was a sample or what - but you hear it on 'Swallowed by the Cracks' as well as 'Allentown' by Joel - and that 's the metallic smack of (bars? hammer and forge?) coming together.  You don't hear that much anymore.

The Police were the first band that made me appreciate every instrument in the band.   I worked my way back to Zeppelin who in turn, made me appreciate the blues.  Conversely, all the Zep fans I know think the Police are pure pap.