Soft rock was still developing as a genre during 1970, but several pioneering songs that summer captured audiences' attention and defined the season for many listeners. Bread's "Make It With You," with its acoustic guitar and smooth vocals, became a major commercial success, climbing to the top of the Billboard Hot 100 chart after its May release.

Two additional tracks rounded out the memorable summer soundtrack of that year. Mungo Jerry's "In The Summertime" emerged as a worldwide sensation in June, though it fell just short of the top position domestically, while James Taylor's "Fire And Rain," released in August, became one of his most enduring compositions and also charted in the top three. Together, these three songs showcased the various approaches artists were taking to the emerging soft rock genre.