Top 100 Music Albums of the 1970s by AAL2014

I view the 1970's as popular music's finest decade. There are great acts that spawned in the 60's, 80's, 90's, and 00's of course, but pound for pound, year after year, album after album, looking at the output from the 1970's makes me feel nostalgic even though I wasn't around.

• Chart updated: 04/25/2024 01:15
• (Created: 07/15/2015 19:04).
• Chart size: 100 albums.

There are 3 comments for this chart from BestEverAlbums.com members and Top 100 Music Albums of the 1970s has an average rating of 88 out of 100 (from 5 votes). Please log in or register to leave a comment or assign a rating.

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31. (=)

All Things Must Pass 

 George Harrison

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The quiet one’s grand unloading of genius and blissful spirit music. All Things Must Pass covers so much interesting musical ground over its mammoth run time and just about every second is worth fawning over. [First added to this chart: 08/01/2020]

Year of Release:

1970

Appears in:

1,167 charts

Rank Score:

13,484

Rank in 1970:

3

Rank in 1970s:

25

Overall Rank:

98

Average Rating:

 85 (1,269 votes)

Comments:

112

32. (=)

Selling England By The Pound 

 Genesis

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Not quite as favored for me as Foxtrot, but the peaks of this record are some of the finest in the genre and best of the 70’s. See Dancing with the Moonlit Knight, Firth of Fifth, and The Cinema Show (featuring some striking lyrics). [First added to this chart: 07/16/2015]

Year of Release:

1973

Appears in:

979 charts

Rank Score:

11,829

Rank in 1973:

4

Rank in 1970s:

33

Overall Rank:

122

Average Rating:

 84 (1,245 votes)

Comments:

93

33. (=)

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Hemispheres 

 Rush

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Simply put, La Villa Strangiato is one of my very very favorite songs ever. It inspired me as a drummer and still does. The opening 20 minute monster is no joke itself. Rush, my favorite band, truly and with impact, find their way and begin one of my favorite album streaks of all time (‘78-84). [First added to this chart: 07/16/2015]

Year of Release:

1978

Appears in:

374 charts

Rank Score:

2,898

Rank in 1978:

11

Rank in 1970s:

144

Overall Rank:

614

Average Rating:

 81 (578 votes)

Comments:

34

34. (=)

Apostrophe (') 

 Frank Zappa

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(‘) has been one of my favorite albums for such a long time. I’m sucked in for the effortless listen every time as Zappa and company weave their way through a concept truly as Zappa-y as one can get. [First added to this chart: 04/20/2020]

Year of Release:

1974

Appears in:

287 charts

Rank Score:

1,560

Rank in 1974:

21

Rank in 1970s:

241

Overall Rank:

1,127

Average Rating:

 81 (432 votes)

Comments:

15

35. (=)

The Grand Wazoo 

 The Mothers

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Where the fuck has THIS been all my Zappa loving life? In a catalog so deep, the riches are plenty. This maybe the most impressive Zappa record compositionally. [First added to this chart: 04/08/2021]

Year of Release:

1972

Appears in:

112 charts

Rank Score:

422

Rank in 1972:

60

Rank in 1970s:

615

Overall Rank:

3,478

Average Rating:

 79 (158 votes)

Comments:

7

36. (=)

Ram 

 Paul & Linda McCartney

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Ram is absolutely adorable to be frank with you. I’m floored by this album’s track list and its flow. McCartney’s genius as a player and producer may not have ever been more prevalent. [First added to this chart: 11/22/2021]

Year of Release:

1971

Appears in:

556 charts

Rank Score:

5,178

Rank in 1971:

16

Rank in 1970s:

87

Overall Rank:

346

Average Rating:

 82 (725 votes)

Comments:

60

37. (=)

Physical Graffiti 

 Led Zeppelin

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Disc 1 might be the greatest disc of a double album ever. Some gripping and foreboding classics here and it’s also when Zeppelin got "funk" music right. [First added to this chart: 07/16/2015]

Year of Release:

1975

Appears in:

1,319 charts

Rank Score:

13,329

Rank in 1975:

4

Rank in 1970s:

26

Overall Rank:

100

Average Rating:

 85 (2,007 votes)

Comments:

135

38. (=)

Marquee Moon 

 Television

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A quirky, angular masterpiece. Not much exactly like Marquee Moon. [First added to this chart: 05/20/2022]

Year of Release:

1977

Appears in:

1,726 charts

Rank Score:

21,658

Rank in 1977:

3

Rank in 1970s:

14

Overall Rank:

47

Average Rating:

 86 (1,842 votes)

Comments:

144

39. (=)

Live At Leeds 
Live

 The Who

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Top tier live recording. One of the all time great bands in their prime giving it all they have. Love this recording. [First added to this chart: 07/16/2015]

Year of Release:

1970

Appears in:

417 charts

Rank Score:

2,587

Rank in 1970:

23

Rank in 1970s:

159

Overall Rank:

700

Average Rating:

 83 (666 votes)

Comments:

41

40. (=)

On The Beach 

 Neil Young

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This album fucking rules. Such an underrated masterpiece! About as Neil Young-esq as the man and his songs ever got. One of my favorite album covers too. [First added to this chart: 06/24/2022]

Year of Release:

1974

Appears in:

790 charts

Rank Score:

7,964

Rank in 1974:

2

Rank in 1970s:

51

Overall Rank:

207

Average Rating:

 84 (956 votes)

Comments:

62

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Top 100 Music Albums of the 1970s composition

Year	Albums	%
1970	10	10%
1971	18	18%
1972	14	14%
1973	11	11%
1974	8	8%
1975	13	13%
1976	8	8%
1977	10	10%
1978	5	5%
1979	3	3%

Artist	Albums	%
David Bowie	4	4%
Joni Mitchell	4	4%
Stevie Wonder	3	3%
Pink Floyd	3	3%
Black Sabbath	3	3%
Yes	3	3%
The Who	3	3%
Show all

Country	Albums	%
	40	40%
	40	40%
	7	7%
	7	7%
	2	2%
	1	1%
	1	1%
Show all

Top 100 Music Albums of the 1970s chart changes

Biggest climbers
Up 3 from 69th to 66th The Inner Mounting Flame by The Mahavishnu Orchestra With John McLaughlin
Up 2 from 74th to 72nd Curtis by Curtis Mayfield
Up 2 from 73rd to 71st Fear Of Music by Talking Heads

Biggest fallers
Down 3 from 65th to 68th I Want To See The Bright Lights Tonight by Richard & Linda Thompson
Down 3 from 70th to 73rd Aqualung by Jethro Tull
Down 3 from 71st to 74th Q: Are We Not Men? A: We Are Devo! by Devo

New entries
Sextant by Herbie Hancock

Leavers
Sin After Sin by Judas Priest

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Top 100 Music Albums of the 1970s ratings

Showing all 5 ratings for this chart.

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Rating	Date updated	Member	Chart ratings	Avg. chart rating
95/100	04/21/2022 13:11	Larcx13	1,094	86/100
90/100	08/01/2020 21:31	MasterOfPuppets	175	91/100
90/100	02/28/2020 03:16	Tamthebam	558	85/100
95/100	04/24/2018 03:06	jdenny2018	103	92/100
95/100	12/02/2017 22:14	panapsal	233	93/100

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Top 100 Music Albums of the 1970s comments

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Rating:  

95/100

From jdenny2018 04/24/2018 05:51

AAL, Blood on the tracks, Made in japan, and most of your 41-50 were the new listens. Thanks for the welcome, still getting used to posting in forums and what not

Helpful?  (Log in to vote) | 0 votes (0 helpful | 0 unhelpful)

From AAL2014 04/24/2018 05:23

jdenny, thanks for your comments and ratings on these charts. I actually haven't touched this chart in over a year, maybe longer. Although the albums closer to the top would probably remain the same or close to it, there's a lot of work to be done yet with this chart.

Inner Mounting Flame will definitely be here when I get around to updating it. I had yet to even listen to it when I compiled this chart initially.

May I ask what future listens you took from this?

Welcome to the site!

Helpful?  (Log in to vote) | +1 votes (1 helpful | 0 unhelpful)

Rating:  

95/100

From jdenny2018 04/24/2018 03:07

Solid list. Definitely gave me a couple ideas for future listens. Definitely would've chosen Inner mounting flame over birds of fire

Helpful?  (Log in to vote) | +1 votes (1 helpful | 0 unhelpful)

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