Best Albums of the 1970s

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Listed below are the best albums of the 1970s as calculated from their overall rankings in over 54,000 greatest album charts.

Best albums by year or decade

Decade:

Year:

1970s decade summary

Year	Albums The number of albums from each year featuring in the greatest album charts.	Score Total rank score for each year (made up of the total rank score from all albums in that year)	Top Ranked Album The top ranked album from each year and where it ranks in the overall chart.
1970	2,065	257,292	Paranoid (50th)by Black Sabbath
1971	2,169	325,496	Untitled (Led Zeppelin IV) (12th)by Led Zeppelin
1972	2,212	257,726	The Rise And Fall Of Ziggy Stard... (9th)by David Bowie
1973	2,107	263,945	The Dark Side Of The Moon (2nd)by Pink Floyd
1974	2,021	138,835	Red (140th)by King Crimson
1975	2,147	222,226	Wish You Were Here (7th)by Pink Floyd
1976	2,153	149,991	Songs In The Key Of Life (84th)by Stevie Wonder
1977	2,160	254,223	Rumours (21st)by Fleetwood Mac
1978	2,208	145,669	Darkness On The Edge Of Town (209th)by Bruce Springsteen
1979	2,147	210,764	London Calling (20th)by The Clash
Total	21,389	2,226,167

The best artists of the 1970s were Pink Floyd, David Bowie, Led Zeppelin, Neil Young, The Rolling Stones, The Clash, Fleetwood Mac, Black Sabbath, The Who and Stevie Wonder.

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111.

Hejira

Joni Mitchell

Year of Release:

1976

Appears in:

370 charts

Rank Score:

3,716

Rank in 1976:

Rank in 1970s:

111

Overall Rank:

480

Average Rating:

80 (433 votes)

Comments:

112.

Can't Buy A Thrill

Steely Dan

Year of Release:

1972

Appears in:

490 charts

Rank Score:

3,715

Rank in 1972:

Rank in 1970s:

112

Overall Rank:

481

Average Rating:

82 (606 votes)

Comments:

113.

Out Of The Blue

Electric Light Orchestra

Year of Release:

1977

Appears in:

489 charts

Rank Score:

3,705

Rank in 1977:

Rank in 1970s:

113

Overall Rank:

483

Average Rating:

79 (599 votes)

Comments:

114.

Deep Purple In Rock

Deep Purple

Year of Release:

1970

Appears in:

516 charts

Rank Score:

3,679

Rank in 1970:

Rank in 1970s:

114

Overall Rank:

487

Average Rating:

81 (658 votes)

Comments:

115.

Head Hunters

Herbie Hancock

Year of Release:

1973

Appears in:

499 charts

Rank Score:

3,673

Rank in 1973:

Rank in 1970s:

115

Overall Rank:

488

Average Rating:

82 (514 votes)

Comments:

116.

For Your Pleasure

Roxy Music

Year of Release:

1973

Appears in:

516 charts

Rank Score:

3,629

Rank in 1973:

Rank in 1970s:

116

Overall Rank:

495

Average Rating:

80 (642 votes)

Comments:

117.

Tubular Bells

Mike Oldfield

Year of Release:

1973

Appears in:

531 charts

Rank Score:

3,546

Rank in 1973:

Rank in 1970s:

117

Overall Rank:

505

Average Rating:

80 (638 votes)

Comments:

118.

Lust For Life

Iggy Pop

Year of Release:

1977

Appears in:

554 charts

Rank Score:

3,454

Rank in 1977:

Rank in 1970s:

118

Overall Rank:

520

Average Rating:

81 (690 votes)

Comments:

119.

Superfly
Soundtrack

Curtis Mayfield

Year of Release:

1972

Appears in:

502 charts

Rank Score:

3,453

Rank in 1972:

Rank in 1970s:

119

Overall Rank:

522

Average Rating:

81 (560 votes)

Comments:

120.

Talking Heads: 77

Talking Heads

Year of Release:

1977

Appears in:

588 charts

Rank Score:

3,450

Rank in 1977:

Rank in 1970s:

120

Overall Rank:

523

Average Rating:

82 (842 votes)

Comments:

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Total albums: 1,000. Page 12 of 100

Best Albums of the 1970s composition

Year	Albums	%

1970	108	11%
1971	98	10%
1972	102	10%
1973	106	11%
1974	99	10%
1975	98	10%
1976	90	9%
1977	91	9%
1978	109	11%
1979	99	10%

Artist	Albums	%

David Bowie	12	1%
Jethro Tull	9	1%
Genesis	9	1%
Pink Floyd	8	1%
Yes	8	1%
Elton John	8	1%
Wishbone Ash	8	1%
Show all

Country	Albums	%

	387	39%
	369	37%
	42	4%
	37	4%
	36	4%
	24	2%
	21	2%
Show all

Compilation?	Albums	%
No	975	98%
Yes	25	3%

Live?	Albums	%
No	941	94%
Yes	59	6%

Soundtrack?	Albums	%
No	988	99%
Yes	12	1%

« View best albums of the 1960sView best albums of the 1980s »

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Best Albums of 1952
1. Bird & Diz by Charlie Parker & Dizzy Gillespie
2. Moanin' The Blues by Hank Williams
3. Anthology Of American Folk Music by Various Artists
4. Billie Holiday Sings by Billie Holiday
5. The Amazing Bud Powell by Bud Powell
6. Genius Of Modern Music, Vol. 2 by Thelonious Monk
7. La Vie En Rose by Édith Piaf
8. Unforgettable by Nat King Cole
9. Satchmo Serenades by Louis Armstrong
10. A Second Album Of Bahamian Songs by Blind Blake And His Royal Victoria Calypsos
11. Dancers Of Bali by Anak Agung Gde Mandera / Gamelan Orchestra From The Village Of Pliatan, Bali, Indonesia
12. Singin' In The Rain (Recorded Directly From The Sound Track Of The M-G-M Technicolor Musical) by Various Artists
13. Penthouse Serenade by Nat King Cole
14. Mahler: Das Lied Von Der Erde by Bruno Walter / Wiener Philharmoniker
15. La Mauvaise Réputation by Georges Brassens
16. Legend Of The Sun Virgin by Yma Sumac
17. Blazing Ballads by Dinah Washington
18. Harmony Encores by The Chordettes
19. Vol. 1 by Charlie Parker
20. Country Classics by Hank Snow The Singing Ranger & The Rainbow Ranch Boys