Best Albums of the 1970s

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

Listed below are the best albums of the 1970s as calculated from their overall rankings in over 55,000 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	2,094	254,096	Paranoid (52nd)by Black Sabbath
1971	2,188	322,669	Untitled (Led Zeppelin IV) (12th)by Led Zeppelin
1972	2,252	253,619	The Rise And Fall Of Ziggy Stard... (7th)by David Bowie
1973	2,135	259,050	The Dark Side Of The Moon (2nd)by Pink Floyd
1974	2,041	137,927	Red (140th)by King Crimson
1975	2,170	219,496	Wish You Were Here (6th)by Pink Floyd
1976	2,190	148,326	Songs In The Key Of Life (80th)by Stevie Wonder
1977	2,186	250,051	Rumours (21st)by Fleetwood Mac
1978	2,240	144,261	Darkness On The Edge Of Town (210th)by Bruce Springsteen
1979	2,164	207,070	London Calling (20th)by The Clash
Total	21,660	2,196,568

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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991.

Anima Latina

Lucio Battisti

Year of Release:

1974

Appears in:

46 charts

Rank Score:

214

Rank in 1974:

Rank in 1970s:

991

Overall Rank:

6,137

Average Rating:

77 (62 votes)

Comments:

992.

Swaddling Songs

Mellow Candle

Year of Release:

1972

Appears in:

41 charts

Rank Score:

213

Rank in 1972:

Rank in 1970s:

Overall Rank:

Average Rating:

Comments:

993.

Greetings From L.A.

Tim Buckley

Year of Release:

1972

Appears in:

80 charts

Rank Score:

213

Rank in 1972:

Rank in 1970s:

Overall Rank:

Average Rating:

Comments:

994.

Timeless

John Abercrombie

Year of Release:

1975

Appears in:

39 charts

Rank Score:

212

Rank in 1975:

Rank in 1970s:

Overall Rank:

Average Rating:

Comments:

995.

Luxury Liner

Emmylou Harris

Year of Release:

1977

Appears in:

60 charts

Rank Score:

212

Rank in 1977:

Rank in 1970s:

995

Overall Rank:

6,174

Average Rating:

74 (77 votes)

Comments:

996.

Vernal Equinox

Jon Hassell

Year of Release:

1977

Appears in:

32 charts

Rank Score:

212

Rank in 1977:

Rank in 1970s:

996

Overall Rank:

6,177

Average Rating:

77 (29 votes)

Comments:

997.

Tubeway Army

Year of Release:

1978

Appears in:

63 charts

Rank Score:

212

Rank in 1978:

Rank in 1970s:

Overall Rank:

Average Rating:

Comments:

998.

Spectres

Blue Öyster Cult

Year of Release:

1977

Appears in:

75 charts

Rank Score:

212

Rank in 1977:

Rank in 1970s:

998

Overall Rank:

6,194

Average Rating:

75 (114 votes)

Comments:

999.

Greatest Hits
Compilation

Sly & The Family Stone

Year of Release:

1970

Appears in:

74 charts

Rank Score:

211

Rank in 1970:

Rank in 1970s:

Overall Rank:

Average Rating:

Comments:

1000.

New England

Wishbone Ash

Year of Release:

1976

Appears in:

25 charts

Rank Score:

210

Rank in 1976:

Rank in 1970s:

1,000

Overall Rank:

6,225

Average Rating:

78 (42 votes)

Comments:

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Total albums: 1,000. Page 100 of 100

Best Albums of the 1970s composition

Year	Albums	%

1970	109	11%
1971	98	10%
1972	102	10%
1973	107	11%
1974	99	10%
1975	100	10%
1976	85	9%
1977	92	9%
1978	109	11%
1979	99	10%

Artist	Albums	%

David Bowie	12	1%
Genesis	10	1%
The Rolling Stones	8	1%
AC/DC	8	1%
Miles Davis	8	1%
Joni Mitchell	8	1%
Pink Floyd	8	1%
Show all

Country	Albums	%

	384	38%
	373	37%
	42	4%
	37	4%
	36	4%
	23	2%
	20	2%
Show all

Compilation?	Albums	%
No	974	97%
Yes	26	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 1963
1. The Black Saint And The Sinner Lady by Charles Mingus
2. The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan by Bob Dylan
3. Please Please Me by The Beatles
4. James Brown Live At The Apollo by James Brown
5. With The Beatles by The Beatles
6. Night Beat by Sam Cooke
7. Monk's Dream by The Thelonious Monk Quartet
8. A Christmas Gift For You From Phil Spector by Various Artists
9. Duke Ellington & John Coltrane by Duke Ellington & John Coltrane
10. Money Jungle by Duke Ellington / Charlie Mingus / Max Roach
11. Samba Esquema Novo by Jorge Ben
12. Midnight Blue by Kenny Burrell
13. Night Train by The Oscar Peterson Trio
14. In Dreams by Roy Orbison
15. Ballads by John Coltrane Quartet
16. Beethoven: Symphonien No. 9 by Herbert von Karajan / Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra
17. Surfer Girl by The Beach Boys
18. John Coltrane And Johnny Hartman by John Coltrane & Johnny Hartman
19. Back At The Chicken Shack by Jimmy Smith
20. Surfin' U.S.A. by The Beach Boys