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	2,095	254,591	Paranoid (54th)by Black Sabbath
1971	2,187	323,404	Untitled (Led Zeppelin IV) (12th)by Led Zeppelin
1972	2,251	254,186	The Rise And Fall Of Ziggy Stard... (8th)by David Bowie
1973	2,135	259,946	The Dark Side Of The Moon (2nd)by Pink Floyd
1974	2,040	138,111	Red (140th)by King Crimson
1975	2,169	220,004	Wish You Were Here (6th)by Pink Floyd
1976	2,187	148,515	Songs In The Key Of Life (81st)by Stevie Wonder
1977	2,185	250,529	Rumours (21st)by Fleetwood Mac
1978	2,240	144,448	Darkness On The Edge Of Town (210th)by Bruce Springsteen
1979	2,163	207,493	London Calling (20th)by The Clash
Total	21,652	2,201,226

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.

Swaddling Songs

Mellow Candle

Year of Release:

1972

Appears in:

41 charts

Rank Score:

214

Rank in 1972:

Rank in 1970s:

Overall Rank:

Average Rating:

Comments:

992.

A Space In Time

Ten Years After

Year of Release:

1971

Appears in:

69 charts

Rank Score:

213

Rank in 1971:

Rank in 1970s:

992

Overall Rank:

6,143

Average Rating:

78 (92 votes)

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:

213

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:

213

Rank in 1977:

Rank in 1970s:

995

Overall Rank:

6,165

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:

6,171

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:

6,189

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:

211

Rank in 1976:

Rank in 1970s:

1,000

Overall Rank:

6,207

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	108	11%
1971	98	10%
1972	102	10%
1973	107	11%
1974	99	10%
1975	100	10%
1976	86	9%
1977	92	9%
1978	109	11%
1979	99	10%

Artist	Albums	%

David Bowie	12	1%
Genesis	10	1%
Joni Mitchell	8	1%
Pink Floyd	8	1%
Electric Light Orchestra	8	1%
Wishbone Ash	8	1%
Yes	8	1%
Show all

Country	Albums	%

	384	38%
	372	37%
	42	4%
	37	4%
	36	4%
	24	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 Artists of 1963
1. Charles Mingus
2. Bob Dylan
3. The Beatles
4. James Brown
5. Sam Cooke
6. Thelonious Monk
7. The Thelonious Monk Quartet
8. The Beach Boys
9. Duke Ellington & John Coltrane
10. Duke Ellington / Charlie Mingus / Max Roach
11. John Coltrane
12. Jorge Ben
13. Kenny Burrell
14. The Oscar Peterson Trio
15. Oscar Peterson
16. Roy Orbison
17. John Coltrane Quartet
18. Herbert von Karajan / Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra
19. Herbert Von Karajan / Berliner Philharmoniker
20. John Coltrane & Johnny Hartman