Best Albums of the 1970s

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
YearAlbums 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.
19702,088255,317
19712,184324,221
19722,247255,874
19732,132261,559
19742,036138,409
Red (140th)by King Crimson
19752,163220,569
19762,177149,228
19772,179252,121
19782,231145,300
19792,154208,728
Total21,5912,211,325

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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Buy album United States
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Year of Release:
1978
Appears in:
Rank Score:
214
Rank in 1978:
Rank in 1970s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
Buy album United States
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Year of Release:
1973
Appears in:
Rank Score:
214
Rank in 1973:
Rank in 1970s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
Buy album United States
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Year of Release:
1972
Appears in:
Rank Score:
213
Rank in 1972:
Rank in 1970s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
Buy album United States
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Year of Release:
1971
Appears in:
Rank Score:
213
Rank in 1971:
Rank in 1970s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
Buy album United States
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Year of Release:
1975
Appears in:
Rank Score:
213
Rank in 1975:
Rank in 1970s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
Buy album United States
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  • eBay
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  • #Sponsored
Year of Release:
1972
Appears in:
Rank Score:
213
Rank in 1972:
Rank in 1970s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
997.
Buy album United States
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  • #Sponsored
Year of Release:
1973
Appears in:
Rank Score:
213
Rank in 1973:
Rank in 1970s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
998.
Live 
Live
Buy album United States
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Year of Release:
1973
Appears in:
Rank Score:
213
Rank in 1973:
Rank in 1970s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
Buy album United States
  • Amazon
  • eBay
  • iTunes
  • Spotify
  • #Sponsored
Year of Release:
1975
Appears in:
Rank Score:
213
Rank in 1975:
Rank in 1970s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
Buy album United States
  • Amazon
  • eBay
  • iTunes
  • Spotify
  • #Sponsored
Year of Release:
1973
Appears in:
Rank Score:
212
Rank in 1973:
Rank in 1970s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
Total albums: 1,000. Page 100 of 100

Best Albums of the 1970s composition

Year Albums %


1970 107 11%
1971 97 10%
1972 102 10%
1973 109 11%
1974 100 10%
1975 100 10%
1976 89 9%
1977 90 9%
1978 110 11%
1979 99 10%
Artist Albums %


David Bowie 12 1%
Genesis 10 1%
Jethro Tull 9 1%
Elton John 8 1%
AC/DC 8 1%
The Rolling Stones 8 1%
Miles Davis 8 1%
Show all
Country Albums %


United Kingdom 387 39%
United States 369 37%
Canada 43 4%
Germany 37 4%
Mixed Nationality 36 4%
Brazil 24 2%
Jamaica 21 2%
Show all
Compilation? Albums %
No 979 98%
Yes 24 2%
Live? Albums %
No 943 94%
Yes 60 6%
Soundtrack? Albums %
No 991 99%
Yes 12 1%
Popular  Charts
1. The Top 100 Albums by VH1 (2001)
2. The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time by Rolling Stone (2020)
3. 200 Greatest Albums of All Time by Uncut (2016)
4. 100 Best Albums - 2024 Edition by Apple Music (2024)
5. The 500 Greatest Albums Of All Time by New Music Express (2013)
6. Top 100 Albums by ABC (2006)
7. The Definitive 200 by National Association of Recording Merchandisers (2007)
8. Virgin All-Time Top 1000 Albums by Virgin (2000)
9. Los 48 mejores discos de la historia by Esquire España (2022)
10. The 100 Greatest Albums of All Time by Consequence of Sound (2022)
11. The Greatest Rock Albums by uDiscoverMusic (2015)
12. Die 100 Alben des Jahrhunderts by Spex (2000)
13. Greatest 100 Albums of All Time by The Guinness Book of British Hit Singles & Albums with NME (2006)
14. Top 100 Greatest Music Albums by Melody Maker (2000)
15. Die 100 besten Alben der Musikgeschichte by radioeins (2019)
16. Mojo Readers: The 100 Greatest Albums Ever Made by Mojo (1996)
17. The 100 Greatest Albums Of All Time by Absolute Radio (2012)
18. The 300 Greatest Albums of All Time (1-100) by Paste (2024)
19. Die 20 besten Alben der Geschichte by Musikexpress.de (2011)
20. 100 Greatest Albums Ever by Q (2006)
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