Top 100 Music Albums of the 1970s by davidhuret

For this decade and the one before, a top 100 is too restrictive. There are lots of other albums I would like to include.

• Chart updated: 01/13/2023 09:15
• (Created: 12/12/2012 19:27).
• Chart size: 100 albums.

There are 17 comments for this chart from BestEverAlbums.com members and Top 100 Music Albums of the 1970s has an average rating of 91 out of 100 (from 37 votes). Please log in or register to leave a comment or assign a rating.

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1. (=)

Low 

 David Bowie

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As the ads said at the time: "there's old wave, there's new wave, and there's David Bowie". One side avant-pop, one side ambient before the term was coined. Both brilliant. [First added to this chart: 12/12/2012]

Year of Release:

1977

Appears in:

1,486 charts

Rank Score:

19,404

Rank in 1977:

4

Rank in 1970s:

17

Overall Rank:

55

Average Rating:

 86 (2,026 votes)

Comments:

168

2. (=)

What's Going On 

 Marvin Gaye

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Marvin in a state of pure grace. [First added to this chart: 12/12/2012]

Year of Release:

1971

Appears in:

1,567 charts

Rank Score:

19,704

Rank in 1971:

4

Rank in 1970s:

16

Overall Rank:

53

Average Rating:

 85 (1,884 votes)

Comments:

143

3. (=)

Exile On Main St. 

 The Rolling Stones

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The culmination of what the Stones are all about. And to think these great American songs were written by two British, London-born, blokes. [First added to this chart: 12/13/2012]

Year of Release:

1972

Appears in:

1,909 charts

Rank Score:

22,618

Rank in 1972:

2

Rank in 1970s:

12

Overall Rank:

44

Average Rating:

 85 (2,294 votes)

Comments:

209

4. (=)

Who's Next 

 The Who

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As soon as the (pioneering) synth-loop of "Baba O'Reilly" begins, you know you're going to have a good time [First added to this chart: 12/12/2012]

Year of Release:

1971

Appears in:

2,130 charts

Rank Score:

24,174

Rank in 1971:

2

Rank in 1970s:

10

Overall Rank:

40

Average Rating:

 86 (2,486 votes)

Comments:

200

5. (=)

No Other 

 Gene Clark

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Cosmic (and cocaine-fuelled) Americana, this a grand and deeply affecting musical gesture by an underrated talent, formerly in the Byrds. [First added to this chart: 12/13/2012]

Year of Release:

1974

Appears in:

216 charts

Rank Score:

1,640

Rank in 1974:

19

Rank in 1970s:

230

Overall Rank:

1,077

Average Rating:

 79 (214 votes)

Comments:

10

6. (=)

Sticky Fingers 

 The Rolling Stones

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Should anybody be in doubt about the Stones' status as "the greatest rock'n'roll band in the world", play them this. [First added to this chart: 12/13/2012]

Year of Release:

1971

Appears in:

1,590 charts

Rank Score:

19,290

Rank in 1971:

5

Rank in 1970s:

19

Overall Rank:

57

Average Rating:

 86 (1,863 votes)

Comments:

134

7. (=)

The Hissing Of Summer Lawns 

 Joni Mitchell

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Open your mind. Check this out, it's worth it. [First added to this chart: 10/18/2022]

Year of Release:

1975

Appears in:

300 charts

Rank Score:

2,360

Rank in 1975:

11

Rank in 1970s:

169

Overall Rank:

756

Average Rating:

 80 (389 votes)

Comments:

25

8. (=)

Blue 

 Joni Mitchell

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A cornerstone of the singer-songwriters' movement of the early 1970s. Every song is sublime. [First added to this chart: 10/18/2022]

Year of Release:

1971

Appears in:

1,329 charts

Rank Score:

17,086

Rank in 1971:

6

Rank in 1970s:

21

Overall Rank:

76

Average Rating:

 85 (1,450 votes)

Comments:

108

9. (=)

All Things Must Pass 

 George Harrison

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George Harrison launches his post-Beatles career in style with an epic and classy demonstration of what he couldn't do within the Fab Four. A major songwriter and guitar player at his creative peak. Even Phil Spector's Wall of Sound is thrilling. The best album by a solo Beatle? [First added to this chart: 12/13/2012]

Year of Release:

1970

Appears in:

1,168 charts

Rank Score:

13,605

Rank in 1970:

3

Rank in 1970s:

25

Overall Rank:

97

Average Rating:

 85 (1,267 votes)

Comments:

112

10. (=)

Ram 

 Paul & Linda McCartney

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After his utterly charming homemade solo debut, and the major artistic statements of George and John, Beatle Paul had yet everything to prove as a solo artist by then. He did it with this pop extravaganza of an album, ragged yet sophisticated, tight and loose, carefully crafted but retaining a spontaneous feel. A marvellous, highly melodic and energetic musical achievement (those vocal harmonies!). The miracle is that he keeps on making brilliant (often) music to this day. [First added to this chart: 12/12/2012]

Year of Release:

1971

Appears in:

554 charts

Rank Score:

5,246

Rank in 1971:

15

Rank in 1970s:

85

Overall Rank:

341

Average Rating:

 82 (724 votes)

Comments:

60

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Total albums: 100. Page 1 of 10

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Top 100 Music Albums of the 1970s composition

Year	Albums	%
1970	15	15%
1971	21	21%
1972	14	14%
1973	14	14%
1974	8	8%
1975	10	10%
1976	4	4%
1977	6	6%
1978	3	3%
1979	5	5%

Artist	Albums	%
David Bowie	8	8%
Joni Mitchell	4	4%
Neil Young	4	4%
Pink Floyd	4	4%
Led Zeppelin	3	3%
John Lennon	3	3%
Roxy Music	3	3%
Show all

Country	Albums	%
	49	49%
	29	29%
	10	10%
	5	5%
	3	3%
	2	2%
	1	1%
Show all

Top 100 Music Albums of the 1970s chart changes

Biggest climbers
Up 25 from 78th to 53rd The Dark Side Of The Moon by Pink Floyd

Biggest fallers
Down 1 from 53rd to 54th Some Girls by The Rolling Stones
Down 1 from 54th to 55th What Color Is Love by Terry Callier
Down 1 from 55th to 56th Muswell Hillbillies by The Kinks

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Top 100 Music Albums of the 1970s similarity to your chart(s)

Other decade charts by davidhuret

Top 100 Music Albums of the 1970s ratings

Showing latest 5 ratings for this chart. | Show all 37 ratings for this chart.

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Rating	Date updated	Member	Chart ratings	Avg. chart rating
95/100	08/02/2023 22:38	KineticEchoes02	111	88/100
95/100	08/02/2023 10:18	Moondance	455	84/100
90/100	11/12/2021 06:38	NowhereMan	255	82/100
100/100	11/11/2021 17:15	Cytoma	171	90/100
85/100	11/11/2021 17:03	imimesis	49	83/100

Rating metrics: Outliers can be removed when calculating a mean average to dampen the effects of ratings outside the normal distribution. This figure is provided as the trimmed mean. A high standard deviation can be legitimate, but can sometimes indicate 'gaming' is occurring. Consider a simplified example* of an item receiving ratings of 100, 50, & 0. The mean average rating would be 50. However, ratings of 55, 50 & 45 could also result in the same average. The second average might be more trusted because there is more consensus around a particular rating (a lower deviation).
(*In practice, some charts can have several thousand ratings)
This chart is rated in the top 2% of all charts on BestEverAlbums.com. This chart has a Bayesian average rating of 91.0/100, a mean average of 92.4/100, and a trimmed mean (excluding outliers) of 92.4/100. The standard deviation for this chart is 4.9.

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Top 100 Music Albums of the 1970s favourites

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Cytoma

CharlieBarley

matto

Top 100 Music Albums of the 1970s comments

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Rating:  

95/100

From KineticEchoes02 08/02/2023 22:43

This is great work! I would agree on many of the choices and placings in the list. Great to see Jean-Michel Jarre in there. Some of these artists I haven't heard of yet, so this serves as a great reference point to dig more deeply into the best decade for music - thank you. Quite obviously you love your Beatles, all of them :)

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Rating:  

95/100

From Moondance 08/02/2023 10:21

An excellent chart & excellent notes too.

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Rating:  

95/100

From Oselju 07/16/2019 12:01

Mis à part Mike Oldfield (non, là, je ne peux vraiment pas !), c'est un excellent classement. Good job !

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Rating:  

90/100

From ExTeaSea 12/17/2018 00:53

23 albums in common! Yeah!

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Rating:  

95/100

From Seventiesfan 12/16/2018 11:13

Some of my favourite albums ever are in your top 10, and I love 1971 too!

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From Julelios 12/16/2018 11:07

Excellent !

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Rating:  

95/100

From CharlieBarley 02/09/2018 01:03

Bloody good 70s chart. And J'aime beacoup the notes. J'adore most of the albums and there are a few I want to check out. Very well done mon ami.

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Rating:  

90/100

From vancevisuals 02/08/2018 23:38

A lot in common.
Great choices for the best decade for music.

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Rating:  

90/100

From Luciano1962 02/08/2018 15:02

Good!

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Rating:  

95/100

From ForegroundNoise 02/08/2018 09:39

Even though I'd say there's probably a little too much emphasis on classic rock over underground rock for my liking (esp krautrock, Rubycon is the only good German album from the 70s??) your breadth of knowledge is impressive, as are the album notes. Very well done!!

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