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 53,000 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	2,040	259,988	Paranoid (54th)by Black Sabbath
1971	2,139	329,075	Untitled (Led Zeppelin IV) (12th)by Led Zeppelin
1972	2,179	260,219	The Rise And Fall Of Ziggy Stard... (9th)by David Bowie
1973	2,065	267,058	The Dark Side Of The Moon (2nd)by Pink Floyd
1974	1,954	139,803	Red (144th)by King Crimson
1975	2,106	226,007	Wish You Were Here (8th)by Pink Floyd
1976	2,101	150,288	Songs In The Key Of Life (86th)by Stevie Wonder
1977	2,112	255,926	Rumours (21st)by Fleetwood Mac
1978	2,161	145,775	Darkness On The Edge Of Town (205th)by Bruce Springsteen
1979	2,089	212,686	London Calling (20th)by The Clash
Total	20,946	2,246,826

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 Genesis.

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161.

Nursery Cryme

Genesis

Year of Release:

1971

Appears in:

372 charts

Rank Score:

2,574

Rank in 1971:

Rank in 1970s:

161

Overall Rank:

705

Average Rating:

81 (563 votes)

Comments:

162.

Fleetwood Mac (1975)

Fleetwood Mac

Year of Release:

1975

Appears in:

409 charts

Rank Score:

2,541

Rank in 1975:

Rank in 1970s:

162

Overall Rank:

712

Average Rating:

81 (609 votes)

Comments:

163.

Catch A Fire

The Wailers

Year of Release:

1973

Appears in:

364 charts

Rank Score:

2,527

Rank in 1973:

Rank in 1970s:

163

Overall Rank:

716

Average Rating:

81 (439 votes)

Comments:

164.

Damn The Torpedoes

Tom Petty And The Heartbreakers

Year of Release:

1979

Appears in:

396 charts

Rank Score:

2,517

Rank in 1979:

Rank in 1970s:

164

Overall Rank:

718

Average Rating:

80 (497 votes)

Comments:

165.

Larks' Tongues In Aspic

King Crimson

Year of Release:

1973

Appears in:

382 charts

Rank Score:

2,492

Rank in 1973:

Rank in 1970s:

165

Overall Rank:

725

Average Rating:

81 (597 votes)

Comments:

166.

All Mod Cons

The Jam

Year of Release:

1978

Appears in:

370 charts

Rank Score:

2,396

Rank in 1978:

Rank in 1970s:

166

Overall Rank:

748

Average Rating:

79 (464 votes)

Comments:

167.

The Hissing Of Summer Lawns

Joni Mitchell

Year of Release:

1975

Appears in:

302 charts

Rank Score:

2,389

Rank in 1975:

Rank in 1970s:

167

Overall Rank:

751

Average Rating:

80 (392 votes)

Comments:

168.

Outlandos D'Amour

The Police

Year of Release:

1978

Appears in:

436 charts

Rank Score:

2,388

Rank in 1978:

Rank in 1970s:

168

Overall Rank:

752

Average Rating:

78 (613 votes)

Comments:

169.

Mothership Connection

Parliament

Year of Release:

1975

Appears in:

390 charts

Rank Score:

2,368

Rank in 1975:

Rank in 1970s:

169

Overall Rank:

755

Average Rating:

80 (434 votes)

Comments:

170.

Metal Box

Public Image Ltd.

Year of Release:

1979

Appears in:

371 charts

Rank Score:

2,365

Rank in 1979:

Rank in 1970s:

170

Overall Rank:

759

Average Rating:

77 (409 votes)

Comments:

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Total albums: 1,000. Page 17 of 100

Best Albums of the 1970s composition

Year	Albums	%

1970	107	11%
1971	100	10%
1972	102	10%
1973	108	11%
1974	98	10%
1975	99	10%
1976	89	9%
1977	90	9%
1978	108	11%
1979	99	10%

Artist	Albums	%

David Bowie	12	1%
Genesis	10	1%
Jethro Tull	9	1%
The Rolling Stones	8	1%
Wishbone Ash	8	1%
Joni Mitchell	8	1%
Electric Light Orchestra	8	1%
Show all

Country	Albums	%

	388	39%
	371	37%
	42	4%
	37	4%
	37	4%
	24	2%
	20	2%
Show all

Compilation?	Albums	%
No	974	97%
Yes	26	3%

Live?	Albums	%
No	940	94%
Yes	60	6%

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

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