Best Albums of the 1970s

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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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171.

Paris 1919

John Cale

Year of Release:

1973

Appears in:

280 charts

Rank Score:

2,341

Rank in 1973:

Rank in 1970s:

171

Overall Rank:

765

Average Rating:

79 (325 votes)

Comments:

172.

Sabbath Bloody Sabbath

Black Sabbath

Year of Release:

1973

Appears in:

395 charts

Rank Score:

2,324

Rank in 1973:

Rank in 1970s:

172

Overall Rank:

771

Average Rating:

81 (676 votes)

Comments:

173.

Curtis

Curtis Mayfield

Year of Release:

1970

Appears in:

352 charts

Rank Score:

2,317

Rank in 1970:

Rank in 1970s:

173

Overall Rank:

773

Average Rating:

80 (370 votes)

Comments:

174.

Chairs Missing

Wire

Year of Release:

1978

Appears in:

355 charts

Rank Score:

2,312

Rank in 1978:

Rank in 1970s:

174

Overall Rank:

774

Average Rating:

81 (408 votes)

Comments:

175.

Argus

Wishbone Ash

Year of Release:

1972

Appears in:

271 charts

Rank Score:

2,309

Rank in 1972:

Rank in 1970s:

175

Overall Rank:

775

Average Rating:

80 (279 votes)

Comments:

176.

Toys In The Attic

Aerosmith

Year of Release:

1975

Appears in:

418 charts

Rank Score:

2,295

Rank in 1975:

Rank in 1970s:

176

Overall Rank:

782

Average Rating:

77 (639 votes)

Comments:

177.

Q: Are We Not Men? A: We Are Devo!

Devo

Year of Release:

1978

Appears in:

394 charts

Rank Score:

2,290

Rank in 1978:

Rank in 1970s:

177

Overall Rank:

783

Average Rating:

79 (465 votes)

Comments:

178.

Countdown To Ecstasy

Steely Dan

Year of Release:

1973

Appears in:

295 charts

Rank Score:

2,240

Rank in 1973:

Rank in 1970s:

178

Overall Rank:

798

Average Rating:

80 (414 votes)

Comments:

179.

The Modern Dance

Pere Ubu

Year of Release:

1978

Appears in:

304 charts

Rank Score:

2,227

Rank in 1978:

Rank in 1970s:

179

Overall Rank:

800

Average Rating:

78 (398 votes)

Comments:

180.

Surf's Up

The Beach Boys

Year of Release:

1971

Appears in:

358 charts

Rank Score:

2,224

Rank in 1971:

Rank in 1970s:

180

Overall Rank:

803

Average Rating:

79 (537 votes)

Comments:

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Total albums: 1,000. Page 18 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%

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

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