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	260,178	Paranoid (54th)by Black Sabbath
1971	2,138	328,851	Untitled (Led Zeppelin IV) (12th)by Led Zeppelin
1972	2,179	260,102	The Rise And Fall Of Ziggy Stard... (9th)by David Bowie
1973	2,064	266,956	The Dark Side Of The Moon (2nd)by Pink Floyd
1974	1,952	139,656	Red (144th)by King Crimson
1975	2,105	226,105	Wish You Were Here (8th)by Pink Floyd
1976	2,100	150,133	Songs In The Key Of Life (86th)by Stevie Wonder
1977	2,113	256,014	Rumours (21st)by Fleetwood Mac
1978	2,158	145,722	Darkness On The Edge Of Town (204th)by Bruce Springsteen
1979	2,087	212,761	London Calling (20th)by The Clash
Total	20,936	2,246,478

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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991.

Spectres

Blue Öyster Cult

Year of Release:

1977

Appears in:

73 charts

Rank Score:

218

Rank in 1977:

Rank in 1970s:

991

Overall Rank:

6,009

Average Rating:

75 (111 votes)

Comments:

992.

Slayed?

Slade

Year of Release:

1972

Appears in:

64 charts

Rank Score:

217

Rank in 1972:

Rank in 1970s:

Overall Rank:

Average Rating:

Comments:

993.

Elegant Gypsy

Al Di Meola

Year of Release:

1977

Appears in:

61 charts

Rank Score:

217

Rank in 1977:

Rank in 1970s:

993

Overall Rank:

6,024

Average Rating:

79 (80 votes)

Comments:

994.

Live
Live

Genesis

Year of Release:

1973

Appears in:

58 charts

Rank Score:

217

Rank in 1973:

Rank in 1970s:

Overall Rank:

Average Rating:

Comments:

995.

Greetings From L.A.

Tim Buckley

Year of Release:

1972

Appears in:

79 charts

Rank Score:

216

Rank in 1972:

Rank in 1970s:

Overall Rank:

Average Rating:

Comments:

996.

Quiet Life

Japan

Year of Release:

1979

Appears in:

74 charts

Rank Score:

216

Rank in 1979:

Rank in 1970s:

996

Overall Rank:

6,051

Average Rating:

75 (93 votes)

Comments:

997.

The Six Wives Of Henry VIII

Rick Wakeman

Year of Release:

1973

Appears in:

69 charts

Rank Score:

215

Rank in 1973:

Rank in 1970s:

Overall Rank:

Average Rating:

Comments:

998.

Estudando O Samba

Tom Zé

Year of Release:

1976

Appears in:

47 charts

Rank Score:

215

Rank in 1976:

Rank in 1970s:

998

Overall Rank:

6,082

Average Rating:

75 (79 votes)

Comments:

999.

The Quiet Zone/The Pleasure Dome

Van Der Graaf Generator

Year of Release:

1977

Appears in:

42 charts

Rank Score:

214

Rank in 1977:

Rank in 1970s:

999

Overall Rank:

6,090

Average Rating:

74 (50 votes)

Comments:

1000.

All The World's A Stage
Live

Rush

Year of Release:

1976

Appears in:

43 charts

Rank Score:

214

Rank in 1976:

Rank in 1970s:

1,000

Overall Rank:

6,097

Average Rating:

76 (74 votes)

Comments:

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Total albums: 1,000. Page 100 of 100

Best Albums of the 1970s composition

Year	Albums	%

1970	107	11%
1971	100	10%
1972	102	10%
1973	108	11%
1974	97	10%
1975	99	10%
1976	90	9%
1977	91	9%
1978	107	11%
1979	99	10%

Artist	Albums	%

David Bowie	12	1%
Genesis	10	1%
Jethro Tull	9	1%
Joni Mitchell	8	1%
Pink Floyd	8	1%
Yes	8	1%
AC/DC	8	1%
Show all

Country	Albums	%

	389	39%
	371	37%
	42	4%
	37	4%
	36	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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7. Tracy Chapman by Tracy Chapman
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20. Rattle And Hum by U2