Curtis
by Curtis Mayfield

Curtis by Curtis Mayfield
Year: 1970
Release date: 1970-09-00
Overall rank: 705th   Overall chart history
Average Rating: 
80/100 (from 386 votes)
  Ratings distribution   Average rating history
Accolades:
Award Top albums of 1970 (23rd)
Award Top albums of the 1970s (159th)
Award Top 1,000 albums of all time (705th)

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Product Details
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Curtis Mayfield - Curtis [New Vinyl LP] 180 Gram
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Curtis Mayfield - Curtis [Indie-Exclusive Light Blue Vinyl]
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Curtis Mayfield - Curtis / Self-Titled - 1971 Reissue CRS 8005 VG+/VG
Condition: Used


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Curtis Mayfield bestography

Curtis is ranked 2nd best out of 25 albums by Curtis Mayfield on BestEverAlbums.com.

The best album by Curtis Mayfield is Super Fly which is ranked number 544 in the list of all-time albums with a total rank score of 3,178.

Curtis Mayfield album bestography « Higher ranked (544th)
Super Fly
This album (705th)
Curtis
Lower ranked (4,510th) »
Roots

(N.B. Bestographies include all albums by an artist (and their variations), but do not include albums ranked outside the top 100,000).

Upcoming concerts

Apr
11
Sat
Hannah Dasher & Sam Williams
Avondale Brewing Co., Birmingham, United States. United States
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Apr
11
Sat
Brandon Lake - King of Hearts Tour
CHI Health Center Omaha, Omaha, United States. United States
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Mar
13
Fri
ERNEST: LIVE FROM THE SOUTH TOUR
The Fillmore Detroit, Detroit, United States. United States
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Curtis rankings

Rankings summary
Overall rank: 705th | 1970s rank: 159th | 1970 rank: 23rd
Filter Filter
Sort Sort by
YearSourceChartRankRank Score
2026bonnequestionTop 100 Music Albums of the 1970s58/1009
2026 HaydenTop 100 Greatest Music Albums51/10049
2026 baystateoftheartTop 97 Music Albums of the 1970s5/9719
2026 bertranduTop 100 Music Albums of the 1970s98/1001
2026 Squonk007Top 100 Music Albums of the 1970s63/1008
2026bjorndedrijTop 100 Greatest Music Albums26/10074
2026Exist-en-cielTop 100 Music Albums of the 1970s51/10010
2026gregthealienTop 100 Music Albums of the 1970s90/1002
2026leniadTop 101-200 Greatest 1970s Albums11/68 -
2026 FischmanTop 100 Music Albums of 197065/1002
2026bonnequestionMy top 100 from BEA's top 100087/100 -
2026Foxforce5Top 100 Music Albums of the 1970s92/1002
2026 RockyRaccoonTop 100 Music Albums of 197034/1003
2026 HaydenTop 100 Music Albums of 19703/1005
2026bonnequestionFunk & Soul15/100 -
2026 LeonardTop 96 Music Albums of 197048/963
2026 baystateoftheartTop 92 Music Albums of 19701/925
2026 paladisiactop albums, #1901-2000*44/79 -
2026saltysurpriseTop 54 Music Albums of 19705/545
2026leniadTop 401-500 Greatest Albums Of All Time63/100 -
Total Charts: Help The total number of charts that this album has appeared in. 386
Total Rank Score: Help The total rank score. 2,459
You can include this album in your own chart from the My Charts page!

Curtis collection

Curtis ratings

Average Rating: 
80/100 (from 386 votes)
  Ratings distribution Help Average Rating = (n ÷ (n + m)) × av + (m ÷ (n + m)) × AV
where:
av = trimmed mean average rating an item has currently received.
n = number of ratings an item has currently received.
m = minimum number of ratings required for an item to appear in a 'top-rated' chart (currently 10).
AV = the site mean average rating.

Showing latest 5 ratings for this album. | Show all 386 ratings for this album.

Sort Sort by
RatingDate updatedMemberAlbum ratingsAvg. album rating
 
85/100
 
02/01/2026 16:20 sweetness  Ratings distribution  97079/100
 
75/100
 
01/15/2026 00:15 This_is_handsome  Ratings distribution  76979/100
 
80/100
 
12/05/2025 14:50 Exist-en-ciel  Ratings distribution  7,69370/100
 
5/100
 
11/23/2025 07:17 NYAndreas  Ratings distribution  1,43344/100
 
100/100
 
10/07/2025 01:59 JacobMullis  Ratings distribution  73488/100

Rating metrics: Help 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 albums can have several thousand ratings)

This album is rated in the top 1% of all albums on BestEverAlbums.com. This album has a Bayesian average rating of 80.1/100, a mean average of 79.4/100, and a trimmed mean (excluding outliers) of 80.3/100. The standard deviation for this album is 13.8.

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Curtis comments

Showing latest 10 comments | Show all 16 comments |
Most Helpful First | Newest First | Positive Sentiment First | Longest Comments First
(Only showing comments with -2 votes or higher. You can alter this threshold from your profile page. Manage Profile)

Rating:  
95/100
From 03/29/2024 14:35 | #302739
The production and performances push a record of very good, socially conscious songs to excellent. 9.5/10.
Helpful?  (Log in to vote) | +1 votes (1 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
Rating:  
90/100
From 02/17/2024 20:01 | #302051
B-side of this record is perfect. A-side bangs as well, especially If There's a Hell Below We're All Going to Go and We the People Who Are Darker Than Blue.
Helpful?  (Log in to vote) | +1 votes (1 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
Rating:  
85/100
From 03/26/2023 13:46 | #295477
Histórico!
Helpful?  (Log in to vote) | 0 votes (0 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
Rating:  
80/100
From 06/29/2022 19:40 | #286865
Great funky record, first track and Move On Up are definite highlights.
Helpful?  (Log in to vote) | +1 votes (1 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
Rating:  
90/100
From 01/25/2021 17:14 | #265073
Great album! My only problem with this album is that the mood itself doesn't really change except for Move On Up.
Helpful?  (Log in to vote) | +1 votes (1 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
Rating:  
70/100
From 12/22/2020 05:24 | #263050
While not every song moves me, the combination of groove and gravitas is compelling and transportational.
Helpful?  (Log in to vote) | 0 votes (0 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
Rating:  
80/100
From 02/28/2020 14:28 | #248311
Extraordinarily well produced for an album from 1970. I don't know whether to group this with the feel-good pre-disco of Marvin Gaye, or the hard funk of Sly and Funkadelic. But since it is before both, I'll just say: this shit is good.
Helpful?  (Log in to vote) | +2 votes (2 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
Rating:  
100/100
From 07/04/2019 16:34 | #238926
Incredible reporting on the world as seen from one black man's perspective, that transcended and opened the eyes of many in thw white establishment. A Peerless album - one of the best of all time.
Helpful?  (Log in to vote) | +5 votes (5 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
Rating:  
80/100
From 07/10/2016 13:05 | #171007
The debut solo album from Mayfield continuing his social commentary on black America that he started with the Impressions. The sound is funkier than that of The Impressions but the song titles say it all - If There's a Hell Below We're All Gonna Go, Miss Black America & We The People Who Are Darker Than Blue. The best track however is Move On Up an edited version of which was a big hit in the U.K.
Helpful?  (Log in to vote) | +3 votes (3 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
Rating:  
80/100
From 06/25/2016 17:36 | #169804
Another quality Curtis Mayfield record. Great songs as always, especially, if there's a hell below, miss black America, and off course, move on up. Still thrilling after all these years.
Helpful?  (Log in to vote) | +2 votes (2 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
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Best Albums of 1970
1. Paranoid by Black Sabbath
2. After The Gold Rush by Neil Young
3. All Things Must Pass by George Harrison
4. Bridge Over Troubled Water by Simon & Garfunkel
5. John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band by John Lennon
6. Bitches Brew by Miles Davis
7. Moondance by Van Morrison
8. Cosmo's Factory by Creedence Clearwater Revival
9. Led Zeppelin III by Led Zeppelin
10. Fun House by The Stooges
11. Let It Be by The Beatles
12. Black Sabbath by Black Sabbath
13. Loaded by The Velvet Underground
14. Layla And Other Assorted Love Songs by Derek & The Dominos
15. Déjà Vu by Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young
16. American Beauty by Grateful Dead
17. Deep Purple In Rock by Deep Purple
18. Abraxas by Santana
19. Tea For The Tillerman by Cat Stevens
20. Morrison Hotel by The Doors
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