Top 100 Music Albums of the 1970s
by 
Tamthebam 
This is my favourite decade my chart is dominated by Bowie, Elton John & Stevie Wonder but hey its the 70's. Electric Warrior was the first album I ever owned, so it has a special meaning for me, I still have the original vinyl copies of 50% of these albums. I have included some iconic "Best Of" albums that are regarded very highly, I love all types of music and I loved exploring music recommended by others, I discovered Soul and Country-Rock during this decade.
- Chart updated: 03/17/2026 18:45
- (Created: 08/24/2013 13:28).
- Chart size: 100 albums.
There are 16 comments for this chart from BestEverAlbums.com members and Top 100 Music Albums of the 1970s has an average rating of 88 out of 100 (from 34 votes). Please log in or register to leave a comment or assign a rating.
View the complete list of 58,000 charts on BestEverAlbums.com from The Charts page.
A road journey from place to place as well as through time is how I see this album. This is my favourite Joni album the atmosphere she creates with the tunings of her guitar throughout this album is masterful. Coyote, Amelia, Song For Sharon & Black Crow are some of her best ever compositions. The title track is Arabic for Travel.
[First added to this chart: 08/25/2013]
Year of Release:
1976
Appears in:
Rank Score:
3,822
Rank in 1976:
Rank in 1970s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
The trio of Berlin albums (Low Heroes & Lodger) are the best set of concept albums ever recorded, by anyone. Low & Heroes were released in 1977 within 8 months of each other. Heroes is my favourite of these three it is rougher round the edges than Low, Side 2 (tracks 6-10) create an atmosphere that could be the soundtrack of a horror movie an amazing sound that is deeper than anything on Low and on top of that there is the title track and the forgotten classic Beauty & The Beast.
[First added to this chart: 08/25/2013]
Year of Release:
1977
Appears in:
Rank Score:
6,034
Rank in 1977:
Rank in 1970s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
I love this album one of the best debut albums of all time. Contains the great Chuck E's In Love, the album is also full of great observations of love & life including Young Blood, Last Chance Texaco, Danny's All Star Joint and Company. Her voice has a jazzy rock appeal, She reminds me of Tom Waits, emotional yet sometimes funny. She has made other great albums but for me this is still the best.
(First added to chart: 14/06/2012) [First added to this chart: 08/25/2013]
(First added to chart: 14/06/2012) [First added to this chart: 08/25/2013]
Year of Release:
1979
Appears in:
Rank Score:
547
Rank in 1979:
Rank in 1970s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
One of the greatest double albums of all time and along with Innervisions two of the greatest soul/RnB albums ever. I remember there was a lot of hype before the release of this album as it was delayed time and time again before finally being released at the end of 1976. It more than lived up to the hype. I remember when I finally got my copy on my 17th bday and I listened to it for 2 days solid. Its message is more relevant today than it was back in the 70's - Love's In Need Of Love Today, Village Ghetto Land, If It's Magic, Saturn. There are also some gorgeous love songs - Knocks Me Off My Feet, Isn't she Lovely, Ordinary Pain, As and Another Star. Two great instrumentals Contusion & Easy Goin' Evening and on top of all that is Sir Duke,I Wish & Pastime Paradise amazing.
[First added to this chart: 08/25/2013]
Year of Release:
1976
Appears in:
Rank Score:
15,596
Rank in 1976:
Rank in 1970s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
Its now 45 years since I first listened to this great album for the first time. I loved Stevie Nicks voice so much that I bought it for that reason alone.so discovering Lindsay Buckingham & Christine McVie as singers and songwriters was eye opening or ear opening ! On top of all that was the stories of the break-ups that inspired the songs & The Chain which kept them together.
[First added to this chart: 08/25/2013]
Year of Release:
1977
Appears in:
Rank Score:
30,467
Rank in 1977:
Rank in 1970s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
The first L.P. I ever owned. I still play it today a great album every track is good. Best tracks are Get It On, Jeepster, Life's a Gas & the closing track Rip Off, the opening track Mambo Sun would have been another great single. Marc Bolan was one of my first musical heroes and like a number of artists in my Top 100 now gone forever.
[First added to this chart: 08/25/2013]
Year of Release:
1971
Appears in:
Rank Score:
4,691
Rank in 1971:
Rank in 1970s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
A break thru album this is the album that brought Bowie to a wider audience. The first 4 tracks are legendary especially Starman & Moonage Daydream, it then tails of a little before hitting you with the last 3 tracks Ziggy, Suffragette City & Rock n Roll Suicide. It is regarded as his best album rightly so, it is just not my favourite.
[First added to this chart: 08/25/2013]
Year of Release:
1972
Appears in:
Rank Score:
42,177
Rank in 1972:
Rank in 1970s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
Linda Ronstadt's albums of the 70's are mostly full of great cover versions of country/rock/Motown songs. She makes each song her own It's So Easy, Tumbling Dice, Blue Bayou, Poor,Poor Pitiful Me and Old Paint are good examples of that. The whole album is great nothing weakens it, her voice also seems to be at its peak. She recorded 7 great albums in the 70's this is the best.
[First added to this chart: 08/25/2013]
This was the first Elton John album I ever heard Caribou being the first I ever owned. It was a double album so a little more expensive back then in 1974. It is without a doubt the best album he has ever released smack in the middle of his golden period 1970-76. It contains a whole load of Elton standards but the "non singles" on this album are some of his best ever songs (Bernie Taupin supplied the lyrics) including Sweet Painted Lady, All the Girls Love Alice, Grey Seal, I've Seen That Movie Too & Harmony. On top of all that is the opening 15 mins Funeral For a Friend/Love lies Bleeding a haunting opening number followed by Candle In The Wind. A truly great album.
[First added to this chart: 08/25/2013]
Year of Release:
1973
Appears in:
Rank Score:
7,448
Rank in 1973:
Rank in 1970s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
This was the first Bowie album I owned and still to this day a favourite. It was labelled as the "Ziggy Goes To America " album as the sound and atmosphere created was heavier and darker than anything he had done before. I unlike so many others like his reworking of Lets Spend The Night Together it fits this album. There are so many classic Bowie tracks here all of Side 1 (1-5) and Time ,The Jean Genie & Lady Grinning Soul make this a Classic must have album.
[First added to this chart: 08/25/2013]
Year of Release:
1973
Appears in:
Rank Score:
5,428
Rank in 1973:
Rank in 1970s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
Total albums: 100. Page 1 of 10
Don't agree with this chart? Create your own from the My Charts page!
Top 100 Music Albums of the 1970s composition
| Year | Albums | % | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 10 | 10% | |
| 1971 | 10 | 10% | |
| 1972 | 12 | 12% | |
| 1973 | 12 | 12% | |
| 1974 | 11 | 11% | |
| 1975 | 8 | 8% | |
| 1976 | 11 | 11% | |
| 1977 | 11 | 11% | |
| 1978 | 5 | 5% | |
| 1979 | 10 | 10% |
| Artist | Albums | % | |
|---|---|---|---|
|
|
|||
| David Bowie | 9 | 9% | |
| Elton John | 7 | 7% | |
| T. Rex | 6 | 6% | |
| Neil Young | 5 | 5% | |
| Joni Mitchell | 5 | 5% | |
| Stevie Wonder | 5 | 5% | |
| The Rolling Stones | 4 | 4% | |
| Show all | |||
Top 100 Music Albums of the 1970s chart changes
| Biggest climbers |
|---|
| Up 2 from 35th to 33rdGreatest Hits by Elton John |
| Up 1 from 32nd to 31stBaby It's Me by Diana Ross |
| Biggest fallers |
|---|
| Down 1 from 31st to 32ndFulfillingness' First Finale by Stevie Wonder |
| Down 1 from 33rd to 34thGoats Head Soup by The Rolling Stones |
| Down 1 from 34th to 35thCourt And Spark by Joni Mitchell |
Top 100 Music Albums of the 1970s similar charts
| Title | Source | Type | Published | Country |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Top 100 Music Albums of the 1970s |  2nd-Impressions | 1970s decade chart | 2020 |  |
| Top 100 Music Albums of the 1970s | tim0505 | 1970s decade chart | 2026 | |
| Top 100 Music Albums of the 1970s |  Pastiche | 1970s decade chart | 2025 | |
| Top 100 Music Albums of the 1970s |  Nowhereman1965 | 1970s decade chart | 2018 | |
| Top 100 Music Albums of the 1970s | henriknaess | 1970s decade chart | 2018 |  |
| Top 100 Music Albums of the 1970s | mjbreuer | 1970s decade chart | 2016 |  |
| Top 99 Music Albums of the 1970s | elton229 | 1970s decade chart | 2012 |  |
| Top 100 Music Albums of the 1970s |  StefanR10 | 1970s decade chart | 2020 |  |
| Top 100 Music Albums of the 1970s |  22erik22 | 1970s decade chart | 2018 |  |
| Top 100 Music Albums of the 1970s |  infinitejester | 1970s decade chart | 2020 |  |
Top 100 Music Albums of the 1970s similarity to your chart(s)
Not a member? Registering is quick, easy and FREE!
Why register?
- Join a passionate community of over 50,000 music fans.
- Create & share your own charts.
- Have your say in the overall rankings.
- Post comments in the forums and vote on polls.
- Comment on or rate any album, artist, track or chart.
- Discover new music & improve your music collection.
- Customise the overall chart using a variety of different filters & metrics.
- Create a wishlist of albums.
- Gain access to a Dark Mode theme.
- Help maintain the BEA database.
- Earn member points and gain access to increasing levels of functionality!
- ... And lots more!
Register now - it only takes a moment!
Other decade charts by Tamthebam
| Title | Source | Type | Published | Country |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Top 100 Music Albums of the 2010s | Tamthebam | 2010s decade chart | 2026 | |
| Top 100 Music Albums of the 2000s | Tamthebam | 2000s decade chart | 2026 | |
Top 100 Music Albums of the 1970s ratings
Average Rating = (n ÷ (n + m)) × av + (m ÷ (n + m)) × AVwhere:
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 chart. | Show all 34 ratings for this chart.
| Rating | Date updated | Member | Chart ratings | Avg. chart rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 12/15/2025 11:14 | Exist-en-ciel | 157 | 96/100 | |
| 03/14/2025 12:20 |  SomethingSpecial | 1,089 | 85/100 | |
| 02/21/2025 22:19 | mrmcrook | 800 | 93/100 | |
| 11/23/2023 11:45 |  Larcx13 | 1,139 | 86/100 | |
| 07/03/2023 17:29 | dukeboxkool | 2 | 73/100 |
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 10% of all charts on BestEverAlbums.com. This chart has a Bayesian average rating of 87.9/100, a mean average of 88.5/100, and a trimmed mean (excluding outliers) of 88.5/100. The standard deviation for this chart is 7.7.
Top 100 Music Albums of the 1970s favourites
Showing all 1 members who have added this chart as a favourite
Top 100 Music Albums of the 1970s 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)
From dukeboxkool 07/03/2023 17:30 | #297928
Overall, this is a very good chart.
Helpful? (Log in to vote) | +1 votes (1 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
From Moondance 10/10/2022 02:06 | #290321
We both have the 70's as our favourite decade and the number of exceptional albums to choose from is simply outrageous. That said, we have 25 albums in common ~ interestingly your #100: Dylan's Blood On The Tracks is my #1 ~ and that, better than anything, explains where our personal musical journey takes a different route. I was surprised to see some classic, in my mind, 70's UK artists missing ~ Jethro Tull, Cat Stevens, The Who, The Clash (to name but a few). Overall a nice chart that I enjoyed wandering through.
Helpful? (Log in to vote) | +2 votes (2 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
From Rm12398 10/10/2022 00:19 | #290320
Almost a third of the chart in common. Very good music taste in my opinion! Great list!
Helpful? (Log in to vote) | +1 votes (1 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
From Johnnyo 10/09/2022 10:28 | #290310
One of the best ‘70’s charts I’ve come across. Outstanding
Helpful? (Log in to vote) | +1 votes (1 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
From 
seb7 12/14/2020 16:42 | #262687
seb7 12/14/2020 16:42 | #262687
simply a great list
Helpful? (Log in to vote) | +1 votes (1 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
From vancevisuals 07/20/2020 21:18 | #255886
could not agree with you more about the 70's
No Frank Zappa?
Helpful? (Log in to vote) | +1 votes (1 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
From 
Boltzmann 03/13/2018 21:04 | #210851
Boltzmann 03/13/2018 21:04 | #210851
Nice list, I like that you put “Heroes” above all other Bowie albums. That one seems to get a lot of hate lately.
Helpful? (Log in to vote) | +1 votes (1 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
From SamNassiri98 03/13/2018 10:29 | #210807
lovely!
Helpful? (Log in to vote) | +1 votes (1 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
From Ulf 03/13/2018 08:02 | #210803
very fine stuff would love to see some descriptions.
Helpful? (Log in to vote) | +1 votes (1 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
From Ashmark 02/17/2018 00:04 | #208496
This is a phenomenal list. Almost every album is deep on substance. Then there are some that are just great to listen to. Their substance comes from just how damn great they sound and make you feel (Rumours for example). Awesome.
Helpful? (Log in to vote) | +1 votes (1 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
Your feedback for Top 100 Music Albums of the 1970s
Let us know what you think of this chart by adding a comment or assigning a rating below!
If you enjoy our site, please consider supporting us by sparing a few seconds to disable your ad blocker.
A lot of hard work happens in the background to keep BEA running, and it's especially difficult to do this when we can't pay our hosting fees :(
We work very hard to ensure our site is as fast (and FREE!) as possible, and we respect your privacy.
A lot of hard work happens in the background to keep BEA running, and it's especially difficult to do this when we can't pay our hosting fees :(
We work very hard to ensure our site is as fast (and FREE!) as possible, and we respect your privacy.
