Top 100 Music Albums of the 1970s by AAL2014

I view the 1970's as popular music's finest decade. There are great acts that spawned in the 60's, 80's, 90's, and 00's of course, but pound for pound, year after year, album after album, looking at the output from the 1970's makes me feel nostalgic even though I wasn't around.

• Chart updated: 04/25/2024 01:15
• (Created: 07/15/2015 19:04).
• Chart size: 100 albums.

There are 3 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 5 votes). Please log in or register to leave a comment or assign a rating.

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1. (=)

Songs In The Key Of Life 

 Stevie Wonder

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The greatest album in my collection, the greatest album of the 70’s, the greatest record of all time.

I love Songs in the Key of Life. I love its songs, its production, its album cover. I love As and Another Star, Sir Duke and I Wish, Saturn and Ebony Eyes. I love the timeless vision and Stevie’s flawless execution of it for this project.

But perhaps above all, I love that it reminds me to love. It reminds me that while there’s evil in this world and it can rear it’s ugly head far too often, we have love to combat it. It’s a powerful thing, love. And it needs love too. It needs us to remember that real strength is real love. And if it takes an incredible arrangement and memorable melody to drive that point home, I’m here for the dozens of them that this album has to offer.

🧡 [First added to this chart: 07/16/2015]

Year of Release:

1976

Appears in:

1,227 charts

Rank Score:

15,550

Rank in 1976:

1

Rank in 1970s:

23

Overall Rank:

86

Average Rating:

 85 (1,313 votes)

Comments:

86

2. (=)

Born To Run 

 Bruce Springsteen

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One of the most important records there has ever been for me. Absolutely love this thing. So powerful and will always be the score to my youth and youth itself. [First added to this chart: 07/16/2015]

Year of Release:

1975

Appears in:

1,558 charts

Rank Score:

17,295

Rank in 1975:

3

Rank in 1970s:

21

Overall Rank:

71

Average Rating:

 83 (1,931 votes)

Comments:

132

3. (=)

Innervisions 

 Stevie Wonder

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Stevie Wonder and cynicism? Turns out it’s a combination that works. Stevie takes out his disdain for the ignorant, the racist, and of course Richard Nixon over the course of this record’s 9 track run-time. These are some of the most scorching, scathing, and unapologetically informative tracks in his catalog. Sprinkle in some of his most lovely love songs and you have one of the best records of the 70’s. A record I do not tire of. [First added to this chart: 07/16/2015]

Year of Release:

1973

Appears in:

1,153 charts

Rank Score:

13,102

Rank in 1973:

2

Rank in 1970s:

30

Overall Rank:

107

Average Rating:

 86 (1,282 votes)

Comments:

76

10. (=)

Blood On The Tracks 

 Bob Dylan

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Blood on the Tracks can be Heartbreaking or wound-mending depending on when you find yourself listening to it. This is my favorite Dylan album. Love his voice here, his songs, his meditations. A tremendously strong and important record for me and many many others. [First added to this chart: 07/16/2015]

Year of Release:

1975

Appears in:

1,818 charts

Rank Score:

23,531

Rank in 1975:

2

Rank in 1970s:

11

Overall Rank:

41

Average Rating:

 87 (2,137 votes)

Comments:

165

19. (=)

Bitches Brew 

 Miles Davis

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The record where Miles changed music. Again. Some astounding sound on this one. [First added to this chart: 04/24/2020]

Year of Release:

1970

Appears in:

928 charts

Rank Score:

10,199

Rank in 1970:

6

Rank in 1970s:

40

Overall Rank:

151

Average Rating:

 84 (1,157 votes)

Comments:

72

20. (=)

What's Going On 

 Marvin Gaye

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Some stunningly gorgeous and classic R&B. The highest points of this record can go toe-to-toe with anything on this list, anything on any list. [First added to this chart: 07/16/2015]

Year of Release:

1971

Appears in:

1,571 charts

Rank Score:

19,785

Rank in 1971:

4

Rank in 1970s:

16

Overall Rank:

53

Average Rating:

 85 (1,891 votes)

Comments:

143

22. (=)

Cosmo's Factory 

 Creedence Clearwater Revival

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An album loaded with classic rock bangers and excellent deep cuts. I love it more the more I return to it. What a great album cover too. [First added to this chart: 04/24/2020]

Year of Release:

1970

Appears in:

868 charts

Rank Score:

8,881

Rank in 1970:

9

Rank in 1970s:

45

Overall Rank:

183

Average Rating:

 85 (947 votes)

Comments:

55

23. (=)

Van Halen 

 Van Halen

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Van Halen 1 is a triumph. A glorious barrage of rock solid rock from four young guys trying to take over the world (and succeeding). While this is an incredibly special album and band for me, the track-listing simply speaks for itself. Hits galore and when there’s not, there’s an even better and heavier deep cut to carry the load. [First added to this chart: 07/16/2015]

Year of Release:

1978

Appears in:

659 charts

Rank Score:

4,770

Rank in 1978:

5

Rank in 1970s:

93

Overall Rank:

375

Average Rating:

 80 (855 votes)

Comments:

67

26. (=)

Maggot Brain 

 Funkadelic

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Such a cool album. Of course it starts with one of the finest guitar-centered recordings of all time (ever ever ever), but Maggot Brain’s mastery only begins there. Nearly every song from there on sinks it’s way into your psyche with huge attitude and hilariously good grooves. [First added to this chart: 07/16/2015]

Year of Release:

1971

Appears in:

626 charts

Rank Score:

4,263

Rank in 1971:

19

Rank in 1970s:

100

Overall Rank:

420

Average Rating:

 82 (686 votes)

Comments:

46

29. (=)

Bridge Over Troubled Water 

 Simon & Garfunkel

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One of the great records of its kind and perhaps the tallest of trees in a catalog akin to the Redwood Forest. They were born to make music together, that's just it. Even if it was only for a short time, the fruits of their often troubled labor will last forever. [First added to this chart: 04/20/2020]

Year of Release:

1970

Appears in:

1,237 charts

Rank Score:

13,081

Rank in 1970:

4

Rank in 1970s:

31

Overall Rank:

108

Average Rating:

 84 (1,490 votes)

Comments:

95

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Total albums: 40. Page 1 of 4

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Top 100 Music Albums of the 1970s composition

Year	Albums	%
1970	10	10%
1971	18	18%
1972	14	14%
1973	11	11%
1974	8	8%
1975	13	13%
1976	8	8%
1977	10	10%
1978	5	5%
1979	3	3%

Artist	Albums	%
Joni Mitchell	4	4%
David Bowie	4	4%
Yes	3	3%
The Who	3	3%
Genesis	3	3%
Stevie Wonder	3	3%
Pink Floyd	3	3%
Show all

Country	Albums	%
	40	40%
	40	40%
	7	7%
	7	7%
	2	2%
	1	1%
	1	1%
Show all

Top 100 Music Albums of the 1970s chart changes

Biggest climbers
Up 3 from 69th to 66th The Inner Mounting Flame by The Mahavishnu Orchestra With John McLaughlin
Up 2 from 74th to 72nd Curtis by Curtis Mayfield
Up 2 from 73rd to 71st Fear Of Music by Talking Heads

Biggest fallers
Down 3 from 65th to 68th I Want To See The Bright Lights Tonight by Richard & Linda Thompson
Down 3 from 70th to 73rd Aqualung by Jethro Tull
Down 3 from 71st to 74th Q: Are We Not Men? A: We Are Devo! by Devo

New entries
Sextant by Herbie Hancock

Leavers
Sin After Sin by Judas Priest

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Top 100 Music Albums of the 1970s ratings

Showing all 5 ratings for this chart.

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Rating	Date updated	Member	Chart ratings	Avg. chart rating
95/100	04/21/2022 13:11	Larcx13	1,092	86/100
90/100	08/01/2020 21:31	MasterOfPuppets	175	91/100
90/100	02/28/2020 03:16	Tamthebam	556	85/100
95/100	04/24/2018 03:06	jdenny2018	103	92/100
95/100	12/02/2017 22:14	panapsal	233	93/100

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Top 100 Music Albums of the 1970s comments

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Rating:  

95/100

From jdenny2018 04/24/2018 05:51

AAL, Blood on the tracks, Made in japan, and most of your 41-50 were the new listens. Thanks for the welcome, still getting used to posting in forums and what not

Helpful?  (Log in to vote) | 0 votes (0 helpful | 0 unhelpful)

From AAL2014 04/24/2018 05:23

jdenny, thanks for your comments and ratings on these charts. I actually haven't touched this chart in over a year, maybe longer. Although the albums closer to the top would probably remain the same or close to it, there's a lot of work to be done yet with this chart.

Inner Mounting Flame will definitely be here when I get around to updating it. I had yet to even listen to it when I compiled this chart initially.

May I ask what future listens you took from this?

Welcome to the site!

Helpful?  (Log in to vote) | +1 votes (1 helpful | 0 unhelpful)

Rating:  

95/100

From jdenny2018 04/24/2018 03:07

Solid list. Definitely gave me a couple ideas for future listens. Definitely would've chosen Inner mounting flame over birds of fire

Helpful?  (Log in to vote) | +1 votes (1 helpful | 0 unhelpful)

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