Top 100 Music Albums of the 1970s
by 
Romanelli 
- Chart updated: 04/13/2026 22:45
- (Created: 12/04/2011 20:35).
- Chart size: 100 albums.
There are 29 comments for this chart from BestEverAlbums.com members and Top 100 Music Albums of the 1970s has an average rating of 89 out of 100 (from 67 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.
This chart is currently filtered to only show albums from United States. (Remove this filter)
1970-WARNER BROS
Produced By GEOFFREY HASLAM, SHEL KAGAN & THE VELVET UNDERGROUND
1. Who Loves The Sun
2. Sweet Jane
3. Rock & Roll
4. Cool It Down
5. New Age
6. Head Held High
7. Lonesome Cowboy Bill
8. I Found A Reason
9. Train Round The Bend
10. Oh! Sweet Nuthin'
Any serious rock collection should have the four Velvet Underground studio albums. Loaded is the 4th, recorded after the departure of John Cale. With Lou Reed now as the main songwriter, the Velvets turn in their most commercial sounding album (although they never actually had a hit). Reed's writing here is strong: "Sweet Jane" and "Rock & Roll" are classics, while "Head Held High" and "I Found A Reason" are just as good. Among the non-Reed compositions, "Who Loves The Sun" is the standout.
Reed left the band almost immediately after this was finished, ending the Velvets. It's said that if you have this album, chances are you were either in a band at one time in your life, or thought very seriously about it. The Velvet Underground was an amazing, highly influential band, and Loaded is a big part of that. [First added to this chart: 12/04/2011]
Produced By GEOFFREY HASLAM, SHEL KAGAN & THE VELVET UNDERGROUND
1. Who Loves The Sun
2. Sweet Jane
3. Rock & Roll
4. Cool It Down
5. New Age
6. Head Held High
7. Lonesome Cowboy Bill
8. I Found A Reason
9. Train Round The Bend
10. Oh! Sweet Nuthin'
Any serious rock collection should have the four Velvet Underground studio albums. Loaded is the 4th, recorded after the departure of John Cale. With Lou Reed now as the main songwriter, the Velvets turn in their most commercial sounding album (although they never actually had a hit). Reed's writing here is strong: "Sweet Jane" and "Rock & Roll" are classics, while "Head Held High" and "I Found A Reason" are just as good. Among the non-Reed compositions, "Who Loves The Sun" is the standout.
Reed left the band almost immediately after this was finished, ending the Velvets. It's said that if you have this album, chances are you were either in a band at one time in your life, or thought very seriously about it. The Velvet Underground was an amazing, highly influential band, and Loaded is a big part of that. [First added to this chart: 12/04/2011]
Year of Release:
1970
Appears in:
Rank Score:
6,045
Rank in 1970:
Rank in 1970s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
Produced by Tom Dowd. What should have been the grand entrance of The Allman Brothers Band as superstars became a sad monument to Brother Duane. He died while the album was being recorded, and while his guitar can be heard on several tracks, it's his spirit that allows the album to be a triumph. The band carried on for him, and the result is a beautiful headstone for one of the greatest guitarsists of all time. Eat A Peach is a great, emotional album, and the pinnacle of what Southern rock was meant to be.
[First added to this chart: 12/04/2011]
Year of Release:
1972
Appears in:
Rank Score:
2,026
Rank in 1972:
Rank in 1970s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
1978-ELEKTRA
Produced By ROY THOMAS BAKER
1. Good Times Roll
2. My Best Friend's Girl
3. Just What I Needed
4. I'm In Touch With Your World
5. Don't Cha Stop
6. You're All I've Got Tonight
7. Bye Bye Love
8. Moving In Stereo
9. All Mixed Up
Ah, The Cars. You'd be hard pressed to find 5 people who list them as their favorite band...and you'd also have a hard time finding 5 people who hate them. Their debut came from nowhere in 1978, and gave us all a glimpse of what New Wave should have been like, before it actually happened. The album plays like a greatest hits disc, with everything from start to finish being familiar. They didn't overdo the keyboards, they put on a hefty helping of guitar, and they got the robotic vocal thing just right. Songs like "Good Times Roll" are stiff and overly clean...and they groove at the same time. How did they do it? We may never know.
This is still The Cars disc to have. They had some ups and downs in their career, but they never matched this album. It's a good time from start to finish. [First added to this chart: 12/04/2011]
Produced By ROY THOMAS BAKER
1. Good Times Roll
2. My Best Friend's Girl
3. Just What I Needed
4. I'm In Touch With Your World
5. Don't Cha Stop
6. You're All I've Got Tonight
7. Bye Bye Love
8. Moving In Stereo
9. All Mixed Up
Ah, The Cars. You'd be hard pressed to find 5 people who list them as their favorite band...and you'd also have a hard time finding 5 people who hate them. Their debut came from nowhere in 1978, and gave us all a glimpse of what New Wave should have been like, before it actually happened. The album plays like a greatest hits disc, with everything from start to finish being familiar. They didn't overdo the keyboards, they put on a hefty helping of guitar, and they got the robotic vocal thing just right. Songs like "Good Times Roll" are stiff and overly clean...and they groove at the same time. How did they do it? We may never know.
This is still The Cars disc to have. They had some ups and downs in their career, but they never matched this album. It's a good time from start to finish. [First added to this chart: 12/04/2011]
Year of Release:
1978
Appears in:
Rank Score:
5,578
Rank in 1978:
Rank in 1970s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
1970-FANTASY
Produced By JOHN FOGERTY
1. Ramble Tamble
2. Before You Accuse Me
3. Travelin' Band
4. Ooby Dooby
5. Lookin' Out My Back Door
6. Run Through The Jungle
7. Up Around The Bend
8. My Baby Left Me
9. Who'll Stop The Rain
10. I Heard It Through The Grapevine
11. Long As I Can See The Light
Is it really better to burn out than fade away? Creedence Clearwater Revival had a two year run that was unbelieveable...5 top ten albums with nine consecutive top 10 singles (5 #2's...they never got a #1) between 1969 and 1970. And inside of what may be the worst rock album cover ever is Cosmo's Factory, the 4th of the 5. And it may be their best. The album is loaded with hits, great cover songs, and even two longer jams (John Fogerty's guitar work on "I Heard It Through The Grapevine" is worth having this alone for). This is a band at the top of their game, firing on all cylinders and cranking out one great song after another, one great album after another. Cosmo's Factory is simply a great album, a must have for any rock collection.
It was also the beginning of the end. John Fogerty was becoming more demanding with each song, and his dictatorship over the rest of the band was taking its toll. The relationships are straining here, and it poured over to their next album. Tom Fogerty quit after Pendulum, saying that he would never be replaced because no one would ever be crazy enough to join the band. After Pendulum, John Fogerty lost it...he told the other two members that they had to write songs for the next album, but that he would not play lead guitar on them. Mardi Gras from 1972 was horrible, and the band was done. Fogerty, who seemingly hated everyone by this time, traded his song rights to Fantasy to get him out of what may have been the worst record deal in history (he still owed them 8 albums!), which led to him being sued years later for plagiarizing himself. CCR lasted only 5 years and 7 albums, but 1969-70 was truly an amazing run.
Stu Cook and Doug Clifford continue on as Creedence Clearwater Revisited. Tom Fogerty died of AIDS in 1990. And John Fogerty has had a spotty solo career. He refused to play CCR songs live until 1987 when he was convinced to do so by Bob Dylan and George Harrison. But there's always the short period of time when this band almost ruled the world. [First added to this chart: 12/23/2011]
Produced By JOHN FOGERTY
1. Ramble Tamble
2. Before You Accuse Me
3. Travelin' Band
4. Ooby Dooby
5. Lookin' Out My Back Door
6. Run Through The Jungle
7. Up Around The Bend
8. My Baby Left Me
9. Who'll Stop The Rain
10. I Heard It Through The Grapevine
11. Long As I Can See The Light
Is it really better to burn out than fade away? Creedence Clearwater Revival had a two year run that was unbelieveable...5 top ten albums with nine consecutive top 10 singles (5 #2's...they never got a #1) between 1969 and 1970. And inside of what may be the worst rock album cover ever is Cosmo's Factory, the 4th of the 5. And it may be their best. The album is loaded with hits, great cover songs, and even two longer jams (John Fogerty's guitar work on "I Heard It Through The Grapevine" is worth having this alone for). This is a band at the top of their game, firing on all cylinders and cranking out one great song after another, one great album after another. Cosmo's Factory is simply a great album, a must have for any rock collection.
It was also the beginning of the end. John Fogerty was becoming more demanding with each song, and his dictatorship over the rest of the band was taking its toll. The relationships are straining here, and it poured over to their next album. Tom Fogerty quit after Pendulum, saying that he would never be replaced because no one would ever be crazy enough to join the band. After Pendulum, John Fogerty lost it...he told the other two members that they had to write songs for the next album, but that he would not play lead guitar on them. Mardi Gras from 1972 was horrible, and the band was done. Fogerty, who seemingly hated everyone by this time, traded his song rights to Fantasy to get him out of what may have been the worst record deal in history (he still owed them 8 albums!), which led to him being sued years later for plagiarizing himself. CCR lasted only 5 years and 7 albums, but 1969-70 was truly an amazing run.
Stu Cook and Doug Clifford continue on as Creedence Clearwater Revisited. Tom Fogerty died of AIDS in 1990. And John Fogerty has had a spotty solo career. He refused to play CCR songs live until 1987 when he was convinced to do so by Bob Dylan and George Harrison. But there's always the short period of time when this band almost ruled the world. [First added to this chart: 12/23/2011]
Year of Release:
1970
Appears in:
Rank Score:
8,214
Rank in 1970:
Rank in 1970s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
1973 – MCA
Produced By AL KOOPER
1. I Ain’t The One
2. Tuesday’s Gone
3. Gimme Three Steps
4. Simple Man
5. Things Goin’ On
6. Mississippi Kid
7. Poison Whiskey
8. Free Bird
While The Allman Brothers Band were reeling from the deaths of key band members and no longer the force of Southern rock they once were, Lynyrd Skynyrd, from Jacksonville, Florida, was rising to take their place. But while The Allmans were the prototypical jam band, Skynyrd was (“Free Bird” aside) more about shorter songs and a more radio friendly sound. Ronnie Van Zant was a strong presence at the front of the band, and the three lead guitars were no joke…Gary Rossington, Allen Collins and Ed King (from Strawberry Alarm Clock, of all places) were exceptional players. This, their debut album, shows that Skynyrd started off at the top of their game, and had it not been for the over-exposure of “Free Bird” and a bit too much production from Al Kooper, it could have been perfect, or close to it. Lots to love on this album, for sure.
This album contains three bonafide classics. “Simple Man”, despite Kooper having overdone it on the keyboards, is a beautiful and surprisingly mature song from such a young band. “Tuesday’s Gone” is a flawless song. And like it or not, “Free Bird” is amazing, from the slow, heartfelt singing of Van Zant to the soaring guitar jam at the end. After that, “Gimme Three Steps”, “Mississippi Kid”, and the politically charged “Thing’s Goin’ On” are great fun. “I Ain’t The One” and “Poison Whiskey” are lesser tracks, but they still belong here. The playing throughout is great, from Billy Powell’s powerful piano to the three guitar attack to the air tight rhythm section. All supporting the calm, stoic and powerful vocals of Van Zant. Not a perfect album, but a sure sign that Skynyrd was going to be a force to be reckoned with for years to come. [First added to this chart: 02/20/2012]
Produced By AL KOOPER
1. I Ain’t The One
2. Tuesday’s Gone
3. Gimme Three Steps
4. Simple Man
5. Things Goin’ On
6. Mississippi Kid
7. Poison Whiskey
8. Free Bird
While The Allman Brothers Band were reeling from the deaths of key band members and no longer the force of Southern rock they once were, Lynyrd Skynyrd, from Jacksonville, Florida, was rising to take their place. But while The Allmans were the prototypical jam band, Skynyrd was (“Free Bird” aside) more about shorter songs and a more radio friendly sound. Ronnie Van Zant was a strong presence at the front of the band, and the three lead guitars were no joke…Gary Rossington, Allen Collins and Ed King (from Strawberry Alarm Clock, of all places) were exceptional players. This, their debut album, shows that Skynyrd started off at the top of their game, and had it not been for the over-exposure of “Free Bird” and a bit too much production from Al Kooper, it could have been perfect, or close to it. Lots to love on this album, for sure.
This album contains three bonafide classics. “Simple Man”, despite Kooper having overdone it on the keyboards, is a beautiful and surprisingly mature song from such a young band. “Tuesday’s Gone” is a flawless song. And like it or not, “Free Bird” is amazing, from the slow, heartfelt singing of Van Zant to the soaring guitar jam at the end. After that, “Gimme Three Steps”, “Mississippi Kid”, and the politically charged “Thing’s Goin’ On” are great fun. “I Ain’t The One” and “Poison Whiskey” are lesser tracks, but they still belong here. The playing throughout is great, from Billy Powell’s powerful piano to the three guitar attack to the air tight rhythm section. All supporting the calm, stoic and powerful vocals of Van Zant. Not a perfect album, but a sure sign that Skynyrd was going to be a force to be reckoned with for years to come. [First added to this chart: 02/20/2012]
Year of Release:
1973
Appears in:
Rank Score:
3,743
Rank in 1973:
Rank in 1970s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
[First added to this chart: 05/09/2013]
Year of Release:
1976
Appears in:
Rank Score:
5,683
Rank in 1976:
Rank in 1970s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
1978 – CAPITOL
Produced By BOB SEGER, PUNCH ANDREWS & THE MUSCLE SHOALS RHYTHM SECTION
1. Hollywood Nights
2. Still The Same
3. Old Time Rock & Roll
4. Till It Shines
5. Feel Like A Number
6. Ain’t Got No Money
7. We’ve Got Tonite
8. Brave Strangers
9. The Famous Final Scene
In 1978, Bob Seger was riding high on the wave of his two monster hit albums from 1976…Live Bullet and Night Moves. Stranger In Town is a fine, if predictable, follow up. It has everything that made Seger a sudden mid seventies sensation: a great rock and roll voice, some decent ballads (for the girls) and some fine rockers (for the guys). Two of each of these were big hits from the record, and proved that Seger was here to stay. “Still The Same” and “We’ve Got Tonite” were the slower hits, while “Hollywood Nights” and “Old Time Rock & Roll” kept Bob on AOR rock radio. Two different bands were used here: The Silver Bullet Band on 4 tracks, while the Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section played on the other five.
While this doesn’t quite reach the heights of Night Moves, it’s still a classic rock classic. The album also features a pair of guitar solos from members of the Eagles: his good friend Glenn Frey on “Till It Shines”, and Don Felder on “Ain’t Got No Money”. Piano remains a huge part of what made Seger’s music sound so good, played here by Robyn Robbins and Barry Beckett. And yes…even though a few years later “Old Time Rock & Roll” would be driven into the ground by its appearance in the Tom Cruise film Risky Business, it still works. This is Seger not breaking any new ground, but cruising nicely on his new found fame. He would continue making hits through the 1980’s. This is well worth having. [First added to this chart: 09/02/2012]
Produced By BOB SEGER, PUNCH ANDREWS & THE MUSCLE SHOALS RHYTHM SECTION
1. Hollywood Nights
2. Still The Same
3. Old Time Rock & Roll
4. Till It Shines
5. Feel Like A Number
6. Ain’t Got No Money
7. We’ve Got Tonite
8. Brave Strangers
9. The Famous Final Scene
In 1978, Bob Seger was riding high on the wave of his two monster hit albums from 1976…Live Bullet and Night Moves. Stranger In Town is a fine, if predictable, follow up. It has everything that made Seger a sudden mid seventies sensation: a great rock and roll voice, some decent ballads (for the girls) and some fine rockers (for the guys). Two of each of these were big hits from the record, and proved that Seger was here to stay. “Still The Same” and “We’ve Got Tonite” were the slower hits, while “Hollywood Nights” and “Old Time Rock & Roll” kept Bob on AOR rock radio. Two different bands were used here: The Silver Bullet Band on 4 tracks, while the Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section played on the other five.
While this doesn’t quite reach the heights of Night Moves, it’s still a classic rock classic. The album also features a pair of guitar solos from members of the Eagles: his good friend Glenn Frey on “Till It Shines”, and Don Felder on “Ain’t Got No Money”. Piano remains a huge part of what made Seger’s music sound so good, played here by Robyn Robbins and Barry Beckett. And yes…even though a few years later “Old Time Rock & Roll” would be driven into the ground by its appearance in the Tom Cruise film Risky Business, it still works. This is Seger not breaking any new ground, but cruising nicely on his new found fame. He would continue making hits through the 1980’s. This is well worth having. [First added to this chart: 09/02/2012]
Year of Release:
1978
Appears in:
Rank Score:
737
Rank in 1978:
Rank in 1970s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
1975-ASYLUM
Produced By BILL SZYMCZYK
1. One Of These Nights
2. Too Many Hands
3. Hollywood Waltz
4. Journey Of The Sorcerer
5. Lyin’ Eyes
6. Take It To The Limit
7. Visions
8. After The Thrill Is Gone
9. I Wish You Peace
Everyone remembers Hotel California…but not a lot of people remember the album that came just before it. That album would be 1975’s One Of These Nights. It was hardly a flop: in fact, three of their biggest hits are here : Glenn Frey’s seemingly endlessly long and tedious “Lyin’ Eyes”, Randy Meisner’s lovely “Take It To The Limit”, and Don Henley’s almost disco title track. It’s no surprise that an Eagles album would have two or three big hits. The question about their recording was always this: what do they have surrounding them? The band made only one change in personnel before Hotel California: trading out Bernie Leadon for Joe Walsh, a move that took them in a much less country direction. The sound is similar to that of Hotel, but with a bit less edge to it. The question has always been, do you bother with their early albums, or do you just spring for Their Greatest Hits (1971-75)?
Well, the filler is the thing. And actually, of all of the pre-Hotel California albums, this may be the strongest. The most obvious high point is “After The Thrill Is Gone”, which has to rank as one of the band’s greatest songs. Meisner’s other contribution, “Too Many Hands”, is a fine song, and “Visions” is interesting as it’s the only time you’ll hear Don Felder sing lead on an Eagles album. Leadon’s two contributions, “I Wish You Peace” and the dull instrumental “Journey Of The Sorcerer” add nothing, and “Hollywood Waltz” is a throwaway. So, how does the album do? It’s not great, but the positives do outweigh the negatives, Especially if you’re a fan, One Of These Nights is a solid addition, and a good prequel to Hotel California. [First added to this chart: 12/22/2012]
Produced By BILL SZYMCZYK
1. One Of These Nights
2. Too Many Hands
3. Hollywood Waltz
4. Journey Of The Sorcerer
5. Lyin’ Eyes
6. Take It To The Limit
7. Visions
8. After The Thrill Is Gone
9. I Wish You Peace
Everyone remembers Hotel California…but not a lot of people remember the album that came just before it. That album would be 1975’s One Of These Nights. It was hardly a flop: in fact, three of their biggest hits are here : Glenn Frey’s seemingly endlessly long and tedious “Lyin’ Eyes”, Randy Meisner’s lovely “Take It To The Limit”, and Don Henley’s almost disco title track. It’s no surprise that an Eagles album would have two or three big hits. The question about their recording was always this: what do they have surrounding them? The band made only one change in personnel before Hotel California: trading out Bernie Leadon for Joe Walsh, a move that took them in a much less country direction. The sound is similar to that of Hotel, but with a bit less edge to it. The question has always been, do you bother with their early albums, or do you just spring for Their Greatest Hits (1971-75)?
Well, the filler is the thing. And actually, of all of the pre-Hotel California albums, this may be the strongest. The most obvious high point is “After The Thrill Is Gone”, which has to rank as one of the band’s greatest songs. Meisner’s other contribution, “Too Many Hands”, is a fine song, and “Visions” is interesting as it’s the only time you’ll hear Don Felder sing lead on an Eagles album. Leadon’s two contributions, “I Wish You Peace” and the dull instrumental “Journey Of The Sorcerer” add nothing, and “Hollywood Waltz” is a throwaway. So, how does the album do? It’s not great, but the positives do outweigh the negatives, Especially if you’re a fan, One Of These Nights is a solid addition, and a good prequel to Hotel California. [First added to this chart: 12/22/2012]
Year of Release:
1975
Appears in:
Rank Score:
954
Rank in 1975:
Rank in 1970s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
1974-MCA
Produced By AL KOOPER
1. Sweet Home Alabama
2. I Need You
3. Don't Ask Me No Questions
4. Workin' For MCA
5. The Ballad Of Curtis Loew
6. Swamp Music
7. The Needle And The Spoon
8. Call Me The Breeze
Bonus Tracks
9. Don't Ask Me No Questions (Single Version)
10. Was I Right Or Wrong (Demo)
11. Take Your Time
Second Helping was the much anticipated 2nd album from Lynyrd Skynyrd. So how, exactly, do you follow up "Free Bird"? Second Helping was huge, thanks to the forever to be covered anthem "Sweet Home Alabama", "Workin' For MCA", and a cover of JJ Cale's "Call Me The Breeze", featuring some of the best rock piano playing you'll ever hear. There are some weaknesses here. "Don't Ask Me No Questions" is not strong enough to warrant two versions, and "Swamp Music" and "The Ballad Of Curtis Loew" are certainly not up to the standard set by this band's great songs. The album is also really very short. But when they are on, they sound terrific. Second Helping is not a bad album by any means. It's a southern rock classic, and shows strong growth from the first album. And, if you're not burned out on Sweet Home from watching KFC commercials or seeing every cover band in the history of the world screw it up, then it's worth having for that alone.
Skynyrd struggled a bit on their next two albums before the amazing Street Survivors. But Pronounced, Street Survivors, and this one are the Skynyrd albums to have. [First added to this chart: 12/08/2011]
Produced By AL KOOPER
1. Sweet Home Alabama
2. I Need You
3. Don't Ask Me No Questions
4. Workin' For MCA
5. The Ballad Of Curtis Loew
6. Swamp Music
7. The Needle And The Spoon
8. Call Me The Breeze
Bonus Tracks
9. Don't Ask Me No Questions (Single Version)
10. Was I Right Or Wrong (Demo)
11. Take Your Time
Second Helping was the much anticipated 2nd album from Lynyrd Skynyrd. So how, exactly, do you follow up "Free Bird"? Second Helping was huge, thanks to the forever to be covered anthem "Sweet Home Alabama", "Workin' For MCA", and a cover of JJ Cale's "Call Me The Breeze", featuring some of the best rock piano playing you'll ever hear. There are some weaknesses here. "Don't Ask Me No Questions" is not strong enough to warrant two versions, and "Swamp Music" and "The Ballad Of Curtis Loew" are certainly not up to the standard set by this band's great songs. The album is also really very short. But when they are on, they sound terrific. Second Helping is not a bad album by any means. It's a southern rock classic, and shows strong growth from the first album. And, if you're not burned out on Sweet Home from watching KFC commercials or seeing every cover band in the history of the world screw it up, then it's worth having for that alone.
Skynyrd struggled a bit on their next two albums before the amazing Street Survivors. But Pronounced, Street Survivors, and this one are the Skynyrd albums to have. [First added to this chart: 12/08/2011]
Year of Release:
1974
Appears in:
Rank Score:
1,016
Rank in 1974:
Rank in 1970s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
1972 – ARDENT
Produced By JOHN FRY
1. Feel
2. The Ballad Of El Goodo
3. In The Street
4. Thirteen
5. Don’t Lie To Me
6. The India Song
7. When My Baby’s Beside Me
8. My Life Is Right
9. Give Me Another Chance
10. Try Again
11. Watch The Sunrise
12. ST 100/6
In 1972, Big Star’s debut album was released to incredibly positive reviews…and no sales. Their record label gave #1 Record no distribution and no promotion, and it sank like a stone, selling less than 10,000 copies. But in the late seventies, it started to become a cult classic, and sales exploded in 1992 when it was reissued on CD as part of a 2fer with their second album, Radio City. It is now regularly viewed as one of the greatest albums of all time, and its influence can now be heard everywhere. Alex Chilton (who had already had stardom as a teen in The Box Tops) and Chris Bell were Beatles enthusiasts who found a strong bond and crafted excellent power pop songs together with ease.
Every song on #1 Record is great. “Thirteen” is considered one of the greatest songs ever. “The Ballad Of El Goodo”, “Watch The Sunrise”, and “In The Street” (which was used as the theme song for “That Seventies Show”, although re-recorded by Cheap Trick) are pop rock masterpieces. Bell and Chilton trade lead vocals (with bassist Andy Hummel singing his “The India Song”), and #1 Record is simply 37 minutes of pure rock and roll joy. This is one of the greatest of the 70’s…and one of the greatest ever. Bell left after this album, and died in a car accident six years later at the age of 27. The remaining members made Radio City, then Chilton started on his own strange path with the final Big Star album, Third (or Sister Lovers). This is a must have, a masterpiece. [First added to this chart: 11/08/2023]
Produced By JOHN FRY
1. Feel
2. The Ballad Of El Goodo
3. In The Street
4. Thirteen
5. Don’t Lie To Me
6. The India Song
7. When My Baby’s Beside Me
8. My Life Is Right
9. Give Me Another Chance
10. Try Again
11. Watch The Sunrise
12. ST 100/6
In 1972, Big Star’s debut album was released to incredibly positive reviews…and no sales. Their record label gave #1 Record no distribution and no promotion, and it sank like a stone, selling less than 10,000 copies. But in the late seventies, it started to become a cult classic, and sales exploded in 1992 when it was reissued on CD as part of a 2fer with their second album, Radio City. It is now regularly viewed as one of the greatest albums of all time, and its influence can now be heard everywhere. Alex Chilton (who had already had stardom as a teen in The Box Tops) and Chris Bell were Beatles enthusiasts who found a strong bond and crafted excellent power pop songs together with ease.
Every song on #1 Record is great. “Thirteen” is considered one of the greatest songs ever. “The Ballad Of El Goodo”, “Watch The Sunrise”, and “In The Street” (which was used as the theme song for “That Seventies Show”, although re-recorded by Cheap Trick) are pop rock masterpieces. Bell and Chilton trade lead vocals (with bassist Andy Hummel singing his “The India Song”), and #1 Record is simply 37 minutes of pure rock and roll joy. This is one of the greatest of the 70’s…and one of the greatest ever. Bell left after this album, and died in a car accident six years later at the age of 27. The remaining members made Radio City, then Chilton started on his own strange path with the final Big Star album, Third (or Sister Lovers). This is a must have, a masterpiece. [First added to this chart: 11/08/2023]
Year of Release:
1972
Appears in:
Rank Score:
3,862
Rank in 1972:
Rank in 1970s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
Total albums: 43. Page 1 of 5
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 | 17 | 17% | |
| 1971 | 10 | 10% | |
| 1972 | 8 | 8% | |
| 1973 | 10 | 10% | |
| 1974 | 5 | 5% | |
| 1975 | 9 | 9% | |
| 1976 | 5 | 5% | |
| 1977 | 13 | 13% | |
| 1978 | 10 | 10% | |
| 1979 | 13 | 13% |
| Artist | Albums | % | |
|---|---|---|---|
|
|
|||
| Led Zeppelin | 5 | 5% | |
| The Allman Brothers Band | 4 | 4% | |
| Pink Floyd | 3 | 3% | |
| Eagles | 3 | 3% | |
| Electric Light Orchestra | 3 | 3% | |
| Neil Young | 2 | 2% | |
| Bruce Springsteen | 2 | 2% | |
| Show all | |||
Top 100 Music Albums of the 1970s chart changes
| Biggest climbers |
|---|
| Up 1 from 45th to 44thFleetwood Mac by Fleetwood Mac |
| Biggest fallers |
|---|
| Down 1 from 44th to 45thPhysical Graffiti by Led Zeppelin |
Top 100 Music Albums of the 1970s similar charts
| Title | Source | Type | Published | Country |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Top 100 Music Albums of the 1970s |  StefanR10 | 1970s decade chart | 2020 |  |
| Top 100 Music Albums of the 1970s | JeffN999 | 1970s decade chart | 2021 |  |
| Top 100 Music Albums of the 1970s |  jhuik | 1970s decade chart | 2025 | |
| Top 100 Music Albums of the 1970s |  MetalMan67 | 1970s decade chart | 2025 | |
| Top 100 Music Albums of the 1970s | jon5417 | 1970s decade chart | 2019 | |
| Top 1970s Classic Rock Albums | nas062080 | Custom chart | 2013 | |
| Top 100 Music Albums of the 1970s |  2nd-Impressions | 1970s decade chart | 2020 | |
| Top 100 Music Albums of the 1970s | matterhornrider | 1970s decade chart | 2025 |  |
| Top 100 Music Albums of the 1970s | Rivera | 1970s decade chart | 2026 | |
| Top 100 Music Albums of the 1970s | Dakatalbum | 1970s decade chart | 2019 | |
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 Romanelli
| Title | Source | Type | Published | Country |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Top 7 Music Albums of the 2020s | Romanelli | 2020s decade chart | 2025 | |
| Top 100 Music Albums of the 2010s | Romanelli | 2010s decade chart | 2026 | |
| Top 100 Music Albums of the 2000s | Romanelli | 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 67 ratings for this chart.
| Rating | Date updated | Member | Chart ratings | Avg. chart rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 04/24/2024 01:21 |  HoldenM | 479 | 95/100 | |
| 04/23/2024 09:39 | Moondance | 476 | 85/100 | |
| 09/20/2023 19:55 | MetalMan67 | 2 | 90/100 | |
| 01/23/2022 16:11 |  IlMala | 178 | 95/100 | |
| 04/04/2021 11:42 | MasterOfPuppets | 174 | 91/100 |
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 4% of all charts on BestEverAlbums.com. This chart has a Bayesian average rating of 89.1/100, a mean average of 88.7/100, and a trimmed mean (excluding outliers) of 89.6/100. The standard deviation for this chart is 10.9.
Top 100 Music Albums of the 1970s favourites
Showing all 2 members who have added this chart as a favourite
Top 100 Music Albums of the 1970s comments
Showing latest 10 comments | Show all 29 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 HoldenM 04/24/2024 01:21 | #303154
HoldenM 04/24/2024 01:21 | #303154
Hell yeah.
Helpful? (Log in to vote) | 0 votes (0 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
From Moondance 04/23/2024 09:39 | #303138
Very solid chart. Would have liked to have seen a bit more international diversity.
Helpful? (Log in to vote) | 0 votes (0 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
From MetalMan67 09/20/2023 19:56 | #299186
MetalMan67 09/20/2023 19:56 | #299186
Very well done. I enjoyed reading the commentary and your thoughts about certain albums.
Helpful? (Log in to vote) | 0 votes (0 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
From 
Larcx13 10/06/2020 10:16 | #259050
Larcx13 10/06/2020 10:16 | #259050
Sick top 10!
Helpful? (Log in to vote) | 0 votes (0 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
From 
Boltzmann 04/24/2018 22:26 | #213571
Boltzmann 04/24/2018 22:26 | #213571
Interesting chart with lot of personality.
Helpful? (Log in to vote) | -1 votes (0 helpful | 1 unhelpful)
From 
Cardboardfolder 04/24/2018 12:59 | #213545
Cardboardfolder 04/24/2018 12:59 | #213545
For some reason, this chart just makes me feel good. A lot of albums on here just bring back a lot of memories!
Helpful? (Log in to vote) | -1 votes (0 helpful | 1 unhelpful)
From Ulf 04/24/2018 08:18 | #213537
Very nice chart be sure to fix the comments jazz and moondance they seem to fit the wrong album
Helpful? (Log in to vote) | 0 votes (1 helpful | 1 unhelpful)
From 
ForegroundNoise 04/24/2018 08:14 | #213536
ForegroundNoise 04/24/2018 08:14 | #213536
Too much emphasis on classic rock for a higher rating than 80 sorry. Not a single German album in a decade that was defining for the German music scene??
Helpful? (Log in to vote) | -1 votes (0 helpful | 1 unhelpful)
From 
bobbyb5 08/20/2017 23:32 | #196430
bobbyb5 08/20/2017 23:32 | #196430
Isn't it weird how you never see Allman Brothers' Brothers and Sisters and Laid Back ever?
Helpful? (Log in to vote) | -1 votes (0 helpful | 1 unhelpful)
From 
RoundTheBend 02/02/2017 03:58 | #184745
RoundTheBend 02/02/2017 03:58 | #184745
36 in common.
Helpful? (Log in to vote) | -1 votes (0 helpful | 1 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.
