Top 100 Music Albums of the 1970s
by 
Purplepash 
- Chart updated: 11/29/2025 09:15
- (Created: 06/04/2017 00:45).
- Chart size: 100 albums.
There are 6 comments for this chart from BestEverAlbums.com members and Top 100 Music Albums of the 1970s has an average rating of 90 out of 100 (from 22 votes). Please log in or register to leave a comment or assign a rating.
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"And if the dam breaks open many years too soon
And if there is no room upon the hill
And if your head explodes with dark forebodings too
I'll see you on the dark side of the moon"
I had 2 best friends in my teenage years and the three of us explored and discovered a lot of music together. One of them was a huge Pink Floyd fan and even though I only got into Piper at the Gates of Dawn he used to play all their othet albums a lot. Eventually familiarity bred affection and I now love a lot of Pink Floyd, mainly the Roger Waters era. Anyway he passed away at an early age and ever since this album provokes an emotional response and fond memories and will forever hold a special place in my heart. I hope he is enjoying the great gig in the sky and one day I will see him again on the dark side of the moon.
Special songs: Brain Damage, Eclipse, The Great Gig In The Sky [First added to this chart: 06/03/2017]
And if there is no room upon the hill
And if your head explodes with dark forebodings too
I'll see you on the dark side of the moon"
I had 2 best friends in my teenage years and the three of us explored and discovered a lot of music together. One of them was a huge Pink Floyd fan and even though I only got into Piper at the Gates of Dawn he used to play all their othet albums a lot. Eventually familiarity bred affection and I now love a lot of Pink Floyd, mainly the Roger Waters era. Anyway he passed away at an early age and ever since this album provokes an emotional response and fond memories and will forever hold a special place in my heart. I hope he is enjoying the great gig in the sky and one day I will see him again on the dark side of the moon.
Special songs: Brain Damage, Eclipse, The Great Gig In The Sky [First added to this chart: 06/03/2017]
Year of Release:
1973
Appears in:
Rank Score:
60,101
Rank in 1973:
Rank in 1970s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
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[First added to this chart: 06/03/2017]
Year of Release:
1971
Appears in:
Rank Score:
38,678
Rank in 1971:
Rank in 1970s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
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"You're not alone
Just turn on with me, and you're not alone"
When you became a fan of Bowie with his Let's Dance and Never Let Me Down albums, imagine how good going back and hearing all his earlier albums was. One of my favourite artists.
10/10 songs: Ziggy Stardust, Rock 'n' Roll Suicide, Starman, Suffragette City [First added to this chart: 06/03/2017]
Just turn on with me, and you're not alone"
When you became a fan of Bowie with his Let's Dance and Never Let Me Down albums, imagine how good going back and hearing all his earlier albums was. One of my favourite artists.
10/10 songs: Ziggy Stardust, Rock 'n' Roll Suicide, Starman, Suffragette City [First added to this chart: 06/03/2017]
Year of Release:
1972
Appears in:
Rank Score:
43,447
Rank in 1972:
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Average Rating:
Comments:
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"I've got the spirit, but lose the feeling,
Feeling, feeling, feeling, feeling, feeling, feeling, feeling"
I am glad that when I was about 18 my best mate was a Joy Division fan because they are not easily instantly accessable, but over a short period of time I came to adore this, Closer, Still, and Substance.
10/10 songs: Disorder, She's Lost Control, and Shadowplay [First added to this chart: 06/03/2017]
Feeling, feeling, feeling, feeling, feeling, feeling, feeling"
I am glad that when I was about 18 my best mate was a Joy Division fan because they are not easily instantly accessable, but over a short period of time I came to adore this, Closer, Still, and Substance.
10/10 songs: Disorder, She's Lost Control, and Shadowplay [First added to this chart: 06/03/2017]
Year of Release:
1979
Appears in:
Rank Score:
21,837
Rank in 1979:
Rank in 1970s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
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"Won't you miss me?
Wouldn't you miss me at all?"
I have loved this album for a long, long, time now. His decent into madness from the catalyst of LSD fully on display on this album and is both fascinating and incredibly sad at the same time. There is still so much talent on display here with the melodicism, vocals, and personal lyrics that are revealing both on the surface level and sometimes on a more ambiguous deeper level. The pain and aching on Dark Globe was the realest thing I had heard musically at the time, and it still hurts to hear it now.
10/10 songs: Dark Globe, Octopus, Terrapin, No Good Trying. [First added to this chart: 06/03/2017]
Wouldn't you miss me at all?"
I have loved this album for a long, long, time now. His decent into madness from the catalyst of LSD fully on display on this album and is both fascinating and incredibly sad at the same time. There is still so much talent on display here with the melodicism, vocals, and personal lyrics that are revealing both on the surface level and sometimes on a more ambiguous deeper level. The pain and aching on Dark Globe was the realest thing I had heard musically at the time, and it still hurts to hear it now.
10/10 songs: Dark Globe, Octopus, Terrapin, No Good Trying. [First added to this chart: 06/03/2017]
Year of Release:
1970
Appears in:
Rank Score:
1,656
Rank in 1970:
Rank in 1970s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
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"You're going to reap just what you sow"
Velvet Underground and Bowie were huge influences on me and this album has been hanging around for a long time. A very special album that means a lot to me.
10/10 songs: Perfect Day, Walk On The Wild Side, Satellite Of Love, and Vicious [First added to this chart: 06/03/2017]
Velvet Underground and Bowie were huge influences on me and this album has been hanging around for a long time. A very special album that means a lot to me.
10/10 songs: Perfect Day, Walk On The Wild Side, Satellite Of Love, and Vicious [First added to this chart: 06/03/2017]
Year of Release:
1972
Appears in:
Rank Score:
9,803
Rank in 1972:
Rank in 1970s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
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"They say they've got control of you
And that's a lie, you know"
When I first started getting into punk 30 odd years ago this was one of the first albums I loved. Great songs, with things to say, fighting injustices, fantastic vocals. Still a great album today and highly recommended to anyone with even a slight interest in punk.
10/10 songs: Johnny Was, Suspect Device, Barbed Wire Love [First added to this chart: 06/03/2017]
And that's a lie, you know"
When I first started getting into punk 30 odd years ago this was one of the first albums I loved. Great songs, with things to say, fighting injustices, fantastic vocals. Still a great album today and highly recommended to anyone with even a slight interest in punk.
10/10 songs: Johnny Was, Suspect Device, Barbed Wire Love [First added to this chart: 06/03/2017]
Year of Release:
1979
Appears in:
Rank Score:
916
Rank in 1979:
Rank in 1970s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
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"Mother do you think they'll drop the bomb?
Mother do you think they'll like this song?
Mother do you think they'll try to break my balls?
Ooh, ah
Mother should I build the wall?"
I don't think I ever listened to this album fully until after I saw the movie, at which time it all made so much more emotional sense. One of my 100 favourite movies that I have seen many times. I admit the album has lost some of it's shine over time for me, but it always wii be an awedome album.
10/10 songs: Comfortably Numb, Mother, Goodbye Blue Sky
(First added to chart: 29/03/2017) [First added to this chart: 06/03/2017]
Mother do you think they'll like this song?
Mother do you think they'll try to break my balls?
Ooh, ah
Mother should I build the wall?"
I don't think I ever listened to this album fully until after I saw the movie, at which time it all made so much more emotional sense. One of my 100 favourite movies that I have seen many times. I admit the album has lost some of it's shine over time for me, but it always wii be an awedome album.
10/10 songs: Comfortably Numb, Mother, Goodbye Blue Sky
(First added to chart: 29/03/2017) [First added to this chart: 06/03/2017]
Year of Release:
1979
Appears in:
Rank Score:
25,173
Rank in 1979:
Rank in 1970s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
Buy album
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[First added to this chart: 06/03/2017]
Year of Release:
1977
Appears in:
Rank Score:
10,572
Rank in 1977:
Rank in 1970s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
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[First added to this chart: 12/14/2018]
Year of Release:
1970
Appears in:
Rank Score:
2,280
Rank in 1970:
Rank in 1970s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
Total albums: 100. Page 1 of 10
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Top 100 Music Albums of the 1970s composition
| Year | Albums | % | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 12 | 12% | |
| 1971 | 21 | 21% | |
| 1972 | 6 | 6% | |
| 1973 | 12 | 12% | |
| 1974 | 4 | 4% | |
| 1975 | 7 | 7% | |
| 1976 | 7 | 7% | |
| 1977 | 9 | 9% | |
| 1978 | 7 | 7% | |
| 1979 | 15 | 15% |
| Artist | Albums | % | |
|---|---|---|---|
|
|
|||
| David Bowie | 8 | 8% | |
| Pink Floyd | 6 | 6% | |
| Led Zeppelin | 4 | 4% | |
| Can | 2 | 2% | |
| The Doors | 2 | 2% | |
| Talking Heads | 2 | 2% | |
| The Clash | 2 | 2% | |
| Show all | |||
| Country | Albums | % | |
|---|---|---|---|
|
|
|||
 |
47 | 47% | |
| |
33 | 33% | |
 |
4 | 4% | |
 |
4 | 4% | |
 |
4 | 4% | |
| |
3 | 3% | |
 |
1 | 1% | |
| Show all | |||
Top 100 Music Albums of the 1970s chart changes
| Biggest climbers |
|---|
| Up 1 from 61st to 60th Morrison Hotel by The Doors |
| Up 1 from 60th to 59th Who's Next by The Who |
| Up 1 from 59th to 58th Music To Eat by Hampton Grease Band |
| Biggest fallers |
|---|
| Down 3 from 58th to 61st Led Zeppelin III by Led Zeppelin |
Top 100 Music Albums of the 1970s similar charts
| Title | Source | Type | Published | Country |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Top 99 Music Albums of the 1970s | LosWochos | 1970s decade chart | 2020 | |
| Top 100 Music Albums of the 1970s |  AvalancheGrips | 1970s decade chart | 2022 | |
| Top 100 Music Albums of the 1970s | iamthewalrus | 1970s decade chart | 2019 |  |
| Top 100 Music Albums of the 1970s |  decemberhotel | 1970s decade chart | 2015 | |
| Top 100 Music Albums of the 1970s | pdapperens | 1970s decade chart | 2014 |  |
| Top 100 Music Albums of the 1970s | album guru joe | 1970s decade chart | 2012 | |
| Top 100 Music Albums of the 1970s | chriskarman | 1970s decade chart | 2020 | |
| Top 100 Music Albums of the 1970s | blackflag29 | 1970s decade chart | 2017 | |
| Top 100 Music Albums of the 1970s |  SomethingSpecial | 1970s decade chart | 2025 | |
| Top 100 Music Albums of the 1970s | matterhornrider | 1970s decade chart | 2025 | |
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Other decade charts by Purplepash
| Title | Source | Type | Published | Country |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Top 100 Music Albums of the 2020s | Purplepash | 2020s decade chart | 2025 | |
| Top 100 Music Albums of the 2010s | Purplepash | 2010s decade chart | 2025 | |
| Top 100 Music Albums of the 2000s | Purplepash | 2000s decade chart | 2025 | |
| Top 100 Music Albums of the 1990s | Purplepash | 1990s decade chart | 2025 | |
| Top 100 Music Albums of the 1980s | Purplepash | 1980s decade chart | 2025 | |
Purplepash has created 4 other 1970s decade charts - click here to explore them all.
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 22 ratings for this chart.
| Rating | Date updated | Member | Chart ratings | Avg. chart rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ! | 03/08/2023 23:26 | KineticEchoes02 | 111 | 88/100 |
| ! | 03/08/2023 21:58 | Moondance | 476 | 85/100 |
| ! | 03/08/2023 18:20 | Johnnyo | 2,557 | 80/100 |
| ! | 10/07/2022 18:49 | MasterOfPuppets | 174 | 91/100 |
| ! | 06/02/2022 23:39 | matterhornrider | 97 | 93/100 |
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 2% of all charts on BestEverAlbums.com. This chart has a Bayesian average rating of 90.3/100, a mean average of 91.4/100, and a trimmed mean (excluding outliers) of 92.4/100. The standard deviation for this chart is 6.2.
Top 100 Music Albums of the 1970s favourites
Top 100 Music Albums of the 1970s comments
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From Purplepash 03/10/2023 22:54 | #294902
Purplepash 03/10/2023 22:54 | #294902
@Moondance thanks for your comment. Yes Thick As A Brick is a fascinating album and draws me in. I do have The Master's Apprentices debut in my '60s chart. Choice Cuts is also very good but too much great stuff in the '70s for it to get a look in here.
Helpful? (Log in to vote) | 0 votes (0 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
From Moondance 03/08/2023 22:04 | #294832
The 70's was such a classic decade and making a top 100 is quite a challenge (so so many quality album to choose from) ~ your chart provides a unique snapshot of the music that mattered to you. Great to see Thick As A Brick (finally) make the cut. I was hoping to see a few more Aussie albums - eg The Saints - (I'm) Stranded; Masters Apprentices - Choice Cuts: and perhaps Daddy Cool, Richard Clapton & Renee Geyer (to name a few) - but the Aussie albums you have included are pretty coool too.
Helpful? (Log in to vote) | +1 votes (1 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
From Johnnyo 03/08/2023 18:21 | #294824
Great chart of arguably the best decade in contemporary music.
Helpful? (Log in to vote) | 0 votes (1 helpful | 1 unhelpful)
From 
nitomano 06/28/2018 04:41 | #217408
nitomano 06/28/2018 04:41 | #217408
I love 70's charts and yours is a great one
Helpful? (Log in to vote) | +1 votes (1 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
From 
bobbyb5 05/09/2018 13:32 | #214482
bobbyb5 05/09/2018 13:32 | #214482
10 bonus points for Madness.
Helpful? (Log in to vote) | +2 votes (2 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
From SamNassiri98 02/25/2018 14:28 | #209586
Lovely chart!
Helpful? (Log in to vote) | +1 votes (1 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
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