Top 43 Music Albums of 1971
by 
Romanelli 
- Chart updated: 12/01/2025 16:45
- (Created: 04/11/2012 18:16).
- Chart size: 43 albums.
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[First added to this chart: 04/12/2012]
Year of Release:
1971
Appears in:
Rank Score:
3,738
Rank in 1971:
Rank in 1970s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
Buy album
- #Sponsored
[First added to this chart: 11/02/2014]
Year of Release:
1971
Appears in:
Rank Score:
6,413
Rank in 1971:
Rank in 1970s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
Buy album
- #Sponsored
[First added to this chart: 11/03/2012]
Year of Release:
1971
Appears in:
Rank Score:
752
Rank in 1971:
Rank in 1970s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
Buy album
- #Sponsored
1971-ELEKTRA
Produced By THE DOORS & BRUCE BOTNIK
1. The Changeling
2. Love Her Madly
3. Been Down So Long
4. Cars Hiss By My Window
5. L.A. Woman
6. L’America
7. Hyacinth House
8. Crawling King Snake
9. The Wasp (Texas Radio And The Big Beat)
10. Riders On The Storm
Due mainly to the inability of Jim Morrison to function onstage, The Doors were in some trouble as 1970 turned into 1971. In December 1970, at a show in New Orleans, Morrison’s behavior was so strange that the rest of the band decided that they would retire from live performances. They also had a falling out with longtime producer Paul A Rothschild over the songs that would make up L.A. Woman. Despite these issues, the band went to the studio and was able to put down their sixth album in the space of about a month. The result was a natural progression from their previous album, Morrison Hotel, and was a move more towards the blues than the band had ever been. Except for a few overdubs, the album was recorded live in the studio, which gives it a raw and more bluesy feel. For the album, the band brought in a rhythm guitarist (Marc Benno) and Elvis Presley’s bass player, Jerry Scheff. Morrison’s voice, weakened by excessive alcohol and drug use, fits the style of the album perfectly. It sounded like the band was on track.
The best known songs are the title track (“Mr. Mojo Rising”) and the spooky “Riders On The Storm”, both over seven minutes long. Maybe the best track is the powerful “Been Down So Long”, as close to blues perfection as they ever got, with Morrison opening with a gleeful snarl: “Well I’ve been down so God damned long”. A few inconsistencies (like the out of place hit “Love Her Madly”) keep this from being a masterpiece, but it’s still a solid end to Morrison’s career and what should have been the end of The Doors, who unfortunately made two more albums without Morrison before calling it quits. When the album was done, and with no tour to go out on, Morrison retired to Paris where he died three months after L.A. Woman was released. As a result, this album is a bit more beloved than it should be, but it’s still a very strong effort. [First added to this chart: 10/25/2012]
Produced By THE DOORS & BRUCE BOTNIK
1. The Changeling
2. Love Her Madly
3. Been Down So Long
4. Cars Hiss By My Window
5. L.A. Woman
6. L’America
7. Hyacinth House
8. Crawling King Snake
9. The Wasp (Texas Radio And The Big Beat)
10. Riders On The Storm
Due mainly to the inability of Jim Morrison to function onstage, The Doors were in some trouble as 1970 turned into 1971. In December 1970, at a show in New Orleans, Morrison’s behavior was so strange that the rest of the band decided that they would retire from live performances. They also had a falling out with longtime producer Paul A Rothschild over the songs that would make up L.A. Woman. Despite these issues, the band went to the studio and was able to put down their sixth album in the space of about a month. The result was a natural progression from their previous album, Morrison Hotel, and was a move more towards the blues than the band had ever been. Except for a few overdubs, the album was recorded live in the studio, which gives it a raw and more bluesy feel. For the album, the band brought in a rhythm guitarist (Marc Benno) and Elvis Presley’s bass player, Jerry Scheff. Morrison’s voice, weakened by excessive alcohol and drug use, fits the style of the album perfectly. It sounded like the band was on track.
The best known songs are the title track (“Mr. Mojo Rising”) and the spooky “Riders On The Storm”, both over seven minutes long. Maybe the best track is the powerful “Been Down So Long”, as close to blues perfection as they ever got, with Morrison opening with a gleeful snarl: “Well I’ve been down so God damned long”. A few inconsistencies (like the out of place hit “Love Her Madly”) keep this from being a masterpiece, but it’s still a solid end to Morrison’s career and what should have been the end of The Doors, who unfortunately made two more albums without Morrison before calling it quits. When the album was done, and with no tour to go out on, Morrison retired to Paris where he died three months after L.A. Woman was released. As a result, this album is a bit more beloved than it should be, but it’s still a very strong effort. [First added to this chart: 10/25/2012]
Year of Release:
1971
Appears in:
Rank Score:
7,953
Rank in 1971:
Rank in 1970s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
Buy album
- #Sponsored
1971-MOTOWN
Produced By MARVIN GAYE
1. What's Going On
2. What's Happening Brother
3. Flyin' High (In The Friendly Sky)
4. Save The Children
5. God Is Love
6. Mercy Mercy Me (The Ecology)
7. Right On
8. Wholy Holy
9. Inner City Blues (Make Me Wanna Holler)
When, exactly, did Motown hit it's absolutely highest point? Right here. What's going On is not only Marvin Gaye's greatest album, but it's also maybe the greatest Motown album ever released, and maybe the greatest R&B album as well. This album is a non stop song cycle, breathtakingly played and sung, and it has something to say as well. Gaye talks about life in the inner cities, troubled youth, everything else that was important in 1971. And the songs are first rate. The title track is still huge to this day, but also excellent are "Mercy Mercy Me" and "Inner City Blues".
After this album, Gaye moved permanently into his sexy beast phase with Let's Get It On. But he was never better than he was here. This is an easy call...one of the best albums ever made. [First added to this chart: 10/14/2012]
Produced By MARVIN GAYE
1. What's Going On
2. What's Happening Brother
3. Flyin' High (In The Friendly Sky)
4. Save The Children
5. God Is Love
6. Mercy Mercy Me (The Ecology)
7. Right On
8. Wholy Holy
9. Inner City Blues (Make Me Wanna Holler)
When, exactly, did Motown hit it's absolutely highest point? Right here. What's going On is not only Marvin Gaye's greatest album, but it's also maybe the greatest Motown album ever released, and maybe the greatest R&B album as well. This album is a non stop song cycle, breathtakingly played and sung, and it has something to say as well. Gaye talks about life in the inner cities, troubled youth, everything else that was important in 1971. And the songs are first rate. The title track is still huge to this day, but also excellent are "Mercy Mercy Me" and "Inner City Blues".
After this album, Gaye moved permanently into his sexy beast phase with Let's Get It On. But he was never better than he was here. This is an easy call...one of the best albums ever made. [First added to this chart: 10/14/2012]
Year of Release:
1971
Appears in:
Rank Score:
18,987
Rank in 1971:
Rank in 1970s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
Buy album
- #Sponsored
[First added to this chart: 08/26/2012]
Year of Release:
1971
Appears in:
Rank Score:
721
Rank in 1971:
Rank in 1970s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
Buy album
- #Sponsored
[First added to this chart: 04/13/2012]
Year of Release:
1971
Appears in:
Rank Score:
1,131
Rank in 1971:
Rank in 1970s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
Buy album
- #Sponsored
[First added to this chart: 04/13/2012]
Buy album
- #Sponsored
[First added to this chart: 08/22/2012]
Year of Release:
1971
Appears in:
Rank Score:
1,030
Rank in 1971:
Rank in 1970s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
Buy album
- #Sponsored
[First added to this chart: 02/22/2023]
Total albums: 13. Page 1 of 2
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Top 43 Music Albums of 1971 composition
| Artist | Albums | % | |
|---|---|---|---|
|
|
|||
| The Rolling Stones | 2 | 5% | |
| Alice Cooper | 2 | 5% | |
| Faces | 1 | 2% | |
| Sly & The Family Stone | 1 | 2% | |
| Carole King | 1 | 2% | |
| John Prine | 1 | 2% | |
| Joni Mitchell | 1 | 2% | |
| Show all | |||
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Romanelli has created 71 other 1971 year charts - click here to explore them all.
Top 43 Music Albums of 1971 ratings
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Showing latest 5 ratings for this chart. | Show all 8 ratings for this chart.
| Rating | Date updated | Member | Chart ratings | Avg. chart rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ! | 11/25/2020 17:57 |  desh79 | 1,278 | 93/100 |
| ! | 06/05/2020 03:31 | Szyfman | 174 | 85/100 |
| ! | 03/12/2016 18:28 | beatlekid123 | 21 | 65/100 |
| ! | 08/22/2014 14:37 |  thedistantship | 162 | 84/100 |
| ! | 04/08/2014 19:13 | PauloPaz | 1,759 | 89/100 |
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Top 43 Music Albums of 1971 comments
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From Szyfman 06/05/2020 03:32 | #252864
Awesome !!!! Love Concert for Bangladesh and Distant Light is underrated.
Helpful? (Log in to vote) | 0 votes (0 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
From thedistantship 08/22/2014 14:37 | #120101
thedistantship 08/22/2014 14:37 | #120101
Like the two live albums in top ten. very nice
Helpful? (Log in to vote) | 0 votes (0 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
From guigs13 01/13/2013 02:50 | #61280
Very cool!
Helpful? (Log in to vote) | 0 votes (0 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
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