Top 44 Music Albums of 1971
by Romanelli

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[First added to this chart: 04/12/2012]
Year of Release:
1971
Appears in:
Rank Score:
3,733
Rank in 1971:
Rank in 1970s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
Buy album United States
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[First added to this chart: 11/02/2014]
Year of Release:
1971
Appears in:
Rank Score:
6,474
Rank in 1971:
Rank in 1970s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
Buy album United States
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[First added to this chart: 11/03/2012]
Year of Release:
1971
Appears in:
Rank Score:
751
Rank in 1971:
Rank in 1970s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
Buy album United States
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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]
Year of Release:
1971
Appears in:
Rank Score:
7,936
Rank in 1971:
Rank in 1970s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
Buy album United States
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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]
Year of Release:
1971
Appears in:
Rank Score:
18,986
Rank in 1971:
Rank in 1970s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Top rated album (85/100 - 1951 votes)  85 (1,951 votes)
Comments:
Buy album United States
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[First added to this chart: 08/26/2012]
Year of Release:
1971
Appears in:
Rank Score:
720
Rank in 1971:
Rank in 1970s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
Buy album United States
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[First added to this chart: 04/13/2012]
Year of Release:
1971
Appears in:
Rank Score:
1,129
Rank in 1971:
Rank in 1970s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
Buy album United States
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[First added to this chart: 04/13/2012]
Year of Release:
1971
Appears in:
Rank Score:
176
Rank in 1971:
Rank in 1970s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
Buy album United States
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[First added to this chart: 08/22/2012]
Year of Release:
1971
Appears in:
Rank Score:
1,029
Rank in 1971:
Rank in 1970s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
Buy album United States
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  • #Sponsored
[First added to this chart: 02/22/2023]
Year of Release:
1971
Appears in:
Rank Score:
6
Rank in 1971:
Rank in 1970s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
Total albums: 14. Page 1 of 2
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Top 44 Music Albums of 1971 composition

Country Albums %


United Kingdom 20 45%
United States 14 32%
Mixed Nationality 4 9%
Canada 3 7%
Brazil 1 2%
Germany 1 2%
Ireland 1 2%
Compilation? Albums %
No 41 93%
Yes 3 7%
Live? Albums %
No 41 93%
Yes 3 7%
Soundtrack? Albums %
No 43 98%
Yes 1 2%

Top 44 Music Albums of 1971 chart changes

Biggest fallers
Faller Down 1 from 42nd to 43rd
Hot Rocks 1964–1971
by The Rolling Stones
Faller Down 1 from 43rd to 44th
Bob Dylan's Greatest Hits Vol. II
by Bob Dylan

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Top 44 Music Albums of 1971 ratings

Average Rating: 
86/100 (from 8 votes)
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95/100
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11/25/2020 17:57 desh79   1,27893/100
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06/05/2020 03:31 Szyfman   17485/100
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03/12/2016 18:28 beatlekid123   2165/100
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08/22/2014 14:37 thedistantship   16284/100
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85/100
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04/08/2014 19:13 PauloPaz   1,75989/100
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Top 44 Music Albums of 1971 comments

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100/100
From 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)
Rating:  
85/100
From 08/22/2014 14:37 | #120101
Like the two live albums in top ten. very nice
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95/100
From 01/13/2013 02:50 | #61280
Very cool!
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