Top 100 Music Albums of the 1970s
by davidhuret 
For this decade and the one before, a top 100 is too restrictive. There are lots of other albums I would like to include.
- Chart updated: 01/13/2023 09:15
- (Created: 12/12/2012 19:27).
- Chart size: 100 albums.
There are 17 comments for this chart from BestEverAlbums.com members and Top 100 Music Albums of the 1970s has an average rating of 91 out of 100 (from 37 votes). Please log in or register to leave a comment or assign a rating.
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As the ads said at the time: "there's old wave, there's new wave, and there's David Bowie". One side avant-pop, one side ambient before the term was coined. Both brilliant.
[First added to this chart: 12/12/2012]
Year of Release:
1977
Appears in:
Rank Score:
17,176
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Marvin in a state of pure grace.
[First added to this chart: 12/12/2012]
Year of Release:
1971
Appears in:
Rank Score:
19,012
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The culmination of what the Stones are all about. And to think these great American songs were written by two British, London-born, blokes.
[First added to this chart: 12/13/2012]
Year of Release:
1972
Appears in:
Rank Score:
19,874
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As soon as the (pioneering) synth-loop of "Baba O'Reilly" begins, you know you're going to have a good time
[First added to this chart: 12/12/2012]
Year of Release:
1971
Appears in:
Rank Score:
21,326
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Cosmic (and cocaine-fuelled) Americana, this a grand and deeply affecting musical gesture by an underrated talent, formerly in the Byrds.
[First added to this chart: 12/13/2012]
Year of Release:
1974
Appears in:
Rank Score:
1,619
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Should anybody be in doubt about the Stones' status as "the greatest rock'n'roll band in the world", play them this.
[First added to this chart: 12/13/2012]
Year of Release:
1971
Appears in:
Rank Score:
17,019
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Open your mind. Check this out, it's worth it.
[First added to this chart: 10/18/2022]
Year of Release:
1975
Appears in:
Rank Score:
2,484
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A cornerstone of the singer-songwriters' movement of the early 1970s. Every song is sublime.
[First added to this chart: 10/18/2022]
Year of Release:
1971
Appears in:
Rank Score:
16,248
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Comments:
Buy album
- #Sponsored
George Harrison launches his post-Beatles career in style with an epic and classy demonstration of what he couldn't do within the Fab Four. A major songwriter and guitar player at his creative peak. Even Phil Spector's Wall of Sound is thrilling. The best album by a solo Beatle?
[First added to this chart: 12/13/2012]
Year of Release:
1970
Appears in:
Rank Score:
12,430
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Average Rating:
Comments:
Buy album
- #Sponsored
After his utterly charming homemade solo debut, and the major artistic statements of George and John, Beatle Paul had yet everything to prove as a solo artist by then. He did it with this pop extravaganza of an album, ragged yet sophisticated, tight and loose, carefully crafted but retaining a spontaneous feel. A marvellous, highly melodic and energetic musical achievement (those vocal harmonies!). The miracle is that he keeps on making brilliant (often) music to this day.
[First added to this chart: 12/12/2012]
Year of Release:
1971
Appears in:
Rank Score:
4,967
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Total albums: 100. Page 1 of 10
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Top 100 Music Albums of the 1970s composition
| Year | Albums | % | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 15 | 15% | |
| 1971 | 21 | 21% | |
| 1972 | 14 | 14% | |
| 1973 | 14 | 14% | |
| 1974 | 8 | 8% | |
| 1975 | 10 | 10% | |
| 1976 | 4 | 4% | |
| 1977 | 6 | 6% | |
| 1978 | 3 | 3% | |
| 1979 | 5 | 5% |
| Artist | Albums | % | |
|---|---|---|---|
|
|
|||
| David Bowie | 8 | 8% | |
| Neil Young | 4 | 4% | |
| Pink Floyd | 4 | 4% | |
| Joni Mitchell | 4 | 4% | |
| John Lennon | 3 | 3% | |
| Roxy Music | 3 | 3% | |
| Mike Oldfield | 3 | 3% | |
| Show all | |||
| Country | Albums | % | |
|---|---|---|---|
|
|
|||
 |
49 | 49% | |
| |
29 | 29% | |
 |
10 | 10% | |
 |
5 | 5% | |
| |
3 | 3% | |
 |
2 | 2% | |
 |
1 | 1% | |
| Show all | |||
Top 100 Music Albums of the 1970s chart changes
| Biggest climbers |
|---|
| Up 25 from 78th to 53rd The Dark Side Of The Moon by Pink Floyd |
| Biggest fallers |
|---|
| Down 1 from 53rd to 54th Some Girls by The Rolling Stones |
| Down 1 from 54th to 55th What Color Is Love by Terry Callier |
| Down 1 from 55th to 56th Muswell Hillbillies by The Kinks |
Top 100 Music Albums of the 1970s similar charts
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|---|---|---|---|---|
| Top 100 Music Albums of the 1970s |  22erik22 | 1970s decade chart | 2018 |  |
| Top 100 Music Albums of the 1970s |  Pastiche | 1970s decade chart | 2025 | |
| Top 100 Music Albums of the 1970s |  Nowhereman1965 | 1970s decade chart | 2018 | |
| Los 100 mejores discos de los años 70 | Diariocrítico | 1970s decade chart | 2016 |  |
| Top 100 Music Albums of the 1970s | tim0505 | 1970s decade chart | 2025 | |
| Top 100 Music Albums of the 1970s | Madrocker | 1970s decade chart | 2019 | |
| Top 100 Music Albums of the 1970s |  PanheadWarrior | 1970s decade chart | 2023 | |
| Top 84 Music Albums of the 1970s | halloallesgoed | 1970s decade chart | 2017 |  |
| Top 100 Music Albums of the 1970s |  JR | 1970s decade chart | 2024 | |
| Top 100 Music Albums of the 1970s | mjbreuer | 1970s decade chart | 2016 | |
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Other decade charts by davidhuret
| Title | Source | Type | Published | Country |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Top 100 Music Albums of the 2010s | davidhuret | 2010s decade chart | 2021 | |
| Top 100 Music Albums of the 2000s | davidhuret | 2000s decade chart | 2021 | |
| Top 100 Music Albums of the 1990s | davidhuret | 1990s decade chart | 2019 | |
| Top 97 Music Albums of the 1980s | davidhuret | 1980s decade chart | 2020 | |
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 37 ratings for this chart.
| Rating | Date updated | Member | Chart ratings | Avg. chart rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ! | 08/02/2023 22:38 | KineticEchoes02 | 111 | 88/100 |
| ! | 08/02/2023 10:18 | Moondance | 476 | 85/100 |
| ! | 11/12/2021 06:38 |  NowhereMan | 292 | 82/100 |
| ! | 11/11/2021 17:15 |  Cytoma | 171 | 90/100 |
| ! | 11/11/2021 17:03 |  imimesis | 54 | 83/100 |
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 91.0/100, a mean average of 92.4/100, and a trimmed mean (excluding outliers) of 92.4/100. The standard deviation for this chart is 4.9.
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Top 100 Music Albums of the 1970s comments
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From KineticEchoes02 08/02/2023 22:43 | #298458
This is great work! I would agree on many of the choices and placings in the list. Great to see Jean-Michel Jarre in there. Some of these artists I haven't heard of yet, so this serves as a great reference point to dig more deeply into the best decade for music - thank you. Quite obviously you love your Beatles, all of them :)
Helpful? (Log in to vote) | 0 votes (0 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
From Moondance 08/02/2023 10:21 | #298449
An excellent chart & excellent notes too.
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From 
Oselju 07/16/2019 12:01 | #239705
Oselju 07/16/2019 12:01 | #239705
Mis à part Mike Oldfield (non, là, je ne peux vraiment pas !), c'est un excellent classement. Good job !
Helpful? (Log in to vote) | 0 votes (0 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
From 
ExTeaSea 12/17/2018 00:53 | #227323
ExTeaSea 12/17/2018 00:53 | #227323
23 albums in common! Yeah!
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From Seventiesfan 12/16/2018 11:13 | #227248
Some of my favourite albums ever are in your top 10, and I love 1971 too!
Helpful? (Log in to vote) | 0 votes (0 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
From 
Julelios 12/16/2018 11:07 | #227247
Julelios 12/16/2018 11:07 | #227247
Excellent !
Helpful? (Log in to vote) | 0 votes (0 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
From 
CharlieBarley 02/09/2018 01:03 | #207439
CharlieBarley 02/09/2018 01:03 | #207439
Bloody good 70s chart. And J'aime beacoup the notes. J'adore most of the albums and there are a few I want to check out. Very well done mon ami.
Helpful? (Log in to vote) | 0 votes (0 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
From vancevisuals 02/08/2018 23:38 | #207435
A lot in common.
Great choices for the best decade for music.
Helpful? (Log in to vote) | 0 votes (0 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
From 
Luciano1962 02/08/2018 15:02 | #207411
Luciano1962 02/08/2018 15:02 | #207411
Good!
Helpful? (Log in to vote) | 0 votes (0 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
From 
ForegroundNoise 02/08/2018 09:39 | #207408
ForegroundNoise 02/08/2018 09:39 | #207408
Even though I'd say there's probably a little too much emphasis on classic rock over underground rock for my liking (esp krautrock, Rubycon is the only good German album from the 70s??) your breadth of knowledge is impressive, as are the album notes. Very well done!!
Helpful? (Log in to vote) | 0 votes (0 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
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