Best Albums of the 1970s

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Listed below are the best albums of the 1970s as calculated from their overall rankings in over 53,000 greatest album charts.

Best albums by year or decade

Decade:

Year:

1970s decade summary

Year	Albums The number of albums from each year featuring in the greatest album charts.	Score Total rank score for each year (made up of the total rank score from all albums in that year)	Top Ranked Album The top ranked album from each year and where it ranks in the overall chart.
1970	2,040	259,719	Paranoid (54th)by Black Sabbath
1971	2,140	328,824	Untitled (Led Zeppelin IV) (12th)by Led Zeppelin
1972	2,179	260,122	The Rise And Fall Of Ziggy Stard... (9th)by David Bowie
1973	2,066	266,578	The Dark Side Of The Moon (2nd)by Pink Floyd
1974	1,954	139,555	Red (143rd)by King Crimson
1975	2,109	225,914	Wish You Were Here (7th)by Pink Floyd
1976	2,102	150,134	Songs In The Key Of Life (86th)by Stevie Wonder
1977	2,117	255,947	Rumours (21st)by Fleetwood Mac
1978	2,164	145,552	Darkness On The Edge Of Town (206th)by Bruce Springsteen
1979	2,094	212,473	London Calling (20th)by The Clash
Total	20,965	2,244,819

The best artists of the 1970s were Pink Floyd, David Bowie, Led Zeppelin, Neil Young, The Rolling Stones, The Clash, Fleetwood Mac, Black Sabbath, The Who and Genesis.

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991.

Only Visiting This Planet

Larry Norman

Year of Release:

1972

Appears in:

16 charts

Rank Score:

219

Rank in 1972:

Rank in 1970s:

Overall Rank:

Average Rating:

Comments:

992.

Gratitude
Live

Earth, Wind & Fire

Year of Release:

1975

Appears in:

41 charts

Rank Score:

219

Rank in 1975:

Rank in 1970s:

992

Overall Rank:

5,975

Average Rating:

72 (48 votes)

Comments:

993.

Estudando O Samba

Tom Zé

Year of Release:

1976

Appears in:

48 charts

Rank Score:

219

Rank in 1976:

Rank in 1970s:

993

Overall Rank:

5,980

Average Rating:

75 (79 votes)

Comments:

994.

Cold Spring Harbor

Billy Joel

Year of Release:

1971

Appears in:

45 charts

Rank Score:

218

Rank in 1971:

Rank in 1970s:

Overall Rank:

Average Rating:

Comments:

995.

Light As A Feather

Chick Corea & Return to Forever

Year of Release:

1973

Appears in:

66 charts

Rank Score:

217

Rank in 1973:

Rank in 1970s:

Overall Rank:

Average Rating:

Comments:

996.

Slayed?

Slade

Year of Release:

1972

Appears in:

64 charts

Rank Score:

217

Rank in 1972:

Rank in 1970s:

Overall Rank:

Average Rating:

Comments:

997.

Spectres

Blue Öyster Cult

Year of Release:

1977

Appears in:

74 charts

Rank Score:

217

Rank in 1977:

Rank in 1970s:

997

Overall Rank:

6,029

Average Rating:

75 (112 votes)

Comments:

998.

Live
Live

Genesis

Year of Release:

1973

Appears in:

58 charts

Rank Score:

217

Rank in 1973:

Rank in 1970s:

Overall Rank:

Average Rating:

Comments:

999.

All The World's A Stage
Live

Rush

Year of Release:

1976

Appears in:

44 charts

Rank Score:

216

Rank in 1976:

Rank in 1970s:

999

Overall Rank:

6,044

Average Rating:

76 (75 votes)

Comments:

1000.

Greetings From L.A.

Tim Buckley

Year of Release:

1972

Appears in:

79 charts

Rank Score:

216

Rank in 1972:

Rank in 1970s:

Overall Rank:

Average Rating:

Comments:

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Total albums: 1,000. Page 100 of 100

Best Albums of the 1970s composition

Year	Albums	%

1970	107	11%
1971	100	10%
1972	102	10%
1973	108	11%
1974	99	10%
1975	98	10%
1976	90	9%
1977	89	9%
1978	109	11%
1979	98	10%

Artist	Albums	%

David Bowie	12	1%
Genesis	10	1%
Jethro Tull	9	1%
Miles Davis	8	1%
Electric Light Orchestra	8	1%
Joni Mitchell	8	1%
AC/DC	8	1%
Show all

Country	Albums	%

	387	39%
	370	37%
	43	4%
	37	4%
	37	4%
	24	2%
	20	2%
Show all

Compilation?	Albums	%
No	974	97%
Yes	26	3%

Live?	Albums	%
No	939	94%
Yes	61	6%

Soundtrack?	Albums	%
No	988	99%
Yes	12	1%

« View best albums of the 1960sView best albums of the 1980s »

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Best Albums of 1966
1. Revolver by The Beatles
2. Pet Sounds by The Beach Boys
3. Blonde On Blonde by Bob Dylan
4. Sounds Of Silence by Simon & Garfunkel
5. Aftermath by The Rolling Stones
6. Freak Out! by The Mothers Of Invention
7. Parsley, Sage, Rosemary And Thyme by Simon & Garfunkel
8. Wild Is The Wind by Nina Simone
9. The Psychedelic Sounds Of The 13th Floor Elevators by 13th Floor Elevators
10. Face To Face by The Kinks
11. Ascension by John Coltrane
12. Fresh Cream by Cream
13. If You Can Believe Your Eyes And Ears by The Mamas And The Papas
14. Black Monk Time by Monks (US)
15. Fifth Dimension by The Byrds
16. Sunshine Superman by Donovan
17. Speak No Evil by Wayne Shorter
18. Blues Breakers by John Mayall & Eric Clapton
19. Da Capo by Love
20. Il Buono, Il Brutto, Il Cattivo [The Good, The Bad & The Ugly] by Ennio Morricone