Best Albums of 1970

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Listed below are the best albums of 1970 as calculated from their overall rankings in over 58,000 greatest album charts. (Chart last updated: 3 hours ago).

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1970 year summaryThe best artists of 1970 were Black Sabbath, Neil Young, George Harrison, Simon & Garfunkel, John Lennon, Miles Davis, Van Morrison, Creedence Clearwater Revival, Led Zeppelin and The Beatles.

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41.

McCartney

Paul McCartney

"FINDING YOUR HOME But tonight I just want to stay in And be with you, And be with you - Every Night The right girl (or boy) can make all the difference. When she comes along it’s like all of a sudden a huge weight is lifted from your shoulders. From your spirit. You suddenly feel at peace. You re...""FINDING YOUR HOME But tonight I just want to stay in And be with you, And be with you - Every Night The right girl (or boy) can make all the difference. When she comes along it’s like all of a sudden a huge weight is lifted from your shoulders. From your spirit. You suddenly feel at peace. You realize that unconsciously you had felt somehow incomplete. And this incompleteness caused a striving to make things right. To correct that imbalance. And we unconsciously try to correct that incompleteness with all sorts of stuff - bad tv, drugs, becoming a workaholic, what have you! It's different for everyone. But we are trying to fill a void we didn’t even know was there. And there all kinds of ways to fill that emptiness. Like making charts. lol. Or collecting things fanatically. There’s this pressure of more and more. And then all of suddenly the right girl comes along and BAM… this huge weight is lifted. A weight you didn’t even know you were carrying. And this weight makes us feel that something’s not right. , It makes us hurried. Rushing about our day. Not settled. And when that weight is lifted, you feel this incredible sense of peace and comfort. That you are exactly in the right place and the right time. There is no where else we need to be. Nothing else we need to do. That finally you are in the right place. That you are at home. There’s a Feeling that you can do - ANYTHING! And she will still love you. Because she knows you. Really, really, knows you. And accepts your for what you are - quirks and all. Especially those quirks. She’s your cheerleader. She’s got you’re back. When you’re with her you have nothing to worry about. And that’s what this album is really all about. And what really tips it off are those instrumentals.. Tracks like “Valentine Day” and “Momma Miss america.” McCartney just doesn’t give a fuck. He’s free. Loose. Just ready to rip and have some fun. Embracing life like we all should. And it’s easy when you’re with the right girl. God knows I’ve been there. So if you find one. Find a girl that truly loves you. Someone who laughs at your jokes, can nurture you when your sick and really looks at you when you’re talking to her. That makes you feel like you’re at home. Embrace it, brothers. Settle down and make a home. Because you’re already there. WARNING!: Don’t get spoiled. Don’t expect that every woman is going to love you like that. I was blessed to be in several great relationships. Girls who loved me even when I was sick. And I took it for granted. Got those old wandering eyes. Gouge them out, brother. Gouge them out. lol. Grade: A. This album is a fun, boisterous romp through young love. It instantly brightens my day. It’s care free and easy. Because McCartney didn’t have a care in the world at this point of time. The huge pressure of expectations that were the Beatles had been lifted. He with the love of his life - “The Lovely Linda” - living on a country farm free to do whatever he wanted. And his happiness and confidence fill this record. And fill me when I listen to it. Instantly bringing in the summer and the sun. And like a wild flower after a heavy rain it shoots up my chart to number 17. Dedicated to my boy, NoisyBeast and his “Lovely Linda.” You guys are the greatest! " [+] Reply

Repo | Helpful? (Log in to vote) | +3 votes (3 helpful | 0 unhelpful)

Year of Release:

1970

Appears in:

284 charts

Rank Score:

1,105

Rank in 1970:

Rank in 1970s:

293

Overall Rank:

1,537

Average Rating:

76 (453 votes)

Comments:

42.

Emerson, Lake & Palmer

"Brilliant album still holding up after 40 years. I refuse to call The Three Fates a Keith Emerson composition though, it is clearly ripped right off of Gershwin. Imagine what they had sounded like if Hendrix hadn't died and indeed had joined the band instead." Reply

Bork | Helpful? (Log in to vote) | +4 votes (4 helpful | 0 unhelpful)

Year of Release:

1970

Appears in:

207 charts

Rank Score:

971

Rank in 1970:

Rank in 1970s:

330

Overall Rank:

1,738

Average Rating:

78 (297 votes)

Comments:

43.

Parallelograms

Linda Perhacs

"Beautiful early 70s folk guitar singer-songwriter album. For those who enjoy Nick Drake, Vashti Bunyan, Joni Mitchell, Fairpoint Convention, etc." Reply

imimesis | Helpful? (Log in to vote) | +2 votes (2 helpful | 0 unhelpful)

Year of Release:

1970

Appears in:

116 charts

Rank Score:

948

Rank in 1970:

Rank in 1970s:

338

Overall Rank:

1,773

Average Rating:

81 (133 votes)

Comments:

44.

Yeti

Amon Düül II

"The best darn Krautrock I ever heard. I imagine this album is the musical equivalent of what it would feel like to be in the Pagemaster movie scene where all the paint falls from the roof and makes everything cartoon. Yeaaaahhhh." Reply

Necharsian | Helpful? (Log in to vote) | +3 votes (3 helpful | 0 unhelpful)

Year of Release:

1970

Appears in:

213 charts

Rank Score:

920

Rank in 1970:

Rank in 1970s:

344

Overall Rank:

1,825

Average Rating:

80 (210 votes)

Comments:

45.

John Barleycorn Must Die

Traffic

"Initially a Steve Winwood solo record, John Barleycorn must die(great title) eventually evolved into a Traffic album without Dave Mason. Based on the traditional folk song of the title track, Traffic produce what is arguably their most consistent album. Great songs in, glad, freedom rider, empty ..." [+] Reply

- garycottier | Helpful? (Log in to vote) | +5 votes (5 helpful | 0 unhelpful)

Year of Release:

1970

Appears in:

210 charts

Rank Score:

842

Rank in 1970:

Rank in 1970s:

362

Overall Rank:

1,967

Average Rating:

77 (255 votes)

Comments:

46.

Lick My Decals Off, Baby

Captain Beefheart & The Magic Band

"My wife bought this for me as an anniversary present. She must love me loads." Reply

lancashirearab | Helpful? (Log in to vote) | +5 votes (5 helpful | 0 unhelpful)

Year of Release:

1970

Appears in:

120 charts

Rank Score:

810

Rank in 1970:

Rank in 1970s:

372

Overall Rank:

2,035

Average Rating:

76 (179 votes)

Comments:

47.

Barrett

Syd Barrett

"Hmmmm .... Well, upon first listen, this might seem to actually be a better album than Madcap. The compositions are as zany as ever, with playful lyrics and simply bizarre melodies. Also, the backup band here (including Gilmour and Wright) has made sure to augment Syd's wackiness with some actual...""Hmmmm .... Well, upon first listen, this might seem to actually be a better album than Madcap. The compositions are as zany as ever, with playful lyrics and simply bizarre melodies. Also, the backup band here (including Gilmour and Wright) has made sure to augment Syd's wackiness with some actual, solid arrangements. Sounds all good, right? Well, no actually, it doesn't. The album may theoretically sound like an improvement over Madcap, but the problem is that it "improves" on Madcap in exactly the wrong way. Barrett's mental condition had only gotten worse since Madcap, which shows itself in some of the lyrics getting even nuttier than before, yet instead of emphasizing that aspect of Syd (which was very arguably just as crucial to his shtick as the actual songs were), Gilmour and Wright tried to mask this and make him appear as a relatively normal singer-songwriter (ha). Even more irritating is that the way they went about this was to make it sound somewhat like the contemporary Floyd albums (which I quite like, mind you), but with only about a tenth of the creative energy that went into Atom Heart Mother. The best example of this is the otherwise quite decent "Gigolo Aunt," where Wright spends what seems like forever after the main song has ended puttering with one of the most boring organ jams I can possibly conceive. Yet even when the Floyders aren't outright stealing time from Syd (like with the album's rolling 12-string guitar intro, which is nice but has absolutely nothing to do with what Barrett could do at the time), the dull organy arrangements often sound totally incompatible with Syd's childish ramblings, and that's bothersome to me. It's especially saddening to me that a good number of the songs here are right on the level of the best stuff from Madcap, and that I consequently somewhat long for the Soft Machine to come back and trip over themselves trying to follow Syd's nuttiness. The opening triad of "Baby Lemonade," "Love Song" and "Dominoes" are terrific melody-wise, and "Dominoes" is even nice enough to have some chaotic sliding guitar noise softly happening in the background that adequately reminds us that we're listening to freaking Syd Barrett and not Jimmy Buffett. I'm also a big fan of "Wined and Dined," which likely would have been a hit in the hands of a less cultish artist, with a simple-but-effective main melody that can't help but stick in my head for hours on end after hearing it. And, now that I think about it, "Waving My Arms in the Air" is a nice little ditty too. Unfortunately, the signs of serious decline are apparent over much of the rest of the album. Some of the songs are just kinda dull, but without the kind of eccentricity that showed up in the second half of Madcap. And then there's "Rats" and "Wolfpack," the two instances where Syd's madness are shown totally uncut. I know it's hypocrisy to have complained that the rest of the album made an attempt to mask his madness, and then to complain when the producer doesn't mask it, but these tracks don't show a genius turning into a madman; they just show a madman. It's an important part of his legacy, yes, but only as the sad conclusion to his decline. So in short, this here is one massively uneven album. It helps considerably that it ends with a song that Syd wrote when he was 12, called "Effervescing Elephant," which puts his silly ditty skills on display front and center, but one clear dose of genius does not an album make. I give it an 8 because there are quite a few nice gems on here, but unless you're already a big fan of Madcap, it's hard for me to give it a serious recommendation. " [+] Reply

- Tarkus1980 | Helpful? (Log in to vote) | +5 votes (5 helpful | 0 unhelpful)

Year of Release:

1970

Appears in:

166 charts

Rank Score:

809

Rank in 1970:

Rank in 1970s:

373

Overall Rank:

2,038

Average Rating:

75 (225 votes)

Comments:

48.

Twelve Dreams Of Dr. Sardonicus

Spirit

"A album which was years ahead of its time when released in 1970. The sleeve notes (CD version) refer to the Moog Sythesizer 'unlike today's compact modules, this one looked like an old fashioned telephone operator's station with cables going in and out every direction', this would have been an ea..." [+] Reply

- Junomoogmello | Helpful? (Log in to vote) | +8 votes (8 helpful | 0 unhelpful)

Year of Release:

1970

Appears in:

172 charts

Rank Score:

791

Rank in 1970:

Rank in 1970s:

381

Overall Rank:

2,080

Average Rating:

79 (222 votes)

Comments:

49.

Força Bruta

Jorge Ben

"Samba and soul-what a wonderful combination! The strings bring moments of bliss and beauty into the fast paced rhythms, and Jorge’s voice is just so carefree and fun. Truly the finest Brazil has to offer!" Reply

- BLO | Helpful? (Log in to vote) | +2 votes (2 helpful | 0 unhelpful)

Year of Release:

1970

Appears in:

94 charts

Rank Score:

710

Rank in 1970:

Rank in 1970s:

417

Overall Rank:

2,265

Average Rating:

80 (103 votes)

Comments:

50.

Chicago

"Great trumpet and some really great songs like Poem For The People. Really recommended that people listen to this. Really really under rated." Reply

Trickington | Helpful? (Log in to vote) | +7 votes (7 helpful | 0 unhelpful)

Year of Release:

1970

Appears in:

164 charts

Rank Score:

706

Rank in 1970:

Rank in 1970s:

420

Overall Rank:

2,273

Average Rating:

75 (185 votes)

Comments:

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Total albums: 1,000. Page 5 of 100

Best Albums of 1970 composition

Artist	Albums	%

Various Artists	9	1%
Elvis Presley	7	1%
Johnny Cash	4	0%
James Brown	4	0%
Matthews' Southern Comfort	4	0%
The Beatles	4	0%
The Move	3	0%
Show all

Country	Albums	%

	448	45%
	260	26%
	36	4%
	35	4%
	33	3%
	23	2%
	18	2%
Show all

Compilation?	Albums	%
No	950	95%
Yes	50	5%

Live?	Albums	%
No	968	97%
Yes	32	3%

Soundtrack?	Albums	%
No	989	99%
Yes	11	1%

« View best albums of 1969View best albums of 1971 »

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