Best Albums of the 1970s

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

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	260,045	Paranoid (54th)by Black Sabbath
1971	2,139	329,052	Untitled (Led Zeppelin IV) (12th)by Led Zeppelin
1972	2,179	260,207	The Rise And Fall Of Ziggy Stard... (9th)by David Bowie
1973	2,065	266,906	The Dark Side Of The Moon (2nd)by Pink Floyd
1974	1,954	139,815	Red (142nd)by King Crimson
1975	2,106	226,076	Wish You Were Here (8th)by Pink Floyd
1976	2,101	150,221	Songs In The Key Of Life (86th)by Stevie Wonder
1977	2,112	255,791	Rumours (21st)by Fleetwood Mac
1978	2,161	145,718	Darkness On The Edge Of Town (205th)by Bruce Springsteen
1979	2,089	212,779	London Calling (20th)by The Clash
Total	20,946	2,246,608

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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511.

Piano Man

Billy Joel

Year of Release:

1973

Appears in:

159 charts

Rank Score:

556

Rank in 1973:

Rank in 1970s:

511

Overall Rank:

2,782

Average Rating:

75 (221 votes)

Comments:

512.

Foreigner

Foreigner

Year of Release:

1977

Appears in:

129 charts

Rank Score:

555

Rank in 1977:

Rank in 1970s:

512

Overall Rank:

2,790

Average Rating:

75 (154 votes)

Comments:

513.

Fresh

Sly & The Family Stone

Year of Release:

1973

Appears in:

115 charts

Rank Score:

554

Rank in 1973:

Rank in 1970s:

513

Overall Rank:

2,794

Average Rating:

78 (140 votes)

Comments:

514.

Bridge Of Sighs

Robin Trower

Year of Release:

1974

Appears in:

101 charts

Rank Score:

554

Rank in 1974:

Rank in 1970s:

514

Overall Rank:

2,795

Average Rating:

80 (124 votes)

Comments:

515.

Rubycon

Tangerine Dream

Year of Release:

1975

Appears in:

149 charts

Rank Score:

550

Rank in 1975:

Rank in 1970s:

515

Overall Rank:

2,808

Average Rating:

80 (166 votes)

Comments:

516.

Plastic Letters

Blondie

Year of Release:

1978

Appears in:

118 charts

Rank Score:

549

Rank in 1978:

Rank in 1970s:

516

Overall Rank:

2,810

Average Rating:

74 (149 votes)

Comments:

517.

Birds Of Fire

Mahavishnu Orchestra

Year of Release:

1973

Appears in:

168 charts

Rank Score:

544

Rank in 1973:

Rank in 1970s:

517

Overall Rank:

2,829

Average Rating:

80 (192 votes)

Comments:

518.

The Original Soundtrack

10cc

Year of Release:

1975

Appears in:

101 charts

Rank Score:

544

Rank in 1975:

Rank in 1970s:

518

Overall Rank:

2,831

Average Rating:

76 (139 votes)

Comments:

519.

Funky Kingston

Toots & The Maytals

Year of Release:

1973

Appears in:

131 charts

Rank Score:

541

Rank in 1973:

Rank in 1970s:

519

Overall Rank:

2,841

Average Rating:

80 (157 votes)

Comments:

520.

Waiting For Columbus
Live

Little Feat

Year of Release:

1978

Appears in:

101 charts

Rank Score:

541

Rank in 1978:

Rank in 1970s:

520

Overall Rank:

2,843

Average Rating:

78 (141 votes)

Comments:

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Total albums: 1,000. Page 52 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	99	10%
1976	88	9%
1977	90	9%
1978	108	11%
1979	99	10%

Artist	Albums	%

David Bowie	12	1%
Genesis	10	1%
Jethro Tull	9	1%
Wishbone Ash	8	1%
Joni Mitchell	8	1%
Pink Floyd	8	1%
Electric Light Orchestra	8	1%
Show all

Country	Albums	%

	388	39%
	372	37%
	42	4%
	37	4%
	37	4%
	23	2%
	20	2%
Show all

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

Live?	Albums	%
No	940	94%
Yes	60	6%

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

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

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