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	2,033	259,317	Paranoid (56th)by Black Sabbath
1971	2,129	329,085	Untitled (Led Zeppelin IV) (12th)by Led Zeppelin
1972	2,157	259,423	The Rise And Fall Of Ziggy Stard... (9th)by David Bowie
1973	2,057	266,621	The Dark Side Of The Moon (2nd)by Pink Floyd
1974	1,943	139,206	Red (144th)by King Crimson
1975	2,101	226,443	Wish You Were Here (8th)by Pink Floyd
1976	2,089	150,490	Songs In The Key Of Life (86th)by Stevie Wonder
1977	2,105	256,210	Rumours (21st)by Fleetwood Mac
1978	2,142	145,341	Darkness On The Edge Of Town (202nd)by Bruce Springsteen
1979	2,069	212,849	London Calling (20th)by The Clash
Total	20,825	2,244,986

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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655.

History - America's Greatest Hits
Compilation

America

Year of Release:

1975

Appears in:

50 charts

Rank Score:

386

Rank in 1975:

Rank in 1970s:

655

Overall Rank:

3,748

Average Rating:

79 (107 votes)

Comments:

717.

40 Greatest Hits
Compilation

Hank Williams

Year of Release:

1978

Appears in:

52 charts

Rank Score:

341

Rank in 1978:

Rank in 1970s:

717

Overall Rank:

4,165

Average Rating:

78 (158 votes)

Comments:

724.

Greatest Hits
Compilation

Al Green

Year of Release:

1975

Appears in:

69 charts

Rank Score:

336

Rank in 1975:

Rank in 1970s:

724

Overall Rank:

4,211

Average Rating:

78 (172 votes)

Comments:

728.

Greatest Hits
Compilation

Elton John

Year of Release:

1974

Appears in:

81 charts

Rank Score:

335

Rank in 1974:

Rank in 1970s:

728

Overall Rank:

4,230

Average Rating:

82 (160 votes)

Comments:

774.

Simon And Garfunkel's Greatest Hits
Compilation

Simon & Garfunkel

Year of Release:

1972

Appears in:

79 charts

Rank Score:

312

Rank in 1972:

Rank in 1970s:

774

Overall Rank:

4,485

Average Rating:

83 (204 votes)

Comments:

807.

Living In The Past
Compilation

Jethro Tull

Year of Release:

1972

Appears in:

57 charts

Rank Score:

291

Rank in 1972:

Rank in 1970s:

807

Overall Rank:

4,741

Average Rating:

79 (134 votes)

Comments:

840.

Decade
Compilation

Neil Young

Year of Release:

1977

Appears in:

90 charts

Rank Score:

271

Rank in 1977:

Rank in 1970s:

840

Overall Rank:

4,957

Average Rating:

85 (266 votes)

Comments:

870.

Hey Jude
Compilation

The Beatles

Year of Release:

1970

Appears in:

56 charts

Rank Score:

260

Rank in 1970:

Rank in 1970s:

870

Overall Rank:

5,153

Average Rating:

79 (133 votes)

Comments:

901.

Relics
Compilation

Pink Floyd

Year of Release:

1971

Appears in:

85 charts

Rank Score:

247

Rank in 1971:

Rank in 1970s:

901

Overall Rank:

5,378

Average Rating:

77 (295 votes)

Comments:

904.

Photographs & Memories: His Greatest Hits
Compilation

Jim Croce

Year of Release:

1974

Appears in:

29 charts

Rank Score:

247

Rank in 1974:

Rank in 1970s:

904

Overall Rank:

5,388

Average Rating:

81 (52 votes)

Comments:

Total albums: 27. Page 2 of 3

Best Albums of the 1970s composition

Year	Albums	%

1970	107	11%
1971	101	10%
1972	100	10%
1973	108	11%
1974	97	10%
1975	99	10%
1976	93	9%
1977	91	9%
1978	105	11%
1979	99	10%

Artist	Albums	%

David Bowie	11	1%
Genesis	10	1%
Jethro Tull	9	1%
Elton John	8	1%
The Rolling Stones	8	1%
Wishbone Ash	8	1%
Joni Mitchell	8	1%
Show all

Country	Albums	%

	387	39%
	372	37%
	42	4%
	38	4%
	36	4%
	25	3%
	21	2%
Show all

Compilation?	Albums	%
No	973	97%
Yes	27	3%

Live?	Albums	%
No	941	94%
Yes	59	6%

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

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