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 44,000 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	1,744	282,729	Paranoid (62nd)by Black Sabbath
1971	1,794	373,555	Untitled (Led Zeppelin IV) (11th)by Led Zeppelin
1972	1,843	292,702	The Rise And Fall Of Ziggy Stard... (9th)by David Bowie
1973	1,771	300,976	The Dark Side Of The Moon (2nd)by Pink Floyd
1974	1,644	147,658	Red (163rd)by King Crimson
1975	1,811	256,263	Wish You Were Here (8th)by Pink Floyd
1976	1,759	157,326	Songs In The Key Of Life (108th)by Stevie Wonder
1977	1,793	284,356	Rumours (27th)by Fleetwood Mac
1978	1,808	153,501	Darkness On The Edge Of Town (193rd)by Bruce Springsteen
1979	1,785	242,281	London Calling (18th)by The Clash
Total	17,752	2,491,347

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

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11.

Exile On Main St.

The Rolling Stones

Year of Release:

1972

Appears in:

1,786 charts

Rank Score:

28,190

Rank in 1972:

Rank in 1970s:

Overall Rank:

Average Rating:

86 (2,170 votes)

Comments:

193

12.

Blood On The Tracks

Bob Dylan

Year of Release:

1975

Appears in:

1,672 charts

Rank Score:

27,920

Rank in 1975:

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Average Rating:

Comments:

13.

Year of Release:

1971

Appears in:

1,659 charts

Rank Score:

26,240

Rank in 1971:

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Overall Rank:

Average Rating:

Comments:

14.

Year of Release:

1977

Appears in:

1,612 charts

Rank Score:

25,967

Rank in 1977:

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Overall Rank:

Average Rating:

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15.

Year of Release:

1972

Appears in:

1,410 charts

Rank Score:

23,907

Rank in 1972:

Rank in 1970s:

Overall Rank:

Average Rating:

87 (1,660 votes)

Comments:

132

16.

Low

David Bowie

Year of Release:

1977

Appears in:

1,383 charts

Rank Score:

23,072

Rank in 1977:

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Overall Rank:

Average Rating:

Comments:

17.

Year of Release:

1971

Appears in:

1,451 charts

Rank Score:

21,913

Rank in 1971:

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Overall Rank:

Average Rating:

Comments:

18.

Year of Release:

1970

Appears in:

1,492 charts

Rank Score:

21,836

Rank in 1970:

Rank in 1970s:

Overall Rank:

Average Rating:

Comments:

19.

Year of Release:

1971

Appears in:

1,417 charts

Rank Score:

21,664

Rank in 1971:

Rank in 1970s:

Overall Rank:

Average Rating:

Comments:

20.

Year of Release:

1975

Appears in:

1,445 charts

Rank Score:

21,452

Rank in 1975:

Rank in 1970s:

Overall Rank:

Average Rating:

83 (1,809 votes)

Comments:

123

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Total albums: 1,000. Page 2 of 100

Best Albums of the 1970s composition

Year	Albums	%

1970	106	11%
1971	100	10%
1972	103	10%
1973	110	11%
1974	94	9%
1975	96	10%
1976	89	9%
1977	93	9%
1978	111	11%
1979	98	10%

Artist	Albums	%

David Bowie	11	1%
Jethro Tull	9	1%
Genesis	9	1%
Neil Young	8	1%
Yes	8	1%
Pink Floyd	8	1%
Electric Light Orchestra	8	1%
Show all

Country	Albums	%

	390	39%
	374	37%
	42	4%
	38	4%
	36	4%
	23	2%
	21	2%
Show all

Compilation?	Albums	%
No	975	98%
Yes	25	3%

Live?	Albums	%
No	948	95%
Yes	52	5%

Soundtrack?	Albums	%
No	990	99%
Yes	10	1%

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

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Best Artists of the 1980s
1. The Smiths
2. Pixies
3. Prince
4. The Cure
5. Talking Heads
6. U2
7. Metallica
8. The Stone Roses
9. R.E.M.
10. Kate Bush
11. Sonic Youth
12. Bruce Springsteen
13. Michael Jackson
14. Tom Waits
15. Joy Division
16. Prince And The Revolution
17. Iron Maiden
18. New Order
19. Rush
20. Talk Talk