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 54,000 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	2,076	257,024	Paranoid (52nd)by Black Sabbath
1971	2,177	324,988	Untitled (Led Zeppelin IV) (12th)by Led Zeppelin
1972	2,230	256,957	The Rise And Fall Of Ziggy Stard... (9th)by David Bowie
1973	2,115	262,909	The Dark Side Of The Moon (2nd)by Pink Floyd
1974	2,028	138,550	Red (140th)by King Crimson
1975	2,152	221,710	Wish You Were Here (7th)by Pink Floyd
1976	2,160	149,390	Songs In The Key Of Life (84th)by Stevie Wonder
1977	2,166	253,308	Rumours (21st)by Fleetwood Mac
1978	2,216	145,471	Darkness On The Edge Of Town (209th)by Bruce Springsteen
1979	2,148	210,078	London Calling (20th)by The Clash
Total	21,468	2,220,384

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 Stevie Wonder.

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231.

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Expensive Shit

Fela Kuti & Africa 70

Year of Release:

1975

Appears in:

229 charts

Rank Score:

1,627

Rank in 1975:

Rank in 1970s:

231

Overall Rank:

1,082

Average Rating:

80 (225 votes)

Comments:

232.

Setting Sons

The Jam

Year of Release:

1979

Appears in:

270 charts

Rank Score:

1,626

Rank in 1979:

Rank in 1970s:

232

Overall Rank:

1,083

Average Rating:

79 (339 votes)

Comments:

233.

Sabotage

Black Sabbath

Year of Release:

1975

Appears in:

277 charts

Rank Score:

1,625

Rank in 1975:

Rank in 1970s:

233

Overall Rank:

1,085

Average Rating:

79 (474 votes)

Comments:

234.

Every Picture Tells A Story

Rod Stewart

Year of Release:

1971

Appears in:

351 charts

Rank Score:

1,623

Rank in 1971:

Rank in 1970s:

234

Overall Rank:

1,087

Average Rating:

78 (382 votes)

Comments:

235.

Hosianna Mantra

Popol Vuh (DE)

Year of Release:

1972

Appears in:

207 charts

Rank Score:

1,617

Rank in 1972:

Rank in 1970s:

235

Overall Rank:

1,093

Average Rating:

80 (261 votes)

Comments:

236.

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Country Life

Roxy Music

Year of Release:

1974

Appears in:

308 charts

Rank Score:

1,613

Rank in 1974:

Rank in 1970s:

236

Overall Rank:

1,095

Average Rating:

78 (395 votes)

Comments:

237.

Tumbleweed Connection

Elton John

Year of Release:

1970

Appears in:

265 charts

Rank Score:

1,602

Rank in 1970:

Rank in 1970s:

237

Overall Rank:

1,102

Average Rating:

78 (373 votes)

Comments:

238.

Pawn Hearts

Van Der Graaf Generator

Year of Release:

1971

Appears in:

220 charts

Rank Score:

1,595

Rank in 1971:

Rank in 1970s:

238

Overall Rank:

1,106

Average Rating:

80 (266 votes)

Comments:

239.

The Basement Tapes

Bob Dylan & The Band

Year of Release:

1975

Appears in:

266 charts

Rank Score:

1,594

Rank in 1975:

Rank in 1970s:

239

Overall Rank:

1,107

Average Rating:

79 (355 votes)

Comments:

240.

Real Life

Magazine

Year of Release:

1978

Appears in:

261 charts

Rank Score:

1,578

Rank in 1978:

Rank in 1970s:

240

Overall Rank:

1,122

Average Rating:

79 (236 votes)

Comments:

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Total albums: 1,000. Page 24 of 100

Best Albums of the 1970s composition

Year	Albums	%

1970	108	11%
1971	97	10%
1972	101	10%
1973	108	11%
1974	99	10%
1975	99	10%
1976	89	9%
1977	91	9%
1978	109	11%
1979	99	10%

Artist	Albums	%

David Bowie	12	1%
Genesis	10	1%
Jethro Tull	9	1%
The Rolling Stones	8	1%
Electric Light Orchestra	8	1%
Miles Davis	8	1%
Wishbone Ash	8	1%
Show all

Country	Albums	%

	387	39%
	369	37%
	42	4%
	37	4%
	36	4%
	24	2%
	21	2%
Show all

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

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

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

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