Best Albums of the 1970s

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51.

On The Beach 

 Neil Young

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"Compared with the preceding Neil Young album "Harvest", "On the Beach" marks a pretty significant style in change. Where "Harvest" was generally a very melodic and catchy album, with strong roots in country music, the songwriting here is very much "Down to Earth", leaning strongly on the blues, a...""Compared with the preceding Neil Young album "Harvest", "On the Beach" marks a pretty significant style in change. Where "Harvest" was generally a very melodic and catchy album, with strong roots in country music, the songwriting here is very much "Down to Earth", leaning strongly on the blues, and at times quite similar to the style of Bob Dylan. One song sticks pretty much out from the rest; the beautiful "See the Sky about to Rain", which is a lot in the style of "Harvest" and also a personal favorite of mine. Another very memorable track is the closing song "Ambulance Blues" which sounds like a song that Lou Reed could have written.Other favorites are "Walk On" and the acoustic "For the Turnstiles" All songs are worthwhile, of course, and the album is another good example that you'll never know which way Neil Young will go next. Lyrically the songs are often dark and disillutioned. Among the musicians you will find prominent names as David Crosby, Graham Nash and Rick Danko and Levon Helm from the Band."  [+]  Reply

- Rovers | Helpful?  (Log in to vote) | +2 votes (2 helpful | 0 unhelpful) A maximum of 5 top-voted qualifying comments are selected for each album. To provide the best experience for visitors, comments are excluded if they refer to data corrections, contain excessive profanity, are written in all caps, are non-English, are too short, consist of conversations between users, or contain lists of best tracks etc.

Year of Release:

1974

Appears in:

834 charts

Rank Score:

7,183

Rank in 1974:

2

Rank in 1970s:

51

Overall Rank:

214

Average Rating:

 84 (994 votes)

Comments:

62

52.

Darkness On The Edge Of Town 

 Bruce Springsteen

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"Bruce Springsteen's downbeat follow up to the widescreen epic of, born to run. It took three years to come out following some legal wranglings with his ex manager. Bruce was wiser, angrier, and a whole lot more realistic than he was on the romantic, but wonderful predecessor. Darkness, was also i...""Bruce Springsteen's downbeat follow up to the widescreen epic of, born to run. It took three years to come out following some legal wranglings with his ex manager. Bruce was wiser, angrier, and a whole lot more realistic than he was on the romantic, but wonderful predecessor. Darkness, was also influenced sonically by the British punk/new wave movement, especially Bruce's beloved, the clash. Whereas on, born to run, Clarence Clemon's sax was one of the most prominent instruments, here, he's hardly heard, except on a couple of the more less bleak moments. Opener, badlands, is off course one of Springsteen's most celebrated songs, which he still plays at almost every one of his shows. The dark and angry, Adam raised a Cain, is certainly one of those tracks influenced by the clash. Something in the night, is a slower, but no less moodier. Candys room, fizzes by, and that leads into the epic, racing in the street. The promised land, is one of Bruce's special moments, a brilliant song with a lovely guitar/sax solo. If there is a weak track on darkness, it's factory, a song inspired by his father going to work, it's a bit slight. Streets of fire, gets back to the anger of, Adam raised a cain, with Bruce sounding like a demented preacher. Prove it all night, is probably the most poppy moment on the album, but it still suits the album perfectly. The title track closes proceedings, on a high note. Darkness, has become a lot more popular in recent years, some even claiming that it's Springsteen's best album. I personally don't agree with that, but it's certainly in his top five. Excellent. "  [+]  Reply

- garycottier | Helpful?  (Log in to vote) | +4 votes (4 helpful | 0 unhelpful) A maximum of 5 top-voted qualifying comments are selected for each album. To provide the best experience for visitors, comments are excluded if they refer to data corrections, contain excessive profanity, are written in all caps, are non-English, are too short, consist of conversations between users, or contain lists of best tracks etc.

Year of Release:

1978

Appears in:

910 charts

Rank Score:

7,132

Rank in 1978:

1

Rank in 1970s:

52

Overall Rank:

217

Average Rating:

 82 (1,190 votes)

Comments:

81

53.

Quadrophenia 

 The Who

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"I find, Quadrophenia, a much more coherent listening experience than The Who's previous rock opera, Tommy. The story is still a little vague, but where as on, Tommy, it sounds like snippets of music put together, Quadrophenia, sounds fuller and tighter. The band off course at this point are at th...""I find, Quadrophenia, a much more coherent listening experience than The Who's previous rock opera, Tommy. The story is still a little vague, but where as on, Tommy, it sounds like snippets of music put together, Quadrophenia, sounds fuller and tighter. The band off course at this point are at the peak of their powers and the album sounds absolutely massive, much more powerful than they did on, Tommy. The record itself features some fantastic songs including, the real me(listen to that bass), the dirty jobs, and, cut my hair. Best though is the brilliant, 5:15, one of my top three favourite Who songs, and then there's the powerful, love reign o'ver me, a stunning ending. If there are any quibbles, it's that a lot of the songs on the second disc sound similar, it's sometimes hard to distinguish between the tracks, I actually think John Entwistle had the same reservations, and I personally find the moment on, Dr.Jimmy, when Roger Daltrey sings,'who is She?, I'll rape it', extremely uncomfortable. As for the overall story, I think seeing the excellent 1979 movie version really helps to understand the narrative. Quadrophenia, would be the last truly great Who album, they would never be this great again, so for all it's flaws, it's still nice to hear the band this together for one last time. "  [+]  Reply

- garycottier | Helpful?  (Log in to vote) | +3 votes (3 helpful | 0 unhelpful) A maximum of 5 top-voted qualifying comments are selected for each album. To provide the best experience for visitors, comments are excluded if they refer to data corrections, contain excessive profanity, are written in all caps, are non-English, are too short, consist of conversations between users, or contain lists of best tracks etc.

Year of Release:

1973

Appears in:

956 charts

Rank Score:

6,876

Rank in 1973:

6

Rank in 1970s:

53

Overall Rank:

226

Average Rating:

 83 (1,360 votes)

Comments:

103

54.

Ramones 

 Ramones

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"Spawned a new genre. Even some of the bands that are called 'the best ever' on BEA can't say that they've created a genre. Do I love this album and think it's perfect? No. Does it deserve much higher rating than 80? Yes"  Reply

- LedZep | Helpful?  (Log in to vote) | +5 votes (5 helpful | 0 unhelpful) A maximum of 5 top-voted qualifying comments are selected for each album. To provide the best experience for visitors, comments are excluded if they refer to data corrections, contain excessive profanity, are written in all caps, are non-English, are too short, consist of conversations between users, or contain lists of best tracks etc.

Year of Release:

1976

Appears in:

1,057 charts

Rank Score:

6,845

Rank in 1976:

3

Rank in 1970s:

54

Overall Rank:

228

Average Rating:

 80 (1,319 votes)

Comments:

105

55.

The Stranger 

 Billy Joel

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"This album is SHOCKINGLY underrated in the overall score. Jesus christ people, look at the average ratings for the songs and compare it to others who score around 80-82 overall. I mean, I let a lot of stuff go on here, but COME ONNN"  Reply

- Medelsvensson | Helpful?  (Log in to vote) | +10 votes (10 helpful | 0 unhelpful) A maximum of 5 top-voted qualifying comments are selected for each album. To provide the best experience for visitors, comments are excluded if they refer to data corrections, contain excessive profanity, are written in all caps, are non-English, are too short, consist of conversations between users, or contain lists of best tracks etc.

Year of Release:

1977

Appears in:

723 charts

Rank Score:

6,720

Rank in 1977:

7

Rank in 1970s:

55

Overall Rank:

233

Average Rating:

 82 (894 votes)

Comments:

72

56.

Fear Of Music 

 Talking Heads

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"Brilliant, it is weird and unique yet amazing at the same time. No matter how many times I listen to it, it always leaves me thinking "I love this but I don't know why". This album shows their influence on Radiohead the clearest in my opinion, compared to their other albums. This"  Reply

- khj11 | Helpful?  (Log in to vote) | +4 votes (4 helpful | 0 unhelpful) A maximum of 5 top-voted qualifying comments are selected for each album. To provide the best experience for visitors, comments are excluded if they refer to data corrections, contain excessive profanity, are written in all caps, are non-English, are too short, consist of conversations between users, or contain lists of best tracks etc.

Year of Release:

1979

Appears in:

877 charts

Rank Score:

6,639

Rank in 1979:

4

Rank in 1970s:

56

Overall Rank:

237

Average Rating:

 84 (1,112 votes)

Comments:

50

57.

Tapestry 

 Carole King

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"Wow, where did this come from? Before listening to it, I was somehow pretty sure I wouldn't be able to connect with this. Totally unexpected, it blew me away. This is what pop heaven sounds like, so many catchy tunes. This kind of albums are usually based on two or three hits and the rest is the ...""Wow, where did this come from? Before listening to it, I was somehow pretty sure I wouldn't be able to connect with this. Totally unexpected, it blew me away. This is what pop heaven sounds like, so many catchy tunes. This kind of albums are usually based on two or three hits and the rest is the so called "filler". Here every song is a hit."  [+]  Reply

- kokkinos | Helpful?  (Log in to vote) | +3 votes (3 helpful | 0 unhelpful) A maximum of 5 top-voted qualifying comments are selected for each album. To provide the best experience for visitors, comments are excluded if they refer to data corrections, contain excessive profanity, are written in all caps, are non-English, are too short, consist of conversations between users, or contain lists of best tracks etc.

Year of Release:

1971

Appears in:

857 charts

Rank Score:

6,586

Rank in 1971:

10

Rank in 1970s:

57

Overall Rank:

241

Average Rating:

 82 (962 votes)

Comments:

52

58.

Black Sabbath 

 Black Sabbath

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"There are very few albums which have “blown me away” on first listen, this was the first to do so. I was 13 in 1971 when I heard this round at a mate house on what would now be described as a very crappy “stereo”. Two sides of vinyl which changed my musical direction for years to come. The bedroc...""There are very few albums which have “blown me away” on first listen, this was the first to do so. I was 13 in 1971 when I heard this round at a mate house on what would now be described as a very crappy “stereo”. Two sides of vinyl which changed my musical direction for years to come. The bedrock of a whole genre of music. Amazing stuff"  [+]  Reply

- Johnnyo | Helpful?  (Log in to vote) | +6 votes (6 helpful | 0 unhelpful) A maximum of 5 top-voted qualifying comments are selected for each album. To provide the best experience for visitors, comments are excluded if they refer to data corrections, contain excessive profanity, are written in all caps, are non-English, are too short, consist of conversations between users, or contain lists of best tracks etc.

Year of Release:

1970

Appears in:

850 charts

Rank Score:

6,414

Rank in 1970:

12

Rank in 1970s:

58

Overall Rank:

246

Average Rating:

 83 (1,189 votes)

Comments:

60

59.

The Lamb Lies Down On Broadway 

 Genesis

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"This record is so much more loved than many people realize. I recommend sifting through the list of top BEA users; this is a popular choice. Of course, an argument based on authority isn't a good one, but it is telling. 'The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway' is the best double album ever made, featurin...""This record is so much more loved than many people realize. I recommend sifting through the list of top BEA users; this is a popular choice. Of course, an argument based on authority isn't a good one, but it is telling. 'The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway' is the best double album ever made, featuring constant shifts in musical styles in a way that features natural and authentic. The lyrics go from humorous to filled with despair in the finale piece, 'The Colony of Slippermen', while they appear somewhat epic in 'The Light Dies Down on Broadway', and introspective on 'it.'. The instrumentals sometimes sound harder, while at other times feeling floatey and silly on songs like 'The Grand Parade of Lifeless Packaging' and 'Counting Out Time'. Genesis' magnum opus is a record that doesn't get old for me. It always has something exciting to share with the listener, even 42 years later. "  [+]  Reply

- | Helpful?  (Log in to vote) | +5 votes (5 helpful | 0 unhelpful) A maximum of 5 top-voted qualifying comments are selected for each album. To provide the best experience for visitors, comments are excluded if they refer to data corrections, contain excessive profanity, are written in all caps, are non-English, are too short, consist of conversations between users, or contain lists of best tracks etc.

Year of Release:

1974

Appears in:

798 charts

Rank Score:

6,402

Rank in 1974:

3

Rank in 1970s:

59

Overall Rank:

248

Average Rating:

 82 (980 votes)

Comments:

72

60.

Machine Head 

 Deep Purple

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"I'm not really a fan of Deep Purple, but this is undeniably one of the greatest hard rock records ever. That opening riff on Smoke on the Water is one of the most instantly memorable riffs of all time and Highway Star is the ultimate fast car/hot chicks anthem. Throw in a beauty like Space Trucki...""I'm not really a fan of Deep Purple, but this is undeniably one of the greatest hard rock records ever. That opening riff on Smoke on the Water is one of the most instantly memorable riffs of all time and Highway Star is the ultimate fast car/hot chicks anthem. Throw in a beauty like Space Truckin' and you have a recipe for a classic."  [+]  Reply

- Decurso | Helpful?  (Log in to vote) | +5 votes (5 helpful | 0 unhelpful) A maximum of 5 top-voted qualifying comments are selected for each album. To provide the best experience for visitors, comments are excluded if they refer to data corrections, contain excessive profanity, are written in all caps, are non-English, are too short, consist of conversations between users, or contain lists of best tracks etc.

Year of Release:

1972

Appears in:

833 charts

Rank Score:

6,314

Rank in 1972:

7

Rank in 1970s:

60

Overall Rank:

251

Average Rating:

 83 (1,047 votes)

Comments:

59

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Total albums: 1,000. Page 6 of 100

Best Albums of the 1970s composition

Top 1,000 Top 500 Top 250 Top 100

Year	Albums	%
1970	111	11%
1971	101	10%
1972	97	10%
1973	111	11%
1974	93	9%
1975	97	10%
1976	91	9%
1977	91	9%
1978	106	11%
1979	103	10%

Artist	Albums	%
Neil Young	11	1%
David Bowie	11	1%
Frank Zappa	11	1%
Bob Marley	9	1%
Paul McCartney	9	1%
Yes	9	1%
Genesis	9	1%
Show all

Country	Albums	%
	385	38%
	376	38%
	42	4%
	39	4%
	38	4%
	22	2%
	20	2%
Show all

Compilation?	Albums	%
No	977	98%
Yes	24	2%

Live?	Albums	%
No	945	94%
Yes	56	6%

Soundtrack?	Albums	%
No	988	99%
Yes	13	1%