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 51,000 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	1,983	262,998	Paranoid (58th)by Black Sabbath
1971	2,077	337,660	Untitled (Led Zeppelin IV) (12th)by Led Zeppelin
1972	2,103	266,259	The Rise And Fall Of Ziggy Stard... (9th)by David Bowie
1973	2,021	272,970	The Dark Side Of The Moon (2nd)by Pink Floyd
1974	1,890	141,161	Red (149th)by King Crimson
1975	2,056	231,372	Wish You Were Here (8th)by Pink Floyd
1976	2,052	153,380	Songs In The Key Of Life (87th)by Stevie Wonder
1977	2,064	261,697	Rumours (23rd)by Fleetwood Mac
1978	2,090	146,686	Darkness On The Edge Of Town (198th)by Bruce Springsteen
1979	2,027	217,553	London Calling (20th)by The Clash
Total	20,363	2,291,736

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

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51.

On The Beach

Neil Young

Year of Release:

1974

Appears in:

779 charts

Rank Score:

8,109

Rank in 1974:

Rank in 1970s:

Overall Rank:

211

Average Rating:

84 (934 votes)

Comments:

52.

Goodbye Yellow Brick Road

Elton John

Year of Release:

1973

Appears in:

925 charts

Rank Score:

8,052

Rank in 1973:

Rank in 1970s:

Overall Rank:

214

Average Rating:

81 (1,106 votes)

Comments:

53.

Let It Be

The Beatles

Year of Release:

1970

Appears in:

1,036 charts

Rank Score:

7,947

Rank in 1970:

Rank in 1970s:

Overall Rank:

219

Average Rating:

80 (2,069 votes)

Comments:

127

54.

Ramones

Year of Release:

1976

Appears in:

1,008 charts

Rank Score:

7,884

Rank in 1976:

Rank in 1970s:

Overall Rank:

222

Average Rating:

80 (1,256 votes)

Comments:

102

55.

The Lamb Lies Down On Broadway

Genesis (UK)

Year of Release:

1974

Appears in:

767 charts

Rank Score:

7,638

Rank in 1974:

Rank in 1970s:

Overall Rank:

225

Average Rating:

82 (931 votes)

Comments:

56.

Fear Of Music

Talking Heads

Year of Release:

1979

Appears in:

838 charts

Rank Score:

7,494

Rank in 1979:

Rank in 1970s:

Overall Rank:

232

Average Rating:

84 (1,045 votes)

Comments:

57.

The Stranger

Billy Joel

Year of Release:

1977

Appears in:

668 charts

Rank Score:

7,337

Rank in 1977:

Rank in 1970s:

Overall Rank:

236

Average Rating:

82 (841 votes)

Comments:

58.

Machine Head

Deep Purple

Year of Release:

1972

Appears in:

772 charts

Rank Score:

7,237

Rank in 1972:

Rank in 1970s:

Overall Rank:

243

Average Rating:

83 (977 votes)

Comments:

59.

Tapestry

Carole King

Year of Release:

1971

Appears in:

795 charts

Rank Score:

7,237

Rank in 1971:

Rank in 1970s:

Overall Rank:

244

Average Rating:

82 (907 votes)

Comments:

60.

Fragile

Yes

Year of Release:

1971

Appears in:

777 charts

Rank Score:

7,151

Rank in 1971:

Rank in 1970s:

Overall Rank:

246

Average Rating:

84 (1,048 votes)

Comments:

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Total albums: 1,000. Page 6 of 100

Best Albums of the 1970s composition

Year	Albums	%

1970	106	11%
1971	102	10%
1972	103	10%
1973	109	11%
1974	99	10%
1975	105	11%
1976	89	9%
1977	92	9%
1978	106	11%
1979	99	10%

Artist	Albums	%

David Bowie	12	1%
Genesis (UK)	10	1%
Jethro Tull	9	1%
Joni Mitchell	8	1%
Electric Light Orchestra	8	1%
Pink Floyd	8	1%
Yes	8	1%
Show all

Country	Albums	%

	388	38%
	380	38%
	42	4%
	39	4%
	32	3%
	24	2%
	21	2%
Show all

Compilation?	Albums	%
No	985	98%
Yes	25	2%

Live?	Albums	%
No	953	94%
Yes	57	6%

Soundtrack?	Albums	%
No	998	99%
Yes	12	1%

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