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	1,987	262,788	Paranoid (58th)by Black Sabbath
1971	2,081	337,127	Untitled (Led Zeppelin IV) (12th)by Led Zeppelin
1972	2,103	265,940	The Rise And Fall Of Ziggy Stard... (9th)by David Bowie
1973	2,026	273,056	The Dark Side Of The Moon (2nd)by Pink Floyd
1974	1,897	141,176	Red (149th)by King Crimson
1975	2,061	231,502	Wish You Were Here (8th)by Pink Floyd
1976	2,057	153,217	Songs In The Key Of Life (87th)by Stevie Wonder
1977	2,070	261,564	Rumours (23rd)by Fleetwood Mac
1978	2,095	146,491	Darkness On The Edge Of Town (199th)by Bruce Springsteen
1979	2,030	217,489	London Calling (20th)by The Clash
Total	20,407	2,290,349

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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61.

"Heroes"

David Bowie

Year of Release:

1977

Appears in:

842 charts

Rank Score:

7,007

Rank in 1977:

Rank in 1970s:

Overall Rank:

254

Average Rating:

83 (1,432 votes)

Comments:

62.

Loaded

The Velvet Underground

Year of Release:

1970

Appears in:

843 charts

Rank Score:

6,983

Rank in 1970:

Rank in 1970s:

Overall Rank:

255

Average Rating:

82 (1,209 votes)

Comments:

63.

Hotel California

Eagles

Year of Release:

1976

Appears in:

814 charts

Rank Score:

6,885

Rank in 1976:

Rank in 1970s:

Overall Rank:

260

Average Rating:

76 (1,198 votes)

Comments:

64.

Crime Of The Century

Supertramp

Year of Release:

1974

Appears in:

657 charts

Rank Score:

6,705

Rank in 1974:

Rank in 1970s:

Overall Rank:

267

Average Rating:

82 (768 votes)

Comments:

65.

Layla And Other Assorted Love Songs

Derek & The Dominos

Year of Release:

1970

Appears in:

747 charts

Rank Score:

6,700

Rank in 1970:

Rank in 1970s:

Overall Rank:

269

Average Rating:

81 (928 votes)

Comments:

66.

The Clash

Year of Release:

1977

Appears in:

871 charts

Rank Score:

6,547

Rank in 1977:

Rank in 1970s:

Overall Rank:

273

Average Rating:

82 (1,255 votes)

Comments:

67.

Exodus

Bob Marley & The Wailers

Year of Release:

1977

Appears in:

741 charts

Rank Score:

6,528

Rank in 1977:

Rank in 1970s:

Overall Rank:

274

Average Rating:

82 (842 votes)

Comments:

68.

Band On The Run

Paul McCartney & Wings

Year of Release:

1973

Appears in:

758 charts

Rank Score:

6,525

Rank in 1973:

Rank in 1970s:

Overall Rank:

275

Average Rating:

82 (981 votes)

Comments:

69.

Boston

Year of Release:

1976

Appears in:

709 charts

Rank Score:

6,387

Rank in 1976:

Rank in 1970s:

Overall Rank:

283

Average Rating:

78 (912 votes)

Comments:

70.

Thick As A Brick

Jethro Tull

Year of Release:

1972

Appears in:

618 charts

Rank Score:

6,359

Rank in 1972:

Rank in 1970s:

Overall Rank:

285

Average Rating:

83 (813 votes)

Comments:

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Total albums: 1,000. Page 7 of 100

Best Albums of the 1970s composition

Year	Albums	%

1970	106	11%
1971	102	10%
1972	103	10%
1973	108	11%
1974	97	10%
1975	97	10%
1976	89	9%
1977	92	9%
1978	106	11%
1979	100	10%

Artist	Albums	%

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

Country	Albums	%

	387	39%
	373	37%
	42	4%
	39	4%
	32	3%
	24	2%
	21	2%
Show all

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

Live?	Albums	%
No	943	94%
Yes	57	6%

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

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

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