in the 70s - Top Ten Albums of the Seventies

Top Ten Albums of the Seventies

What are your top ten favorite albums from the 70s?

We also have pages on this topic devoted to the 80s and 90s

10. Meddle by Pink Floyd
9. Nursery Cryme by Genesis
8. Aqualung by Jethro Tull
7. Three Friends by Gentle Giant
6. Islands by King Crimson
5. Mud Slide Slim And The Blue Horizon by James Taylor
4. Imagine by John Lennon
3. Closing Time by Tom Waits
2. Teaser And The Firecat by Cat Stevens
1. Harvest by Neil Young

10. Destroyer by Kiss
9. I Remember Yesterday by Donna Summer
8. Van Halen by Van Halen
7. Heroes Are Hard To Find by Fleetwood Mac
6. Tapestry by Carole King
5. The Kick Inside by Kate Bush
4. Voulez-Vous by Abba
3. Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap by AC/DC
2. Animals by Pink Floyd
1. Stateless by Lene Lovich

10. 'Heroes' by David Bowie
"Cos we're lovers"
9. A Tab In The Ocean by Nektar
"Climb Aboard"
8. Powerage by AC/DC
"Doing nothing means a lot to me"
7. Selling England By The Pound by Genesis
"It's scrambled eggs"
6. 154 by Wire
"The other window had a 'nicer' view"
5. Real Life by Magazine
"Look at me now and here I am, I think I should tell you something about the state on the nation, but I'll just say, give me everything"
4. The Kick Inside by Kate Bush
"Do you know this is the work of a genius"
3. Physical Graffiti by Led Zeppelin
"Kiss your skull goodbye"
2. Lark's Tongues In Aspic by King Crimson
"I want to listen to it again immediately"
1. Dark Side Of The Moon by Pink Floyd
"Made my head explode with dark forbings"

10. Credence Clearwater Revival Greatest by Credence Clearwater Revival
Every song is awesome!
9. Van Halen I by Van Halen
Sheer energy and guts, you cannot go wrong!
8. Who's Next by The Who
I love this album.
7. Saturday Night Fever Soundtrack by Bee Gees
Who hasn't heard this album!
6. Boston by Boston
One of the best "first album" records ever produced.
5. Rumors by Fleetwood Mac
Not a bad song on the album.
4. Goodbye Yellow Brick Road by Elton John
Not a bad song on the album!
3. Led Zeppelin IV (Zoso) (Ruins) by Led Zeppelin
Stairway to Heaven, is there any other song that changed music?
2. The Wall by Pink Floyd
The movie, the concept, the hole idea emcompessed the post-war American music listner.
1. The Eagles Greatest Hits by The Eagles
What can be said. It is the number one album sold in history!

10. Transformer by Lou Reed
a top meeting of two giants - reed and david bowie. great songs, great sonund , great vibe !!!
9. Nevermind The Bollocks by The Sex Pistols
should i add anything?
8. London Calling by The Clash
great energy, great fun!!!
7. Marcqee Moon by Television
punk-rock meets ny intelectualism
6. The Man Machine by Kraftwerk
electronic utopia with a great ironi
5. Ziggy Stardust by David Bowie
t - h - e icon of rock and pop
4. Five Leaves Left by Nick Drake
the godfather of accustic melancholism
3. After The Goldrush by Neil Yorng
every song is a winner!!! young's voice breaks your heart
2. Suicide by Suicide
the first to combine minimalist electronics and punk-rock
1. Rock Bottom by Robert Wyat
the best album ever!!!

10. If You Want Blood You Got It by Ac/Dc
this album is great because it lets you hear the great live shows ac/dc pulls off and which they are known for
9. Led Zeppelin Iii by Led Zeppelin
8. Physical Graffiti by Led Zeppelin
just a great album
7. Let There Be Rock by Ac/Dc
the great riffs make you want to head bang through the whole album with the great song "whole lotta rosie"
6. Van Halen Ii by Van Halen
another great van halen album with great guitar work eddie van halen in second to nobody
5. Paronoid by Black Sabbath
ozzy is just great
4. Van Halen I by Van Halen
the best van halen album ever
3. High Voltage by Ac/Dc
the bands first american released album that started it all with angus's great solo's to malcom's rockin riffs and you add bon scotts volcals this is a great album that is underated
2. Led Zeppelin IV by Led Zeppelin
hey its led zeppelin what else can you say
1. Highway To Hell by Ac/Dc
this album has it all who dont like the title track highway to hell from that to the end track night prowler it is all great the album has no flaws to it

10. Who's Next by The Who
Agonised between this and Ziggy Stardust. Both of equal importance in the scheme of things. In the end I went for the bigger drum kit.
9. Nevermind The Bollocks by The Sex Pistols
The big shake up. We probably needed it. They pulled Matlock back in for The Filthy Lucre 20 years later. Ever get the feeling you've been cheated?
8. Harvest by Neil Young
Critics would pick the drug-doco 'Tonights The Night'. You could pick any of his '70s work, really. Young's the only rocker I know in which the slower he goes the better he is. The Stray Gaters (Nashville) and London Symphony Orchestra (London) were slow indeed.
7. The Royal Scam by Steely Dan
Claustrophobic, corrupt, tour de force from Jazz/Rock Fusion duo Becker and Fagan. The session line up called in was outstanding, this LP 'made' Larry Carlton. Steely Dan weren't the most powerful band in the '70s but with 'Can't Buy a Thrill', 'Countdown to Ecstasy', 'Pretzel Logic', 'Katy Lied' and 'AJA' were probably the most consistent.
6. Hotel California by Eagles
There is a line of thought that Desperado is their best...who knows. The addition of Joe Walsh seemed to give them more guitar weight. If I thought of California in '77 I think of the title track and 'Life in the Fast Lane'. If I think of decaying California now, I think 'The Last Resort'.
5. Dark Side Of The Moon by Pink Floyd
Direct descendent of Sgt. Peppers. Potential for this shown on meddle. Lyrics are universal unlike their Ode to Syd Barrett (Wish You Were Here) which is just as engaging. Animals is serviceable, The Wall overblown.
4. Born To Run by Bruce Springsteen
All individual and E Street power. Each song is like an event. Jon Landau took him into the bigger sounding New York record plant. Each album after this became more stripped back and realistic to Nebraska: then he cashed in with that Born in the USA shit.
3. Blood On The Tracks by Bod Dylan
Craftsmanship. The comeback album from the finest songwriter in our lifetime, barring a miracle. This is personal, mature, reflective and mythic. The New York version of 'Idiot Wind' is more emotional than the 'big' version that made it on the LP. Note: The Basement Tapes was released in '75 but was recorded in the Big Pink in '67. I still consider it the 'missing link' between Blonde on Blonde and John Wesley Harding.
2. Led Zeppelin IV by Led Zeppelin
This album carves the 70s in stone. Physical Graffiti is just as good and more expansive but everything (beauty and power) in Led Zepp's arsenal is contained in IV.
1. Exile On Mainstreet by The Rolling Stones
If a young guitar band were starting out, I'd tell them to listen to any Blues recordings from the 30's to the end of the 60's, the Sun Sessions, the first five Beatles LP's, Layla and this.

10. Head East by Head East
9. Styx (1st album) by Styx
8. Alice Cooper's Greatest Hits by Alice Cooper
7. The Best Of Earth Wind & Fire Vol 1 by Earth Wind & Fire
6. We Sold Our Soul For Rock 'N' Roll by Black Sabbath
5. The Wall by Pink Floyd
4. Streetlights by Bonnie Raitt
3. Tusk by Fleetwood Mac
2. 2112 by Rush
1. Masque by Kansas

10. Physical Graffiti by Led Zeppelin
An all encompassing album. Featuring the best of all their styles tastes & future plans.
9. Joe Garage Act 1-3 by Frank Zappa
Totally insane fantasy world that may come true someday. Watch yer asses future rock stars.
8. Katy Lied by Steely Dan
So much sleezery disguised under soulful, jazzy, FM friendly pop song. Once again... BRILLIANT!
7. Hunkey Dory by David Bowie
Lovely and disturbing pop tunes.
6. Aerosmith by Get Your Wings
Seasons of Wither... Lord of Thighs... Train Kept a Rollin'.... FORGET ABOUT IT!!!!!!!!
5. Curtis by Curtis Mayfield
His 1st solo album. Lust, beautiful, and blue black! RIGHT ON!
4. Innervisions by Stevie Wonder
Proof that the human ear can see more than we give credit.
3. Darkside Of The Moon by Pink Floyd
BRILLIANT! Software free & seamless. Alan Parsons raised the bar to extreme heights.
2. What's Going On by Marvin Gaye
Deep, intelligent and waaaaaaay before it's time! The subject matter is more relevant today that when it was released
1. Exile On Main Street by The Stones
It never stops growing on you.

10. Paul McCartney by Ram
Country themed record from the ex-Beatle. With the singalong Uncle Albert, the nice Heart Of The Country, and Ram On.
9. Led Zeppelin IV by Led Zeppelin
What an album here. With the amazing Stairway To Heaven, the creepy When The Levee Breaks, as well as Rock n Roll and Misty Mountaintop.
8. What's Going On by Marvin Gaye
First real crossover album for an african-american artist. Excellent
7. Houses Of The Holy by Led Zeppelin
Amazing album, with the soaring Over The Hills and Far Away, the awesome Ocean, and the nice "Dyer Maker"
6. The Who by Quadrophenia
Tear-producing Rock Opera.
5. Frampton Comes Alive! by Peter Frampton
Near-classic album from an underachiever that made it too big.
4. The Rolling Stones by Exile On Main Street
The grungiest sounding rock record,in history. That is not a bad thing.
3. Ramones by The Ramones
The perfect lay man's record. Quick rock songs that never get boring or settle down. A must
2. All Things Must Pass by George Harrison
Often overlooked album is one of the best ever. With the aide of Phil Spector, Harrison made a Triple Album of lush, beautiful songs. Nearly every song is excellent, including My Sweet Lord, What Is Life, Beware Of Darkness, If Not For You, All Things Must Pass, Isn't It a Pity, and Run Of The Mill. Album had an all star lineup, including Eric Clapton and Badfinger.
1. Who's Next by The Who
The definite album not just for the 1970's, but in rock n roll history. The bookends of this album are unmatched to this day and in the middle is pure rock.