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. Van Halen II by Van Halen
9. (untitled) by Led Zeppelin
most people think this is their best album but i have to disagree, although it is very good.
8. The Wall by Pink Floyd
7. Van Halen by Van Halen
6. Wish You Were Here by Pink Floyd
5. Hotel California by The Eagles
4. Who's Next by The Who
3. Houses Of The Holy by Led Zeppelin
i love this album, and i'd have to say the rain song is one of my favorite led zep songs too
2. Dark Side Of The Moon by pink floyd
its incredible and so different
1. Led Zeppelin II by Led Zeppelin
absolutely sweet.

10. Minute By Minute by The Doobie Brothers
If it's a 70s rock album list, you have to mention the Doobies...and this is simply my personal favorite of their albums.
9. Hotel California by Eagles
I like 'Desparado' and 'The Long Run' better, but this is definitely the crown jewel of their recorded output...and, oh the memories!
8. Face The Music by ELO
'A New World Record' had more hit singles, 'Out of the Blue' sold more copies, but this 40 minutes of music showed us all what the Beatles would have sounded like if they had gone on unfazed through the 70s.
7. James Gang Rides Again by James Gang
Forget Frampton...best Live album of the 70's introduced us all to the Live craziness of Joe Walsh & co.
6. Breakfast In America by Supertramp
Probably the best musicians to ever form a rock band...and it shows in this all-time masterpiece of melodic rock.
5. Born To Run by Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band
His finest...period.
4. Dark Side Of The Moon by Pink Floyd
No question, the most surreal, ethereal set of pseudo-tunes these boys ever crafted. Lives on today...
3. Parallel Lines by Blondie
New Wave done right...and the only album they made that stood up in the 80s, 90s, and even today.
2. 2112 by Rush
By far the best progressive rosk album of all time. Bombastic to the core, but remarkably romantic and rocks harder than the diamond it is.
1. Physical Graffiti by Led Zeppelin
Say what you will about the 'popular favorite', Zep IV, I think this is the absolute best rock & roll album ever made...and certainly the quintessential Zep sound + innovation.

10. Hotel Californa by The Eagles
9. Dark Side Of The Moon by Pink Flyod
8. Aerosmith by Aerosmith
7. Welcome To My Nightmare by Alice Cooper
6. Master Of Reality by Black Sabbath
5. Van Halen by Van Halen
4. Parinod by Black Sabbath
3. Led Zepplin 4 by Led Zepplin
2. Led Zepplin by Led Zepplin
1. Highway To Hell by ACDC

10. Minute By Minute by Doobie Brothers
Well, I know this is their 3rd entry on the list, but the Doobies spanned 70s music in both style and longevity better than any other band. This was their most successful album, and brought home 4 grammies. "Dependin' On You" is my favorite.
9. Aja by Steely Dan
Steely Dan is definitely deserving of a mention here. Plus, they helped save my favorite 70s artist later when they "released" them into free agency. This album went platinum and deserved every bit of it.
8. Live At Budokan by Cheap Trick
Had to send a shout out to the local (Rockford, IL) heroes. Best live album of the 70s to have a real commercial impact as well.
7. Crime Of The Century by Supertramp
Well, this was a great album by a great band. Sure, Breakfast in America was bigger, but bigger doesnt always mean better.
6. Dark Side Of The Moon by Pink Floyd
Well, no top 10 list is truly complete without this album. The musicianship and production is insane. Plus, it plays well to the Wizard of Oz ;)
5. Toulouse St. by Doobie Brothers
Introduced one of the top bands of the decade. Good material throughout, but "Listen To The Music" is the mainstay, of course.
4. Leftoverture by Kansas
This was the first Kansas album to be repeated in the tape deck over and over. At least, for me. So it goes here - a band who played a large role in 70s rock while being overrated and underrated at the same time.
3. Hotel California by Eagles
Well, this was the best the Eagles ever did, and they were one of the best of the 70s. The title song is enough to deserve inclusion, but the whole work is equally deserving taken together.
2. The Cars by The Cars
I love this band, but this album broke them through. You cant go wrong anywhere on the Vinyl. This reshaped music more than people realize at the end of the 70s.
1. The Captain And Me by Doobie Brothers
China Grove, Long Train Running - nice songs. However, it's the cuts that do the work. Ukiah is wonderful, Natural Thing is a great kickstart, and Evil Woman does things you didnt think the Doobies do. The best, by far, is South City Midnight Lady, though - It's the Holy Grail of instrumental passages in a song to me.

10. BeBop Deluxe by Sunburst finish
a lost progressive 70's gem...
9. Van Halen by Van Halen
only Diamond David could have pulled this album off.....
8. Larks Tongue In Aspic by King Crimson
Some of the best of percussive music in progressive rock history, bruford and muir use everything and anything to bang on, wettons bass rumbles..
7. Hotel Californa by Eagles
Awesome
6. Trilogy by Emerson, Lake And Palmer
ELP at thier best
5. Octopus by Gentle Giant
buy it just for knots.
4. Hemispheres by Rush
great!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
3. 4 by Led Zeppelin
come on now stairway to heavan, misty mountain hop, black dog and going to californa.....kick but music!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
2. Foxtrot by Genesis
1972 release i think it was genesis most powerful statement enough said.
1. Close To Edge by Yes
Yes last album to feature bill bruford, the playing is awesome.

10. Physical Graffiti by Led Zeppelin
9. Blood On The Tracks by Bob Dylan
8. The Clash by The Clash
7. After The Gold Rush by Neil Young
6. Court And Spark by Joni Mitchell
5. Unknown Pleasures by Joy Division
4. The Ramones by The Ramones
3. Parallel Lines by Blondie
2. IV by Led Zeppelin
1. London Calling by The Clash

10. Exile On Main Street by (The) Rolling Stones
9. Let It Be by The Beatles
8. Animals by (The) Pink Floyd
7. Let It Bleed by (The) Rolling Stones
6. Blood On The Tracks by Bob Dylan
5. Who's Next by The Who
4. The Wall by (The) Pink Floyd
3. Van Halen I by Eddie Van Halen
2. Abbey Road by The Beatles
1. The Dark Side Of The Moon by (The) Pink Floyd
Undoubtly the most influecial and creative album of all time. It is deep and the guitar solo on money is a musical masterpeice. 32x gone platinum and still counting

10. Blue by Joni Mitchell
Beautiful and meandering, Mitchell reaches new depths of intensity with her wavy delivery and searching, cascading poetry, resulting in aching, confessional loss the likes of which no woman had communicated before, and none so vulnerable and delicate since.
9. The Rise And Fall Of Ziggy Stardust... by David Bowie
Gone virutally unnoticed with his previous masterpiece "Hunky Dory", Bowie unleashes one of his best, song after song being a nearly perfect barrage of pop, funky rhythms and, most importantly: butt-rock.
8. Horses by Patti Smith
"Jesus died for somebody's sins, but not mine." The most striking opening line to ever grace a rock record. The rest of the album is just as good. 'Nuff said.
7. Innervisions by Stevie Wonder
Simply put: great songs + Stevie Wonder's production = genius. "Living For The City" alone would qualify as a great album.
6. Station To Station by David Bowie
Cocaine riddled and driven like a mad-scientist, The Thin White Duke creates his most unforgettable work, an album he would later claim forgotten.
5. Blood On The Tracks by Bob Dylan
Touching and thoughtful, Dylan pours his heart into every syllable, every line, lamenting love lost with a torn, divorced heart in a simplistic, literal conquest of the soul.
4. Never Mind The Bollocks by The Sex Pistols
Vigorous, outrageous, ferocious, unsettling, roaring, ridiculous, degraded and stupid. In other words: a masterpiece. The very definition of punk.
3. Marquee Moon by Television
Strange, cognitive, almost paranormal in it's power. A sonic marvel that is practically inept in it's melodicism. The climax of the 10 minute title track remains unforgettable and flawlessly calculated.
2. Exile On Main Street by The Rolling Stones
Upon repeated listens it slowly builds into a tour de force of nearly continuous masterpieces. Each track rises just above the murkiness of the fantastic bass lines and the catacomb riffs between the spinning, lost-in-the-mix lead guitar and the almost forgettable drums; the whole darn thing is a wall of sound, with magical, weary moments weeding their way to the surface and eventually blossoming itself into the immortal swan that it truly is.
1. What's Going On by Marvin Gaye
A miracle. So precise, so special, so yearning and soaringly powerful-and it has nothing to do with sex.

10. Lynyrd Skynyrd by (Pronounced Leh-Nerd Skin-Nerd)
9. Sheer Heart Attack by Queen
8. Headhunters by Herbie Hancock
7. Are We Not Men? by Devo
6. Jaco Pastorius by Jaco Pastorius
5. Ted Nugent by Ted Nugent
4. Dark Side Of The Moon by Pink Floyd
3. Aladdin Sane by David Bowie
2. Joe's Garage (acts I, II, and III) by Frank Zappa
1. Led Zeppelin II by Led Zeppelin
Zepp's best.

10. Montrose by Montrose
This was a real sleeper of the '70s. Overlooked and unrecognized. As good as anything Van Halen ever put together.
9. Led Zeppelin IV by Led Zeppelin
From acoustic to metal, this album showcases the band's talents. Misty Mountain Hop is one of the best cuts ever produced by the band.
8. Burn by Deep Purple
The strength of Ritchie Blackmore's blistering guitar work alone would make this great, but add to that great vocals by David Coverdale and drums by Ian Paice and it is a classic.
7. Second Helping by Lynyrd Skynyrd
The consumate Skynyrd from popular cuts, such as Sweet Home Alabama and Call Me the Breeze to the lesser known Needle and the Spoon and Swamp Music.
6. Toys In The Attic by Aerosmith
The sign of a great album, like Who's Next, is that there's not a bad cut on the album and it can be listened to from start to finish. This is one of those albums.
5. The Yes Album by Yes
A heavy focus on hard rock as opposed to rock-jazz is what makes this album one of the band's best. The first side is memorable.
4. Dark Side Of The Moon by Pink Floyd
The ultimate far out album. No band has ever surpassed this band's effort at achieving that specific goal. Very accessible, too, unlike some of the band's other work.
3. Aerosmith by Get Your Wings
Even the lesser known tracks on this are superb. I am referring to Pandora's Box, Seasons of Wither, Woman of the World, and Spaced
2. Who's Next by The Who
This album is the the band at its best on tracks like Gettin' in Tune, Going Mobile, Bargain, and the overlooked The Song Is Over (the latter of which shows Keith Moon at his best).
1. Physical Graffiti by Led Zeppelin
The depth and variety alone make this Zeppelin's most powerful album. Many unappreciated cuts, such as Ten Years Gone, Night Flight and Sick Again