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100 Favorite Albums of the 1970s: 40-21

Previous: 60-41

40. The Velvet Underground- Loaded

Paste: -1

Pitchfork: +27

39. Derek and the Dominos- Layla and Other Assorted Love Songs

Paste: -22

Pitchfork: excluded

38. Big Star- Radio City

Paste and Pitchfork: excluded

37. Neil Young- On the Beach

Paste: two-album rule exclusion by me and Paste

Pitchfork: -8

36. Leonard Cohen- Death of a Ladies’ Man

Paste and Pitchfork: excluded

35. Black Sabbath- Black Sabbath

Paste and Pitchfork: excluded

34. Sly and the Family Stone- Fresh

Paste and Pitchfork: excluded

33. John Lennon- Plastic Ono Band

Paste: excluded

Pitchfork: -10

32. Stevie Wonder- Songs in the Key of Life

Paste: +6

Pitchfork: excluded

31. Led Zeppelin- Led Zeppelin IV

Paste: +23

Pitchfork: +24

30. The Who- Who’s Next

Paste: +15

Pitchfork: +16

29. Leonard Cohen- Songs of Love and Hate

Paste: excluded

Pitchfork: -20

28. Ramones- Ramones

Paste: +18

Pitchfork: +9

27. Pink Floyd- The Dark Side of the Moon

Paste: +21

Pitchfork: -20

26. Ramones- Rocket to Russia

Paste: excluded

Pitchfork: -16

25. Television- Marquee Moon

Paste: +14

Pitchfork: +22

24. David Bowie- Low

Paste: -10

Pitchfork: +23

23. Neil Young- After the Gold Rush

Paste: #23 on adjusted list; two-album rule exclusion by me

Pitchfork: -42

22. The Clash- The Clash

Paste: -1

Pitchfork: -11

21. Joy Division- Unknown Pleasures

Paste: -27

Pitchfork: +12

Next: The Top 20

See Also: Top 10 Albums of 1979, Top 10 Albums of 1978, Top 10 Albums of 1977, Top 10 Albums of 1976, Top 10 Albums of 1975, Top 10 Albums of 1974, Top 10 Albums of 1973, Top 10 Albums of 1972, Top 10 Albums of 1971, Top 10 Albums of 1970

Posted 10 months ago
1 note
Tagged: 1970s, 70s, albums, music, top 100, the velvet underground, loaded, Derek and the Dominos, eric clapton, Layla & Other Assorted Love Songs, big star, radio city, neil young, on the beach, leonard cohen, death of a ladies' man, Black Sabbath, sly and the family stone, fresh, John Lennon, plastic ono band, stevie wonder, Songs in the Key of Life, Led Zeppelin IV, led zeppelin, the who, who's next, songs of love and hate, ramones, The Dark Side of the Moon, .
100 Favorite Albums of the 1970s: 60-41

Previous: 80-61

60. Fleetwood Mac- Rumours

Paste: +37

Pitchfork: +30

59. Miles Davis- Bitches Brew

Paste: +44

Pitchfork: +43

58. John Imagine- Imagine

Paste: +16

Pitchfork: excluded

57. David Bowie- Station to Station

Paste: two-album rule exclusion by me and Paste

Pitchfork: excluded

56. The Harder They Come

Paste: -12

Pitchfork: -8

55. Rod Stewart- Never a Dull Moment

Paste and Pitchfork: excluded

54. Neil Young- Zuma

Paste: two-album rule exclusion by me and Paste

Pitchfork: excluded

53. David Bowie- “Heroes”

Paste: two-album rule exclusion by me and Paste

Pitchfork: excluded

52. The Jam- In the City

Paste and Pitchfork: excluded

51. Black Sabbath- Paranoid

Paste and Pitchfork: excluded

50. Jimi Hendrix- Band of Gypsys

Paste: excluded

Pitchfork: -12

49. Funkadelic- One Nation Under a Groove

Paste and Pitchfork: excluded

48. Stevie Wonder- Talking Book

Paste: two-album rule exclusion by me and Paste

Pitchfork: excluded

47. Grateful Dead- American Beauty

Paste and Pitchfork: excluded

46. Pink Floyd- Wish You Were Here

Paste: two-album rule exclusion by Paste

Pitchfork: +19

45. Parliament- Mothership Connection

Paste and Pitchfork: excluded

44. The Stooges- Fun House

Paste: -16

Pitchfork: +32

43. David Bowie- The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars

Paste: #12 on adjusted list; two-album rule exclusion by me

Pitchfork: -12

42. Funkadelic- Maggot Brain

Paste: +21

Pitchfork: +27

41. Van Morrison- Moondance

Paste: +21

Pitchfork: excluded

Next: 40-21

See Also: Top 10 Albums of 1979, Top 10 Albums of 1978, Top 10 Albums of 1977, Top 10 Albums of 1976, Top 10 Albums of 1975, Top 10 Albums of 1974, Top 10 Albums of 1973, Top 10 Albums of 1972, Top 10 Albums of 1971, Top 10 Albums of 1970

Posted 10 months ago
1 note
Tagged: 1970s, 70s, albums, music, top 100, Fleetwood Mac, Rumours, miles davis, bitches brew, John Lennon, imagine, David Bowie, Station to Station, The Harder They Come, rod stewart, Never A Dull Moment, neil young, zuma, Heroes, Black Sabbath, paranoid, jimi hendrix, Band of Gypsys, funkadelic, one nation under a groove, stevie wonder, talking book, Grateful Dead, American Beauty, pink floyd, .
Top 10 Tracks of 1971

Previous: 1970

A number of these songs land very high on just about every all-time song list (and with good reason): “What’s Going On,” “Imagine” and “Stairway to Heaven.” I heard the live version of “Maggot Brain” on the One Nation Under a Groove EP before the original album cut, and in some ways, I’m more fond of the former. Still, I thought it was only fair to allow a song from the album proper to make the 1978 list. Picking a song off of David Bowie’s Hunky Dory is a bit difficult because I feel the songs all go together so well, and the individual track don’t stand out in quite the same way. Rod Stewart’s “Maggie May” would have been a lock on this list a few years back, and in fact it was my all-time number one for a while. Maybe I listened to it too much?

10. Marvin Gaye- What’s Going On (Listen)

9. Al Green- Tired of Being Alone (Listen)

8. John Lennon- Imagine (Listen)

7. Funkadelic- Maggot Brain (Listen)

6. David Bowie- Quicksand (Listen)

5. Rod Stewart- Every Picture Tells a Story (Listen)

4. Led Zeppelin- Stairway to Heaven (Listen)

3. Joni Mitchell- River (Listen)

2. The Who- Baba O’Riley (Listen)

1. The Rolling Stones- Wild Horses (Listen)

Next: 1972

See Also: Top 10 Albums of 1971

Posted 1 year ago
2 notes
Tagged: 1970s, 1971, Top 10s, music, songs, tracks, marvin gaye, Al Green, John Lennon, imagine, what's going on, funkadelic, maggot brain, David Bowie, quicksand, rod stewart, every picture tells a story, led zeppelin, stairway to heaven, Joni Mitchell, river, the who, baba o'riley, the rolling stones, wild horses, .
Top 10 Tracks of 1970

Previous: 1969

A new decade! This year reps the last possible appearance by the Beatles as a group. But as you can see, nothing is stopping solo career tracks from making these lists. My love for “Stage Fright” can be traced back to the first time I saw Martin Scorsese’s rock doc The Last Waltz. What a performance! Gordon Lightfoot wouldn’t be on this list if it weren’t for a combination of my dad playing the song all the time when I was a kid and Johnny Cash covering it. Black Sabbath will be the first of probably many heavy metal appearances.

10. John Lennon- Mother (Listen)

9. The Band- Stage Fright (Listen)

8. Gordon Lightfoot- If You Could Read My Mind (Listen)

7. The Velvet Underground- Sweet Jane (Listen)

6. Neil Young- Tell Me Why (Listen)

5. Chicago- 25 or 6 to 4 (Listen)

4. Derek and the Dominos- Bell Bottom Blues (Listen)

3. Black Sabbath- War Pigs (Listen)

2. Simon and Garfunkel- So Long, Frank Lloyd Wright (Listen)

1. The Beatles- Let It Be (Listen)

Next: 1971

See Also: Top 10 Albums of 1970

Posted 1 year ago
Tagged: 1970, Black Sabbath, Derek and the Dominos, John Lennon, The Band, Top 10s, chicago, eric clapton, gordon lightfoot, music, neil young, paul simon, simon & garfunkel, songs, the beatles, the velvet underground, tracks, Martin Scorsese, The Last Waltz, .
Top 10 Albums of 1971

1. Joni Mitchell- Blue

Listen: “A Case of You”

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2. David Bowie- Hunky Dory

Listen: “Quicksand”

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3. The Rolling Stones- Sticky Fingers

Listen: “I Got the Blues”

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4. Led Zeppelin- Led Zeppelin IV

Listen: “Misty Mountain Hop”

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5. Leonard Cohen- Songs of Love and Hate

Listen: “Dress Rehearsal Rag”

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6. The Who- Who’s Next

Listen: “Baba O’Riley”

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7. Funkadelic- Maggot Brain

Listen: “Hit It and Quit It”

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8. John Lennon- Imagine

Listen: “Oh Yoko!”

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9. Miles Davis- A Tribute to Jack Johnson

Listen: “Right Off” (Part 1)

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10. Marvin Gaye- What’s Going On

Listen: “What’s Going On”

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Honorable Mention: The Allman Brothers Band’s At Fillmore East, Can’s Tago Mago, Janis Joplin’s Pearl, B.B. King’s Live at Cook County Jail, Van Morrison’s Tupelo Honey, Sly and the Family Stone’s There’s a Riot Goin’ On, T. Rex’s Electric Warrior

Updated: May 15, 2013

See Also: Top 10 Tracks of 1971, Top 10 Albums of 2007, Top 10 Albums of 2006, Top 10 Albums of 2005, Top 10 Albums of 2004, Top 10 Albums of 2003,  Top 10 Albums of 2002, Top 10 Albums of 2001, Top 10 Albums of 2000, Top 10 Albums of 1999, Top 10 Albums of 1998, Top 10 Albums of 1997, Top 10 Albums of 1996, Top 10 Albums of 1995, Top 10 Albums of 1994, Top 10 Albums of 1993, Top 10 Albums of 1992, Top 10 Albums of 1991, Top 10 Albums of 1990, Top 10 Albums of 1989, Top 10 Albums of 1988, Top 10 Albums of 1987, Top 10 Albums of 1986, Top 10 Albums of 1985, Top 10 Albums of 1984, Top 10 Albums of 1983, Top 10 Albums of 1982, Top 10 Albums of 1981, Top 10 Albums of 1980, Top 10 Albums of 1979, Top 10 Albums of 1978, Top 10 Albums of 1977, Top 10 Albums of 1976, Top 10 Albums of 1975, Top 10 Albums of 1974, Top 10 Albums of 1973, Top 10 Albums of 1972, Top 10 Albums of 1970, Top 10 Albums of 1969, Top 10 Albums of 1968, Top 10 Albums of 1967, Top 10 Albums of 1966, Top 10 Albums of 1965

Posted 2 years ago
6 notes
Tagged: 1971, a tribute to jack johnson, albums, blue, david bowie, funkadelic, hunky dory, imagine, john lennon, joni mitchell, led zeppelin, led zeppelin IV, leonard cohen, maggot brain, marvin gaye, miles davis, music, songs of love and hate, sticky fingers, the rolling stones, the who, top 10s, what's going on, who's next, allman brothers band, at fillmore east, can, tago mago, janis joplin, pearl, .
Top 10 Albums of 1970

1. The Who- Live at Leeds

Listen: “Summertime Blues”

2. Neil Young- After the Gold Rush

Listen: “Southern Man”

3. John Lennon- Plastic Ono Band

Listen: “God”

4. Black Sabbath- Black Sabbath

Listen: “N.I.B.”

5. Derek and the Dominos- Layla & Other Assorted Love Songs

Listen: “Bell Bottom Blues”

6. The Velvet Underground- Loaded

Listen: “Sweet Jane”

7. Van Morrison- Moondance

Listen: “Into the Mystic”

8. The Stooges- Fun House

Listen: “T.V. Eye”

9. Grateful Dead- American Beauty

Listen: “Box of Rain”

10. Jimi Hendrix- Band of Gypsys

Listen: “Who Knows”

Honorable Mention: Black Sabbath’s Paranoid; Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young’s Deja vu; Miles Davis’ Bitches Brew; Nick Drake’s Bryter Layter; George Harrison’s All Things Must Pass; Led Zeppelin’s Led Zeppelin III; MC5’s Back in the USA; Van Morrison’s His Band and the Street Choir; Santana’s Abraxas

Updated: December 31, 2011

See Also: Top 10 Tracks of 1970, Top 10 Albums of 2007, Top 10 Albums of 2006, Top 10 Albums of 2005, Top 10 Albums of 2004, Top 10 Albums of 2003,  Top 10 Albums of 2002, Top 10 Albums of 2001, Top 10 Albums of 2000, Top 10 Albums of 1999, Top 10 Albums of 1998, Top 10 Albums of 1997, Top 10 Albums of 1996, Top 10 Albums of 1995, Top 10 Albums of 1994, Top 10 Albums of 1993, Top 10 Albums of 1992, Top 10 Albums of 1991, Top 10 Albums of 1990, Top 10 Albums of 1989, Top 10 Albums of 1988, Top 10 Albums of 1987, Top 10 Albums of 1986, Top 10 Albums of 1985, Top 10 Albums of 1984, Top 10 Albums of 1983, Top 10 Albums of 1982, Top 10 Albums of 1981, Top 10 Albums of 1980, Top 10 Albums of 1979, Top 10 Albums of 1978, Top 10 Albums of 1977, Top 10 Albums of 1976, Top 10 Albums of 1975, Top 10 Albums of 1974, Top 10 Albums of 1973, Top 10 Albums of 1972, Top 10 Albums of 1971, Top 10 Albums of 1969, Top 10 Albums of 1968, Top 10 Albums of 1967, Top 10 Albums of 1966, Top 10 Albums of 1965

Posted 2 years ago
7 notes
Tagged: 1970, after the gold rush, albums, american beauty, band of gypsys, black sabbath, derek and the dominos, fun house, grateful dead, john lennon, layla & other assorted love songs, live at leeds, loaded, moondance, music, neil young, plastic ono band, the stooges, the velvet underground, the who, top 10s, van morrison, Black Sabbath, paranoid, crosby stills nash and young, deja vu, miles davis, bitches brew, nick drake, bryter layter, .