1970s: Albums
Choosing only 110 albums from the 1970s, arguably the best decade ever for recorded music, was a tough job. And while we do think we covered most of the essentials, there are certainly some we missed. Lots, we’d bet. So feel free to e-mail us at misterlisterman@gmail.com to let us know what we missed. We’re not above updating our list.
110. Faust - IV
109. Bob Marley - Kaya
108. Rod Stewart - Every Picture Tells a Story
107. Gram Parsons - Grievous Angel
106. David Bowie - Aladdin Sane
105. Nick Drake - Pink Moon
104. Pere Ubu - Dub Housing
103. Bob Dylan - New Morning
102. Marvin Gaye - What’s Going On
101. Herbie Hancock - Head Hunters
100. Serge Gainsbourg - Histoire de Melody Nelson
99. Wings - Band on the Run
98. Sly and the Family Stone - There’s A Riot Goin’ On
97. Loudon Wainwright III - Unrequited
96. Devo - Q: Are We Not Men? A: We are Devo!
95. Sex Pistols - Never Mind the Bollocks
94. Nilsson - Nilsson Schmilsson
93. Bruce Springsteen - Darkness on the Edge of Town
92. Pink Floyd - The Wall
91. The Modern Lovers - The Modern Lovers
90. Byrds - (Untitled)
89. Nick Drake - Bryter Layter
88. Blondie - Parallel Lines
87. Eric Clapton - Slowhand
86. Gang of Four - Entertainment!
85. Gram Parsons - GP
84. Neu! - Neu!
83. Wire - Chairs Missing
82. Talking Heads - 77
81. Stevie Wonder - Songs in the Key of Life
80. Creedence Clearwater Revival - Cosmo’s Factory
79. Neil Young - American Stars and Bars
78. Wings - Red Rose Speedway
77. Wire - Pink Flag
76. Patti Smith - Horses
75. Van Morrison - Moondance
74. Ramones - Rocket to Russia
73. Townes Van Zandt - High, Low and in Between
72. Can - Future Days
71. Yoko Ono - Fly
70. Talking Heads - More Songs About Buildings and Food
69. The Cars - The Cars
68. Todd Rundgren - Something/Anything
67. Led Zeppelin - Physical Graffiti
66. T. Rex - The Slider
65. Joni Mitchell - Blue
64. David Bowie - Hunky Dory
63. The Jam - All Mod Cons
62. David Bowie - Low
61. Big Star - Third
60. Townes Van Zandt - The Late Great Townes Van Zandt
59. Tom Waits - Closing Time
58. Leonard Cohen - Songs of Love and Hate
56. Curtis Mayfield - Superfly
55. Neil Young - Rust Never Sleeps
54. Joy Division - Unknown Pleasures
53. Bruce Springsteen - Born to Run
52. Big Star - Radio City
51. The Who - Who’s Next
50. Ramones - Ramones
49. Neil Young - On the Beach
48. Elvis Costello - My Aim Is True
47. Bob Dylan - Blood on the Tracks
46. The Specials - The Specials
45. Television - Marquee Moon
44. Iggy Pop - Lust For Life
43. Bruce Springsteen - Greetings from Asbury Park, N.J.
42. Loudon Wainwright III - Attempted Mustache
41. Led Zeppelin - Houses of the Holy
40. Bob Dylan - Desire
39. Neil Young - Tonight’s the Night
38. Led Zeppelin - IV
37. John Lennon - Mind Games
36. The Rolling Stones - Some Girls
35. Richard and Linda Thompson - I Want to See the Bright Lights Tonight
34. Paul McCartney - McCartney
33. Elvis Costello - This Year’s Model
32. Led Zeppelin - III
31. Grateful Dead - American Beauty
30. John Lennon - Plastic Ono Band
29. The Clash - The Clash
28. Brian Eno - Before and After Science
27. Iggy & The Stooges - Raw Power
26. John Lennon - Imagine
25. Bob Marley - Exodus
24. The Stooges - Funhouse
23. Neil Young - Harvest
22. Can - Eye Bamyasi
21. The Rolling Stones - Goats Head Soup
20. Brian Eno - Here Come the Warm Jets
19. George Harrison - All Things Must Pass
18. Neil Young - After the Gold Rush
17. Big Star - #1 Record
16. Lou Reed - Transformer
15. Bob Dylan - The Basement Tapes
14. Brian Eno - Another Green World
13. Can - Tago Mago
12. The Velvet Underground - Loaded
11. Brian Eno - Taking Tiger Mountain (By Strategy)
10. Talking Heads - Fear of Music
9. Paul McCartney - Ram
8. The Beatles - Let It Be
7. The Rolling Stones - Sticky Fingers
6. T. Rex - Electric Warrior
5. Miles Davis - Bitches Brew
4. The Wailers - Catch a Fire
3. David Bowie - Ziggy Stardust & the Spiders From Mars
2. The Rolling Stones - Exile on Main St.
1. The Clash - London Calling
Written by G. William Locke