Best Music of the Decade: 1970s

For anyone out there that has debated what is the top music of the decade, this blog series was created for you. I am going to take a look at each decade from the 60s to the 00s, and pick out the top one (or three) rock albums from each year of that decade. This is obviously only my opinion, and holds no weight in an argument, but I am posting it just the same. All of these albums are 5 star albums that significantly impacted music history in small ways (Sum 41) and massive ways (The Beatles). Feel free to comment, and remind me of someone I left out, or recommend a comment addition and I will do my best to edit the post. Now sit back and enjoy the best albums of the decade, and don't forget to click on any album title to hear a sample:

1970s

1970


Led Zeppelin: Led Zeppelin III (Led Zeppelin started off the 70s with a bang...and yet it was a continuation of a bang they had started the year before with the stunning release of their first two albums. No III does not let off a bit, introducing legendary songs such as Gallows Pole, the Immigrant Song and Tangerine. This last song sums up what was the greatest of bands in the new decade: they always had a bit hidden under the surface. Squeeze my lemon, Plant moans, in very unsubtle overtones...whatever was perceived, it was obvious that music was changing, not yet to the point that the little Aussie band would take it in 4 years, but changing none-the-less)
(click album to listen to clip)


The Grateful Dead: American Beauty (It is hard to put your finger on one Dead album as the greatest as they simply produced so much music, but if you had to this album would be the unanimous choice. With favorites like Sugar Magnolia, Ripple, Truckin' and Box of Rain, it is easy to see why. And if it wern't for having the Nirvana of the 70s named Zeppelin release an album at the same time, it would be an easy pick for album of the year)
(click on album to listen to clip)


The Grateful Dead: Workingman's Dead (Actually released prior to the above album, it is not on the same level as American Beauty. But don't think it doesn't hold it's own. Still a solid album with classics such as Uncle Johns Band and Casey Jones. To put out two albums like this in a career is amazing, but to do it the same year is legendary)
(click on album to listen to clip)


Creedence Clearwater Revival: Cosmo's Factory (Following up their string of hits, this album holds up fine by introducing Travelin Band, Run through the Jungle, Around the Bend, and Looking out my backdoor. A classic album by one of the more overlooked bands of this generation)
(click on album to listen to clip)


1971


Led Zeppelin: Led Zeppelin IV (Perhaps the most defining album of the decade. This album mixed folk, blues, and rock, in a way that defined the entire generation. For once it wasn't the white men with rock and the black man with blues, it was a blend of all. As AC/DC would say in a few short years, when these elements are combined...Let there be Rock! And rock #IV did, especially with what many consider the all time favorite song: Stairway to Heaven)
(click on album to listen to clip)



Janis Joplin: Pearl (The second and last classic album by one of the most legendary female song artists in history, deserves a top spot this year, that is if Zeppelin hadn't been around. Still this album contains many of those oh so recognizable favorites from her catalogue such as Cry Baby and Me And Bobby McGee)
(click album to listen to clip)





The Rolling Stones: Sticky Fingers (This album defined the era for one thing: it was obnoxiously reveling in the rampant drug use of the times. Few songs on the album do not mention drugs, and the ones like Brown Sugar that don't, have something similar on their mind. Still a classic album in any self respecting rock fan's collection)
(click on album to listen to clip)


Black Sabbath: Paranoid (While they did have one previous popular album the year before, this was the one that brought them to the forefront, with War Pigs and Iron Man. Black Sabbath was the inspiration for virtually every Heavy Metal and Hard Rock band to come, with its completely new method of using metal chords and muted E strings. A classic album that started an entire genre, whether you like that genre or not)
(click on album to listen to clip)


Black Sabbath: Master of Reality (Black Sabbath had found their rhythm, and kept at it that same year by releasing Master. While not quite as complete an album, it is still very very good, giving us such songs as Sweet Leaf and Children of the Grave)
(click on album to listen to clip)


1972


The Rolling Stones: Exile on Main Street (This double album is considered by many to not only be the Stones greatest, but one of the greatest in the history of rock. And at first take you may not agree, as it sounds very unlike any previous Stones album. You can see the influence that was sweeping the times by its similarity to Zeppelin IV, with its wide range of music influences. But give it a second try, as this one will grow on you)
(click album to listen to clip)


Black Sabbath: Black Sabbath Vol.4 (A decent follow up to the previous years release of two metal classics, you do start to see hints that they were running out of ideas. I mean how complex can you get with some heavy riffs right? Well as we would see, numerous bands would take them a bit further, but it was all due to sabbath clearing a path)
(click on album to listen to clip)


1973


Led Zeppelin: Houses of the Holy (How do you follow up Stairway to Heaven? Seems impossible to us common folk, but Zeppelin in their prime had no problem, releasing another stunning album. The highlight of this one has to be the Rain Song, but start to finish this deserves to be at the top of your Zeppelin wishlist)
(click on album to listen to clip)


Pink Floyd: The Dark Side of the Moon (While probably not their best album, Dark Side is the album that most defines who Pink Floyd was. Its not the lyrics or the unbelievable instrument playing that made them so popular, but instead the lay they layer music to create an atmosphere, more like composers than a modern day rock band. And as was so popular with bands like Zeppelin and Aerosmith, they blend genres together to create a unique musical experience, here borrowing from jazz, blues, and psychodelic rock)
(click on album to listen to album)


Black Sabbath: Sabbath Bloody Sabbath (Just when they seemed to be running dry, Sabbath reappeared for one more classic hit. They began experimenting with their sound, which turned off many die hard fans, but it opened the appeal to more people, so their popularity never wavered...that is until Sabotage, their next album, started a steady decline to eventual break up. Still a classic album in the genre)
(click on album to listen to clip)


1974


Bob Marley & the Wailers: Natty Dread (There could not be a more far off place than the hills of west Jamaica for a Legend of music to come from, but no one ever told that to Bob Marley. When he came onto the scene he single handedly introduced an entire genre to the entire world. Reggae starts and stops with Bob Marley, and at over 25 easily accessible albums at your disposal, you have enough to last you years of enjoyment. Probably one of his absolute classics, and a good place to start if you are interested in more than just what the popular Legend album has)
(click album to listen to clip)


Aerosmith: Get Your Wings (This is not your daughters Aerosmith, that of the amazed or miss a thing. This is classic original rocking aerosmith, and this is the album they became that band. Having just got their new producer that would help create the classics, this album hinted of great things to come by giving us such songs as Same ole Song and Dance, not to mention numerous other little known hits)
(click on album to listen to clip)


1975


AC/DC: High Voltage (Ok ready to be confused? There were two high voltage albums released, one in Australia and one in the US. They also released an album in the states with a different name than the one released in australia, one by the name TNT and one Dirty Deeds, both of which had slightly different songs. But their first one was Jailbreak, which had songs spread out on the above albums. Phew...whatever the confusion and whichever album you get, AC/DC was the defining Hard Rock Band of the 70s. The problem is people think of them as one band from then until today, but that is far from the truth. They should have changed their name when lead singer Bon Scott died in 1980, as they changed drastically. For an intro into the real AC/DC, this is a great place to start with Long way to the Top, TNT, and Rock n Roll Singer)
(click to album listen to clip)

Aerosmith: Toys in the Attic (Along with Rocks, these back to back albums are the dynamic duo of any Aerosmith collection. This first album is where Aerosmith perfected that Stones/Zeppelin combo sound that would produce such great music. Here we get the classics Walk this Way, Sweet Emotion, and that subtley titled classic Big Ten Inch Record)
(click on album to listen to clip)


Led Zeppelin: Physical Graffiti (2 years has gone by for Zeppelin, but they pick up where they left off, with another 5 star album, their 6th and final in a row. This long double album more than lives up to their growing legend, with the highlight perhaps being Kashmir.)
(click on album to listen to clip)



Pink Floyd: Wish you were Here (Musically, Floyd peaked with this album, especially with the solos by Gilmour, which showed more of a concentration on performing, instead of conducting an album. My only complaint is this album, at 5 songs is very short, although those 5 songs stretch to over 40 minutes)
(click on album to listen to clip)


1976


AC/DC: Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap (One song on this album, Big Balls, sums up AC/DC of the 70s. Think of a group of 18 year olds travelling around having as much fun as they could have, and you would get AC/DC. Controversial for playing without their pants or other relatively harmless things, they developed as big a group of protestors as they did fans. But underneath you can't help but see a group of kids having fun, and playing exceptional music all the while. Title song to this album, is one of their absolute best songs)
(click album to listen to clip)


Aerosmith: Rocks (Few albums are so perfectly named as this one. What many fans consider their finest album, it together with Attic, introduce you to the real Aerosmith, before studios tamed them down for airplay. Classic rock album, one that I can't even pick out one song as better than the rest because they all truly do Rock)
(click on album to listen to clip)


Boston: Boston (Often overlooked in an era of so much great music, but rarely underheard. Classic Boston songs such as More than a feeling, Peace of Mind, and Rock and Roll Band still echoes from class rock stations across the country, and never grow old. One of the best of the generation right here)
(click on album to listen to clip)




Rush: 2012 (What many Rush fans consider their first legendary album, you will not find the synthesizer laden rush of the 80s here, but good ole 70s rock. Excellent album, though highly unknown to those who only know the Tom Sawyer band)
(click on album to listen to clip)



1977


AC/DC: Let There be Rock (The title song for this album truly is self defining. Where Black Sabbath set the stage for a genre to come, AC/DC created the exact recipe for all future rock. As the title song says...Let there be sound, Let there be lights, Let there be drums, Let there be guitar...oooohhh Let there be Rock! from which Angus busts out in his classic wail. If the 80s looked to one model for success, let them look no further than the Bon Scott led AC/DC)
(click album to listen to clip)


1978


Steve Miller Band: Best of 1974-1978 (This year is an odd year. There are none of the usual suspects present, and instead we see bands that sounded quite different than almost every other year on this list. That is because disco fever was sweeping the nation and Pop was beginning to emerge. As an answer to the blend between Rock and Pop I give you the next two bands. Steve Miller and the Cars; Typically I havn't listed compilation albums, but there are certain exceptions when you just really don't need the other songs, and just want the hits)
(click on album to listen to clip)




The Cars: The Cars (With hits like Good times roll and Best Friends girl, the Cars gained fame very fast. They were pioneers in their own right, introducing the pop-rock type music that would be seen shortly on stations like MTV and VH1. Very good album to start it off)
(click on album to listen to clip)


Bob Marley & the Wailers: Babylon by Bus (Rarely do live albums carry the weight of their studeo counterparts, but that can not be said about the legendary Babylon by Bus. Marley played the perfect set for this recording, giving us little known classics such as Punky Reggae Party, Concrete Jungle, and Jammin. This is the great complentary album to Legend, as you get a very thorough overview with two simple albums)
(click on album to listen to clip)


1979


AC/DC: Highway to Hell (The swan song for what was the original band AC/DC as lead singer Bon Scott died shortly after this recording of alcohol poisoning. The album title instantly caused controversy, even though it was actually named after Angus Young's description of their road tour through the states. Of course, the band was never afraid of controversy, which Young played off by wearing horns on the cover as a joke. One of their best rocking albums, one can only think what if Scotts friend would not have left him in the car that night...)
(click to album listen to clip)




Pink Floyd: The Wall (Due to the sheer popularity of this album it needed to be included but with certain disclaimers. It is almost entirely supported by such mega-hits as Comfortably Numb and Hey You, and if examined closer truly falls apart as a great album. It seems very over produced, something you did not see earlier in Floyds career, and the lyrics are weak for most of the songs. Still due to popular demand, it needed to be mentioned, though within inches of one of the greatest rock albums of all time from AC/DC, this seems like a crime)
(click on album to listen to clip)