Top 200 Albums of the 1970s - Introduction 200-151

Around 10 years ago I embarked on a “fun” project to rank my top 500 favorite albums. This proved to be way more work than I comprehended at the time. Since I update my top 100 movies list every decade it would seem like a new ranking would be in order but I had a much more narrow mindset this time around. Inspired in part by a fun band draft project I did, I thought good and long about the albums that ruled the decade. I’m not sure yet if I will do a project like this for every decade, but if I was going to do any decade, I was starting with the best.

For lack of a better phrase, I was raised on 70s music, particularly of the rock variety. My four favorite bands of all time all put out at least something in the decade, three of which were undeniably at their peak. It is the decade throughout my life that constantly surprises me with new discoveries and a never ending well to draw from. A lot of this was just the industry at the time. Records were big business and most bands were contractually obligated to release an album or two a year which certainly led to burnout but also to an enormous pressure cooker of great music.

Most of the roots of great 70s music can be traced back to the previous decade, but here rock, soul, punk, progressive, fusion, and country music seemed to peak. The rest of the world started to emerge on the scene as this list features albums from Germany, France, Nigeria, and Jamaica among others. I would like to pretend I’m an expert on ALL of the music of the decade, but two lifetimes isn’t enough to adequately research everything that was going on worldwide in 1970’s music.

This list is a personal reflection of my tastes in music of the decade. There are plenty of all-timers here but too many bands that I have shamelessly disrespected by excluding from the rankings. I would make my apologies here for who is left out, but I’d rather you read ahead and then come at me. Which makes me wonder who this list is for if even I feel disappointed I wasn’t able to include everything I wanted. This might be the only decade where I could seriously entertain the idea of a top 500, but I’ll spare you the exhaustive deep cuts for now.

As always I want to get into a brief word about eligibility here. For starters every album had to have its earliest release date between January 1970 and December 1979. For some borderline albums they may have songs recorded in 1969, or come out in another country after 1980. I default to the first release though. If there is something on here that doesn’t fit let me know, but to the best of my research abilities these are all 70s. 

My top 500 I was mostly excluding jazz, country, and live albums. No such restrictions exist, and frankly they shouldn’t have been excluded then. The live album is so ubiquitous with 70s music that it would seem criminal to leave them off. From The Allman Brothers to Cheap Trick many artists became household names based on live breakthroughs. This allowed me to not have to make distinctions between albums that are “partially” live either.

The only thing I didn’t count were compilations. Soundtracks do count as long as every song was written or recorded for that soundtrack (think Superfly). For albums that cobbled together songs from multiple artists (Saturday Night Fever, The Harder They Come) I left these out. I know these often pop up on many best album lists but compilations are cheating. This is why albums that collect previously released singles were also excluded. This largely just affected The Buzzcocks and Sweet (Desolation Blvd, I’m sorry). If anything else is missing from this list it is because I personally hate that band and you personally for being a fan of them. So I will put these up 50 at a time, so scroll on.

200. James Taylor - Sweet Baby James
Following one largely unsuccessful album for Apple Records James Taylor was nearly homeless. The song “Suite for 20G” was written in reference to his promised sum for delivering the album after writing one more song. Luckily for Taylor his fortunes were much better with Warner Bros. rather than Apple. His breakthrough single “Fire and Rain” helped the album reach #3 and eventually go multi-platinum. The two blues songs are a bit embarrassingly white, but “Sunny Skies” and “Country Road” are proof that the strengths far outweigh any weaker moments.

199. Rahsaan Roland Kirk - Bright Moments
Perhaps the best classic jazz album of the decade. That said, anyone familiar with Kirk’s unique approach to woodwinds might contend nothing he does is traditional. This incredible live set is full of outstanding performances, witty banter, and a very unique nose flute. This particular set was at a club in San Francisco in June of 1973, released the following year. In many ways it serves as a perfect career summation for Kirk who would suffer a stroke in 1975 that severely limited his ability to play. A second stroke followed in 1977 which proved fatal despite being just 42. If you were ever curious about his unique take on jazz, there is no better place to start than Bright Moments.

198. Prince - Prince
While still in his teens a bidding war broke out by labels to sign Prince. At the time Warner Bros. promised to let Prince have creative control and produce his own albums. His second album brought him his first platinum success and major crossover hit “I Wanna Be Your Lover”. I debated for quite awhile about putting this album on because man “When We’re Dancing Close and Slow” and “With You” grind the album to a fucking halt. It was nice of Prince to give us a chance to catch our breaths because everything else on this album kicks major ass. Prince was still playing every instrument on the album and he blessed our ears with some sick shredding on “Bambi” and “Why You Wanna Treat Me So Bad”. Chaka Khan would win herself a couple of Grammys for her version of “I Feel For You”. It was just the beginning of a nearly unstoppable generational run Prince was about to go on.

197. Lou Reed - Transformer
After making no money as the frontman of The Velvet Underground Reed moved back in with his parents after leaving the band. He was able to get a contract with RCA for a solo album that also went nowhere. Fortune smiled when David Bowie, who was a huge fan of the Velvets, offered to help record and produce his next album along with his guitarist Mick Ronson. Bowie helped promote the album as well as contributing some guitar, keys, and backing vocals. However, every song on the album was written by Reed with at least four of the songs dating back to his time with VU. Ronson produced the album and did most of the arranging. The result is one of the landmarks of glam rock and Reed’s most successful album. “Walk on the Wild Side” was Reed’s only hit, but the album is full of classics like “Viscious”, “Perfect Day”, and “Satellite of Love”.  

196. Ronnie Milsap - 20/20 Vision
Gotta give it to Ronnie, naming your album 20/20 Vision when you are blind shows his sense of humor is on the dark side. Millsap grew up dirt poor and after being sent to a school for the blind showed some musical aptitude. He landed a college scholarship before abandoning his law degree to play music full time. Further proof that country music didn’t get much better than the seventies glory days. Along with the title track, this featured two #1 country singles “What Goes On When the Sun Goes Down” and “(I’m a) Stand By My Woman Man”. I can’t say this is particularly innovative or groundbreaking but it is strong as hell without a weak song in the bunch.

195. ZZ Top - Tres Hombres
This power trio helped define Texas blues rock for the decade. Although ZZ Top’s popularity spiked and waned over the years (peaking in astonishing fashion with Eliminator) their best album was a decade earlier. It was their first top ten album and features the all time classics “La Grange”, “Jesus Just Left Chicago”, and by far my favorite from them “Waiting for the Bus”. I’d be lying if I said almost every time I listened to this album it is specifically to hear that god damn glorious opening riff. 

194. Grover Washington - Mister Magic
While many jazz artists embraced rock music in the 70s, Grover Washington gravitated towards r&b music. Mister Magic wound up a tremendous hit, topping both the soul and jazz charts and making the pop top 10. If you dig funky and slightly spaced out soul jams this should be right up your alley. The commercial aspects of this album make it hard not to like. 

193. The Move - Shazam
One could argue The Move were the prototypical power pop band if they weren’t outright heavy metal. Recorded amid massive dysfunction and failed tours, all but one song were covers. The formula was particularly successful for Vanilla Fudge and to an extent early Deep Purple, however The Move’s messy but brilliant second album far surpasses those. There is a wealth of ideas going on here that only get better with each listen. One could argue groups like Kiss and Cheap Trick owe a debt to The Move, and hell they must have been doing something right.

192. The O’Jays - Back Stabbers
Perhaps the definitive Philly soul record, the sixth O’Jays album proved to be their breakthrough. It was their first top ten album and featured their first #1 song with “Love Train”. The title track was also a massive hit, featured on several soundtracks and even used as evidence in the OJ Simpson trial. “Time to Get Down” and “992 Arguments” were also released as singles but honestly the whole album could have been a hit. Absolutely scratches that classic soul itch and it hits as hard today as it did in 1972.

191. The Amazing Rhythm Aces - Stacked Deck
Hi, I’m 42 and I still struggle to spell rhythm correctly. Recorded in Memphis in 1975, the debut album from the Aces would eventually be regarded as one of the finest country rock albums ever made. The fact that they didn’t quite fit in either camp comfortably perhaps kept them from achieving household name status. However lead singer Russell Smith came equipped with a host of originals, including the band’s biggest single “Third Rate Romance”. Like any good old boys they did throw a couple covers on there with an excellent rendition of Charlie Rich’s “Who Will the Next Fool Be” and Junior Parker’s “Mystery Train”. If you’ve never heard of these guys, do yourself a favor and check it out.

190. Dolly Parton - Coat of Many Colors
Dolly Parton has a LOT of albums and has been consistently working for 60 odd years. In fact this was her third album of 1971 alone. It was her most successful of the year, and the title track was often cited by Parton as her personal favorite song she ever wrote. In addition to the title track, Parton wrote 7 of the 10 songs on this album and they might just be her strongest stuff out of 49 albums. If you’re looking for a place to start with her work, this would get my vote, here’s to another 60 years of our benevolent Queen.

189. Gang of Four - Entertainment! 
By the end of the decade punk was dead and post punk was already here. Gang of Four’s debut took the band’s leftist politics and put them front and center. While taking some inspiration from punk as well as dub, reggae, and funk they leaned heavily on the dissonance. It makes the album not as inviting as some others of the era but all the more worth digging into. I’ll take this over Wire, Public Image, Suicide, and The Pop Group any day. None of those groups had a bass player as good as Dave Allen.

188. The Bothy Band - Old Hag You Have Killed Me
I’m not sure if there is something in my DNA that makes this shit slap so hard but, the second some Irish folk music starts up I immediately feel like I’m drinking with my ancestors. Perhaps people without Irish family members also feel this way when the shit is this good. The Bothy Band only released three studio albums during their brief time as a band, and for most their second album was the high point. You should know about a song or two in if this is for you, speaking for myself it very much is for me.

187. The Cars - The Cars
Punk may have been embraced enthusiastically by music critics but it wasn’t particularly revolutionary in terms of record sales. The smoother side of new wave brought radio ready hits to the airwaves and Rick Ocasek came armed with a career's worth of hits just on the first side alone. Sometimes just coming out with hook filled simple rock songs are enough, and the lasting legacy of this album proves it. Played out as some of it might be, I could never bring myself to hate “Just What I Needed”. 

186. Bob Marley and the Wailers - Exodus
Bob Marley’s most popular album is damn near a greatest hits collection. The album followed an assassination attempt on Marley, which led to his own personal exodus to England where the title track and album were recorded. Much more direct in his messaging than the past, Exodus wore its heart on its sleeve. The first side confirmed Marley had lost none of his angst and introspection, but the second half definitely felt like a party. This is perhaps not surprising that four of the five singles on the album were from the second side. Exodus’ success served as a gateway for many outsiders to reggae music even if purists would claim it wasn’t the most representative. By 1977, Marley was growing beyond the limits of his native music, looking for a more global approach. 

185. Freddie Hubbard - Red Clay
The idea that jazz in a traditional sense was dead in the 70s was far from the truth. Sure things got a little funkier but it wasn’t all fusion. Hubbard sought to bridge the gap between his bop past and the soul music of the day. Even though Hubbard the band leader was never better than here, the title track belongs to Ron Carter who lays down damn near the tastiest bass line in jazz music. In fact, it's hard not to make a classic when you’re backed by Carter, Lenny White, Herbie Hancock, and Joe Henderson. 

184. Billy Joel - The Stranger
When I started this list I honestly wasn’t even considering listening to any Joel. Sure I knew of his popularity but he always seemed more of a singles guy. Then I went and watched all 5 hours of his HBO documentary and damned if I didn’t go back and listen to all of his albums. While his first few records have their moments, The Stranger feels like a greatest hits album. Joining perhaps Rumours and Saturday Night Fever as the most loaded albums of the decade. Featuring four top 40 hits along with several live standards it was the album that absolutely saved his career. It fulfilled his early promise and launched him to the arena filling status he had from then on. 

183. Deep Purple - In Rock
Any doubts that Deep Purple could thrive in the 70s with new vocalist Ian Gillan were put to rest before “Speed King” even wraps up. The sound was noticeably heavier, louder, and faster. As much as things might seem to go off the rails in a great way early, “Child in Time” slows things down properly before building and breaking for 10 glorious minutes of some of the finest rock music ever made. Richie Blackmore had damn near the best guitar tone of the decade on that solo and god damn if there was ever a showcase for a new vocalist. The new lineup came out swinging and quickly set themselves up for their most iconic and popular era.

182. The Damned - Damned Damned Damned
If you ain’t first, your last. So congratulations to The Damned who beat fellow countrymen The Clash and Sex Pistols to the store with their debut album in 1977. Working again with Nick Lowe (who produced their first single “New Rose”) everything was put together over roughly 10 days. What made this different from other punk bands (especially the Pistols) is that the guys could actually play. Brian James in particular quickly became one of the uncontested best guitarists in punk, while also writing nearly everything on the album. Score another great debut for 1977.

181. John Prine - John Prine
A more country/folk tinged entry in the burgeoning singer-songwriter movement of the early 70s. John Prine’s debut was one of the era’s best debuts. Several of the 13 original songs would go on to be covered by far too many artists to name. “Your Flag Decal Won’t Get You Into Heaven Anymore” seems just as relevant today as it did in 1971. “Paradise” about his own father’s experiences mining, became a standard and probably was the most covered song on the album. Lyrically Prine was already running circles around many of his contemporaries with a strong sense of melody even if his vocals weren’t a particularly strong suit. 

180. Weather Report - Heavy Weather
Black Market served as something of a turning point for Weather Report. After Alphonso Johnson was replaced by Jaco Pastorius officially, the group reconvened to record their seventh album. “Birdland” would become a standard and is easily the group’s best remembered song. However you don’t get Jaco in your band not to use him, particularly on his compositions “Teen Town” and “Havona”. The group had come a long way since their spaced out debut, but Shorter and Zawinul remained constant. As usual Zawinul orchestrated the album, while helping shape the sound. It became a rare platinum selling jazz album and remains one of the most enduring of the decade.

179. Alice Coltrane - Journey In Satchidanada
Modal experimental jazz is rarely this accessible. Alice traded in her piano for a harp (on three songs at least) and brought along Pharoah Sanders on what would become arguably her best album. I’m not going to pretend to comprehend exactly all the spiritual references, but Alice was definitely continuing and expanding upon some of her late husband’s musical ideas and themes. It makes things have an almost trancelike vibe to the album, where everything has a sense of unity and deeper spiritual connection. All that could be pretentious nonsense if the music itself wasn’t so great.

178. Iggy Pop - Lust for Life
David Bowie might have very well saved Iggy Pop’s life. Guiding the sound of Pop’s first solo album The Idiot released in March of 1977. Bowie toured with Iggy, playing the keys instead of promoting his own brilliant Low. Trying to capitalize on the success of The Idiot, another album was quickly put together. Pop was determined to have more say over the direction on the follow up, and Lust for Life is much closer to his earlier Stooges recordings. It still has Bowie’s influence (who did write much of the music), and it isn’t quite as rough as Fun House or Raw Power. The whole thing was essentially written and recorded in 8 which gives the album an energy that feels like a live band really coming together. It would be Pop’s best album as a solo artist and the title track remains his most iconic song.

177. Mahavishnu Orchestra - Birds of Fire
After throwing together a debut album about a month after forming, there was about a two year window before the official follow up was released. In that time the focus on songs took precedence. It would be the last album the group formed before lineup changes started, making it a perfect compliment to its predecessor. Most of the ideas present on that first album are still here, but I’m not going to bitch about more of a good thing. It was my introduction to the band so I’ve always had a soft spot for Birds. 

176. Little Feat - Dixie Chicken
At one point in time each of Little Feat’s first three albums have been my favorite, so say hello to the current winner. After losing original bassist Roy Estrada, Kenny Gradney was brought in to replace him along with an additional guitarist and percussionist. It is Sam Clayton who does the most to change their sound. Moving slightly away from the roots rock of their debut to a more New Orleans based r&b sound while keeping things pretty country. The result is an incredible gumbo of influences that gave the band a truly original sound. 

175. The Chieftains - 4
Sometimes the missing ingredient in your band is a harp. Derek Bell was brought in for the first time to lend his harp playing to the mix and something clicked. Hell it was good enough for Stanley Kubrick who features “Women of Ireland” in Barry Lyndon (forgive me I can’t begin to spell or pronounce the Gaelic title). Like the Bothy Band, this is classic Irish folk music and god damn if it doesn’t resonate on a cellular level for me. 

174. Nick Lowe - Labor of Lust
Both of Lowe’s first two solo albums are fantastic, and this got the edge because it includes “Cruel to be Kind”, simply guitar pop perfection. There are many great debuts on this list, but a special shout out to the well thought out sophomore efforts. This in many ways is more of the same greatness that filled Jesus of Cool but with just a little more refinement and polish. Lowe was by now a seasoned producer himself which helps give everything a nice slick touch.

173. Serge Gainsbourg - Histoire de Melody Nelson
I’m not going to pretend I’m cool enough to know what was happening all over the world musically in the 70s, but Serge was cooking in France. My French isn’t nearly good enough to know what the hell he’s singing about, but I can tell you it’s perverted. In true French 70s fashion it is about a middle aged man banging a very underage girl, but perhaps it's best you don’t understand the lyrics. It proved to be by far his most influential and enduring album and it isn’t hard to hear why. This is one of the ultimate mood albums, which served as a future inspiration for trip-hop unsurprisingly. 

172. Rainbow - Ritchie Blackmore’s Rainbow
What originally was planned as a side project single release morphed into the second great rock band of Ritchie Blackmore’s career. “Black Sheep of the Family” was written and planned as a single when Blackmore asked Elf frontman Ronnie James Dio to sing it. The chemistry was good and an entire album was recorded with Blackmore and members of Elf. The result was first class hard rock that looked ahead to many of the heavy metal themes of the next decade. I often find it a toss up in terms of this album and the follow up Rising. While Rising has a better lineup I believe the first album had the better crop of songs. “Man on the Silver Mountain” and “Catch the Rainbow” might be the best song Dio ever recorded. 

171. Kiss - Dynasty
At no point in my life would I have guessed that “I Was Made for Loving You” would become Kiss’s most famous song. Seriously check Spotify it has about twice as many plays as “Rock and Roll All Night”. It was the official introduction of Desmond Child to the stable of co-writers Kiss would employ for the next decade and change. This was before Child ruled the 80s, but his ability to pen a catchy tune is on display immediately. It also unofficially was Peter Criss’s final contribution to Kiss with “Dirty Living”, substantially stronger than anything on his own solo album. “Sure Know Something” is an all time classic and fresh with “New York Groove” confidence Ace had three songs on the album. I can take or leave his “2,000 Man” but “Save Your Love” and “Hard Times” rule. More proof however that Ace couldn’t write lyrics for shit. 

170. Elton John - Goodbye Yellow Brick Road
I’ve largely fought against this album throughout the years, considering it very top heavy with hits and a bit long in the tooth.  The more I put it on the more every non-hit seems to emerge as a classic.  Elton and Bernie were in fine form and showed no signs of slowing down even after an absurd contract calling for two albums a year. In fact the more time goes by this keeps moving up the rankings. It helps that “Funeral for a Friend” is one of the greatest songs ever written and starts the album off in the most epic fashion. 

169. Frank Zappa - Joe’s Garage
A truly silly and amazing album to close out a very productive 1970s for Frank Zappa. Over the course of three albums Zappa tells the story of Joe, who becomes a rock star, then sex criminal, and overall degenerate. It is often vulgar, and never meant to be taken too seriously; it is also filled with some of the most impressive playing on any damn album. Zappa was well known for writing music normal humans couldn’t play, but he had a roster capable of the impossible here. Amidst the narrative and freak playing are countless jams that you’ll find yourself singing along to for days. “Stick it Out” may have taught more people German than the entire Rammstein catalog. 

168. The B-52s - The B-52s
An utterly indescribable band that helped launch the camp and kitsch waves that influenced everything from music and fashion to Saturday morning television.  If you only know this band from “Love Shack” this album might make your brain explode. The late 70s had a share of art school kids making music which made the B-52s kindred spirits with Devo and Talking Heads among others. However no band before or since utilized three vocalists quite like this. “Rock Lobster” remains a classic but it is just one of many on this debut that remains their best album.

 

167. Blondie - Parallel Lines
After coming to terms with the fact that they were no punk band, Blondie embraced pop and new wave with open arms and found themselves the biggest band on the planet. There were no shortage of bands “selling out” then and now but Blondie found a way to straddle the line between CBGB punk kids and chart topping pop band. “One Way or Another” is perhaps the most psychotically dark hit until “Every Breath You Take”. Not sure what it says about me but I don’t think it gets any better than the opening cover of “Hanging on the Telephone”.

166. Keith Jarrett - The Koln Concert
Keith Jarrett had already recorded some solo piano concerts but there was something truly magical about this performance. Arriving at the Koln Opera house sleep deprived and with a piano that was barely playable, Jarrett nearly refused to go on. Since recording equipment was already set up he went ahead and adjusted his playing to try and accommodate the limitations of his equipment. Through some alchemy it not only worked but became the most successful solo jazz album as well as solo piano recording ever released. A double album’s worth of improvised piano might not seem like the stuff of sublime music but when the pianist is Jarrett it certainly is (Cecil Taylor could never). 

165. Cheap Trick - At Budokan
Joining the Allman Brothers, Kiss, and Peter Frampton, Cheap Trick got their big break with a live album. They weren’t the first to record at the famed Japanese venue, in fact the album itself was intended as part of a series exclusively for Sony’s Japanese market. After imports started to take off the album got officially released elsewhere and eventually went triple platinum. What is refreshing today about it is not just the vastly superior versions of some of their classic songs, “I Want You to Want Me” by far the most improved/unrecognizable, it is also very short for a live album. There is no extended banter, filler, or a moment’s peace, just frantic energy front to back. 

164. Aerosmith - Rocks
Being sober can be a bore, being sloppy drunk is annoying and embarrassing. Finding that sweet spot in between can make you feel like a superhero. Aerosmith found that sweet spot with Toys and Rocks. The cracks were about to show, but not here. “Back in the Saddle” and “Last Child” proved they had only begun to peak. It was a ballsy move naming your album Rocks, but they backed it up, laying a claim as the mid-70s best hard rock band. “Get the Lead Out” was a not very subtle homage to their heroes in Zeppelin. At the end of the day it is nearly impossible to choose between Toys and Rocks so why not both?

163. The Isley Brothers - 3 + 3
The Isley Brothers have been making music almost continuously since 1954 and over the years have had countless reinventions. “That Lady” brought the brothers their first top ten single since “It’s Your Thing” while the album itself became their first platinum record. Lazy assholes with AI like to make soul covers of classic rock songs, but the Isley Brothers did it for real with Seals and Croft’s “Summer Breeze” which became a top ten hit in the UK. They also put their own funky spin on The Doobie Brothers “Listen to the Music”. It was funky, it was soulful, and to put it simply the brothers were cooking with this one.

162. Kiss - Alive!
After deciding to include live albums on this list, there was no way I was leaving this bad boy off. The album that changed everything for Kiss. It is not uncommon for Alive to top most fans' lists of the best Kiss record. It did serve as the group’s breakthrough for sure. Not a stretch to say without Alive I might not  give a shit about Kiss. The album offered superior versions of nearly everything included and set the standard for one of rock history's greatest live acts. It did offer the definitive versions of “Black Diamond”, “100,000 Years”, “She”, and of course “Rock and Roll All Night”. 

161. Badfinger - No Dice
A few things changed for Badfinger between Magic Christian and No Dice. No Beatles were involved in this album, but perhaps more importantly Pete Hamm emerged as the driving force of the band. “No Matter What” became a rock staple and arguably the definitive power pop song. Tommy Evans and Hamm collaborated for the band's most enduring song “Without You” even if their version isn’t always the best remembered (it should be). The rest of the album helped establish what would become known as power pop and begin a run of incredible albums and misfortune for the band.

160. Joy Division - Unknown Pleasures
Sorry to say this album is probably better known today as a t-shirt than the startling work of musical genius it is.  Ian Curtis and company cranked up the gloom and emerged as spokespeople for the disenchanted youth. Plenty of debate still rages today whether this or Closer were the superior LP, but that debate won’t be settled today since only one is eligible for this list. Right from the jump “Disorder” sets the stage for some goth inspired Kraftwerk inspired synth pop. For my money “She’s Lost Control” could be the band’s best song. When you only have two albums it’s best to cherish those. 

159. Supertramp - Breakfast in America
A monster of an album that yielded several enduring hits, Breakfast in America is easily Supertramp’s best known album. It spent six weeks atop the charts in the US, with three top 20 singles. However, years of unintentional exposure has made me sick to death of “Logical Song” and “Take the Long Way Home”. Breakfast in America wouldn’t be on this list if it wasn’t for everything else on the album. “Gone Hollywood”, “Lord is it Mine”, and “Child of Vision” are absolutely perfect songs which still pay homage to their prog past. An example of everything coming together for a group after years of also-ran status.

158. Kraftwerk - Trans-Europe Express
I will admit there are times when The Man-Machine and Autobahn threaten to take the crown, but I could never leave you Trans-Europe Express. The ultimate Kraftwerk album and easily the most influential electronic album ever made. Kraftwerk didn’t just look forward to the 80s synth wave boom, they were influencing hip hop artists, looking ahead to techno and electronica. The weird monotone vocals only help to add to the alien feel of the music. It could all be a nightmare of austere avant-garde bullshit if the music wasn’t so damn good. Kraftwerk created their own world and laid the groundwork for countless others. 

157. George Jones - Nothing Ever Hurt Me (Half as Bad as Losing You)
Well 48th times the charm right? After a few ballad heavy albums and some duet releases with his soon to be ex-wife Tammy Wynette, Jones decided to pick up the damn pace. The title track sets it up and knocks it down, and Jones never looks back. “What My Woman Can’t Do” wound up being the biggest hit from the album, showing the country's greatest vocalist in top form. Jones got a little introspective and prophetic on “Wine (You’ve Used Me Long Enough)” singing about his drinking that was soon to end his marriage, co-written with Wynette. However most of this album is just a rip roaring good time. 

156. Talking Heads - More Songs About Buildings and Food
The Talking Heads’ second album was their first of three with Brian Eno. Unlike the other two, this one doesn’t particularly change things much from their debut. It contained their first hit, the cover of Al Green’s “Take Me to the River” a fine song for sure, but hardly the highlight. The album as a whole had a more dance friendly pop to it, a direction that would be explored far more extremely on their next two albums. “The Big Country” is one of their best songs, while “Artists Only” remains one of their most interesting. 

155. Roxy Music - For Your Pleasure
Roxy Music’s second album, and last with Brian Eno is unlike anything either artist would do again.  Experimental but musically sound, it’s adventurous yet romantic, and the first of several great albums for Bryan Ferry and co. It has a notably darker edge while still having enough hooks to reward multiple listens. Roxy was never really a prog-rock band but this is probably the closest they got.

154. Rush - Hemispheres 
After their commercial breakthrough 2112, Rush progressively kept pushing their music ever forward. It is a bit of a toss up for their best 70s album and I wouldn’t object to anyone saying Farewell to Kings or 2112 were better. For me though Hemispheres is everything I love about Rush. We get a side long song for the final time, and the group’s first instrumental. “La Villa Strangiato” might very well be my favorite Rush song ever. “The Trees” showed that they could still work magic in half the time. To put it succinctly this album is all gas, and one of the decade's best progressive rock albums.

 

153. Carole King - Tapestry
After a decade of writing hit pop songs for other people, Carole King found herself a multi-platinum superstar with her breakthrough solo album.  Tapestry was composed of several new songs and re-interpreted versions of several of her old hits for others in what turned out to be the defining singer-songwriter album of the 70s and a landmark for female artists. Jackson Browne would adopt the same formula for his own debut released shortly after this.

152. Lynyrd Skynyrd - Second Helping
A near perfect follow up to a near perfect debut, Skynyrd’s second album features no shortage of classics, including the ludicrously overplayed “Sweet Home Alabama”.  Ronnie Van Zandt continued his development as a truly gifted songwriter and this album cemented Skynyrd as the best southern rock band around. “Swamp Music”, “Call Me the Breeze”, and “Workin’ for MCA” are all defining jams. However the boys hadn’t abandoned their sensitive side with “The Ballad of Curtis Loew” and “The Needle and the Spoon”. All these jams held down by a multi-guitar attack, boogie piano, and one hell of a rhythm section.

151. The Jam - All Mod Cons
There are no less than three stellar, near-perfect albums from The Jam, but All Mod Cons gets the honor of representing the band here.  Paul Weller channels his inner Ray Davies in evoking a very detailed segment of British life and backs up his “voice of a generation” lyrics with some irresistibly catchy songs.  Perhaps it isn’t too surprising that he would cover “David Watts” here making the comparison more than obvious. Driving everything home though is Bruce Foxton’s impeccable bass playing.