Pitchfork: The Top 100 Albums of the 1970s
List published June 23, 2004; collected on Sept. 18, 2015.
link (100-91) -- originally published in reverse order,
with notes. Works out to 10 albums per year, not very evenly
distributed { 1970: 11, 1971: 17, 1972: 10, 1973: 13, 1974: 5,
1975: 3, 1976: 1, 1977: 17, 1978: 11, 1979: 12 }. No easy way to
check genre breakdown, but there are 2 reggae records (nothing
by Bob Marley), 2 African (both Fela Kuti), 1 en français, 5
jazz (four Miles Davis), 0 country, 8 African-American, 8 Kraut
rock (2 Kraftwerk, 3 Can), 42 English artists/groups.
My graded albums in blue, grades in brackets. On my initial pass I
had 85 graded records (85%), leaving 15.
- David Bowie: Low (1977, RCA) [A-]
- The Clash: London Calling (1979, CBS) [A+]
- Television: Marquee Moon (1977, Elektra) [A]
- Sly & the Family Stone: There's a Riot Goin' On (1971, Epic) [A]
- Bob Dylan: Blood on the Tracks (1975, Columbia) [B]
- Kraftwerk: Trans-Europe Express (1977, Capitol) [A]
- Led Zeppelin: IV (1971, Atlantic) [A]
- Gang of Four: Entertainment! (1979, Warner Bros) [A]
- Joy Division: Unknown Peasures (1979, Factory) [A-]
- Brian Eno: Another Green World (1973, Island) [A+]
- Rolling Stones: Exile on Main Street (1972, Rolling Stones) [A+]
- The Stooges: Funhouse (1970, Elektra) [B+]
- Nick Drake: Pink Moon (1972, Island) [B+(*)]
- The Velvet Underground: Loaded (1971, Cotillion/Atlantic) [A+]
- The Who: Who's Next (1971, Decca) [A+]
- Buzzcocks: Singles Going Steady (1979, IRS) [A]
- Funkadelic: Maggot Brain (1971, Westbound) [B+]
- Miles Davis: Bitches Brew (1970, Columbia) [A-]
- Can: Ege Bamyasi (1972, United Artists) [B+]
- T. Rex: Electric Warrior (1971, Reprise) [B+(**)]
- Serge Gainsbourg: Histoire de Melody Nelson (1971, Philips) [B+(***)]
- Wire: Pink Flag (1977, Harvest) [A]
- Ramones: Ramones (1976, Sire) [A]
- Brian Eno: Here Come the Warm Jets (1974, Island) [A]
- Neu!: Neu! (1972, Brain) [A-]
- Stevie Wonder: Innervisions (1973, Tamla/Motown) [A]
- Led Zeppelin: III (1970, Atlantic) [A]
- The Beatles: Let It Be (1970, Apple) [B]
- Can: Tago Mago (1971, United Artists) [B+(***)]
- Miles Davis: On the Corner (1972, Columbia) [B+(***)]
- Talking Heads: Fear of Music (1979, Sire) [A-]
- Pink Floyd: The Wall (1979, Columbia) [B]
- Wire: Chairs Missing (1978, Harvest) [A-]
- Saturday Night Fever (1978, Polydor) [B+(*)]
- The Pop Group: Y (1979, Radar) [B+(***)]
- Pink Floyd: Wish You Were Here (1975, Columbia) [A]
- Elvis Costello: My Aim Is True (1977, Columbia) [A-]
- XTC: Drums and Wires (1979, Virgin) [B+]
- Suicide: Suicide (1977, Red Star) [B]
- The Modern Lovers: The Modern Lovers (1977, Beserkley) [A]
- Fleetwood Mac: Rumours (1977, Reprise) [A]
- The Specials: The Specials (1979, 2-Tone) [B+(***)]
- Michael Jackson: Off the Wall (1979, Epic) [A]
- The Clash: The Clash (1977, CBS) [A+]
- Talking Heads: More Songs About Buildings and Food (1978, Sire) [A]
- The Congos: Heart of the Congos (1977, Black Art) [B+] -- graded ([1996], Blood & Fire)
- Al Green: Call Me (1973, Hi) [A+]
- Miles Davis: Live-Evil (1972, Columbia) [A-]
- Marvin Gaye: What's Going On (1971, Motown) [A-]
- Tim Buckley: Starsailor (1970, Warner Bros)
- Sex Pistols: Never Mind the Bollocks (1977, Warner Bros) [A]
- Elvis Costello: This Year's Model (1978, Columbia) [A-]
- Steve Reich: Music for 18 Musicians (1978, ECM) [B+]
- Creedence Clearwater Revival: Cosmo's Factory (1970, Fantasy) [A]
- Nick Drake: Bryter Layter (1970, Island) [B+]
- Can: Future Days (1973, United Artists) [B+]
- Paul Simon: Paul Simon (1972, CBS) [A-]
- Miles Davis: A Tribute to Jack Johnson (1971, Columbia) [A+]
- Ramones: Rocket to Russia (1977, Sire) [A+]
- John Lennon: Plastic Ono Band (1970, Apple) [A-]
- Beach Boys: Surf's Up (1971, Brother) [B]
- The Cars: The Cars (1978, Elektra) [B+]
- Cluster: Zuckerzeit (1974, Spalax)
- Iggy Pop: Lust for Life (1977, RCA) [A]
- Neil Young: On the Beach (1974, Warner Bros) [A]
- Big Star: Third/Sister Lovers (1978, PVC) [B+]
- Pink Floyd: Meddle (1971, Harvest) [B+]
- Herbie Hancock: Head Hunters (1973, Columbia) [B+]
- Faust: IV (1973, Virgin) [B+(**)]
- Pink Floyd: Dark Side of the Moon (1973, Harvest) [A+]
- James Brown: The Payback (1973, Polydor) [A-]
- King Crimson: Red (1971, Atlantic) [B+]
- Van Halen: Van Halen (1978, Warner Bros) [C+]
- Leonard Cohen: Songs of Love and Hate (1971, Columbia) [A-]
- Led Zeppelin: Houses of the Holy (1973, Atlantic) [A-]
- Blondie: Parallel Lines (1978, Chrysalis) [A]
- David Bowie: Aladdin Sane (1973, RCA) [B+]
- Fela Anikulapo Kuti & Africa '70: Expensive Shit (1973, Editions Makossa) [B+] -- graded in Expensive Shit/He Miss Road ([2000], MCA)
- Randy Newman: Sail Away (1972, Reprise) [A-]
- David Bowie: Hunky Dory (1971, RCA) [A]
- David Bowie: The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust & the Spiders From Mars (1972, RCA) [A-]
- George Harrison: All Things Must Pass (1970, Apple) [B]
- Iggy & the Stooges: Raw Power (1973, Columbia) [A-]
- Nilsson: Nilsson Schmilsson (1971, RCA) [B+(**)]
- Wire: 154 (1979, Warner Bros) [B+]
- Joni Mitchell: Blue (1971, Reprise) [A-]
- Roxy Music: For Your Pleasure (1973, Warner Bros) [A-]
- Giorgio Moroder: From Here to Eternity (1977, Casablanca) [B]
- Devo: Q: Are We Not Men? A: We Are Devo! (1978, Warner Bros) [A-]
- Fela Anikulapo Kuti & Africa '70: Zombie (1977, Celluloid/MIL) [A-]
- Throbbing Gristle: 20 Jazz Funk Greats (1979, Industrial)
- Kraftwerk: The Man-Machine (1978, Capitol) [A-]
- Jimi Hendrix: Band of Gypsys (1970, Capitol) [A-]
- King Crimson: Starless and Bible Black (1974, Atlantic)
- Led Zeppelin: Physical Graffiti (1975, Swan Song) [B+]
- Iggy Pop: The Idiot (1977, RCA) [A-]
- The Harder They Come (1972, Mango) [A]
- Robert Wyatt: Rock Bottom (1974, Virgin) [B+]
- Neil Young: After the Gold Rush (1970, Reprise) [A]
- Brian Eno: Before and After Science (1977, Island) [A]
Initial rated count: 85 (85.0%).
Grade breakdown:
- A+: 10
- A: 25
- A-: 25
- B+(***): 5
- B+(**): 3
- B+(*): 2
- B+: 18
- B: 7
- C+: 1
- Total: 96
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