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The 70s saw some iconic performers and some legendary music. Though the inception of these albums might have been before our time, the music itself has proven timeless. It’s almost criminal the amount of really good sounds that came out of that era. Punk was given birth, Reggae was getting some mainstream love, folk music was melding with other styles to create something new, and good old classic rock and roll would see some of its biggest and longest lasting stars rise. Today, with so many ways to access vast libraries of music of all genres and eras, there’s been no better time to explore and expand our musical horizons. To help you on your way, we’ve compiled a list of the top five albums released in the 70s that you need to give a listen.
This British-American band has enjoyed a long stint of musical success. Stevie Nicks anyone? Their sound trips the light fantastic between pop, rock, blues, and even a few dabbles into new wave. Rumours is vastly heralded as their finest album, and this is with good reason. The name comes from the upheaval the band was going through at the time, including artistic differences, drug abuse, and romantic hook-ups and break-ups within the band. The result is beautifully raw with songs in which the emotion is palpable. Top tracks include “Dreams”, “Go Your Own Way”, “Gold Dust Woman”, and “The Chain”. “Silver Springs” was additionally released as a B side to “Go Your Own Way” and was meant to be a part of the album, but left off last minute. “Silver Springs” is still one of the greatest odes to “what could have been” these some 40 odd years later.
Led Zeppelin is the quintessential 70s rock band. With Robert Plant’s incredible vocal range and ability to sing with conviction and almost a mystical quality, practically every album of theirs is worth listening to. Jimmy Page is one of the original guitar heroes and his incredible solos are pretty much as instantly recognizable as Plant’s voice. While Led Zeppelin IV seems to be the album with the most fanfare due to songs like “Stairway to Heaven”, Houses of the Holy, as a whole, far outshines it. “The Rain Song” alone makes this album worth listening to and indeed the entire tone of the album has something “other” about it. Play it all and enjoy!
There’s just something about Stevie Wonder. His sound, a mix of pop, R&B, soul, funk, and jazz is as moving as it is recognizable. Much of his music, is in one word, “joyous”. Foot tapping music that you can’t help but move along with in some way. This album is greatly considered to be his magnum opus. We defy you not to bust a move to these tracks: “Isn’t She Lovely”, “I Wish”, and “As”.
Debbie Harry of Blondie is one of the biggest queens of rock and punk. This album, heavily laced with new wave sounds as well, helped to make punk a little less underground in the 70s and paved the way for some of the music of the 80’s. This album, at the same time earnest, fun, frantic, and haunting has some incredible tracks. Check out “One Way or Another”, “Picture This”, Sunday Girl”, and “Heart of Glass” for starters.
Bob Marley is the voice of Reggae. A legend in his own right, he died far too young, but he left some incredible music behind. Exodus was actually declared album of the 20th century by Time Magazine. Half the album is filled with love songs and those sort of zest of life songs that cruise ship commercials seem so fond of, and the other half is a call to a revolution. There’s not really a bad song here, but start with “Natural Mystic”, “Exodus”, “Jamming”, “Three Little Birds”, and “One Love”.
