10 greatest albums of the 1970s
The best of an amazing decade.
By Lee Vowell
The 1970s was replete with amazing music. Genres and subgenres were formed and, in some cases, perfected. Some groups that began in the 1960s came to full bloom in the '70s.
Some bands started and faded in the decade. A couple of musical artists who had that happen are reflected here. Sadly, the ones who truly miss out on them not carrying on are the listening public who failed to get more gifts from the artists.
There are hundreds of gems from the 1970s. Some have even been forgotten. But these albums should never be as they were the best of the decade.
The 10 best albums from the 1970s
No. 10 - Pink Floyd - The Wall (1979)
The soundtrack to possibly the greatest non-concert musical ever by rock by? Likely. But even if there was no fantastically off movie to accompany the album, the songs and concept are strong enough to hold on their own. There is enough great material to have made three excellent records, but the weight of this work of art would have not been fully felt.
What is not to love here? Over 26 songs we are taken on a journey where we might not ever be sure where we are heading or even want to be at the place at the end, but we still want to go. As hard as it is to believe, "Comfortably Numb," "Hey You," and "Another Brick in the Wall, Pt. 2" are all on this album and these might not even be the three best tracks.
No. 9 - Television - Marquee Moon (1977)
What exactly was Television besides a group of amazing musicians who could create art out of literally anything? Taken piece by piece and instrument by instrument, the songs would make no sense. But the collective force of everything, like a rock version of great jazz, makes the house complete and strangely beautiful.
Marquee Moon was an arty, proto-punk, pre-emo accident that the group, and most others, could never quite recreate. The musicians themselves are almost too talented and with visions of their own for Television to remain cohesive. But at least we have songs such as "Marquee Moon" and "See No Evil" to remember the band by.