Seven live albums from the 1970s that should be ignored

I’ve been going on about how great live albums were back in the 1970s. And that's true and undeniable, there was a large number of amazing examples at the time. Have a read about ten of the best from that decade if you need any convincing. 

It was a fabulous decade for music, and as more artists released superb live albums, others caught on and wanted to join in. Now, that could have meant a real surge of tremendous concerts with amazing atmospheres put down on record. And, to a great extent, that's what happened. 

Unfortunately, though, it also meant a more cynical and streetwise approach from some record labels and artist management. Some saw a live album as a cheap alternative to a studio album. Others reckoned this was an easy way to fulfill a contractual obligation for a new album. In some cases, there just didn't seem to be enough focus and attention to make a really great record.

Seven live 1970s albums you can miss out

For those and a variety of other reasons, there were a few live albums from the 1970s that just didn't deliver well, some of which came from major artists. That's a shame, really, as often a live album is a great starting point for a new listener following up on an artist. They can tap into all the great hits and fan favorites in a live setting. 

Here are seven live albums from the 1970s that you would be better avoiding. In several cases there are better live offerings from those artists over the years to listen to instead.