I could easily get addicted to live albums, perhaps I am already. I know some people don’t rate them at all. Often they tend to dislike albums where there has been a lot of production work to get the sound or music quality right afterward.
Despite that, I like the buzz of a live recording, and the additional atmosphere they bring to supplement the music. When it comes to great times for live albums, it’s hard to beat the 1970s. Even if the recording quality wasn’t as technologically advanced as it is now, it may have added a raw edge that boosts the sound rather than detracts.
Having said all that, it can be hard to work out what were the best live albums in any period. I’ve looked at a list of top live albums backed by data. Those can still be quite controversial, though, and bring surprises. One alternative is to check out which live albums made it to number one on the Billboard 200. They must have been popular for sure. Let's take a look at all the live albums that achieved that in the 1970s.
The 1970s live albums that reached number one
Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young – 4 Way Street
Whether it was as the original trio of Crosby, Stills & Nash or their extended group after Neil Young joined, the group, in one format or another sold a lot of albums. The quality of their music was high and they attracted lots of interest. In addition to making great music, though, CSNY had a lot of arguments and infighting, too. So much so that not long after this live album was released in 1971 they broke up as a band. They did, though, get back together again for a tour and another album.
4 Way Street was the first live album in the 1970s to make number one on the Billboard 200. It brought together the best of the band members individually and as CSNY. It’s a superb live record and was their third best-selling album as a group of four with just under five million copies sold worldwide. That placed it just behind Deja Vu and So Far.
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