Music Lists Are Us: Favorite '70s Albums by Year with brief comments

Signed, Sealed, Delivered by Stevie Wonder (he could not write a bad song in the 70s)

All Things Must Pass by George Harrison (no former Beatle put more good songs on 1 album)

This Girl's in Love With You by Aretha Franklin

Bridge Over Troubled Water by Simon & Garfunkel

Let It Be by The Beatles

Ladies of the Canyon by Joni Mitchell

New Morning by Bob Dylan

I'll Never Fall in Love Again by Dionne Warwick

Atom Heart Mother by Pink Floyd (I like this better than The Wall )

Spirit in the Dark by Aretha Franklin

Sweet Baby James by James Taylor

1971

What's Going On by Marvin Gaye (Rolling Stone voted it the best album of all time; if it's not it's dang close)

Blue by Joni Mitchell

Surf's Up by the Beach Boys

Just As I Am by Bill Withers

Runt. The Ballad of Todd Rundgren by Todd Rundgren

Tapestry by Carole King

Al Green Gets Next to You by Al Green

Mudslide Slim and the Blue Horizon by James Taylor

Beyond the Blue Horizon by George Benson

Tupelo Honey by Van Morrison

Straight Up by Badfinger

Who's Next by The Who

1972

Talking Book by Stevie Wonder

#1 Record by Big Star

Young, Gifted and Black by Aretha Franklin

Can't Buy a Thrill by Steely Dan

For the Roses by Joni Mitchell

Let's Stay Together by Al Green

Raspberries by The Raspberries

Ben by Michael Jackson

Something/Anything? by Todd Rundgren

Still Bill by Bill Withers

Sail Away by Randy Newman

Be Altitude: Respect Yourself by The Staples Singers

Eat a Peach by The Allman Brothers

Exile on Main St. by The Rolling Stones

1973

Innervision by Stevie Wonder

Dark Side of the Moon by Pink Floyd

Killing Me Softly by Roberta Flack

Goodbye Yellow Brick Road by Elton John

Virtuoso by Joe Pass

There Goes Rhymin' Simon by Paul Simon

Band On The Run by Paul McCartney

Call Me by Al Green

Living in the Material World by George Harrison

Mind Games by John Lennon

Body Talk by George Benson

Angel Clare by Art Garfunkel

1974

Court & Spark by Joni Mitchell

Fulfillingness' First Finale by Stevie Wonder

Radio City by Big Star

Bad Benson by George Benson

I Want to See the Bright Lights Tonight by Richard & Linda Thompson

The Giants by Oscar Peterson, Joe Pass and Ray Brown

Pretzel Logic by Steely Dan

I Can't Stand the Rain by Ann Peebles

Late for the Sky by Jackson Browne

Blues on Bach by The Modern Jazz Quartet

Veedon Fleece by Van Morrison

It's Too Late to Stop Now by Van Morrison

1975

Blood on the Tracks by Bob Dylan

Koln Concert by Keith Jarrett

Still Crazy After All These Years by Paul Simon

Fire on the Bayou by The Meters

The Hissing of Summer Lawns by Joni Mitchell

Between the Lines by Janis Ian

Al Green is Love by Al Green

Wish You Were Here by Pink Floyd

The Basement Tapes by Bob Dylan and The Band

A Night at the Opera by Queen

That's the Way of the World by Earth, Wind and Fire

Born to Run by Bruce Springsteen

Honey by Ohio Players

1976

Songs in the Key of Life by Stevie Wonder

Hejira by Joni Mitchell

A New World Record by Electric Light Orchestra

Sincerely by the Dwight Twilley Band

Wild Tchoupatoulas by The Meters, The Neville Brothers, et al.

Bright Size Life by Pat Metheny

Joan Armatrading by Joan Armatrading

Jaco Pastorius by Jaco Pastorius

Desire by Bob Dylan

School Days by Stanley Clarke

Turnstiles by Billy Joel

Junco Partner by James Booker

Shake Some Action by Flamin' Groovies

Car Wash by Rose Royce

Thirty Three & 1/3 by George Harrison

1977

Aja by Steely Dan

Rock n Roll Gumbo by Professor Longhair

Heavy Weather by Weather Report

Rumours by Fleetwood Mac

Show Some Emotion by Joan Armatrading

Out of the Blue by Electric Light Orchestra

Simple Dreams by Linda Ronstadt

Animals by Pink Floyd

In Full Bloom by Rose Royce

Star Wars Soundtrack (Episode IV: A New Hope) by John Williams

Don Juan's Reckless Daughter by Joni Mitchell

True to Life by Ray Charles

Feels So Good by Chuck Mangione

Exodus by Bob Marley

1978

Parallel Lines by Blondie

Almighty Fire by Aretha Franklin

This Year's Model by Elvis Costello

The Neville Brothers by The Neville Brothers

The Last Waltz by The Band & various artists

To the Limit by Joan Armatrading

3rd/Sister Lovers by Big Star

Hermit of Mink Hollow by Todd Rundgren

Some Girls by The Rolling Stones

Quarter Moon in a Ten Cent Town by Emmylou Harris

Levon Helm by Levon Helm

One Nation Under a Groove by Funkadelic

Children of Sanchez by Chuck Mangione

Out of the Woods by Oregon

Midnight Believer by B.B. King

The Cars by The Cars

The Paris Concert by Oscar Peterson

52nd St. By Billy Joel

1979

Into the Music by Van Morrison

Damn the Torpedoes by Tom Petty

I Am by Earth, Wind and Fire

Fine and Mellow by Ella Fitzgerald

Back to the Egg by Wings

Street Life by The Crusaders

Armed Forces by Elvis Costello

Mingus by Joni Mitchell

Ain't Misbehavin' by Clark Terry

Breakfast in America by Supertramp

Rickie Lee Jones by Rickie Lee Jones

London Calling by The Clash

Rockit by Chuck Berry

Blue Kentucky Girl by Emmylou Harris

Tusk by Fleetwood Mac (the marching band in "Tusk" pushes this beyond just pop/rock)