Tuesday, August 7, 2012

70 For 70: The Top 70 Albums of the 1970's

The task was simple, yet epic: to create a ranked list of the our 70 favorite albums of the 1970's. Myself (Tim Speaker) and MIM (Madison Institute of Musicologists) founder Pete Fahndrich took on the challenge, and responded with lists that were extremely painful to create. When in doubt, we chose the albums that meant the most to us, as opposed to what we thought were the best.

Pete tweets at https://twitter.com/pmstation

Without further ado, her is 70 For 70:

Tim Speaker's Favorite 70 Albums of the 1970's

70. Leonard Cohen—Death of a Ladies’ Man
69. Neu!—Neu75
68. Van Morrison—St. Dominic’s Preview
67. Patti Smith—Easter
66. Black Sabbath—Master of Reality
65. Nick Drake—Pink Moon
64. Leonard Cohen—New Skin For the Old Ceremony
63. The Kinks—Lola Vs. Powerman and the Money Go Round
62. Nick Drake—Bryter Layter
61. The Grateful Dead—Workingman’s Dead
60. T.Rex—The Slider
59. Television—Marquee Moon
58. Elvis Costello—My Aim Is True
57. Talking Heads—More Songs About Buildings and Food
56. Brian Eno—Another Green World
55. Patti Smith—Radio Ethiopia
54. Suicide—Suicide
53. Tom Waits—Closing Time
52. Pink Floyd—Meddle
51. Black Sabbath—Paranoid
50. The Grateful Dead—American Beauty
49. Talking Heads—Fear of Music
48. The Grateful Dead—Blues For Allah
47. David Bowie—Lodger
46. The Clash—Give Em’ Enough Rope
45. The Rolling Stones—Some Girls
44. Neil Young—After the Gold Rush
43. The Beatles—Let It Be
42. Patti Smith—Horses
41. Pink Floyd—Wish You Were Here
40. Big Star—Third/Sister Lovers
39. Brian Eno—Here Come the Warm Jets
38. Van Morrison—Moondance
37. The Doors—LA Woman
36. Patti Smith—Wave
35. David Bowie—Young Americans
34. The Who—Who's Next
33. The Grateful Dead—From The Mars Hotel
32. Bob Dylan—Desire
31. Led Zeppelin—In Through The Out Door
30. T.Rex—Electric Warrior
29. David Bowie—Diamond Dogs
28. Black Sabbath—Black Sabbath
27. Iggy Pop—Lust For Life
26. Lou Reed—Transformer
25. The Velvet Underground—Loaded
24. Iggy Pop—The Idiot
23. Led Zeppelin—IV
22. Led Zeppelin—Presence
21. Pink Floyd—Dark Side of the Moon
20. The Stooges—Raw Power
19. The Rolling Stones—Exile on Main Street
18. David Bowie—The Rise & Fall of Ziggy Stardust & the Spiders From Mars
17. David Bowie—Aladdin Sane
16. Bruce Springsteen—Born To Run
15. David Bowie—Hunky Dory
14. David Bowie—Heroes
13. Led Zeppelin—III
12. Led Zeppelin—Houses of the Holy
11. David Bowie—Station To Station

Note: Only 1 artist per entry in the Top Ten
10. Pink Floyd—The Wall
09. The Clash—The Clash
08. The Sex Pistols—Never Mind The Bollocks
07. Bob Dylan—Blood on the Tracks
06. Joy Division—Unknown Pleasures
05. The Stooges—Funhouse
04. Bruce Springsteen—Darkness On The Edge Of Town
03. The Rolling Stones—Sticky Fingers
02. David Bowie—Low
01. Led Zeppelin—Physical Graffiti




Pete Fahndrich's Favorite 70 Albums of the 1970's
70.  Talking Heads - More Songs about Buildings and Food

69.  Led Zeppelin - Houses of the Holy
68.  John Lennon - Plastic Ono Band
67.  The Who - The Who by Numbers
66.  Van Morrison - Tupelo Honey
65.  Neil Young - After the Gold Rush
64.  Fleetwood Mac - Rumours
63.  Queen - A Night at the Opera
62.  Faces - A Wink is as Good as a Nod to a Blind Horse
61.  Badfinger - Straight Up
60.  Patti Smith - Easter
59.  The Pretenders - The Pretenders
58.  The Kinks - Lola vs. Powerman and the Moneyground
57.  Big Star - Third (Sister Lovers)
56.  Pink Floyd - Dark Side of the Moon
55.  Roxy Music - Country Life
54.  Stevie Wonder - Songs in the Key of Life
53.  George Harrison - All Things Must Pass
52.  Neil Young - Harvest
51.  Van Morrison - Moondance
50.  Paul McCartney - Ram
49.  Marvin Gaye - What’s Going On
48.  The Beatles - Let it Be
47.  Lou Reed - Transformer
46.  Billy Joel - The Stranger
45.  Elvis Costello - Armed Forces
44.  Led Zeppelin - Led Zeppelin III
43.  David Bowie - Diamond Dogs
42.  Modern Lovers - Modern Lovers
41.  David Bowie - Low
40.  The Who - Who’s Next
39.  Pink Floyd - The Wall
38.  Van Morrison - His Band and Street Choir
37.  Big Star - # 1 Record
36.  Creedence Clearwater Revival - Cosmo’s Factory
35.  Van Morrison - Saint Dominick’s Preview
34.  Iggy Pop - The Idiot
33.  The Ramones - The Ramones
32.  John Lennon - Imagine
31.  Velvet Underground - Loaded
30.  Joni Mitchell - Blue
29.  The Stooges - Raw Power
28.  Neil Young - Tonight’s the Night
27.  Joy Division - Unknown Pleasures
26.  T-Rex - The Slider
25.  Elton John - Tumbleweed Connection
24.  Led Zeppelin - Led Zeppelin IV
23.  Iggy Pop - Lust for Life
22.  David Bowie - Aladdin Sane
21.  Elton John - Honky Chateau
20.  Bob Dylan - Desire
19.  The Who - Quadrophenia
18.  The Clash - The Clash
17.  David Bowie - Honky Dory
16.  The Stooges - Fun House
15.  Led Zeppelin - Physical Graffiti
14.  Elvis Costello - This Year’s Model
13.  Brian Eno - Here Come the Warm Jets
12.  Talking Heads - Fear of Music
11.  The Rolling Stones - Some Girls

And the Top Ten Albums of the 1970's...
10.  David Bowie - Station to Station
09.  The Sex Pistols - Never Mind the Bullocks
08.  Television - Marquee Moon
07.  Bruce Springsteen - Born to Run
06.  David Bowie - The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars
05.  Neil Young - On the Beach
04.  Bob Dylan - Blood on the Tracks
03.  The Rolling Stones - Exile on Main Street
02.  Bruce Springsteen - Darkness on the Edge of Town
01. The Rolling  Stones - Sticky Fingers