The 10 best-selling albums of the 1970s ranked

This meant that subgenres of subgenres were created, and other styles of music such as disco and funk also became incredibly important and began to top the charts. With so much diversity, the ten best-selling albums of the decade are truly a mixed bag, and it’s exciting to see the genrelessness that today’s musical champions began to slowly take hold decades ago.

Of course, while the top ten best-selling albums are a mixed bag, that doesn’t mean they can’t all be rated. These are the best-selling records of the 1970s, ranked from worst to best.

The 10 best-selling albums of the 1970s:

10. Grease – Soundtrack

When Grease The movie came out and took the world by storm. The cheerful musical about hopeless romantics and forgotten dreams was so enticing that everyone who watched it immediately wanted to learn the songs and dances that came with it. In conclusion, Grease The soundtrack was one of the best-selling albums of the 70s.

Although it is impossible to deny that songs such as ‘Grease Lightning’, ‘You’re the One That I Want’ and ‘Summer Nights’ are classics, the plot was not revolutionary in terms of music. They deserve their place in history, but when it comes to this list, some albums deserve higher positions.

9. Greatest Hits 1971 – 1975 – Eagles

many people eagles When you think about the US version of The Beatles and their influences, it’s easy to see why. The way the band combined country music with rock was truly revolutionary. People were so in love with the band Greatest Hits the compilation was one of the best-selling albums of the entire decade.

looks like this Grease While the Eagles’ influence on the soundtrack is undeniable, it would also be unfair to rank a compilation higher than number nine. The Eagles’ individual albums are much more important, and who knows, there might be another one further down this list.

8. Goodbye Yellow Brick Road – Elton John

Elton John’s His influence on music was brutal. Because his music straddled the line between fun and sentimentality, every song he wrote had the potential to become a hit. One of the albums that best represented his wide range was his 1973 album. Goodbye Yellow Brick Road.

This was John’s seventh studio album and remains one of his most successful. At 17 tracks long, it’s not a quick listen; The album includes hits such as “Bennie and the Jets”, “Goodbye Yellow Brick Road” and “Candle in the Wind”, all of which are now among the singer’s classics.

7. Bat from Hell – Meat Bread

Meatball a relatively divisive figure in rock music. While many fell in love with her operatic vocal style, others thought it lacked substance. Whatever your opinion of him, given the success of his debut album, Bat Out of HellThere is no escaping it as he has made a significant impact on the music world.

Released in 1977 Bat Out of Hell It is still considered by many to be a legendary rock album. Tribute bands have continued to tour the world performing some of the iconic hits featured on this album, and this legacy cannot be ignored.

6. Saturday Night Fever – Bee Gees

Forget the 70s; when it comes out, Saturday Night Fever It was one of the best-selling albums in music history. saw this Bee Gees Embrace a new direction that has disco and funk at its heart and completely took over the country in a matter of minutes.

While this song is also the soundtrack to a film, the record’s originality and the fact that it serves as a peak for one of the biggest genres of the 70s means that it’s hard to ignore the influence of this record given the greatness of disco. That was in the 70s, and that’s how many of these songs are still alive and well with listeners around the world.

5. Wall –Pink Floyd

moment Pink Floyd He stopped trying to write hit songs and was willing to dive headfirst into the world of concept albums, slow builds and big wins, and this became a pivotal moment not only for the band but for the music industry as a whole. Pink Floyd built their own world within the boundaries of their records and Wall It’s a great example of these types of music coming together.

Although many people thought that the album was a little long and could not keep up with the traces left by its predecessor, Dark Side of the Moonstill a triumphant piece of music. Wall It still stands as one of the best rock albums ever made, and it’s impossible not to get on the right side of it.

4. rumors –Fleetwood Mac

Chaos and music are often synonymous. In many workplaces, if there are arguments and tensions, the product of that work group is often suboptimal. But in music, sometimes this chaos can create something extraordinary. rumors It is an example of a mutable environment producing something otherworldly.

Relationships, substance abuse, and general hostility within the group increased the emotions needed to create a masterpiece for people. rumors It could also be called “The Rise and Fall of Fleetwood Mac” as it represents the band at their best and gives us insight into what would tear them apart. It was a commercial success and seems just as culturally relevant today as it was when it was released.

3. California Hotel – Eagles

While a compilation album gives people a good idea of ​​what a band can do as a whole, there’s something about the sacred nature of an album that continues to prevail. California Hotel showed eagles They are doing their best. There were rock and country elements as people expected, but these were turned up to 11 and created some of the greatest ballads the band has ever made and still remain relevant today.

From the moment opening song ‘Life In The Fast Lane’ kicks in, which Slash describes as a “Killer riff”, it’s clear that the band have no intention of messing around. The Eagles refused to give up after that. The classic song on the album is ‘Hotel California’, an ambitious track that has one of the best guitar solos ever written.

2. Dark Side of the Moon –Pink Floyd

It takes a great album to make people question the validity of a masterpiece. Wallbut that’s exactly it Dark Side of the Moon did. The band was always a psychedelic band, but that didn’t always resonate with pure rockers. As Jimi Hendrix said, “Here’s something I hate, man. When these cats say, ‘Look over there.’ ‘They’re playing psychedelic music!’ All they do is shine a light on them and play ‘Johnny B Goode’ with the wrong chords.”

With Dark Side of the Moon, Pink Floyd It showed how powerful psychedelic music is. This wasn’t just a weirder version of rock; it was layered and complex, allowing bands to break rules that might limit other rock bands. Psychedelic music suddenly had to be taken much more seriously, and Pink Floyd pioneered that mentality.

1. Led Zeppelin IV – Led Zeppelin

The 70s welcomed a testing period for many bands. The straight rock ‘n’ roll of the ’60s was a thing of the past, and while bands still drew from it for inspiration, musical styles were merged, lines between genres were crossed, and artists were suddenly encouraged to break that line. regulations. No artist could be a better example of this mentality. Led Zeppelinand iconic records Led Zeppelin IV It’s one of the best albums released in the 70s.

A combination of acoustic music, classical music, rock, blues and big heavy choruses, Led Zeppelin IV It’s not just a great-sounding album; an album that reflects the forward-thinking nature of artists from that generation. It stands as one of Zeppelin’s best and reflects what people were thinking during an exciting time in music.

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