Albums of 1970
The records from 1970 that made our lists.
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1Ptah, the El DaoudAlice Coltrane
Ptah, the El Daoud
A serene, modal spiritual-jazz peak. Meditative and beloved. A high point.
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2Indianola Mississippi SeedsB.B. King
Indianola Mississippi Seeds
A polished, soulful peak King himself prized. Smooth and acclaimed. A high point.
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3ParanoidBlack Sabbath
Paranoid
The album that effectively founded heavy metal, riff after monstrous riff from 'War Pigs' to 'Iron Man'. Heavy, doom-laden and impossibly influential. Year zero for the genre.
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4Black SabbathBlack Sabbath
Black Sabbath
The debut that effectively invented heavy metal, dark and doom-laden. Heavy and historic. Year zero for the genre.
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5Tea for the TillermanCat Stevens
Tea for the Tillerman
Warm, melodic folk-pop of searching and faith, home to 'Father and Son' and 'Wild World'. Gentle and enduring. His defining record.
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6Cosmo's FactoryCreedence Clearwater Revival
Cosmo's Factory
A peak of swampy roots-rock hit machinery, from 'Up Around the Bend' to a sprawling 'Heard It Through the Grapevine'. Tight and tuneful. Their finest.
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7Deja VuCrosby, Stills, Nash & Young
Deja Vu
A peak of harmony-rich folk-rock, blending four songwriters into something greater. Warm and varied. A defining 70s record.
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8CurtisCurtis Mayfield
Curtis
A lush, socially conscious solo debut. Smooth and acclaimed. A genre cornerstone.
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9The Man Who Sold the WorldDavid Bowie
The Man Who Sold the World
A heavy, proto-metal turn with Mick Ronson's guitar to the fore. Dark and underrated. An early sign of his range.
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10In RockDeep Purple
In Rock
The album that launched their classic hard-rock era, loud and virtuosic. Heavy and influential. A genre cornerstone.
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11Layla and Other Assorted Love SongsDerek and the Dominos
Layla and Other Assorted Love Songs
Eric Clapton and Duane Allman trading guitar lines across a sprawling double album built around one of rock's most enduring title tracks.
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12Tumbleweed ConnectionElton John
Tumbleweed Connection
An Americana-themed peak of warm songcraft. Beautiful and beloved. A high point.
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13Red ClayFreddie Hubbard
Red Clay
A vibrant fusion-leaning post-bop peak of fiery trumpet and groove. Energetic and acclaimed. His finest hour.
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14Free Your Mind... and Your Ass Will FollowFunkadelic
Free Your Mind... and Your Ass Will Follow
A wild, psychedelic-funk landmark of acid-rock intensity. Bold and influential. A genre cornerstone.
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15All Things Must PassGeorge Harrison
All Things Must Pass
A vast, generous triple album of pent-up songcraft, Spector-produced and spiritual. Lush and beloved. The best of the solo Beatles records.
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16American BeautyGrateful Dead
American Beauty
The Dead's warmest studio record, full of country-folk songcraft like 'Box of Rain' and 'Ripple'. Mellow and beloved. An ideal entry point.
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17Workingman's DeadGrateful Dead
Workingman's Dead
A spare, country-folk turn of warm harmony, home to 'Uncle John's Band'. Mellow and beloved. A landmark.
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18Sex MachineJames Brown
Sex Machine
A sprawling, groove-locked document of the Godfather of Soul at his rhythmic peak. Relentless and influential. A funk cornerstone.
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19Sweet Baby JamesJames Taylor
Sweet Baby James
A gentle, intimate landmark of the singer-songwriter era, home to 'Fire and Rain'. Warm and beloved. A genre cornerstone.
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20Plastic Ono BandJohn Lennon
Plastic Ono Band
A raw, stripped-bare primal-scream record of startling honesty. Spare and powerful. His most uncompromising work.
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21Ladies of the CanyonJoni Mitchell
Ladies of the Canyon
A warm bridge between folk and her jazzier turn, home to 'Big Yellow Taxi'. Tuneful and beloved. A favourite.
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22Led Zeppelin IIILed Zeppelin
Led Zeppelin III
A surprising acoustic-leaning turn toward folk and Celtic textures alongside the riffs. More varied than expected. A grower among fans.
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23Bitches BrewMiles Davis
Bitches Brew
The album that birthed jazz-fusion, a dense, electric, studio-assembled brew of rock rhythm and free improvisation. Divisive on release and now revered. Demanding, hypnotic and unlike anything before it.
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24After the Gold RushNeil Young
After the Gold Rush
A fragile, beautiful set balancing piano ballads and ragged electric rock, more haunted than Harvest. A quiet favourite among devotees. Timeless.
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25Bryter LayterNick Drake
Bryter Layter
A lusher, jazz-touched record of bittersweet beauty. Warm and understated. A quiet classic.
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26AbraxasSantana
Abraxas
A sublime fusion of Latin rhythm and rock guitar, home to 'Black Magic Woman' and 'Oye Como Va'. Hypnotic and warm. Their masterpiece.
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27Bridge over Troubled WaterSimon & Garfunkel
Bridge over Troubled Water
Their final and biggest album, balancing the soaring title hymn with lighter, worldlier songs. Immaculately produced and hugely popular. A perfect send-off.
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28SunflowerThe Beach Boys
Sunflower
A warm, underrated post-Pet Sounds gem of lush harmony and gentle craft. Overlooked on release and quietly beloved since. A grower for devotees.
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29Let It BeThe Beatles
Let It Be
Their troubled final release, rooftop-concert energy wrestling with Phil Spector's overdubs, yet home to 'Let It Be' and 'The Long and Winding Road'. Ragged but moving. A fitting, complicated farewell.
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30Morrison HotelThe Doors
Morrison Hotel
A bluesy, back-to-basics peak after experimental detours. Tough and beloved. A strong late record.
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31Band of GypsysThe Jimi Hendrix Experience
Band of Gypsys
A funky, heavy live peak with a new trio, home to 'Machine Gun'. Powerful and beloved. A landmark.
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32Lola Versus Powerman and the Moneygoround, Part OneThe Kinks
Lola Versus Powerman and the Moneygoround, Part One
A witty, melodic peak, home to 'Lola'. Sharp and beloved. A high point.
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33Fun HouseThe Stooges
Fun House
A raw, saxophone-scorched proto-punk landmark of pure energy. Wild and primal. Hugely influential.
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34Live at LeedsThe Who
Live at Leeds
Widely held to be one of the greatest live rock albums, ferocious and loud. Powerful and beloved. A landmark.
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35MoondanceVan Morrison
Moondance
Warmer and more song-based than Astral Weeks, all joy and swing, from the title track to 'Into the Mystic'. Soulful and beloved. A perfect record.
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36Just Another Diamond DayVashti Bunyan
Just Another Diamond Day
A fragile, pastoral folk gem ignored on release and later revered. Beautiful and beloved. A cult treasure.