Music: Best Albums of the Year series: 1971

[Saturated Fats]

1965: The Beatles - Rubber Soul
1967: The Beatles - Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band
1969: The Beatles - Abbey Road
1970: Black Sabbath - Paranoid
1973: Pink Floyd - Dark Side of the Moon
1975: Pink Floyd - Wish You Were Here
1977: Fleetwood Mac - Rumours
1980: AC/DC - Back in Black
1982: Iron Maiden - The Number of the Beast
1985: Tears for Fears - Songs from the Big Chair
1988: Metallica - ...And Justice for All
1989: Pixies - Doolittle
1991: Nirvana - Nevermind
1994: Nirvana - MTV Unplugged in New York
1996: (TIE) Soundgarden - Down on the Upside // Rage Against the Machine - Evil Empire
1998: (TIE) Lauryn Hill - The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill // System of a Down - System of a Down
2000: Radiohead - Kid A
2002: Queens of the Stone Age - Songs for the Deaf
2004: (TIE) Madvillain - Madvillainy // The Killers - Hot Fuss // Green Day - American Idiot
2007: Radiohead - In Rainbows
2010: The National - High Violet

1979: Pink Floyd - The Wall (16 votes)

2nd Place: The Clash - London Calling (12 votes)
3rd Place: Supertramp - Breakfast in America (10 votes)
4th Place: AC/DC - Highway to Hell (9 votes)
5th Place: 2 albums with 8 votes

Maybe shouldn't be surprised that one of the biggest and most important albums in musical history won the year, but... I dunno, I'm not the biggest fan of The Wall. But that gives the 'big-3' Floyd albums a 3-0 record in the votes. I was also surprised not to see more love for Unknown Pleasures. Nonetheless, an extremely important and top-heavy year.

1971 will prove to be another, as I'm having a tough time narrowing it down to just 29 albums. This may well be the deepest year, album-wise, in music history. As a big Joni Mitchell stan, I'm going to use my platform to encourage people to Vote for Blue! I know, I know... Lobbying. Still, such a great and fun year.

9/14: 2014
9/16: 1999
9/19: 1966

Click to read more...

 

[MetalheadPenguinsFan]

Voted for Black Sabbath’s “Master of Reality” and Janis Joplin’s “Pearl.”

 

[ProstheticConscience]

Damn, 1971 was a good year for music.

 

[Pranzo Oltranzista]

As much as I wanted to put Love It to Death first, just couldn't. There is nothing close here to the Gainsbourg album, and it's not even his best one IMO (!). Well, to me anyway, and normally I'm very opened to everyone's tastes, but here I think I'm ready to fight on this one. ;-)

(I'm really glad to see both the albums in the poll!!)

1. Serge Gainsbourg – Histoire de Melody Nelson
2. Alice Cooper – Love It to Death / Alice Cooper – Killer
3. Yoko Ono – Fly
4. Funkadelic – Maggot Brain
-
5. Faust – Faust
6. John Lennon – Imagine
-
-
7. Led Zeppelin – Led Zeppelin IV
8. Shawn Phillips – Collaboration
9. The Beach Boys – Surf's Up
10. Captain Beefheart & His Magic Band – Mirror Man
11. Flower Travellin' Band – Satori
12. Daevid Allen – Banana Moon
13. Ensemble of Unique Instruments – Delusion of the Fury
14. Canned Heat & John Lee Hooker – Hooker 'n Heat
15. Harry Nilsson – Nilsson Schmilsson
16. Freddie Hubbard – Straight Life
17. Audience – The House on the Hill
18. Paul McCartney – Ram
19. Faces – A Nod Is as Good as a Wink... to a Blind Horse / Faces – Long Player
20. Leonard Cohen – Songs of Love and Hate

HMs:
Miles Davis – A Tribute to Jack Johnson
The Kinks – Percy / The Kinks – Muswell Hillbillies
Can – Tago Mago
Leaf Hound – Growers of Mushroom
Gil Scott-Heron – Pieces of a Man
Jan Dukes de Grey – Mice and Rats in the Loft
The Chambers Brothers – New Generation
Ash Ra Tempel – Ash Ra Tempel
Joni Mitchell – Blue
Ten Years After – A Space in Time
Flamin' Groovies – Teenage Head
Blues Creation – Demon & Eleven Children
Bobby Hutcherson – Head On
The Groundhogs – Split

Curiosities*:
Södra Bergens Balalaikor – Södra Bergens Balalaikor
Alice Coltrane – Journey in Satchidananda
Uriah Heep – Look at Yourself
Gal Costa – Fa-tal - Gal a Todo Vapor
Asoka – Asoka
Magma – 1001° centigrades
Michel Polnareff – "polnareff's"
Bakery – Momento

*stuff I think is interesting and deserves to be heard, but that I'm not really going back to myself

 

[Pranzo Oltranzista]

Vote for Blue!

Went out of my way and skipped both Can and Gil Scott-Heron to give it my 10th vote. ;-)

 

[Mescaleroman]

David Bowie - Hunky Dory
Harry Nilsson - The Point / Nilsson Schmilsson
Jethro Tull - Aqualung
Genesis - Nursery Chryme
Cat Stevens - Teaser and the Firecat
the Who - Who's Next
Yes - The Yes Album / Fragile
the Mothers - Fillmore East - June 1971
Gentle Giant - Acquiring the Taste
Carole King - Tapestry

HM's
Elton John - Madman Across the Water
Led Zeppelin - IV

 

[Pranzo Oltranzista]

Harry Nilsson - The Point /

The Point was from 1971?! Oh, I'll have to rethink my ranking then

 

[Chili]

Led Zeppelin IV
Who's Next
LA Woman
The Yes Album
Love it to Death
Sticky Fingers
Aqualung
Tapestry

Added:

Michel Pagliaro-Michel Pagliaro
Lighthouse-One Fine Morning
Ten Years After-A Space in Time
Three Dog Night-Golden Biscuits
The Who-Meaty, Beaty, Big & Bouncy
Mungo Jerry-Electronically Tested
Don McLean-American Pie

I don't listen to Stairway to Heaven anymore because I've heard it so many times. But the whole album rocks for me especially Going to California.

A great year for music.

 

[Mescaleroman]

The Point was from 1971?! Oh, I'll have to rethink my ranking then

I've been known to get some release dates wrong from the sites I use to come up with my lists.
Most show it as 71 but looks like it may have been released late 70.
Checked my album and liner notes indicate songs were copyrighted in 70.

Sorry about that , no need to redo your list

 

[plank]

1. Who's Next - The Who
2. Sticky Fingers - The Rolling Stones
3. Every Picture Tells a Story - Rod Stewart
4. s/t - John Prine
5. L.A. Woman - The Doors
6. IV - Led Zeppelin
7. A Nod is as Good as a Wink to a Blind Horse - Faces
8. Muswell Hillbillies - The Kinks
9. Delta Momma Blues - Townes Van Zandt
10. Lost in the Ozone - Commander Cody and his Lost Planet Airmen
11. Sundance - Mountain Bus

 

[Pranzo Oltranzista]

I've been known to get some release dates wrong from the sites I use to come up with my lists.
Most show it as 71 but looks like it may have been released late 70.
Checked my album and liner notes indicate songs were copyrighted in 70.

Sorry about that , no need to redo your list

No worry about that! I missed it too in my 70 list... It was a stronger year though, won't change my top-10.

 

[Teemu]

Led Zeppelin - Led Zeppelin IV
The Who - Who's Next
Tom T. Hall - In Search of a Song
John Prine - John Prine
Dolly Parton - Coat of Many Colors
Rolling Stones - Sticky Fingers
Marvin Gaye - What's Going On

 

[WetcoastOrca]

Tough to just pick 10 so I’ll go for 11. The first two by Marvin Gaye and Joni Mitchell are amongst my all time favourites.

Marvin Gaye: What’s Going On
Joni Mitchell: Blue
Rod Stewart: Every Picture
Carole King: Tapestry
Elton John: Madman
Sly: There’s a Riot
Cat Stevens: Teaser and the Firecat
Don McLean: American Pie
The Doors: LA Woman
Bowie: Hunky Dory
Jethro Tull: Aqualung

 

[Hockey Outsider]

Lots of great choices here. I think the poll is incorrect regarding Yes's two albums. "The Yes Album" (rather than "Close to the Edge") was released in 1971. I'd rank "Fragile" as the best album of the year. Even though the album has something of a cobbled-together feeling, with only four songs but five solo pieces (one for each member of the band) the material is strong that it takes top spot for me.

A few lesser-known albums not listed in the poll:

Caravan - "In the Land of Grey and Pink". One of the best examples of the Canterbury scene. This is an offshoot of progressive rock but there's more of a jazz (rather than classical music) influence. They also tend to be less serious than the rest of the prog rock scene. There are four songs on the first half (relatively conventional), and a 23-minute jazz-rock suite, largely instrumental, on the second half. Caravan never had a truly excellent album from start to finish, but this is as close as they'd come.

Emerson, Lake and Palmer - "Tarkus". The album opens with a 21-minute song about an armadillo tank (seriously - look at the album cover). An extraordinary composition, easily one of the greatest progressive rock suites ever (despite the ridiculous lyrics). The second half, featuring six shorter, more conventional songs, is much weaker though. It feels as if the band saved all their best ideas for their epic song.

Isaac Hayes - "Shaft". Most people know the theme song, but the highlight of the album is the 19-minute "Do Your Thing", a mix of psychedelic rock and jazz. The rest of the album is always pleasant, occasionally engaging.

Wishbone Ash - "Pilgrimage". A varied album, with a mixture of jazz-rock (with scat vocals), some pretty acoustic pieces, sleazy blues rock, and a lengthy, live instrumental jam. Not their best album, but still some very good material.

For what it's worth, I agree with the OP's comments about "The Wall". I find it one of the most overrated albums in rock history. I never got the appeal. I find Pink Floyd's 1971 release "Meddle" to be a much better album (definitely one of the best of the year).

 

[kihei]

Led Zeppelin: IV
The Who: The Who's Next
Genesis: Nursery Cryme
Jeff Beck Group: Rough and Ready
Traffic: Low Spark of High Heeled Boys
Rolling Stones: Sticky Finger
T Rex: Electric Warrior
J J Cale: Naturally
Alice Kooper: Killer
Rod Stewart: Every Picture Tells a Story/
Marvin Gaye: What's Going On

 

[frisco]

Other than L.A. Woman:
Man In Black-Johnny Cash
Elvis Country (I'm 10,000 Years Old)-Elvis Presley
Trafalgar-Bee Gees
Poems, Prayers And Promises-John Denver

My Best-Carey

 

[Mikeaveli]

 

[Habsfunk]

My top five:
Rolling Stones - Sticky Fingers
Alice Cooper - Love it to Death
Leonard Cohen - Songs of Love and Hate
Funkadelic - Maggot Brain
Black Sabbath - Masters of Reality

 

[Pranzo Oltranzista]

My top five:
Rolling Stones - Sticky Fingers
Alice Cooper - Love it to Death
Leonard Cohen - Songs of Love and Hate
Funkadelic - Maggot Brain
Black Sabbath - Masters of Reality

Of course, I can only bow to your Alice Cooper pick, but most of all, I'm glad someone finally gave a second vote to Maggot Brain!

edit: And I see you also voted for Gainsbourg - you are the man!

 

[Perennial]

Zeppelin IV

Arguably the best rock album of all-time

 

[kook10]

HM -
Allman Brother Band - Live at the Fillmore East
Fela Kuti - Live!

 

[Saturated Fats]

Blue is probably the greatest singer-songwriter album of all-time, from the greatest songwriter of all-time. I have a hard time describing the feeling I have after listening to it - it's something lonely, calming, pastoral, nostalgic. 'River' and 'California' are particularly hard-hitting, especially late at night when everything around you is muted.

My Top-10

Joni Mitchell - Blue
Van Morrison - Tupelo Honey

Led Zeppelin - IV
Pink Floyd - Meddle
Van der Graaf Generator - Pawn Hearts
David Bowie - Hunky Dory

Marvin Gaye - What's Goin' On
Flower Travellin' Band - Satori
Elton John - Madman Across the Water
Sly and the Family Stone - There's a Riot Going On

 

[WetcoastOrca]

Blue is probably the greatest singer-songwriter album of all-time, from the greatest songwriter of all-time. I have a hard time describing the feeling I have after listening to it - it's something lonely, calming, pastoral, nostalgic. 'River' and 'California' are particularly hard-hitting, especially late at night when everything around you is muted.

My Top-10

Joni Mitchell - Blue
Van Morrison - Tupelo Honey

Led Zeppelin - IV
Pink Floyd - Meddle
Van der Graaf Generator - Pawn Hearts
David Bowie - Hunky Dory

Marvin Gaye - What's Goin' On
Flower Travellin' Band - Satori
Elton John - Madman Across the Water
Sly and the Family Stone - There's a Riot Going On

Pretty close to my list. Agree on Blue. That album doesn’t have a weak moment. You need to be in a quiet place to get the full impact of it but it’s an emotional ride for sure.
For me it’s a masterpiece from a song writer at the top of her game and is like Nick Drake’s Pink Moon only a lot less depressing.

 

[plank]

Blue is probably the greatest singer-songwriter album of all-time, from the greatest songwriter of all-time. I have a hard time describing the feeling I have after listening to it - it's something lonely, calming, pastoral, nostalgic. 'River' and 'California' are particularly hard-hitting, especially late at night when everything around you is muted.

My Top-10

Joni Mitchell - Blue
Van Morrison - Tupelo Honey

Led Zeppelin - IV
Pink Floyd - Meddle
Van der Graaf Generator - Pawn Hearts
David Bowie - Hunky Dory

Marvin Gaye - What's Goin' On
Flower Travellin' Band - Satori
Elton John - Madman Across the Water
Sly and the Family Stone - There's a Riot Going On

Pretty close to my list. Agree on Blue. That album doesn’t have a weak moment. You need to be in a quiet place to get the full impact of it but it’s an emotional ride for sure.
For me it’s a masterpiece from a song writer at the top of her game and is like Nick Drake’s Pink Moon only a lot less depressing.

My favorite current singer/songwriter is often compared to Joni. Check her out if you're not familiar: