74 From 1974: The Albums We Listened To

As the 1970s approached its midpoint, more albums were being released than ever before. Too many to keep up with, in fact. But so many of them were brilliant, so we sure did try.

In the past, when we’ve compiled listicles of the best/most significant rock albums of a given year, we’ve usually kept the number to 50 titles. But when we set out to take stock of the albums that made 1974 what it was, we found ourselves facing a conundrum: There was simply no way to keep it to that number! Every time we took an axe to one of the great albums of that year, we immediately felt guilty and had to put it right back in. We just couldn’t pretend that only 50 albums mattered that year.

So, with that in mind, we decided, hey, we don’t have to keep it to 50—no one’s gonna arrest us if we go over! It’s our website, and we can do whatever we want! So why not make the 1974 list a king-sized one, spotlighting a whopping 74 albums?

That’s what we’ve done here, but even to get to that number we had to excise some great albums that mean a lot to us and have spent much time on our turntables and CD players (yeah, we’re old school) since their release five decades ago. Yours too, we’re guessing.

We’re sure you will let us know in the comments section which ones we still missed, and that’s OK—let us have it! We may even agree with you, who knows?

This list contains full-length original albums released during the calendar year of 1974. They are mostly studio recordings, although we did allow some vital live albums to sneak in. We did, however, draw the line at compilations, greatest hits collections, etc. None of those here. (One we would have included is The Who’s Odds & Sods.) We wanted to concentrate on brand new music that we heard for the first time that year and that is still worth hearing today.

Also, as you will quickly notice, we allow “rock music” to have a pretty inclusive reach. You’ll find everything from country-rock to metal, prog to soul, mellow and not-so-mellow singer-songwriters—even the stirrings of punk rock. You’ll find some pop, a soundtrack featuring ragtime, some proto-disco. Everyone has different taste, and while we did stay away from albums that just can’t be described as rock no matter how far you stretch the definition (i.e., classical, polkas), we’re pleased that such a vast variety of sounds appealed to rock fans at that time, and still does.

The albums are listed alphabetically by artist’s name. No artist was allowed more than one entry, although if they had another major release that year, we tried to at least mention it. We should note that the chart numbers cited in the article are all U.S.-centric, taken from Billboard, except where noted. We tend to cite chart numbers in most of the entries because, although a recording’s success does not necessarily reflect on its artistic worth, it’s still an indicator of what record buyers were interested in at the time. Some albums that did very well sales-wise are today nearly forgotten. Some that didn’t get near the charts grew in stature later on and have become extremely influential. Usually though, those numbers are just interesting to reconsider from this vantage point, without holding any great significance.

Most of these albums are still in print, and readily available. We’ve made it easy for you to buy the ones you want by providing Amazon links to the artist’s catalog for many of them. Go crazy! You deserve it. It really was one fine year for classic rock music on vinyl LPs. You can never have too much ’74. [We’ve devoted an entire Album Rewind to many of the titles, with links to read the in-depth feature.]

ABBA—Waterloo—The 1973 debut album by the Swedish pop vocal quartet had done well in Europe but Americans shrugged it off altogether. This ’74 followup only squeaked into the U.S. charts but its title song became a hit single, reaching the top 10, and soon they were on their way toward international superstardom. [Atlantic Records’ president Jerry Greenberg shares the story of their U.S. success.] [Available here.]

Average White Band—AWB—Few would’ve predicted that one of the hottest R&B/funk bands of the era would come from Scotland, but after their debut LP fizzled, Average White Band made their move with a smash followup: Both the album and the mostly instrumental single “Pick Up the Pieces” landed at the top of the U.S. charts, giving the band a jumpstart that allowed them to keep going through the decade.

Bachman-Turner Overdrive—Not Fragile—When former Guess Who guitarist Randy Bachman was contemplating titles for his band’s third studio album, he wanted to show that, unlike Yes, who had named an album Fragile, his boys could withstand a good blow—hence Not Fragile. BTO fought off all challengers and both the single “You Ain’t Seen Nothing Yet” and the album peaked at #1 in America. [Available here.]

Bad Company—Bad Company—Singer Paul Rodgers and drummer Simon Kirke had already put in time with the formidable Free, but they were looking for something different. Recruiting guitarist Mick Ralphs and bassist Boz Burrell, they formed the hard-rocking Bad Company and released this self-titled debut, which rocketed to the top of the American charts, with the classic “Can’t Get Enough” single also finding its way into the top 5. [Album Rewind.] [Available here.]

Big Star—Radio City—When Alex Chilton left the Box Tops (of “The Letter” fame) and co-launched the power pop progenitors Big Star, the commercial success that the earlier band enjoyed was evasive. But critics loved Big Star from the get-go, and over the decades their small output has become increasingly revered and quite influential, with this sophomore album now considered a classic of the genre.

David Bowie—Diamond Dogs—David Bowie was not an immediate success in America. His Ziggy Stardust persona and music had its devotees but failed to find a mass audience, and while 1973’s Aladdin Sane fared better, it wasn’t until Diamond Dogs that he finally reached the top 5 in the U.S. The single “Rebel Rebel” fizzled upon release but it’s now considered one of Bowie’s signature tracks.

Jackson Browne—Late for the Sky—His true breakthrough album, Running on Empty, was still a couple of years away but Late for the Sky boosted Jackson Browne’s profile considerably, thanks to the presence of the excellent title track and a few others that proved he was becoming a force in the singer-songwriter stakes. [Album Rewind.] [Available here.]

Chicago—VII—Fans of Chicago were still devouring every new release the band offered and, like the two albums preceding it, VII went straight to #1 (as would the next four). Its crossbreeding of sophisticated arrangements, superb musicianship and a knack for commercial appeal once again proved the ticket, as tracks like “Wishing You Were Here,” “(I’ve Been) Searchin’ So Long” and “Call on Me” became radio favorites.

Eric Clapton—461 Ocean Boulevard—Having pounded through the John Mayall’s Bluesbreakers, the Yardbirds, Cream, Blind Faith, Derek and the Dominos and more, the guitar god finally released his debut solo album in 1970, then sat back for a few years while sorting out his personal life. 461 Ocean Boulevard, his second solo release, was a more laid-back affair than his blues-powered early efforts, but his fans were fine with that and made it a #1 album, as they did with his cover of Bob Marley’s “I Shot the Sheriff.” [Album Rewind.] [Available in the U.S. here and in the U.K. here.]

Gene Clark—No Other—Gene Clark was the first member of the classic 1965-67 lineup of the Byrds to leave the nest, launching his solo career first by teaming with banjoist Doug Dillard and then making a few proper albums of his own. The 1973 reunion of the core Byrds reminded folks of his writing and performing skills and led to his fourth solo, No Other, an ambitious, R&B-influenced set that, like his previous efforts, failed to catch on in a big way. But eventually it did, and today it’s considered one of the “lost” masterpieces of the ’70s.

Charlie Daniels Band—Fire on the Mountain—Charlie Daniels had been kicking around since the ’50s, primarily as a producer and sideman, but his solo releases found a limited following until this one. Hitching a ride on the Southern Rock trend, the Charlie Daniels Band (with its namesake singing, writing most of the songs and playing several instruments) increased their audience via such solid tunes as “The South’s Gonna Do It” and “Long Haired Country Boy.”

Deep Purple—Burn—The British hard-rockers had first broken through in America in 1968 with their cover of Joe South’s “Hush,” then receded into the woodwork again until the release of Machine Head (which gave us “Smoke on the Water”) four years later. Burn returned them to the top 10 not only in America but numerous other countries, firmly establishing Deep Purple as one of the leading hard rock bands of all-time.

Doobie Brothers—What Were Once Vices Are Now Habits—Hailing from San Jose, south of San Francisco, the Doobie Brothers, formed in 1970, were quite a departure from the jam-centric approach of the bands up north. With tightly written, good-time, funky anthems that lit up the radio dials—both AM and FM—they took a few years to truly catch on, but 1973’s The Captain and Me and this equally appealing followup (which included the beautiful ballad “Black Water”) solidified their widespread popularity. And Michael McDonald hadn’t even arrived yet. [Album Rewind.]

Bob Dylan—Planet Waves—Amazingly, Bob Dylan had never scored a #1 album during his game-changing early run on Columbia Records. It wasn’t until he signed (briefly) with David Geffen’s Asylum label and released Planet Waves in 1974 that he finally conquered the top of the charts. The album (which included two versions of “Forever Young,” a song that would come to be considered a classic) was accompanied by Dylan’s first tour in eight years and the live Before the Flood LP, itself a major success. And then came Blood on the Tracks… [Available here.]

Eagles—On the Border—It may seem hard to believe in retrospect, but Eagles were not a smash success as an album band out of the box. They’d done very well with early singles like “Take It Easy,” “Peaceful Easy Feeling” and “Witchy Woman,” but it wasn’t until 1975’s One of These Nights that their string of chart-topping albums began. Before that one came On the Border, produced by Bill Szymczyk and moving the band into more of a mainstream rock sound with tracks like “James Dean” and “Already Gone.” But their instinctual way with a country-inflected ballad still made a strong showing in “Best of My Love,” the band’s first #1 single.

Electric Light Orchestra—Eldorado—Jeff Lynne probably could have continued coasting for a while with his pop-prog experiment that everyone simply called ELO. But he was looking for something more so he wrote and arranged the ambitious tunes that populated the band’s fourth album, bringing in orchestration and other flourishes. It worked—the album fared better commercially than previous efforts, and yielded one of ELO’s defining tracks, the lush ballad “Can’t Get It Out of My Head,” which sailed into the top 10 in Billboard. [Album Rewind.]

Emerson, Lake & Palmer—Welcome Back My Friends to the Show That Never Ends—Ladies and Gentlemen—ELP (not to be confused with ELO) was already four years into their reign as one of prog’s leading trendsetters, with four studio albums (all of them quite popular) and a live album, Pictures at an Exhibition, that pushed the entire genre into new territory. The three-disc Welcome Back My Friends…, their second live LP, didn’t so much move the needle as confirm that these three musicians were beyond virtuosic yet simultaneously accessible to a mass audience. [Available in the U.S. here and in the U.K. here.]

Brian Eno—Here Come the Warm Jets—The former keyboardist for Roxy Music went off on his own with a solo recording that straddled the prog movement and something more avant and edgy. Utilizing numerous guests from prog and the more mainstream rock world, Eno self-produced the sessions, offering a hint of where his career would head, and while the album didn’t gain a large following, it—along with the same year’s followup Taking Tiger Mountain by Strategy—established Eno as a force in his own right. [Available here.]

Dan Fogelberg—Souvenirs—The second album by the singer-songwriter far surpassed the reach of his debut, owing in large part, perhaps, to the involvement of Joe Walsh, who had not yet joined Eagles but was well known throughout the rock world by this time. Walsh produced Souvenirs and contributed guitars, keyboards and other instruments to all but one track, helping to give Fogelberg’s songs a professional sheen that quickly caught on. [Album Rewind.]

Rory Gallagher—Irish Tour ’74—Rory Gallagher should have been much bigger in the United States than he was. Although huge in his native Ireland and elsewhere, especially in other European countries, the late blues-rock guitarist never even cracked the top 100 LPs chart in the U.S.—not for lack of trying, as he toured here quite often. Irish Tour ’74 was his sixth album in all, and remains his definitive according to many of his staunchest fans. [Available in the U.K. here.]

Related: What were the 50 best albums of 1973?

Marvin Gaye—Live!—From his earliest days at Motown, Marvin Gaye was recognized as a spectacular talent—so many of his early hits remain classics, from “How Sweet It Is” to “I Heard It Through the Grapevine” and beyond. He recorded his first live album at the onset of his chart-busting days, in 1963, but by 1974 he was a much more mature artist, capable of going outside of his hit R&B singles comfort zone. The ’74 live set features period anthems like “What’s Going On” and “Let’s Get It On” in addition to a medley of those old hits, and it remains a thrilling listen.

J. Geils Band—Nightmares and Other Tales From the Vinyl Jungle—Although they were already being hailed as one of the most exciting live bands in all of rock, the J. Geils Band had only begun breaking through to a more mainstream audience with their top 10 1973 Bloodshot album. Nightmares… kept the momentum going, successfully transposing that kinetic energy into a studio LP that ranked among their best. Standout track: the hit single “Must of Got Lost.”

Genesis—The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway—No one could accuse Genesis of being lazy. When it came time to make their sixth studio album, Peter Gabriel, their lead vocalist and guiding creative force, devised a concept album that would greatly broaden the band beyond the prog that they’d subscribed to. The double album received a more enthusiastic reception in Europe than in the States, and it marked the end of Gabriel’s tenure with the band, but it made more people aware of Genesis than ever before. Bigger things were soon to come. [Album Rewind.] [50th anniversary edition can be pre-ordered in the U.S. here and in the U.K. here.]

Grateful Dead—From the Mars Hotel—At the end of 1974, the Grateful Dead went on a nearly two-year hiatus, having found themselves physically and creatively exhausted after nearly a decade of constant touring and recording. But first they made From the Mars Hotel, their seventh studio LP, filling it with several tracks—rockers “Scarlet Begonias” and “U.S. Blues,” ballads like “Ship of Fools” and “China Doll”—that would remain part of their ever-revolving setlist till the end of their run two decades later. [Available here.]

Al Green—Explores Your Mind—Al Green was a well-established R&B singer who’d already released seven albums by 1974. Among those, Let’s Stay Together, I’m Still in Love With You and Call Me had all gone top 10 and Green was riding high, one of the decade’s greatest soul men. Al Green Explores Your Mind wasn’t quite at that level commercially, but it did contain “Take Me to the River,” as great a song as any artist could hope to create. Just ask the Talking Heads (in a few more years).

George Harrison—Dark Horse—Dark Horse was a mixed blessing for the ex-Beatle. His 1970 triple-LP All Things Must Pass was a huge success that surprised many fans of the group, and both 1971’s Concert for Bangla Desh (and its souvenir album) and ’73’s Living in the Material World had kept that streak going. Dark Horse was, by most standards, not quite as great, and when Harrison decided to launch his first U.S. tour in support of it, then gave iffy shows wherein he suffered vocal problems (some critics called it the “Dark Hoarse” tour), his reputation took a hit. But in retrospect, there is a lot to love here, and it’s definitely worth a reappraisal. [Material World got a 50th anniversary edition in 2024, available in the U.S. here and in the U.K. here.]

Hawkwind—Hall of the Mountain Grill—Somewhere between psychedelia, prog, hard rock and what’s come to be called space-rock, Hawkwind was a British band with a devoted but smallish following. Hall of the Mountain Grill, their fourth album, is considered by many the band’s finest, although it mostly found its audience at home—Americans took a while longer to catch on. Bassist Lemmy (Ian Kilmister) would go on to found Motörhead, which is another story in its own right.

Jefferson Starship—Dragon Fly—Jefferson Airplane quietly fizzled out toward the end of 1972, with its members heading off in various directions. By 1974, rhythm guitarist/vocalist Paul Kantner and singer Grace Slick, who had become romantically involved, were getting itchy to start a new band, and Jefferson Starship was the result. This debut was different enough, but also maintained enough familiar characteristics, that they took right off, with both the album and their early concerts luring in both old and new fans. Slick’s debut solo album, Manhole, also released during this year, was more of a niche item but went a long way toward showcasing her talents beyond the groups with which she sang. And Hot Tuna, the spinoff started by guitarist Jorma Kaukonen and bassist Jack Casady, released The Phosphorescent Rat, a trio recording also featuring drummer Sammy Piazza, while Kaukonen also released his excellent solo debut, Quah.

Elton John—Caribou—Elton John was coming off a string of four consecutive #1 albums in 1974 when he released Caribou, and it easily followed suit. It didn’t hurt that the album contained two smash singles, “The Bitch is Back” and “Don’t Let the Sun Go Down on Me,” or that John was accompanied by his regular crack band and an impressive string of guests, ranging from Dusty Springfield to a couple of Beach Boys and the Captain and Tennille.

Carole King—Wrap Around Joy—Her landmark Tapestry—one of the best-selling albums of all-time—was already three years old but Carole King’s popularity had yet to flag when she released Wrap Around Joy in 1974. The album gave us two new top 10 singles, “Jazzman” and “Nightingale,” and itself spent a week at the top of the Billboard LP chart, the last time she would reach that peak.

King Crimson—Red—Red followed the release of the group’s Starless and Bible Black by only a few months and while neither was a major hit, the two albums together helped define the state of progressive rock at the time, with both receiving mostly positive reviews. With the departure of multi-instrumentalist David Cross from the band, Red reduced King Crimson to a trio, and gave them a more concentrated, powerful sound than previously.

Kiss—Kiss—Kiss began their recording career in 1974 with their self-titled debut early in the year, followed by Hotter Than Hell in the fall. Neither of them signaled that this was a band that was going to make a significant dent in the rock world—the debut peaked at #87 and Hotter… at #100—but nevertheless here they were, makeup in place, unleashing tunes like “Strutter” and “Black Diamond” on the first LP and “Parasite” and “Let Me Go, Rock and Roll” on the second. Needless to say, they gained in momentum in the coming years.

Kraftwerk—Autobahn—Autobahn was certainly a harbinger of things to come. While electronic instrumentation had been around for many years already, and rock artists from the Beach Boys to the Beatles to the Moody Blues had experimented with drum machines  and synthesizers (particularly the Moog) to varying degrees, it was always more of a niche subgenre on its own. The mainstream success of Autobahn (it made the top 5 in Billboard), actually the fourth album by the German group, expanded the possibilities of electronic instrumentation within rock substantially. By the end of the decade, synths would be ubiquitous.

Labelle—Nightbirds—They first came to our attention in the early ’60s as a girl group called the Blue Belles, which eventually morphed into Patti LaBelle and the Bluebelles. They had a few hit R&B singles, then faded away until 1971, when they—Patti LaBelle, Sarah Dash and Nona Hendryx—were reinvented as a funk/disco outfit simply called LaBelle. After three previous albums Nightbirds became their breakthrough, soaring into the top 10 largely on the success of the ebullient single “Lady Marmalade,” which bounded to the top and became an instant classic of the genre.

John Lennon—Walls and Bridges—It’s hard to believe in retrospect, but John Lennon’s post-Beatles career was a touch-and-go proposition. Off to a good start with the solo albums John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band and Imagine,  the next two, Some Time in New York City and Mind Games, while still selling in large quantities, received less enthusiastic reviews. Walls and Bridges took Lennon back to #1, aided in large part by the best-selling single “Whatever Gets You Through the Night” (amazingly, his first solo single to reach that peak) and the top 10 “#9 Dream.” Except for the following year’s covers collection Rock ’n’ Roll, this would mark the last time John Lennon released an album of new music during the 1970s. [Mind Games received an expanded edition in 2024; available in the U.S. here and in the U.K. here.]

Gordon Lightfoot—Sundown—A massive star in his native Canada for nearly a decade, Gordon Lightfoot was known mainly as a songwriter in the U.S. during the ’60s. it wasn’t until 1970’s Sit Down Young Stranger that his own recordings began to gather a devoted audience south of the Canadian border, and finally, in 1974, he made it to the top spot with Sundown, its popularity owing largely to its title track, which also reached #1 in the U.S. From then on, he retained his fan base in the neighboring country until his 2023 death at age 84.

Little Feat—Feats Don’t Fail Me Now—It’s crazy to think that the first three albums released by Little Feat, including the sublime Dixie Chicken, failed to make the charts at all in America—they were already one of the most killer bands in rock. But finally, album number four, Feats Don’t Fail Me Now, did the trick. And for good reason: with tracks like “Rock & Roll Doctor,” “Skin It Back,” “Oh Atlanta” and the medley of “Cold Cold Cold/Tripe Face Boogie,” the LP cooked from beginning to end.

Loggins & Messina—On Stage—Still riding high off their 1972 hit single “Your Mama Don’t Dance,” Kenny Loggins and Jim Messina were a major act by the mid-’70s. Full Sail, from 1973, went top 10, but On Stage, their debut live set, did even better, demonstrating for fans the chemistry that the duo shared. Mother Lode, six months later, kept up the momentum, although it lacked a hit single. [Album Rewind.]

Lynyrd Skynyrd—Second Helping—The second album by the recently discovered Florida band opens with “Sweet Home Alabama.” That alone qualifies it as a classic rock milestone but the rest of the LP goes on to present solid Southern Rock that ups the ante on the genre. Like their debut of the previous year, the one that ended with “Free Bird,” Second Helping was produced by the ubiquitous Al Kooper, who discovered Skynyrd and will never get enough credit.

Bob Marley and the Wailers—Natty Dread—Reggae was still fairly new to most Americans, although it had been huge for several years in its native Jamaica. There’d been a few scattered radio hits but the genre itself was taking its time making it into the mainstream. If any band was going to help it get there, it was Bob Marley and the Wailers, whose “I Shot the Sheriff,” from their previous album Burnin’, would become a hit in ’74 for Eric Clapton. Natty Dread was actually their seventh album overall, but only the third in the U.S., and with tracks like “No Woman, No Cry” and “Rebel Music (3 O’Clock Roadblock),” it was just accessible enough to give the genre the attention it needed. Before long, they’d be superstars here too.

The Meters—Rejuvenation—If you want to know what New Orleans funk is all about, look no further than the Meters: Beginning in the mid-’60s, they defined the genre. They didn’t start adding vocals until their third album, 1970’s Struttin’, but by the time they made the Allen Toussaint-produced Rejuvenation four years later, they had it down. Every track pulsates with a deep groove, but the standout—and now a bona fide NOLA classic—has to be “Hey Pocky A-Way,” which simply oozes funk.

Joni Mitchell—Court and Spark—Joni Mitchell was on a streak that few could hope to match, beginning with her 1968 debut album Song to a Seagull and continuing with Clouds, Ladies of the Canyon, Blue and For the Roses. Court and Spark was her most successful to date, peaking at #2 in the U.S. on the strength of such gems as “Help Me,” “Free Man in Paris” and “Raised on Robbery,” with a team of studio stalwarts aiding the singer-songwriter, who also self-produced this landmark release. [Album Rewind.] [Available here.]

Van Morrison—Veedon Fleece—Van Morrison had been a nonstop workhorse since his arrival on the scene with Them in the  mid-’60s. Veedon Fleece was his eighth solo album, with brilliant works like Astral Weeks, Moondance and Tupelo Honey already behind him. Although it wasn’t a huge commercial success, and some critics found it obtuse, over time the album has held up well as a marker of Morrison’s state of mind during a volatile period of his life. Also well worth listening to: It’s Too Late to Stop Now, Morrison’s incendiary 1974 live LP. [Album Rewind of Too Late.]

New York Dolls—Too Much Too Soon—Talk about a blinding comet. The New York Dolls only made two albums during their (original) lifespan, and this was the second. The first, self-titled and produced by Todd Rundgren, went a long way toward igniting what would soon become punk, although few mainstream rock fans got what they were doing at the time. This second one, whose title proved prophetic, was produced by Shadow Morton of Shangri-Las fame, and by then the novelty had already dissipated. But over the next few years, and right through to the present, the Dolls’ influence has continued to expand, and in retrospect their pair of early albums (there were later reunions) are cherished by anyone who wants to know when rock music began pulling away from the indulgences that had weighed it down.

Randy Newman—Good Old Boys—Randy Newman has never been especially prolific, but during his first several years as a recording artist, the quality of his output was consistently strong. Good Old Boys, Newman’s fourth full-length, was the first to sell in appreciable quantities, however. A semi-concept album focusing on the American South, it offered up such heady numbers as “Louisiana 1927” and “Rednecks” that exposed Newman as a world-class wordsmith and crafty composer whose ideas were quite sophisticated, yet accessible enough to attract an audience that was looking for something with some serious substance.

Ohio Players— Fire—One of the leading funk bands of the day, the Ohio Players had actually been around for more than a decade in various forms but things didn’t really pick up for them on the national level till the early ’70s. Skin Tight, in early 1974, went to #1 on the Billboard R&B albums chart and #11 pop, but Fire, released in the fall, topped both charts and the title track also went to #1 on both the soul chart and the more general Hot 100. They remained popular throughout the decade, but then slowly faded out of sight, although their influence on the genre remained strong.

Related: 1974—A musical timeline

Shuggie Otis—Inspiration Information—The son of rhythm and blues pioneer Johnny Otis, Shuggie was an ace guitarist who started out playing in his dad’s band then, at 15, made an album with Al Kooper. Shuggie’s first proper solo album was released in 1970 but Inspiration Information, four years later, was the one that brought him the greatest acclaim. It was not a big seller and Otis’ career had its ups and downs afterward, but many have since discovered the album, particularly other musicians (Sly Stone was said to be a fan) who have been greatly influenced by it.

Parliament—Up for the Down Stroke—Parliament (which evolved out of the ’60s soul group the Parliaments) and Funkadelic were basically variations on the same band—both led by the brilliant George Clinton—and although they operated somewhat independently, they were usually joined at the hip as Parliament-Funkadelic by the critics and fans. As Funkadelic, they released Standing on the Verge of Getting It On in ’74, while as Parliament it was Up for the Down Stroke. Some of the most notable musicians in funk, particularly bassist Bootsy Collins, contributed, and within the next few years their impact would increase to the point that few in the funkosphere came close.

Related: 50 classic albums from 1975

Gram Parsons—Grievous Angel—After guiding the Byrds into country rock in 1968 with the landmark Sweetheart of the Rodeo album, then co-forming the Flying Burrito Brothers with Byrd  Chris Hillman, Gram Parsons made his debut solo album, GP, in 1973. Grievous Angel was recorded the same year, but by the time it was released the following January, Parsons was gone, felled by a drug and alcohol overdose. The album didn’t fare well commercially during its own time, but is subsequently considered one of the most important country-rock LPs of all-time, in no small part due to the participation of one Emmylou Harris, who sings on nearly every song.

Dolly Parton—Jolene—Dolly Parton was not yet a superstar in 1974. Far from it. She was known—almost exclusively to the country audience—as a duet partner for Porter Wagoner, and none of her solo albums (and there were already a dozen of them) had even made the mainstream album chart. Jolene didn’t either, but its title track, over time, became a country classic with much crossover appeal. Another song from the album, “I Will Always Love You,” topped the country chart, then had a whole other life in 1992 when R&B singer Whitney Houston covered it—the latter’s version stayed at #1 on the Hot 100 for an amazing 14 weeks. By then, Dolly Parton was already a household name.

Queen—Sheer Heart Attack—The third studio album by the British quartet arrived in late 1974, following Queen II by only seven months. Neither the earlier release or the ’73 debut had failed to establish the band in America, but Sheer Heart Attack did, thanks in large part to the track “Killer Queen,” which garnered the band significant airplay and made it to #12. Produced by Roy Thomas Baker, the album sported more of a pop-conscious sound than the earlier works and pushed singer Freddie Mercury’s voice into the forefront where it belonged. Their next five albums all rocketed into the top 10. [Album Rewind.]

Lou Reed—Rock ’n’ Roll Animal—Fronting a killer band powered by the double-trouble guitars of Steve Hunter and Dick Wagner, Lou Reed took a handful of the Velvet Underground’s most durable tunes (“Sweet Jane,” “Heroin,” “White Light/White Heat,” “Rock & Roll”) and pushed them into overdrive. This, however, was not a simple retread of ’60s music but bona fide ’70s arena rock, mega-powerful and meant to be blasted. [Album Rewind.]

Minnie Riperton—Perfect Angel—She’d already had a semi-successful career as the singer for the Chicago-based experimental psychedelic-soul band Rotary Connection, which had released several albums for the Chess label in the late ’60s/early ’70s and backed up more famous artists. But that had fizzled out and Riperton didn’t have much going on when she was re-discovered. Signed now to Epic Records, she cut Perfect Angel, which included the single “Lovin’ You.” Riperton’s multi-octave voice wowed listeners and the single reached the top of the pop charts, with the album settling in at #4.  Sadly, she died of cancer only five years later.

Rolling Stones—It’s Only Rock ’n Roll—It wasn’t the best of their dozen albums to date, especially after the five-album juggernaut that started with Beggars Banquet in 1968 and ran through Goats Head Soup in ’73. But It’s Only Rock ’n Roll was respectable enough, and boasted several solid tunes, among them the anthemic title track, the sublime “Time Waits for No One,” the funky cover of the Temptations’ “Ain’t Too Proud to Beg” and the driving opener, “If You Can’t Rock Me.” With Mick Taylor still aboard on guitar, the playing was aces, and a few of the tunes remained in the band’s live shows for years to come.

Linda Ronstadt—Heart Like a Wheel—Rock fans were still trying to figure out Linda Ronstadt when she released her fifth album in 1974. She’d had one country-flavored hit with the Stone Poneys, the Michael Nesmith-written “Different Drum,” but her solo albums hadn’t quite caught on—yet. Heart Like a Wheel changed all that. Produced by Peter Asher, it matched the singer with a diverse track list that proved she could sing just about anything and make it her own, from the powerful opener “You’re No Good” (made famous by soul star Betty Everett) to the Everly Brothers (“When Will I Be Loved”), Hank Williams, and contemporary singers JD Souther, Anna McGarrigle and Little Feat’s Lowell George. From this moment on, Linda Ronstadt would be a star. [Album Rewind.]

Roxy Music—Country Life—Given their outsized influence in the decades since they broke up, some fans may be surprised to learn that Roxy Music never attracted a huge following in America. Perhaps they were misunderstood—they didn’t fit easily into any genre (not quite glam, nor prog), and there was a certain sophistication in their presentation that went against the rock grain, even while they were rocking as hard as anyone else. Country Life, the band’s fourth album, was their best-seller in America to that point, and is considered by many to be their finest LP overall.

Related: 50 favorites from ’73

Rufus featuring Chaka Khan—Rags to Rufus—Formed around vocalist Chaka Khan, Rufus was a funk powerhouse, among whose fans was one Stevie Wonder. It was he who donated the song—“Tell Me Something Good”—that would go to the pop top 5 and truly put Rufus, and this album, on the map. But there are other notable tracks, including the opener, “You Got the Love,” co-written by Khan and Ray Parker Jr. The group’s followup album, Rufusized, would also be released in 1974 and keep the momentum going, but they’d already begun to transition by then into a different type of band.

Todd Rundgren—Todd—Established by then as a multi-tasking force of nature—brilliant songwriter, musician, producer, singer—Todd Rundgren was confident enough in his abilities and his appeal to release his second double LP in 1974. Consisting of both solo tracks and others with full band support, Todd included several songs that might be described as lyrically heavy-handed, based on spiritual texts and experiments with psychedelics. The music, accordingly, was all over the place and the production quite ambitious. Some critics found the whole affair bloated; others praised it as adventurous and inspired. It found an audience, hardly a huge one, but Rundgren loyalists still swear by it.

Santana—Lotus—Santana had yet to release a live album by the early ’70s and despite encouragement by their fans, who had since day one raved about the band’s dynamic concerts, their American label just wasn’t having it. But Carlos Santana felt that his current lineup was worth documenting, so he had their summer 1973 Japanese concerts recorded, in quadrophonic sound, and released the music in that country as a triple-LP in ’74. Lotus remains a gem of the group’s canon, although it was not released in America for years to come.

Paul Simon—In Concert: Live Rhymin’—It was only four years since the breakup of Simon and Garfunkel, but Paul Simon hadn’t slowed down for a minute. He’d released two well-received studio albums that contained hit singles (“Me and Julio Down by the Schoolyard,” “Mother and Child Reunion,” “Loves Me Like a Rock,” “Kodachrome”) and now it was time for a live album. Drawing from both the S&G catalog and those solo albums, Simon offered s cross-section that proved he was not going to miss a step as he moved on.

Soundtrack—The Sting—One of the most surprising hit albums of the era has to be this, the soundtrack to the film The Sting, featuring early-20th century ragtime music composed (or inspired) by the late Scott Joplin and adapted by Marvin Hamlisch. The success of the album—which reached #1 in America and several other countries—wasn’t entirely an anomaly, as ragtime was experiencing a revival on several levels. Still, it was a pleasant diversion from the usual ’70s fare, even if the craze disappeared as quickly as it had arrived.

Sparks—Kimono My House—Sparks was (and still is) brothers Russell and Ron Mael, and this was their third LP. Although they fell squarely into the popular glam camp, Sparks was quirky in their own way and stood out from the rest. This release, produced by Muff Winwood (brother of Steve) of the Spencer Davis Group was much more successful in the U.K. than at home in the States, but the Maels found a devoted fan base that remains behind them to this day.

Ringo Starr—Goodnight Vienna—Perhaps expectations were lowest for Ringo after the Beatles split. Never much of a songwriter, not the most gifted singer in the group by a long shot, he got by on charm—and the fact that he was probably the most influential drummer in rock. But after two offbeat solo albums, he came back in 1973 with the Ringo album and took it all the way to #1, with the help of some guys named John, Paul and George. Goodnight Vienna utilized other all-stars, including Harry Nilsson, Billy Preston, Robbie Robertson and other friends, and its rather eclectic track list includes “No No Song,” an anti-substance abuse anthem by country star Hoyt Axton that took Starr right back int the top 5.

Steely Dan—Pretzel Logic—For their third album, Steely Dan did what they’d done since their debut: combined production perfectionism and virtuosic musicianship with some truly bizarre, if always intriguing, songwriting. The standout track, unquestionably, was “Rikki Don’t Lose That Number,” which opened the LP and gave them the biggest hit single of their career. After this album, Steely Dan would pare down to just Donald Fagen and Walter Becker, would quit touring and concentrate even more intently on creating gens in the studio, but for many this was where they reached their peak. [Available here.]

Barbra Streisand—The Way We Were—Some non-rock singers were simply unable to maintain their popularity as recording artists as rock continued to take over in the ’70s. They may still have  been able to sell out a room in Vegas but record buyers shrugged each time they released a new LP. Not so Barbra Streisand. After a half-dozen top 10 albums in the ’60s, she continued into the ’70s as if she still owned the charts. The Way We Were was a gargantuan hit movie that co-starred Babs, so it was no big surprise when the title track topped the charts at the end of 1973—or when the album, released in Jan. ’74 and including songs by Paul Simon, Stevie Wonder, Carole King and others, did the same.

Supertramp—Crime of the Century—England’s Supertramp hit the jackpot by finding a sweet spot where progressive rock and pop styles mixed seamlessly. Their first couple of albums were received mostly with indifference by American listeners, but the third, Crime of the Century, broke through. With all of the songs written by keyboardist/vocalist Rick Davies and guitarist/vocalist Roger Hodgson, the band established a foothold they would keep building on for the next decade, albeit with shifting personnel. [Album Rewind.]

Richard and Linda Thompson—I Want to See The Bright Lights Tonight—Having left Fairport Convention, then set out on his own, Richard Thompson, despite being a superlative musician and songwriter and compelling singer, wasn’t having much success. He teamed with his wife, the former Linda Peters, and released this joint project that—with songs that were somewhat dark and brooding—was basically ignored by critics and fans alike. But over time, and through various reissues, it was discovered and deemed something of a masterpiece, and is today hailed as one of the finest British folk-rock recordings of all-time.

Robin Trower—Bridge of Sighs—Robin Trower served as lead guitarist for Procol Harum from 1967-71, then went off on his own, his solo style heavily indebted to the recently deceased Jimi Hendrix. His debut release as Robin Trower, Twice Removed from Yesterday, didn’t move the needle as far as the charts were concerned, but the second one, Bridge of Sighs, took off in the States, peaking at #7 and establishing Trower on his own. He’s still at it today. [50th anniversary edition available in the U.S. here and in the U.K. here.]

Tom Waits—The Heart of Saturday Night—From his debut in 1973 through the ’74 followup The Heart of Saturday Night, it became clear very quickly that Tom Waits was not like other L.A. singer-songwriters. His voice was gruff and his songs gritty, and he seemed to dwell in a subterranean noir-esque world that was either long gone or perhaps never really existed. Not everyone got it, that’s for sure, and for the first couple of decades of his career, Waits appealed to a small niche of record buyers. But now, as often happens when real art is concerned, his music has found greater appreciation, and this early effort is classic Waits.

Barry White—Can’t Get Enough—There was simply no one else like him. Barry White’s voice was bassier than bass and dripped sweat and sex. His style leaned toward disco, then just beginning to rise, and on the dancefloor his music was irresistible. His first two albums were modest successes but Can’t Get Enough proved a prophetic title as the album bypassed genre restrictions and danced its way to the top. Two songs in particular, “Can’t Get Enough of Your Love, Babe” and “You’re the First, the Last, My Everything,” were smashes, and as disco took off, Barry White was its first king.

Stevie Wonder—Fulfillingness’ First Finale—Stevie Wonder was all of 12 years old when he released his first #1 single, “Fingertips,” in 1963. For some artists, that might spell novelty and mark the end of the career, but Wonder’s gifts kept revealing themselves as he went through his teens, and by the early ’70s he could do no wrong. Fulfillingness’ First Finale was his 17th album, following a string of perfect albums including Talking Book and Innervisions. Next up would be Songs in the Key of Life, but this chart-topper was further confirmation that Wonder’s genius knew no bounds.

Yes—Relayer—The consummate English prog-rock band, Yes had begun breaking through big-time in 1971 with Fragile, followed by Close to the Edge and Tales from Topographic Oceans. The post-Rick Wakeman Relayer (he was replaced by Patrick Moraz) took the group in a more electronic-centric direction than before, with the 22-minute “The Gates of Delirium” occupying all of side one and just two tracks, “Sound Chaser” and “To Be Over,” taking up the second side. It was an ambitious effort, to be sure, but the faithful flocked to it, returning the group to the top 10 for the fourth consecutive time.

Neil Young—On the Beach—On the Beach, Neil Young’s fifth studio solo album, was at times dark and bleak lyrically, despite upbeat melodies that sometimes belied those sentiments. One track, “Revolution Blues” (which featured guests David Crosby, Rick Danko and Levon Helm), was even inspired by Charles Manson. It was Neil Young at his rawest, with the production deliberately unpolished, but it sold moderately well in spite of the downtrodden mood and proved that Young now had a built-in audience that was willing to give him plenty of leeway.

Frank Zappa—Apostrophe’—The highest-charting album of Frank Zappa’s career—the only one to reach the top 10—probably owed its success largely to the leadoff track, “Don’t Eat the Yellow Snow,” a typically eccentric Zappa performance that in many ways represented a departure from his earlier, more topical , satirical songs. Several of the new songs were considerably oblique lyrically, but Zappa’s still-growing fanbase just shrugged and accepted that that’s who he was, and with a cast including such excellent musicians as George Duke, Jean Luc-Ponty and even guest spots by Jack Bruce, Aynsley Dunbar and Jim Gordon, there was certainly no question about the musical quality.

Related: We also did an expanded list in ’72 with 72 favorite albums

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Jeff Tamarkin

Best Classic Bands Editor Jeff Tamarkin has been a prolific music journalist for more than four decades. He is formerly the editor of Goldmine, CMJ and Relix magazines, has written for dozens of other publications and has authored liner notes for more than 80 CDs. Jeff has also served on the Nominating Committee of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and as a consultant to the Grammys. His first book was 'Got a Revolution! The Turbulent Flight of Jefferson Airplane.' He is also the co-author of 'Shell Shocked: My Life with the Turtles, Flo and Eddie, and Frank Zappa, etc.,' with Howard Kaylan.

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