Music: What is the Best Year in Classic "Rock"?

[Ben Grimm]

For women it's 1971 with 3 of the top 10 women's albums ever: Joni Mitchell Blue, Janis Joplin Pearl, and Carole King Tapestry.

For all artists I like 1972 though:

Talking Book
Barnstorm - Joe Walsh
Black Sabbath Vol. 4
Can’t Buy a Thrill - Steely Dan
Close to the Edge
Demons and Wizards - Uriah Heep
Desperado
The Eagles - The Eagles
Eat a Peach
Europe 72
Exile on Main St
Harvest
Honky Chateau
I'm Still in Love with You
Machine Head
Manassas
Obscured by Clouds
Pink Moon
REO TWO - REO Speedwagon
Rio Grande Mud
The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars
School's Out
Something/Anything?
Thick as a Brick
Trilogy - ELP
The World Is a Ghetto
You Don’t Mess Around with Jim - Jim Croce
ETC.

Click to read more...

 

[Mikeaveli]

1967 for me.

10/10:
Van Dyke Parks - Song Cycle
The Velvet Underground & Nico - The Velvet Underground & Nico
Captain Beefheart and His Magic Band - Safe as Milk

9/10:
Jimi Hendrix Experience - Are You Experienced?
The Beatles - Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band
Pink Floyd - The Piper at the Gates of Dawn
Jimi Hendrix Experience - Axis: Bold as Love
The Beatles - Magical Mystery Tour
The Beach Boys - Smiley Smile

8/10:
Nilsson - Pandemonium Shadow Show
The Doors - The Doors
The Kinks - Something Else by The Kinks

7/10:
Love - Forever Changes
The Beach Boys - Wild Honey

 

[Ben Grimm]

Thanks for posting. I think most people would agree with you.

 

[Hippasus]

For women it's 1971 with 3 of the top 10 women's albums ever: Joni Mitchell Blue, Janis Joplin Pearl, and Carole King Tapestry.

For all artists I like 1972 though:

Exile on Main St
The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars
Harvest
School's Out
Black Sabbath Vol. 4
Eat a Peach
Obscured by Clouds
Rio Grande Mud
Talking Book
Machine Head
Pink Moon
Thick as a Brick
Close to the Edge
Honky Chateau
I'm Still in Love with You
Something/Anything?
ETC.

1971 also had possibly Black Sabbath's best album, Master of Reality. I think I'd actually go with 1970 though because that sound already made an appearance with their prior two albums: self-titled and Paranoid. This is a watershed for heavy and dark rock.

 

[KirkOut]

72 really was a great year. A couple others;

You Don’t Mess Around with Jim - Jim Croce
The Eagles - The Eagles
Demons and Wizards - Uriah Heep
Trilogy - ELP
Can’t Buy a Thrill - Steely Dan
Barnstorm - Joe Walsh
REO TWO - REO Speedwagon

 

[peate]

Of the top of my head I was gonna say 1970 because of all the top name concerts I attended that year, same with 1971 and 72, but 1967 was indeed a revelation as mentioned above.

 

[Jumptheshark]

depends on your age and preference

 

[Ben Grimm]

72 really was a great year. A couple others;

You Don’t Mess Around with Jim - Jim Croce
The Eagles - The Eagles
Demons and Wizards - Uriah Heep
Trilogy - ELP
Can’t Buy a Thrill - Steely Dan
Barnstorm - Joe Walsh
REO TWO - REO Speedwagon

Great post. I added them. Jim Croce is the first artist whose album I bought. Steely Dan's Aja is in the Library of Congress and it deserves to be. We listen to them in the car every week. Joe Walsh - Life's Been Good is my favorite song about being a rock star.

 

[kihei]

1967 for me.

10/10:
Van Dyke Parks - Song Cycle
The Velvet Underground & Nico - The Velvet Underground & Nico
Captain Beefheart and His Magic Band - Safe as Milk

9/10:
Jimi Hendrix Experience - Are You Experienced?
The Beatles - Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band
Pink Floyd - The Piper at the Gates of Dawn
Jimi Hendrix Experience - Axis: Bold as Love
The Beatles - Magical Mystery Tour
The Beach Boys - Smiley Smile

8/10:
Nilsson - Pandemonium Shadow Show
The Doors - The Doors
The Kinks - Something Else by The Kinks

7/10:
Love - Forever Changes
The Beach Boys - Wild Honey

Definitely 1967. I would add (in alphabetical order):

Buffalo Springfield: Buffalo Springfield Again
The Byrds: Younger Than Yesterday
Cream: Disraeli Gears
Donovan: Mellow Yellow
The Doors: Stange Days
The Four Tops: Reach Out
Jefferson Airplane: After Bathing at Baxter's
Jefferson Airplane: Surrealistic Pillow
Moody Blues: Days of Future Passed
Procol Harum: Procol Harum
Rolling Stones: Between the Buttons
Dionne Warwick: Golden Hits, Part 1
The Who: The Who Sell Out

An absolutely insane year for rock music.

 

[Ben Grimm]

Definitely 1967. I alphabetized the first post so it's easier to see what's there and what isn't. I added Manassas, The World is a Ghetto, Europe 72, and Desperado.

 

[MetalheadPenguinsFan]

 

[Jumptheshark]

shout out to 1976

Boston releases for Album
Ramones release their first as well
Sex Pistols drop Anarchy in the UK
ABBA is in full world domination-Arrival is released in September
Eagles -Hotel California
Skynard--Gimme Back my Bullits
Heart-Dreamboat Annie released (they lived up the street from me in Port Moody when recording the album)
Kiss- Destoyer
Thin Lizzy--Jailbreak
Nazareth-Close enough for rock and roll
RUSH 2112
ACDC- High Voltage/Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap(not released in USA til 84)
Aerosmith -Rocks
Steve Miller-Fly like an Eagle
The Runaways drop their first album
JJ Cale Troubadour
Bob Seger-- Night Moves
Blondie:Blondie
Queen: Day at the races


that is before we get into what came out on the country side of things

 

[Ben Grimm]

72 release Desperado is my song and Witchy Woman is my wife's. j/k

 

[Ben Grimm]

shout out to 1976...that is before we get into what came out on the country side of things

Great post. You missed the Album of the Year and the best album of the second half of the 70s though, Songs in the Key of Life.

 

[Jumptheshark]

Great post. You missed the Album of the Year and the best album of the second half of the 70s though, Songs in the Key of Life.

I love Stevie wonder.. but something just bugs me about that album

 

[Teemu]

1969 for me

Abbey Road
The Gilded Palace of Sin
Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere
The Band
Led Zeppelin I & II
Tommy
Crosby, Stills & Nash
Green River
Willie & the Poor Boys
Stand!
Let It Bleed
In a Silent Way
The Court of the Crimson King
The Stooges
Nashville Skyline
At San Quentin

 

[Led Zappa]

Great post. You missed the Album of the Year and the best album of the second half of the 70s though, Songs in the Key of Life.

Agreed, but also missed is Frampton Comes Alive. While it doesn't hold up like many others, that album was in everyone's home and got unbelievable airplay.

 

[kihei]

Agreed, but also missed is Frampton Comes Alive. While it doesn't hold up like many others, that album was in everyone's home and got unbelievable airplay.

I still play a lot of songs from it on occasion. Some beautiful melodies on that album.