Best Rock Albums 1970s
Led Zeppelin pictured above
Rock music experienced a golden era in the 1970s, giving rise to several classic albums that helped determine the course of the genre.
The decade saw the arrival of Heavy Metal (Black Sabbath “Paranoid”) countered the birth of Corporate Rock (Boston’s self-title debut). Punk Rock hit hard with New Way pushing Disco to the shadows.
Led Zeppelin’s “Physical Graffiti” displayed the band’s unparalleled musicianship and skill with a variety of Rock genres, while Pink Floyd’s “The Dark Side Of The Moon” is recognized as a compelling concept album that pushed the limits of what Rock music might sound like.
In just a few years, Hard Rock morphed into Heavy Metal. Bands like Zeppelin, Deep Purple and The Who played Hard Rock. But Sabbath, Judas Priest and Iron Maiden took it up several notches. Twin guitars, sledgehammer riffs and menacing vocals ruled.
With its catchy anthems and inventive synthesizer use, The Who’s “Who’s Next” is still a Rock powerhouse. David Bowie’s “The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars” followed by Aladdin Sane” David Bowie cemented his reputation as a pioneering Rock hero. Then came Queen with frontman Freddie Mercury, whose operatic vocals rode Bria May’s guitar over the top.
