By Frank “Smokin” Truatt
How do we determine the best albums of all time? Music, after all, is a matter of personal taste. Many have given their top album lists and when you compare one against the other, it’s always incredible how different their lists are. I found an online site that rated the best rock albums of the 1970’s. Since the 1970’s is really in my wheelhouse and since I think that most of the best rock came out in that decade, I was intrigued to see their top 10. Sorry to all the Springsteen fans as his “Born to Run” album was listed at # 11. The Elton John album “Captain Fantastic and the Brown Dirt Cowboy” is # 10. Although the album charted well, it appeared that the album did that well because Elton was the Taylor Swift of his time and anything he released would shoot up the charts. # 9 was The Eagles “Hotel California.’ It’s hard to question why that album is in the top 10. Another classic, “Aja” by Steely Dan was # 8. I was never too crazy about “Physical Graffiti” by Led Zeppelin, listed at # 7. At # 6 “Goodbye Yellow Brick Road” is the Elton John album that we could not get enough of. Fleetwood Mac’s “Rumours” album at # 5 was one of those albums that everybody had in their collection as it became the biggest selling album of its time. How many times have you played Pink Floyd’s “Dark Side of the Moon.” The album stayed on the charts for years and it’s the album that was made for stereo and late nights. That album was # 4 on their list. “Exile on Main Street” by the Rolling Stones was listed as the # 3 album. It seems to be the album that the Stones always get the most accolades for. For me, “Sticky Fingers” would be there in its place. They listed # 2 as “Led Zeppelin IV,” which has a bunch of rock classics on it including “Stairway to Heaven.” The # 1 album on this rock list of the 1970’s is “Who’s Next” by the Who. Containing “Won’t Get Fooled Again.” That’s another album that those who appreciate rock would have in their record collection. It’s really not a bad list although mine might have included Boston’s debut album or “Band on the Run” from Paul McCartney or “Deja Vu” from Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young or “Frampton Comes Alive.” One thing that’s certain, it’s great to still be listening to and enjoying these great albums fifty years after their initial release!
