# Best #1 album of the year retrospective: 1974 **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [September 27, 2014, 7:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-1-album-of-the-year-retrospective-1974/699731 "2014-09-27T19:27:43Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Smapti](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smapti/32/17938_2.png) [@Smapti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smapti)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2014, 7:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-1-album-of-the-year-retrospective-1974/699731/1 "2014-09-27T19:27:43Z")
As I mentioned in the latest thread in my ongoing #1 singles survey, I don’t think that a beginning-to-present series of polls for top-selling albums would be very interesting, since both in the early decades of the chart (Billboard started tracking album sales in 1945) and in recent decades, the albums that can objectively be judged as a single work by a single artist/group are largely crowded out by loads of compilations, soundtracks, and nostalgia acts that aren’t relevant to the music of the time. However, since people have been commenting on how much better the album scene of the '70s was compared to the singles scene of the time, I figured I may as well throw up a few of these as companion pieces to the singles polls, for that brief period of time where the album scene was relevant; for this year at least, and a few years forwards and backwards as taste dictates. That being said; these are the 23 albums that scored #1 on the Billboard 200 in 1974. Which do you like the most? ---
**Author:** ![scabpicker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scabpicker/32/8268_2.png) [@scabpicker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scabpicker)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2014, 7:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-1-album-of-the-year-retrospective-1974/699731/2 "2014-09-27T19:53:10Z")
It’s only Rock & Roll, of course. Seriously, it’s the last splash for Mick Taylor with the Rolling Stones. I like Ron Wood a lot, but they were a shell of their peak after Taylor left. ---
**Author:** ![Baal\_Houtham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/baal_houtham/32/13604_2.png) [@Baal\_Houtham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baal_Houtham)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2014, 9:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-1-album-of-the-year-retrospective-1974/699731/3 "2014-09-27T21:37:19Z")
I was musically aware during that year, but the only one of those albums I owned was “Band on the Run” which was just okay. So no vote. ---
**Author:** ![Maserschmidt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/maserschmidt/32/18829_2.png) [@Maserschmidt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maserschmidt)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2014, 9:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-1-album-of-the-year-retrospective-1974/699731/4 "2014-09-27T21:39:53Z")
I didn’t get “Planet Waves” until the mid-80s, but speaking as a non-fan of both Bob Dylan and The Band, I nonetheless still find it a great album. ---
**Author:** ![Tamerlane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tamerlane/32/7602_2.png) [@Tamerlane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tamerlane)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2014, 10:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-1-album-of-the-year-retrospective-1974/699731/5 "2014-09-27T22:14:17Z")
**Fullfilingness’ First Finale** is the easy choice, I think - Stevie Wonder near the height of his creative ability. But I’ll admit a sneaking fondness for **461 Ocean Boulevard** , not beloved by many Clapton fans. There are at least three tracks I like a fair bit and the rest is tolerable. By contrast **It’s Only Rock 'n Roll** is one of my less favorite Mick Taylor-era Rolling Stones albums. I haven’t and wouldn’t really want to own any of the others as whole albums, though I like Jim Croce’s novelty songs. ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2014, 12:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-1-album-of-the-year-retrospective-1974/699731/6 "2014-09-28T00:31:38Z")
Gotta go with the Carpenters, because . . . well, just because. Hey, it’s the 70s; get used to it. ---
**Author:** ![John\_DiFool](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_difool/32/19543_2.png) [@John\_DiFool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_DiFool)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2014, 1:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-1-album-of-the-year-retrospective-1974/699731/7 "2014-09-28T01:07:49Z")
One slight problem-a greatest hits collection might have a big edge over a normal studio album. My two favorite artists at that moment in time would also be the two that I would be choosing between now-Chicago VII (their last decent one ever, with all that jazz over the 1st two sides), and Elton’s Greatest Hits. But as intimated gotta go with the latter. ---
**Author:** ![JKellyMap](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jkellymap/32/15880_2.png) [@JKellyMap](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JKellyMap)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2014, 2:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-1-album-of-the-year-retrospective-1974/699731/8 "2014-09-28T02:01:17Z")
I’ve loved Eric Clapton’s _461 Ocean Boulevard_ ever since the 80s HBO comedy skit show Not Necessarily the News used “Motherless Children” for its background music. ---
**Author:** ![Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mean_mr.mustard/32/3865_2.png) [@Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mean_Mr.Mustard)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2014, 2:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-1-album-of-the-year-retrospective-1974/699731/9 "2014-09-28T02:03:36Z")
> [@John\_DiFool](#): > > One slight problem-a greatest hits collection might have a big edge over a normal studio album. > > My two favorite artists at that moment in time would also be the two that I would be choosing between now-Chicago VII (their last decent one ever, with all that jazz over the 1st two sides), and Elton’s Greatest Hits. But as intimated gotta go with the latter. Agreed. I would omit greatest hits and live albums from consideration. That said, It’s Only Rock & Roll mmm ---
**Author:** ![Johanna](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johanna/32/8318_2.png) [@Johanna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johanna)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2014, 2:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-1-album-of-the-year-retrospective-1974/699731/10 "2014-09-28T02:15:38Z")
Well, being an inveterate John Lennon fan, I cast my vote for _Walls and Bridges_. I also like _Planet Waves_, but it isn’t one of the greatest—it’s just really good. I really wanted to vote for _Relayer_. I’d be inclined to vote for Stevie Wonder, except I don’t think I’ve ever heard of _Fulfillingness’ First Finale,_ let alone heard it. Note to the OP—In standard practice, album titles get italicized, not put in quote marks. Individual songs get the quote marks. Which allows a reader to tell at a glance if Bad Company, _Bad Company_, or “Bad Company” refers to the band, the album, or the song. ---
**Author:** ![FoieGrasIsEvil](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/foiegrasisevil/32/16638_2.png) [@FoieGrasIsEvil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FoieGrasIsEvil)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2014, 3:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-1-album-of-the-year-retrospective-1974/699731/11 "2014-09-28T03:14:33Z")
For me it’s “Band On The Run” in a landslide. ---
**Author:** ![Yookeroo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yookeroo/32/323_2.png) [@Yookeroo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yookeroo)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2014, 5:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-1-album-of-the-year-retrospective-1974/699731/12 "2014-09-28T05:37:31Z")
> [@John\_DiFool](#): > > One slight problem-a greatest hits collection might have a big edge over a normal studio album. > [@Mean\_Mr.Mustard](#): > > Agreed. I would omit greatest hits and live albums from consideration. I agree. ---
**Author:** ![Smapti](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smapti/32/17938_2.png) [@Smapti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smapti)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2014, 8:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-1-album-of-the-year-retrospective-1974/699731/13 "2014-09-28T08:06:43Z")
I do agree about greatest hits albums, and mostly included them in this poll as a demonstration. For future album polls (which will happen on an irregular basis when there’s a lull in the singles polls) I’ll leave them out. ---
**Author:** ![astorian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ad7895/32.png) [@astorian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astorian)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2014, 1:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-1-album-of-the-year-retrospective-1974/699731/14 "2014-09-29T01:12:25Z")
I wouldn’t vote for any Greatest Hits albums on principle. My two favorite LPs on the list were the debut Bad Company album and John Denver’s _ **Back Home Again.** _ I voted for Mr. Deutschendorf. Sue me! ---
**Author:** ![koeeoaddi](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/koeeoaddi/32/408_2.png) [@koeeoaddi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/koeeoaddi)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2014, 1:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-1-album-of-the-year-retrospective-1974/699731/15 "2014-09-29T01:36:45Z")
I voted for _You Don’t Mess Around with Jim_ just for [Walkin’ Back to Georgia](http://youtu.be/9e8VuYZu-SU). Great song. ---
**Author:** ![california\_jobcase](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9d8465/32.png) [@california\_jobcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/california_jobcase)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2014, 2:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-1-album-of-the-year-retrospective-1974/699731/16 "2014-09-29T02:44:42Z")
BTO with Not Fragile for the win! I really liked the cover with the crate full of gears and sprockets, kind of poking fun at a certain pretentious prog rock group. The music was straight-ahead crunchy good-old-boy hard rock, and the album had the best truck-driving song from that era! ---
**Author:** ![JohnT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnt/32/15048_2.png) [@JohnT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnT)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2014, 3:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-1-album-of-the-year-retrospective-1974/699731/17 "2014-09-29T03:29:23Z")
I disagree about album compilations and the decision to exclude them - if it hit #1, it hit #1. Period. Otherwise you’re skewing your poll to get desired results, which pretty much invalidates the entire concept. It’s like saying “I’m not going to have the Beatles represented in the 1964 #1 songs poll because we all know they’ll win.” And, hell, the compilations didn’t even finish in the top 3 of votes (as of this writing), so what’s the big worry? That said, I voted for EJGH because I **loved** that album when it was released. ---
**Author:** ![Art\_Rock](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/art_rock/32/525_2.png) [@Art\_Rock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Art_Rock)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2014, 8:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-1-album-of-the-year-retrospective-1974/699731/18 "2014-09-29T08:34:08Z")
Like others, I would never vote for compilation or live albums. For me the best of the bunch is Jim Croce. Of course, the brilliant prog albums of the time did not stand a chance to reach #1. ---
**Author:** ![Johanna](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johanna/32/8318_2.png) [@Johanna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johanna)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2014, 10:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-1-album-of-the-year-retrospective-1974/699731/19 "2014-09-29T22:31:49Z")
> [@Smapti](#): > > future album polls (which will happen on an irregular basis when there’s a lull in the singles polls) Please italicize the album titles and save the quote marks for songs. ---
**Author:** ![Manduck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/manduck/32/256_2.png) [@Manduck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Manduck)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2014, 12:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-1-album-of-the-year-retrospective-1974/699731/20 "2014-09-30T00:17:02Z")
> [@Johanna](#): > > Please italicize the album titles and save the quote marks for songs. The problem there is that the poll thing italicizes whatever you voted for. I don’t know what it would do if it was already in italics. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-1-album-of-the-year-retrospective-1974/699731.md?page=2)