10 Best Rock Albums Of The 1970s

After the 60's Revolution ignited a musical fire, the entire umbrella of rock and roll had broadened. No longer did bands have to call back to the riffs of Chuck Berry and Elvis Presley to make their musical foundation. Music could be more poignant, more sophisticated, and more profound.

As bands began to blossom in the 70's, many artists started to experiment with different styles that would go on to become staples of the rock genre further down the road. In this decade alone, rock saw the rise of folk rock, pop rock, punk, and prog all slip their way onto the charts. Though general music taste has become more eclectic in recent years, it was still a bit of a shock to hear the Ramones and Paul McCartney mentioned in the same breath.

While the 60's was the time for mind-altering experimentation, the 70's was the era where rock started to grow into what we see it as today. Though the records mentioned on this list are tonally jarring when stacked against each other, each marks a crucial turning point for what rock would become later down the line. Turn the dial and listen for yourself.

Even though it was a fantasy, many rock fans truly believed that the Beatles were a bulletproof band who would go on forever. As the 60's were coming to a close though, each of the Fab Four had grown up and started leading separate lives, leaving only business squabbles between them. Though each of the Beatles' solo efforts had its fair share of highlights, Plastic Ono Band may be the single greatest artistic statement to come out of the Post-Fab era.

After coming off heroin, John Lennon spent time undergoing grueling primal therapy with Dr. Arthur Janov, where he expelled his pent-up feelings that he had restrained for years. Upon release, Lennon found that the best way to cope with his pain was to write songs. What unfolded was the most authentic record from any major artist, with songs that touched on his entire life from the childhood trauma of "Mother" to the denouncement of his previous fame on "God."

With an incredibly raw production, the album stands as a pure distillation of emotion from one of the greatest voices of the 60's generation. When it was thought that the Beatles were untouchable, Plastic Ono Band was John Lennon exposing himself as the real man behind the art.