100 Greatest Albums of 1974

Criteria: These albums were chosen for their initial and lasting popularity and their influence and impact on rock music in general. Also considered is critical acclaim. The list includes rock and roll and related genres that were influential on rock music.

Note: Yearly album lists go by earliest 'release date'. Not necessarily the year an album peaked in the U.S. charts.

1. Fulfillingness' First Finale
Stevie Wonder
2. Natty Dread
Bob Marley & The Wailers
3. Rags To Rufus
Rufus featuring Chaka Khan
4. Can't Get Enough
Barry White
5. Fire
Ohio Players
6. Court And Spark
Joni Mitchell
7. Nightbirds
Labelle
8. Sheer Heart Attack
Queen
9. Pretzel Logic
Steely Dan
10. The Lamb Lies Down On Broadway
Genesis
11. On The Beach
Neil Young
12. 461 Ocean Boulevard
Eric Clapton
13. Autobahn
Kraftwerk
14. Rufusized
Rufus featuring Chaka Khan
15. Second Helping
Lynyrd Skynyrd
16. Late For The Sky
Jackson Browne
17. Al Green Explores Your Mind
Al Green
18. Bad Company
Bad Company
19. Rejuvenation
The Meters
20. Heart Like A Wheel
Linda Ronstadt
21. Red
King Crimson
22. Caught Up
Millie Jackson
23. Grievous Angel
Gram Parsons
24. Kiss
Kiss
25. Country Life
Roxy Music
26. Radio City
Big Star
27. Standing On The Verge of Getting It On
Funkadelic
28. Perfect Angel
Minnie Riperton
29. Burn
Deep Purple
30. Live It Up
The Isley Brothers
31. Queen II
Queen
32. Sweet Exorcist
Curtis Mayfield
33. Good Old Boys
Randy Newman
34. I Want To See The Bright Lights Tonight
Richard and Linda Thompson
35. AWB
Average White Band
36. Release Yourself
Graham Central Station
37. Inspiration Information
Shuggie Otis
38. Bridge Of Sighs
Robin Trower
39. Mighty Love
The Spinners
40. Too Much Too Soon
New York Dolls
41. Up For The Down Stroke
Parliament
42. Back To Oakland
Tower Of Power
43. Winter In America
Gil Scott-Heron & Brian Jackson
44. Diamond Dogs
David Bowie
45. Let's Put It All Together
The Stylistics
46. It's Too Late To Stop Now
Van Morrison
47. Feats Don't Fail Me Now
Little Feat
48. Apostrophe (')
Frank Zappa
49. Before The Flood
Bob Dylan/The Band
50. Skin Tight
Ohio Players

51. Caribou
Elton John
52. 1969: Velvet Underground Live With Lou Reed
The Velvet Underground
53. What Once Were Vices Are Now Habits
The Doobie Brothers
54. Phaedra
Tangerine Dream
55. Veedon Fleece
Van Morrison
56. Not Fragile
Bachman-Turner Overdrive
57. Crime Of The Century
Supertramp
58. Open Our Eyes
Earth, Wind & Fire
59. Irish Tour '74
Rory Gallagher
60. Goodnight Vienna
Ringo Starr
61. Eldorado
Electric Light Orchestra
62. Light Of Worlds
Kool & The Gang
63. A1A
Jimmy Buffett
64. Do It Til You're Satisfied
B.T. Express
65. Starless And Bible Black
King Crimson
66. Rhapsody In White
Love Unlimited Orchestra
67. On The Border
The Eagles
68. The Heart Of Saturday Night
Tom Waits
69. Small Talk
Sly & The Family Stone
70. Taking Tiger Mountain (By Strategy)
Eno
71. No Other
Gene Clark
72. Rock 'n' Roll Animal
Lou Reed
73. I Can't Stand The Rain
Ann Peebles
74. Secret Treaties
Blue Öyster Cult
75. Get Your Wings
Aerosmith
76. Claudine
Gladys Knight & The Pips
77. Machine Gun
The Commodores
78. Rock Bottom
Robert Wyatt
79. They Say I'm Different
Betty Davis
80. Paradise And Lunch
Ry Cooder
81. Slow Dancer
Boz Scaggs
82. It's Only Rock 'n' Roll
The Rolling Stones
83. Lotus
Santana
84. Hall Of The Mountain Grill
Hawkwind
85. Chicago VII
Chicago
86. Hell
James Brown
87. Kimono My House
Sparks
88. Lookin For A Love Again
Bobby Womack
89. Marvin Gaye Live!
Marvin Gaye
90. Sneakin' Sally Through the Alley
Robert Palmer
91. Planet Waves
Bob Dylan
92. Toby
The Chi-Lites
93. Hard Core Poetry
Tavares
94. Walls And Bridges
John Lennon
95. Stevie Wonder Presents Syreeta
Syreeta
96. Relayer
Yes
97. Welcome Back My Friends To The Show That Never Ends
Emerson, Lake & Palmer
98. Woman To Woman
Shirley Brown
99. Seven
Bob Seger
100. Rock Your Baby
George McCrae
DigitalDreamDoor Editor Picks for 1974
Bruce's choice - An unheralded great album from 1974
* Live at Montreux - Hello Josephine (live '73)
Fats Domino

Adam's choice:
* +Justments
Bill Withers

Lew's choice:
* Souvenirs
Dan Fogelberg

Brett's choice:
* *McGear
Mike McGear
1973   |   1975