The Best Albums of 1972
The 1970s saw the emergence of hard rock as one of the most prominent subgenres of rock music. Bands like Alice Cooper and Deep Purple were highly popular by 1972.
This year also saw the birth of the first Sunbury Music Festival which was held in Sunbury, Victoria. Performers include Billy Thorpe & The Aztecs, Wendy Saddington, Chain, and The La De Das. Paul McCartney’s new band, Wings, made their live debut at the University of Nottingham in England. It’s McCartney’s first public concert since The Beatles’ 1966 US tour. A Swedish pop supergroup formed in Stockholm in 1972 by Agnetha Fältskog, Björn Ulvaeus, Benny Andersson, and Anni-Frid Lyngstad. The group’s name is an acronym of the first letters of their first names. They became one of the most commercially successful acts in the history of popular music, topping the charts worldwide from 1974 to 1983. Here are all of the 1972 albums ranked.
Don’t miss out on the harmony of the 1972’s music! Click and enjoy most popular songs of this year!
10. Foxtrot (Genesis)
“The major highlight of this album is a song that many consider being one of the all-time great progressive rock epics “Supper’s Ready”. The 23-minute track basically covers the biblical book of Revelations as it’s the subject matter with the return of Christ after the apocalypse. Pretty heady stuff, and in lesser hands this could have been a disaster, but Genesis ultimately produces what may be the ultimate prog-rock piece of work. The lyrics, music, and vocals all mesh perfectly on this one and the result is truly stunning.”
9. Ege Bamyası (Can)
“Wailing guitar feedback whines from the speakers. Crashing cymbals and pounding drums beat out a foreign rhythm in a time signature that wouldn’t sound out of place on a jazz record. A chugging and pulsing bass guitar section enters the fray, and some erratic vocals and keyboard interject from time to time to round out the composition. What I have just described is the opening moments of the first song on this album, “Pinch.” The musicians play in such a way on this song, and much of the rest of the album that it almost seems that the progression of the songs almost sound accidental, like they’re jamming out the songs for the first or second time, experimenting, figuring out what works as they go.”
8. Machine Head (Deep Purple)
“Deep Purple made great albums before and after Machine Head but it is here where everything worked. Like all classic albums, this one is defined as much by the deep cuts as much as it is the singles and the ones that endured on classic rock radio. The single and the track that everyone knows, is “Smoke in the Water”, as memorable a classic rock song as any thanks not only because of Ritchie Blackmore’s iconic guitar riff but by its chorus, Jon Lord’s keyboard lines, and Ian Gillian’s powerful vocal.”
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7. Thick As A Brick (Jethro Tull)
“Thick as A Brick represents an excellent song-suite, with numerous different parts. It draws heavily on classical/baroque influences, presented in a modern arrangement featuring organ, guitars, bass, drums and flute, all complemented by Ian Anderson’s strange image-inducing lyrics. This is Tull at their most creative, with some beautiful themes interspersed throughout, all constructed in a very structured way, and yet still leaving ample space for improvisation. A great album for sure, and my favorite entry in the overwhelmingly large Tull catalogue. Worth a serious look from prog-fans.”
6. Transformer (Lou Reed)
“The album itself is one of the greatest rock albums of all time. “Satellite”, “Perfect Day”, and “Walk on the Wild Side” are all top notch Lou Reed, at his most accessible. The rest of the album is filled out with tunes that fit into an excellent snapshot of 70’s era NYC, with all it’s quirks and eccentricities.”
5. Harvest (Neil Young)
“Neil Young is, if nothing else, a creative genius who varies his musical approach not just album to album, but also track to track. He is a polarizing artist. Some folks really like his “winey crooning” and some don’t. Count me in the former! There is something vulnerable about NY’s vocals. For me, that vulnerability often translates to true human sincerity.”
4. Close To The Edge (Yes)
“This album is legendary, and when you hear it to completion, you will know why. Even so, if you’re new to Yes, I wouldn’t start here. Go for `The Yes Album’ (1971) or `Fragile’ (1972), both of which are five-star albums, albeit more accessible than `Close to the Edge.’ If you like what you hear, then there’s no reason why you should dislike this release. In a sense, it’s not a departure from the earlier two releases, but an extension. `Close to the Edge’ explores just what the band would do in an ideal, limitless format, as opposed to the more radio-friendly arrangement that made the previous releases successful.”
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3. Pink Moon (Nick Drake)
“Great album. Very captivating and emotional, yet not heavy handed. It is simple in terms of instrumentation, but the guitar work is very layered, original, and hard to imitate. Nick Drake’s lyrics and voice carry the songs to where they need to go.”
2. Exile On Main St. (The Rolling Stones)
“As hard rocking, hard rock can get. 18 classic songs. I really admire the stones. They have definitely created an album that combines and mixes different rhythms and sounds yet still maintain that classic feeling that makes them so familiar. Sweet Virginia has become one of my favorite stones songs. So bluesy and full of life.”
1. The Rise And Fall Of Ziggy Stardust And The Spiders From Mars (David Bowie)
“Every song on this album is a glam rock masterpiece. David Bowie had transformed himself continuously throughout his career. His early influences of 60’s pop and Bob Dylan have taken a backseat to the new Glam Rock explosion started by T.Rex. Bowie took it one step further creating an alter ego, Ziggy Stardust whom Bowie became on stage.”