The Best Albums of 1974
The country-pop sound was a successor to the countrypolitan sound of the early 1970s. In addition to artists such as Murray and Campbell, several artists who were not initially marketed as a country were enjoying crossover success with country audiences through radio airplay and sales. The most successful of these artists included The Bellamy Brothers, Charlie Rich, John Denver, Olivia Newton-John, Marie Osmond, B. J. Thomas and Kenny Rogers. Newton-John, an Australian pop singer, was named Female Vocalist of the Year by the Country Music Association in 1974, sparking a debate that continues to this day — what is country music? Here are all of the 1974 albums ranked.
Relive the most nostalgic songs of the year 1974. Click below and enjoy the songs!
10. Queen II (Queen)
“Queen II is a simply an explosion of creativity. Others have given a song by song description, so I will not bore you again. Classic timeless guitar riffs and power chords are blended with complex piano and harpsichord melodys. Soaring lead vocals are backed by subtle, and not so subtle harmonies.”
9. Sheer Heart Attack (Queen)
“This album yielded their first international hit single “Killer Queen”, and it’s still my favorite song they’ve ever done. The entire first half is just one Queen classic after another, but it’s the second half that makes this my most played disc by them. The whole “In The Lap Of The Gods” suite is thrilling. They virtually invented speed metal on “Stone Cold Crazy”, and the vaudeville/music hall influences exhibited on “Bring Back That Leroy Brown” are a pure delight. The suite segues and flows beautifully, and is majestic and fun.”
8. Here Come The Warm Jets (Brian Eno)
“”The songs’ lyrics are weird and oblique, with some memorable lines and images, particularly in the sardonic ‘Baby’s on Fire’. Eno proves himself a more than capable singer and this work has very much outlasted his former bandmate Bryan Ferry’s album of covers released around the same time. the ferry now sounds dated and preciously mannered; Eno sounds, well, like no one else, his music here as astonishing as ever.”
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7. Court And Spark (Joni Mitchell)
“The drama of every song on this album, a woman adventurer throwing herself headlong into love and finding that nothing is more binding than freedom, well, Joni puts it across with some of the most beguiling melodies to ever hit the Top 40.”
6. Diamond Dogs (David Bowie)
“This is a part concept album and perhaps some other songs thrown in. It has 2 classic Bowie Songs with Diamond Dogs & Rebel Rebel. The rest of the album sticks with the concept some very interesting stuff but perhaps the tracks don’t stand on their own as well.”
5. Rock Bottom (Robert Wyatt)
“This album is great, but it’s pretty weird too. If you’re a big classic rock radio fan, you’ll probably be turned off on first listen, but then again most people will probably take a few listens to really get familiar with this music. Besides, if you’re exclusively a radio rock fan, you probably won’t find this record. Either way, don’t give up after one listen.”
4. Crime Of The Century (Supertramp)
“This 1974 masterpiece of an album by Supertramp features the band at their creative peak, with a fusion of progressive rock, pop, straight rock, and what they more or less invented, “art rock.” The songs are of a sophisticated nature, with pianos and more complex arrangements that somehow gain traction and really resonate. That told, this album is by far their most talented effort.”
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3. The Lamb Lies Down On Broadway (Genesis)
“”The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway” was the last Genesis album with the “classic” Genesis lineup (Tony Banks, Phil Collins, Peter Gabriel, Steve Hackett, Mike Rutherford); and if that group had to break up, this album was a great way for them to say goodbye. This concept album tells the story of a New York teenager named Rael whose life moves from the tough streets of 20th-century New York to a phantasmagorical landscape that mixes mythological references, popular culture allusions, and castration anxiety, among other things.”
2. On The Beach (Neil Young)
“This is an all-time great rock album. These are some of Neil Young’s best lyrics, and these songs really resonate with me. This music is both simple and complex at the same time. Revolution Blues, for example, is a straightforward blues tune, but with some really interesting political content. Young is singing about a progressive establishment that’s lost touch with the people it’s supposedly trying to help.”
1. Red (King Crimson)
“Red” can be hailed as an unsung pioneer album for the term heavy metal. Fripp’s sinister guitar grind showcased in the ominous title track and throughout the entire set echoes the sound of today’s (somewhat less-inspired) mainstream metal. The lyrics reflect upon murder (‘Fallen Angel’), an on the run dementia (‘One More Red Nightmare’) and guilt (the epic ‘Starless’). John Wetton’s strained vocals awkwardly soar up and down and Bill Bruford was establishing himself as one of music’s most talented drummers.”
