The 45 Greatest Hard Rock Albums of the 1970s

Heavy riffs, stadium swagger and a handful of records that quietly invented metal. Where hard rock ends and something else begins is half the argument.

1. 1
   Led Zeppelin IV

   Led Zeppelin's 1971 untitled fourth album with Stairway to Heaven and Black Dog.
   1000pts
2. 2
   Rising

   Rainbow's 1976 album with Ronnie James Dio, a forerunner of fantasy metal.
   607pts
3. 3
   Van Halen

   Van Halen's 1978 debut, which reinvented rock guitar with Eruption.
   586pts
4. 4
   Sabbath Bloody Sabbath

   Black Sabbath's 1973 album that added synths and progressive textures.
   586pts
5. 5
   Sweet Fanny Adams

   Sweet's 1974 album that mixed glam with heavy riffs.
   556pts
6. 6
   2112

   Rush's 1976 breakthrough with its side-long sci-fi suite.
   523pts
7. 7
   Burn

   Deep Purple's 1974 album introducing David Coverdale and Glenn Hughes.
   523pts
8. 8
   Made in Japan

   Deep Purple's 1972 live album, a benchmark for hard rock concert records.
   486pts
9. 9
   Powerage

   AC/DC's lean 1978 album long cherished by fans and musicians.
   485pts
10. 10
    Paranoid

    Black Sabbath's 1970 second album with Iron Man and War Pigs.
    485pts
11. 11
    Let There Be Rock

    AC/DC's raw 1977 album with Whole Lotta Rosie.
    485pts
12. 12
    Secret Treaties

    Blue Oyster Cult's 1974 album, a cult favourite of dark twin-guitar rock.
    444pts
13. 13
    Cheap Trick at Budokan

    Cheap Trick's 1978 live album that made them stars in America.
    444pts
14. 14
    Houses of the Holy

    Led Zeppelin's 1973 album stretching into funk and reggae alongside heavy riffs.
    444pts
15. 15
    Master of Reality

    Black Sabbath's 1971 downtuned, crushing third album.
    397pts
16. 16
    Toys in the Attic

    Aerosmith's 1975 hit album with Walk This Way and Sweet Emotion.
    397pts
17. 17
    Who's Next

    The Who's 1971 album blending synthesizers with hard-hitting rock anthems.
    397pts
18. 18
    Demons and Wizards

    Uriah Heep's 1972 album of heavy organ-driven fantasy rock.
    397pts
19. 19
    Bad Company

    Bad Company's 1974 debut with Can't Get Enough and Feel Like Makin' Love.
    397pts
20. 20
    Agents of Fortune

    Blue Oyster Cult's 1976 album featuring (Don't Fear) The Reaper.
    397pts
21. 21
    Rocks

    Aerosmith's 1976 follow-up, a gritty favourite of later hard rock bands.
    397pts
22. 22
    Machine Head

    Deep Purple's 1972 classic featuring Smoke on the Water and Highway Star.
    344pts
23. 23
    Stained Class

    Judas Priest's 1978 album with a harder, faster edge.
    344pts
24. 24
    Alive!

    Kiss's 1975 live album that made the band stars.
    344pts
25. 25
    Billion Dollar Babies

    Alice Cooper's 1973 chart-topping album of theatrical shock rock.
    344pts
26. 26
    Highway to Hell

    AC/DC's 1979 breakthrough album and Bon Scott's last.
    344pts
27. 27
    Physical Graffiti

    Led Zeppelin's sprawling 1975 double album including Kashmir.
    284pts
28. 28
    Overkill

    Motorhead's 1979 album, a speed-driven blueprint for thrash.
    284pts
29. 29
    In Rock

    Deep Purple's 1970 breakthrough, a ferocious blast of organ and guitar.
    284pts
30. 30
    Strangers in the Night

    UFO's 1979 live double album, hailed as one of the best of its kind.
    284pts
31. 31
    Led Zeppelin II

    The 1969 heavyweight with Whole Lotta Love that set the template for hard rock.
    284pts
32. 32
    Virgin Killer

    Scorpions' 1976 album with Uli Jon Roth's soaring lead guitar.
    284pts
33. 33
    Climbing!

    Mountain's 1970 album with Mississippi Queen, a heavy blues-rock landmark.
    284pts
34. 34
    Live and Dangerous

    Thin Lizzy's 1978 live album, often named the best live rock record.
    214pts
35. 35
    Lovedrive

    Scorpions' 1979 album that brought Michael Schenker back and sharpened their sound.
    214pts
36. 36
    Black Sabbath Vol. 4

    The 1972 album with Supernaut and Snowblind, heavy and experimental.
    214pts
37. 37
    Dreamboat Annie

    Heart's 1975 debut with Crazy on You and Magic Man.
    214pts
38. 38
    Hair of the Dog

    Nazareth's 1975 album with the hit Love Hurts and the snarling title track.
    214pts
39. 39
    Jailbreak

    Thin Lizzy's 1976 album with The Boys Are Back in Town.
    214pts
40. 40
    Montrose

    Montrose's 1973 debut, an American hard rock landmark with Sammy Hagar on vocals.
    214pts
41. 41
    Black Sabbath

    The 1970 debut that laid the foundations of heavy metal.
    132pts
42. 42
    Sad Wings of Destiny

    Judas Priest's 1976 album that defined their twin-guitar sound.
    132pts
43. 43
    Destroyer

    Kiss's 1976 studio album with Detroit Rock City and Beth.
    132pts
44. 44
    Fire and Water

    Free's 1970 album containing All Right Now.
    132pts
45. 45
    Boston

    Boston's 1976 debut, a polished and best-selling arena rock classic.
    0pts

Comments