1971 – With the demise of The Beatles the previous year, were the Rolling Stones, The Who and Led Zeppelin trying to fill the void – or reached a stage they could match the Fabs on their own terms?
The Kinks weren’t bothered either way – the Davies brothers thought nobody was as good as them and by this stage they had a point.
Joni and Carole were singer-songwriters supreme, there is funk, soul – and Rod’s ace-in-the-hole.
Most of these records have stood the test of time and the top ten – at least – are worthy of a place in any mainstream album collection.
The Top Twenty Albums of 1971:
- WHO’S NEXT – The Who;
- WHAT’S GOIN’ ON – Marvin Gaye;
- STICKY FINGERS – Rolling Stones;
- EVERY PICTURE TELLS A STORY – Rod Stewart;
- BLUE – Joni Mitchell;
- IV – Led Zeppelin;
- MUSWELL HILBILLIES – The Kinks;
- THERE’S A RIOT GOIN’ ON – Sly and the Family Stone;
- TAPESTRY – Carole King;
- HUNKY DORY – David Bowie;
- LA WOMAN – The Doors;
- TUPELO HONEY – Van Morrison;
- GONNA TAKE A MIRACLE – Laura Nyro;
- AT FILLMORE EAST – Allman Brothers Band;
- WHERE I’M COMING FROM – Stevie Wonder;
- WHITE LIGHT – Gene Clark;
- PEARL – Janis Joplin;
- A NOD’S IS AS GOOD AS A WINK TO A BLIND HORSE – The Faces;
- GIVE MORE POWER TO THE PEOPLE – The Chi-Lites;
- NILSSON SCHMILSSON – Harry Nilsson;
NEIL SAMBROOK is the author of MONTY’S DOUBLE – an acclaimed thriller now available as an Amazon Kindle Book.