The Best Year Ever (For Music)?
There have been a whole lot of great years in the history of music—and you might think that it's impossible to pick just one and call it the greatest of all time. But that's what we've done here? And 1971 is that year.
Let's check it out and then you can let us know what you think...
Tapestry
Maybe the best place to start when talking about music in 1971 is the album that spent more time at number one than any other that year: Tapestry. Carol King's brilliant second album spent 15 straight weeks atop the Billboard 200 charts, won Album of the Year at the Grammys, has been certified 14x Platinum, and is consistently listed among the greatest albums ever made.
SOUND QUALITY SHOOTOUT Carol King Tapestry, True Audiofiles
"Stairway To Heaven" Live
One of the greatest rock songs of all time—and the song that would become the last song at every high school dance for a generation—was first played live on March 5, 1971 at Ulster Hall in Belfast, Northern Ireland.
To be fair, the crowd wasn't impressed. To quote Zeppelin bassist John Paul Jones: "They were all bored to tears waiting to hear something they knew".
Stairway to Heaven Live, OLD TAPES
Sticky Fingers
Yup, the Rolling Stones album with the cover image of a pair of jeans with a working zipper (at least until they realized that the zipper was damaging the record and it was removed for future printings).
But zipper aside—Sticky Fingers was the band's ninth studio album and it is still regarded as one of their best, getting back to basics such classic Stone's tracks such as "Brown Sugar" and "Wild Horses". It also had a nice four-week run at number one until being dislodged from the top spot by the previously discussed Tapestry.
Review of Sticky Fingers by The Rolling Stones, Top 5 Records
Queen In Concert
The band was formed in 1970 and didn't release their debut album until 1973. However, it was February of 1971 when Queen performed their first public concert in London. And it was also just a couple weeks later when John Deacon joined the band and completed the lineup we would all come to know and love.
Michael Ochs Archives, Getty Images
Led Zeppelin IV
While the crowd in Belfast might've been bored the first time they heard "Stairway to Heaven", no one was bored months later when the masterpiece that was the Led Zeppelin IV album hit store shelves.
Not only did it feature "Stairway to Heaven", but it also included "Rock and Roll", "Black Dog", and the other more than seven-minute song on the album, "When the Levee Breaks". A classic for sure.
Review of Led Zeppelin IV, Top 5 Records
"You've Got A Friend"
First appearing on Tapestry, James Taylor also recorded a version of King's song and released it on his Mud Slide Slim and the Blue Horizon album just a couple months later. The song won Grammys for both of them: Best Male Pop Vocal Performance (Taylor) and Song of the Year (King).
James Taylor & Carole King - You've Got A Friend (BBC In Concert, 11/13/71), James Taylor
"Imagine"
John Lennon's anthem for peace and love was released on October 11, 1971. The song was the best-selling song of Lennon's solo career and has become one of the most recognizable songs of all time in the decades since its release.
John Lennon Imagine Album Review, John Heaton
Pearl
While Tapestry led the way with its amazing 15 weeks at number one, you know what album spent the second most weeks atop the charts in 1971? That's right: It was Janis Joplin's second (and last) solo album, Pearl.
Joplin had passed away in October of 1970, thus making Pearl a posthumous release. And with powerhouse tracks like "Me and Bobby McGee" and "Mercedes Benz"—it is well deserving of its spot among the best 500 albums of all time, according to Rolling Stone magazine (and many others).
Tupelo Honey
Rolling Stone called everything on Van Morrison's 1971 album "perfectly integrated" and The Village Voice named it the fourth best album of the year.
Album Update: Van Morrison - Tupelo Honey + Wavelength, Brian Needle Meets Vinyl
Madman Across The Water
Starting in 1972, Elton John would go on an amazing streak of putting out six number one albums in a row. However, While Madman Across the Water didn't quite reach the top of the charts, it did climb all the way up to eight in America—and is one of John's best and most under-appreciated records.
And on that topic...
Elton John / Madman Across The Water 50th Anniversary Vinyl Unboxing And Album Review., Doe Darling
"Tiny Dancer"
The first single off of the Madman album was "Tiny Dancer". A song that, at the time, was well received but not a huge hit—whereas today, it is one of, if not John's most iconic songs.
Elton John - Tiny Dancer, Elton John
"Maggie May"
Rod Stewart's most iconic track was released in 1971. Rolling Stone magazine ranked it as the 130th greatest song of all time.
Rod Stewart - Maggie May (Official Music Video), Rod Stewart
Goodbye To The Fillmore West
The Fillmore West in San Francisco was only around for three years, but that was enough time to set its stake as one of the most historically significant rock and roll venues in America. The closing of the Fillmore West in 1971 was a sad day, but it did end on a high note—with five nights of shows featuring such all-time bands as: Santana, Creedence Clearwater Revival, the Grateful Dead, and Quicksilver Messenger Service.
Moving east...
At Fillmore East
In 1971, The Allman Brothers Band recorded their live album, At Fillmore East, over three nights at The Fillmore East venue in New York City. It was a big breakthrough commercially for the band and really showcased how well the guys could jam together.
Grand Funk Railroad At Shea Stadium
In 1965, The Beatles became the first band to sell-out Shea Stadium. On July 9, 1971, Grand Funk Railroad became the second band to ever do so (breaking the Beatles record in the process).
Michael Ochs Archive, Getty Images
Who's Next
1971 saw the release of The Who's fifth, and maybe their best, studio album. Who's Next features some of the band's most famous tracks, including the likes of "Won't Get Fooled Again" and "Baba O'Riley".
The Who - Who’s Next/Lifehouse - New Boxset Review & Unboxing, Brendon Snyder
Meddle
Meddle isn't Pink Floyd's best album, but it is an important one in their oeuvre—as it is often considered the bridge between their psychedelic sound to the more progressive style they explored next.
Meddle - Pink Floyd Album Reviews, JTCurtisMusic
Inspiration For "Smoke On The Water"
On December 4, 1971, during a performance by Frank Zappa and the Mothers of Invention at the Montreux Casino in Montreux, Switzerland—the casino caught fire. Deep Purple happened to be in a hotel across the lake at the time and watching the fire from their window became the inspiration for their hit Smoke on the Water.
Deep Purple - Smoke On The Water (Live), Deep Purple Official
Santana III
Santana's self-titled third album (usually referred to as Santana III) dropped on September 24, 1971. The album spent five consecutive weeks at number one and is regarded by many as the band's best.
Distributed by Columbia Records, Wikimedia Commons
L.A. Woman
The final album The Doors ever recorded while Jim Morrison was alive—Rolling Stone called L.A. Woman "the Doors' greatest album". "Love Her Madly" was the first single off of the record, but it also featured the title track and the band's epic "Riders on the Storm".
Review of The Doors L.A. Woman, Top 5 Records
Tupac Shakur Is Born
One of the most influential rappers of all time, Tupac Shakur was born on June 16, 1971.
The Eagles Are Born
They wouldn't release their debut album until 1972 and it would be five years before "Hotel California"...but it was in Los Angeles in 1971 that the Eagles were formed.
Michael Ochs Archives, Getty Images
"Ain't No Sunshine"
Bill Withers' "Ain't No Sunshine" came out in 1971. 31-year-old Withers was working at a factory making bathrooms for 747s when he wrote the song—it would be his first of three Gold records.
Bill Withers - Ain't No Sunshine, Andres Trevino
"American Pie"
Don McLean's beloved song spent four weeks at number one in 1972, but it was released in October of 1971. "American Pie" has been called "one of the most successful and debated songs of the 20th century".
Don McLean - American Pie, OLD TAPES
Blue
Joni Mitchell wrote and produced her 1971 masterpiece, Blue. And as well as it was received at the time, it has only gained more praise and acclaim in the decades since its release. In 2020, Rolling Stone ranked it as the third greatest album of all time, and in 2017, NPR ranked it as the greatest album of all time made by a woman.
Review of Mobile Fidelity Sound Lab One Step of Joni Mitchell Blue, Top 5 Records
The Concert For Bangladesh
The Concert for Bangladesh were two concerts held at 2:30 and 8:00 pm on Sunday, August 1, 1971, at Madison Square Garden in NYC. Organized by George Harrison and Ravi Shankar, the concerts were meant to raise awareness and fund relief for East Pakistan refugees after the Bangladesh Liberation War and the 1970 Bhola cyclone.
George Harrison & Friends - The Concert for Bangladesh (Official Trailer), George Harrison
The Concert For Bangladesh
It was the first time a benefit concert of this size had ever been produced and it featured performances from Harrison, Shankar, Ringo Starr, Bob Dylan, Eric Clapton, Billy Preston, Leon Russell, and Badfinger.
The Concert for Bangladesh live triple-album was also released later that year.
Album Review: Concert for Bangladesh | George Harrison, Know Your Music Show
Theme From Shaft
Isaac Hayes' awesome soundtrack album, including the unmistakable theme from the Blaxploitation classic Shaft, came out in 1971.
Shaft (1971) Movie Review | The Unseen Movie Marathon, Kenny Sparks
What’s Going On?
A classic of 70s soul, both NME and Rolling Stone have called Marvin Gaye's 11th studio album the greatest of all time. From the title track to "Mercy Mercy Me", Gaye gave the world a musical gift back in 1971—a gift we are all still enjoying.
Breaking Down Marvin Gaye's Masterpiece: What's Going On | Album Review & Analysis, Vinyl Rewind
