20 Underrated Albums of the 1970s That Deserve More Attention
The 1970s churned out more albums than any decade before, and many excellent ones slipped past the spotlight, partly because they flopped commercially or got buried by a louder release the same week. Still, these albums aged better than the hits. Here’s a batch of forgotten gems worth queuing up.
Shoes – Black Vinyl Shoes (1977)
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This Illinois band recorded their debut album in a basement using basic home equipment—not as an artistic choice, but because that’s all they had. The sound blends power pop with a raw, homemade feel. Later lo-fi artists named it a key influence, yet it remains an underground favorite.
Nick Drake – Pink Moon (1972)
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With only his voice, guitar, and a brief piano part, Nick Drake created an album defined by its intensity. Island Records released it without promotion, and Drake never performed it live. Decades later, a 1999 Volkswagen commercial brought Pink Moon to new listeners, which brought it into the spotlight.
Throbbing Gristle – 20 Jazz Funk Greats (1979)
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Throbbing Gristle created an uneasy mix of proto-industrial noise and warped synth pop, with tracks like Hot on the Heels of Love pointing toward electroclash and darkwave before those genres existed. The band’s confrontational style scared labels and critics, but their ideas ended up in everything from Nine Inch Nails to Aphex Twin.
Alice Coltrane – Journey in Satchidananda (1971)
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Spiritual jazz rarely feels as deep as this. Alice Coltrane’s arrangements layer harp, tanpura, and Eastern scales into a sound shaped by her post-Coltrane meditation practice. The album later influenced electronic and ambient musicians, including Flying Lotus, who drew directly from her work.
Can – Tago Mago (1971)
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Can was tearing rock music apart and sewing it together in strange new ways. Tago Mago introduced Damo Suzuki’s voice to their lineup, and with him came a new chaos that was part vocal improv and part shamanic howl. Tracks like Halleluhwah stretch past 18 minutes without dragging.
Be-Bop Deluxe – Sunburst Finish (1976)
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Ships in the Night charted modestly in the UK, but the full album offers plenty of sharp turns and sci-fi guitar hooks. Be-Bop Deluxe never cracked the U.S. market, and the band dissolved not long after. Still, this remains a high point of 70s British art rock that never fully got its due.
Public Image Ltd – Metal Box (1979)
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John Lydon helped define post-punk with Metal Box, a three-disc album packaged in an actual metal film canister. The design grabbed attention, but the music—dub-infused basslines, sharp guitars, and fractured lyrics—was what truly changed the genre. Tracks like Albatross and Swan Lake turned disarray into art.
Van Morrison – Veedon Fleece (1974)
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This album plays like a diary from a long walk through the Irish countryside. After his divorce, Van Morrison returned home and wrote songs that wander between folk, jazz, and reflection. Over time, it became a favorite for listeners who value Morrison at his most personal and free.
Jack Bruce – Songs for a Tailor (1969)
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Though it came out in 1969, this album strongly influenced the music of the 1970s. Jack Bruce, best known as Cream’s bassist, moved beyond blues-rock on his first solo record. Poet Pete Brown wrote the lyrics, which mix strange images with songs that combine jazz, baroque, and art-rock sounds.
Lazarus – Lazarus (1971)
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Produced by Peter Yarrow of Peter, Paul & Mary fame, this Texas trio’s debut album never charted, but their harmonies rivaled CSNY and America. Lazarus toured with Todd Rundgren, released one more album, then vanished.
The Feelies – Crazy Rhythms (1980)
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Yes, it was released in 1980, but it was written and recorded in the late ’70s—and it sounds like that decade ending in a nervous jolt. The guitars plug directly into the board for a sharp, clean tone. Glen Mercer and Bill Million built a tense, driving sound that came before R.E.M. and influenced Sonic Youth.
Gallagher & Lyle – Breakaway (1976)
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Most people don’t recognize the names, but they’ve heard the songs. Benny Gallagher and Graham Lyle co-wrote Heart on My Sleeve and I Wanna Stay With You, both included on this mellow, melodic record. Art Garfunkel covered the title track and scored a hit.
Genesis – A Trick of the Tail (1976)
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This was Genesis’s first album without Peter Gabriel, and expectations were low. Instead, the band delivered a refined prog rock record that revealed Phil Collins as a strong new frontman. Ripples and Entangled showed their melodic depth, while Los Endos gave the rhythm section room to take over.
Big Star – Radio City (1974)
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Big Star’s story has become legend, but Radio City still deserves more ears. Alex Chilton and drummer Jody Stephens recorded it after Chris Bell left. Songs like September Gurls combine heartbreak with hooks that inspired bands like Teenage Fanclub and the Replacements.
Faust – The Faust Tapes (1973)
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Virgin Records priced this album at the cost of a single to introduce British listeners to German experimental rock. It sold tens of thousands, but most buyers had no idea what they were getting. The record jumps between tape loops, spoken word, noise, and glimpses of melody.
Batdorf and Rodney – Off the Shelf (1971)
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This acoustic duo combined tight harmonies with a gentle West Coast sound that sat somewhere between James Taylor and early Eagles. Songs like You Are the One and Can You See Him deliver emotional punch without tipping into sappiness. Critics praised the songwriting, but the group never broke through commercially.
Sparks – Propaganda (1974)
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Following the success of Kimono My House, Sparks cranked out another album in just six months. At Home, At Work, At Play opens things in a theatrical way, and the rest doesn’t let up. Ron and Russell Mael packed more ideas into 30 minutes than most bands manage in a year.
Su*cide – Su*cide (1977)
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Alan Vega and Martin Rev stripped rock to its skeleton and added synths, drum machines, and manic shouting. The result didn’t fit anywhere in 1977. Frankie Teardrop remains one of the most unsettling songs ever recorded. Bruce Springsteen later cited the album as an influence on Nebraska.
Audience – The House on the Hill (1971)
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This British art-rock group toured with Led Zeppelin and made four albums, but never cracked the mainstream. The House on the Hill was their peak. Howard Werth’s voice splits opinion, but the arrangements—flute, sax, classical guitar—are daring and weirdly catchy.
Dire Straits – Communiqué (1979)
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Following the massive success of their debut, Dire Straits released Communiqué to little fanfare. Critics shrugged, and the public moved on. Still, it’s a strong, steady album with clean production and sharp writing. Lady Writer echoes Sultans of Swing but shows more bite.