When it comes to classic rock, the 1970s were the Golden Age. After Rock 'n' Roll's rise in the '50s and '60s, the genre found its niche in popular culture history. The decade prior came to a close with Woodstock, the single most iconic festival of music in American—possibly even world—history. It's no wonder that musicians and rock artists of the 1970s went crazy from the start of the decade.

In the years since, rock as a genre has simultaneously become more refined and much broader, comprising subgenres such as alternative, punk, the greatest guitar solos, lyrical genius, and just general rock music ever created came in the '70s, and there was no shortage of perfect albums.

1 Sticky Fingers (1971) by The Rolling Stones

Many people consider Sticky Fingers to be The Rolling Stones' greatest album, and with the sheer breadth of their discography (which is still growing with the release of Hackney Diamonds in 2023), that claim is considerably high praise. It is, however, well-deserved praise; this album is loaded with Stones hits of all varieties. From the quintessential soft ballad "Wild Horses" to the classic bluesy anthem "Brown Sugar," Sticky Fingers is truly representative of the best that The Rolling Stones have to offer.

One of the things that makes this album so great is that nearly every track on this album has its own distinct guitar riff. The old-timey lick of "Can't You Hear Me Knocking," and the plucky reverb of "Sister Morphine"—each of the 10 tracks on Sticky Fingers can be easily identified by the way Keith Richards makes his guitar sing.

2 Led Zeppelin IV (1971) by Led Zeppelin

Few albums start off with such a bang as the opening lyric of "Black Dog," the first track on Led Zeppelin IV: "Hey-hey, mama, said the way you move / Gonna make you sweat, gonna make you groove." From there, Jimmy Page launches into an equally iconic and unmistakable guitar riff. Only eight songs long, Led Zeppelin IV is chock-full of classic guitar riffs, drum fills, keyboard solos, and poetic lyricism.

A mix of anthems that rock hard like "Rock and Roll" and "Misty Mountain Hop," and softer melodic tunes like "Going to California" and, of course, the ever-famous "Stairway to Heaven," Led Zeppelin IV is the kind of album that helps explain just what classic rock really is at its core. Guitar, drums, bass, and occasional keys, tied together with Robert Plant's incredibly vast vocal range, this album is not only some of Led Zeppelin's greatest work, but some of the greatest work to come out of the '70s rock era.

3 Rumours (1977) by Fleetwood Mac

Rumours is an album that just blows you away more and more with every listen. The vocal harmonies created by Lindsey Buckingham and Stevie Nicks are unlike anything else, and the entire musical ensemble makes for a visceral listening experience. Any combination of the 11 tracks on this album could have been released as singles, and they likely would have enjoyed the same level of success.

Throughout rock history, there has never been an album quite like Rumours, and honestly there probably never will be.

The four songs that were released as singles, "Go Your Own Way," "Dreams," "Don't Stop," and "You Make Loving Fun," made it to the top ten of the Billboard Hot 100 in the U.S. Those four tracks exemplify the upbeat feel-good nature of the album, but it wouldn't be a glowing review of Rumours without mention of "Songbird," Christine McVie's gorgeous ballad that's enough to bring one to tears. Throughout rock history, there has never been an album quite like Rumours, and honestly, there probably never will be again.

4 L.A. Woman (1971) by The Doors

The last album ever released by Jim Morrison, L.A. Woman is The Doors at their most authentic. After Morrison's on-stage breakdown in 1970, they took what they thought was going to be a break from performing live—a break that was cut short by their frontman's untimely death just over two months after the release of L.A. Woman. Because of this planned hiatus, the four-piece band was able to spend the time polishing the album, and it shows.

L.A. Woman is a wild ride of an album, which takes equal turns showing off Morrison's vocals, Ray Manzarek's keys, Robby Krieger's guitar, and John Densmore's drums. While Morrison is definitely the kind of frontman who craves all the attention, this album disperses the listener's attention evenly between all four band . Every song on L.A. Woman showcases the masterful precision of each instrument, including the vocals; one wouldn't dare skip a single track.

5 Boston (1976) by Boston

Boston knew exactly what they were doing when they released their self-titled debut in 1976; they arrived on the rock scene with a truly grand entrance with this eight-song run. Listening to Boston, you'd think this was their third or fourth album given how well it flows together. Their sound as a band really shines through this album, with Brad Delp's vocals at the helm and Tom Scholz's musical genius seeping through every song.

The first three songs on the album, "More Than a Feeling," "Peace of Mind," and "Foreplay / Long Time" are the essential Boston. By no means, though, does the album slow down from there. The latter five tracks are just as integral to Boston's sound as the first three. The vocal harmonies, the fraught musical ensemble, and the catchy lyricism that is present in each and every one of these eight tracks made Boston a raging success both at the time—and fifty years later.

6 A Night At The Opera (1975) by Queen

The album responsible for what may be the most popular karaoke song of all time, A Night At The Opera does a great job of explaining why Queen were as big and influential as they were. "Bohemian Rhapsody" is really just a microcosm of the album as a whole; as the title suggests, this LP is a crazily winding roller coaster that takes you to massive heights before promptly bringing you back down for some classic Freddie Mercury cooing.

"Death On Two Legs (Dedicated To...)" is that massive high, followed by a subtle dip in "Lazing On A Sunday Afternoon," and that's pretty much how it goes for the entire album. Aside from "Bohemian Rhapsody," A Night At The Opera also gave us Queen classics "You're My Best Friend" and "Love Of My Life." Don't be fooled, though, by the popularity of those three; each of the twelve tracks on this album are just as deserving of that level of fame.

7 Dreamboat Annie (1974) by Heart

Sisters Ann and Nancy Wilson are two of the greatest women in rock history, and they solidified that status from the very beginning with the release of their debut album, Dreamboat Annie. The singles, particularly "Magic Man" and "Crazy On You," exemplify Heart's sound at their core. They're hardcore rock anthems, chiefly driven by Ann's throaty vocals and Nancy's shredding on guitar.

On the flip side, this album features some slower tracks that showcase the Wilson sisters' mastery of soft rock, too. Tracks like "Soul Of The Sea," "(Love Me Like Music) I'll Be Your Song," and all three versions of "Dreamboat Annie" are softer ballads that nestle themselves comfortably into the sound that Heart has cultivated for themselves with this album. In fact, if you weren't paying attention, you might miss the transition between two wildly different tracks, "Dreamboat Annie (Fantasy Child)" and "Crazy On You"; that's how masterfully crafted this album is.

8 Born To Run (1975) by Bruce Springsteen

He's The Boss for a reason, and Bruce Springsteen's Born To Run is a pretty hefty part of that reason. The title track, for starters, is a timeless classic, still making its way into movies, TV shows, and even commercials five decades after its release. The first track on the album, "Thunder Road," is another timeless classic, as is the second single from the album, "Tenth Avenue Freeze-Out." Even the lesser-known tracks on this album are truly timeless.

Part of what makes Born To Run so special is that it features a variety of saxophone solos, something that is certainly a staple of Bruce Springsteen's body of work, but a rarity in the grand scheme of classic rock. This album is also driven heavily by the piano, another relative rarity in classic rock music. This album is nontraditional and has a soothing melodic feel without sacrificing the rock energy, a feat that can only be done so well by the boss himself.

9 The Wall (1979) by Pink Floyd

A concept album chronicling the life of "Pink," a rock star loosely based on both vocalist, Roger Waters, and former band member Syd Barrett, The Wall is regarded by many as Pink Floyd's magnum opus. This album is responsible for some of Pink Floyd's greatest hits in "Mother," "Comfortably Numb," and "Another Brick in the Wall, Part Two." It's also responsible for some of Pink Floyd's weirdest songs, including some tracks under two minutes with hardly any actual lyrics, but spoken word in their stead.

Alongside bandmates Nick Mason, David Gilmour, and Richard Wright, Roger Waters lays it all out with The Wall in a deeply emotional and poetically raw way.

The Wall is a rock opera that could honestly double as a movie soundtrack—which it actually was when Waters released a film adaptation of the album in 1982. Twenty-six tracks long, coming in at just over 80 minutes, The Wall is more of a musical storytelling journey than anything else, something that isn't very common in rock music. Alongside bandmates Nick Mason, David Gilmour, and Richard Wright, Roger Waters lays it all out with The Wall in a deeply emotional and poetically raw way.

10 Who's Next (1971) by The Who

Who's Next kicks off with The Who's number one song on Spotify, "Baba O'Riley," which is a fairly strong contender for the greatest rock song of all time. With an immediately recognizable intro and lyrics that you can feel in your chest, "Baba O'Riley" gets the ball rolling on an album filled with whimsical synths, ethereal lyricism, and guitar sequences that evoke a visceral reaction.

Roger Daltrey's lead vocals are smooth like velvet, especially when coupled with Pete Townshend's prowess on the guitar. Each of the three singles from this album, "Won't Get Fooled Again," "Baba O'Riley," and "Behind Blue Eyes," garnered commercial success, along with "Bargain" and "Getting In Tune." All nine of the tracks on Who's Next were deserving of that fame, even if it didn't last into the 21st century; the thing about this album is that each track is vastly different, yet all are masterpieces just the same.