The Top Twenty Albums of 1973

If I was forced to choose, I believe I would pick out 1973 as my all-time favorite year in all of music history. So much brilliant music came out in that span of 12 months in all genres from funk to rock, pop to R&B, folk to even country that it's hard to narrow it all into a mere list, which I why I expanded from my usual ten to twenty, and I still feel like I'm leaving things out. To celebrate the storied 50th anniversary of these landmark albums I've chosen to count down my twenty favorite records that made the year such a magical time.

Let's begin!

#20) Masterpiece - The Temptations (42 minutes, Psychedelic Soul/Motown)

The final installment in the fruitful collaborative era between The Temptations and super producer Norman Whitfield is an album that feels absolutely massive in scope.  From their first songs together, Whitfield always had massive ambitions for his compositions and here he reaches a peak of pomp and circumstance, with the title song being a twenty minute psychedelic soul opus where more time is given to instrumental breaks than the quintet themselves.  The group themselves sound full and soulful as always, but in many ways this feels more like a Norman Whitfield project, full of his sweeping Funk Brothers orchestrations than your typical Temptations LP.  For that, it is an odd blip in a legendary discography, but this is some of the greatest psychedelic funk to come out of Motown under any name.

Essential Tracks: "Masterpiece" "Hey Girl (I Like Your Style)"

#19) Nutbush City Limits - Ike & Tina Turner (32 minutes, Funk-Rock/R&B)

Ike & Tina Turner’s last hurrah as funky rock and roll hit makers before Tina struck out on her own, leaving her abusive husband behind is an era-ending piece.  Every single vocal from Tina is absolutely hair raising, delivering killer performances across the LP, but that’s a given with any album from her, what makes this special is the rock solid songwriting which shows Turner branching away from typical R&B into really gritty rock and funk jams while also playing with synthesizers.  While no Ike & Tina LP is perfect, there’s very little filler here, and even the lesser songs are elevated by some of Tina’s career best performances.  

Essential Tracks: "Nutbush City Limits" "Fancy Annie" "Make Me Over"

#18) Back to the World - Curtis Mayfield (36 minutes, Psychedelic Soul/Funk)

Curtis Mayfield followed up his epoch-defining Blaxploitation masterpiece with a psychedelic soul protest album for the ages.  Mayfield was always a social commentator, but this remains one of his most biting, cynical works where he tackles the harrowing final years of the Vietnam War era with lengthy funk jams and smooth soulful ballads about loss, societal trauma and PTSD.  Mayfield took one thread from Marvin Gaye’s masterful “What’s Going On” and expounded upon it for a full album, turning in some of his most layered and vicious critiques over his classic buttery funk sound.  None of these are among his most well-remembered songs but they should be, as it is arguably Mayfield’s last truly essential record.

Essential Tracks: "Right On for the Darkness" "Future Shock" "Back to the World"

#17) The Captain and Me - The Doobie Brothers (41 minutes, Country Rock/Southern Boogie)

The Doobie Brothers’ third album shows the country rockers turning away from their more folk and country influences and turning in their hardest rocking record yet, full of biting classic rock riffs and their classic warm harmonies.  The duality of Patrick Simmons’ warm earthy baritone and the bluesy holler of Tom Johnston the group is capable of acing multiple different styles of rock.  Some of their best remembered rock staples are here among some lovely deep cuts.  The Doobies never stayed in one place for too long, always changing with the times, but on this album they were a damn good rock band.

Essential Tracks: "Long Train Runnin'" "China Grove" "South City Midnight Lady"

#16) Abandoned Luncheonette - Hall & Oates (36 minutes, Philadelphia Soul/Pop-Rock)

Hall & Oates’ second album is unlike anything else in their catalog, this was the duo before the fame, before they became two of the great pop songwriters of the late 70s and early 80s, this was the only time in their career where they made a full on R&B album.  The track here are some of the duo’s most soulful and ambitious, drawing on the autumnal singer-songwriter feeling of their debut but adding in bombastic orchestrations with sweeping strings and some of their most locked-in harmonies.  The duo experiment with form here, from sweeping, massive show-stopping ballads to country and funk tinged rockers to breezy folk-pop ditties, the album bursts with creativity.  Not every song is a smash, but the ones that connect are some of their most underrated compositions.  Hall & Oates would never sound like this again, and while they would make stronger songs, they rarely surpassed this type of full album quality.

Essential Tracks: "She's Gone" "When the Morning Comes" "Las Vegas Turnaround (The Stewardess Song)"

#15) Fresh - Sly & The Family Stone (39 minutes, Psychedelic Soul/Funk)

Sly Stone’s follow up to the seminal, groundbreaking nocturnal funk opus “There’s a Riot Goin’ On” takes the rubbery grooves and ridiculously tight bass lines of that album and strips away a lot of the hazy psychedelic murk in order to create a more hopeful and joyous record full of bouncy tracks.  Sly himself still leads the proceedings with his drugged out, hazy drawl but the instrumentals are some of the most dynamic from his career, whether they be the sleepy R&B ballads or the full band jam sessions.  This album perfectly blends the joyful social justice poppy funk of their masterpiece “Stand!” and the dark, twisted musings of “Riot” in a gumbo of bright funk.  Stone would soon fully succumb to his drug habits which would forever stifle his creative muse, but as his final truly great album it stands as some of his best, most inspired work.

Essential Tracks: "If You Want Me to Stay" "In Time" "Skin I'm In" "Thankful 'n' Thoughtful"

#14) Don't Shoot Me, I'm Only the Piano Player - Elton John (43 minutes, Piano-Pop/Rock)

Elton John’s first album of 1973 is a tour-de-force of Elton’s knack for writing immediately memorable pop-rock gems, veering away from the more folk and country influences that were prevalent on his first records and fully giving his all to the American rock market by turning in some first rate hooks.  Elton gives an absolutely glorious joyful and slightly camp performance over the album, but don’t let that obscure the brilliant song craft on display here, where almost every track would have been a great single whether it be the wide screen cinematic ballads or the bouncy throwback rockers and even a few country and western tracks.  Bookended by two of his best ever singles, this is a great album to introduce anyone to the joys to Elton at his poppiest and best.

Essential Tracks: "Daniel" "Crocodile Rock" "Have Mercy on the Criminal" "Elderberry Wine"

#13) Piano Man - Billy Joel (42 minutes, Piano-Rock/Country)

Billy Joel’s sophomore album not only gave him the nickname that would shape his entire career but also allowed Joel to blossom as a songwriter, performer and pianist delivering some of his best early tracks.  Joel hadn’t quite found the bright pop-rock song that would bring him commercial success, but this more country inflected set feels well-worn and warm, and while it may have been thoroughly indebted to Elton’s early sound, Billy embodies the country elements more authentically.  From soft folk ballads to cinematic piano-driven opuses, nearly every song shows off Joel’s knack for immediately catchy melodies, smart yet accessible lyrics and his willingness to make big swings.  For every recognized anthem here, there are a handful of lovely, understated deep tracks.  This is the auspicious beginning of a brilliant career, he would just keep improving from here.

Essential Tracks: "Piano Man" "You're My Home" "Captain Jack" "The Ballad of Billy the Kid"

#12) Selling England by the Pound - Genesis (53 minutes, Progressive Rock)

The story of Genesis is the story of two very different bands.  More popular (and my personal favorite) is the Phil Collins led pop-rock outfit of the 80s, but from 1969-1975 Peter Gabriel led Genesis to be one of the most willfully obscure and gleefully weird progressive rock bands in England, and this is easily the pinnacle of that era’s unique sound.  From the wild song lengths to Gabriel’s character-driven vocal performances, not much rock music sounds this fantastical, but the quintet were working at the peak of their compositional powers here, turning in countless classic prog songs full of virtuosic playing and dazzling solos, with Tony Banks (keyboards) and Steve Hackett (guitar) delivering career best performances.  Every song here drips with raw ambition, and almost every time the group deliver surprise after surprise.  This is a weird album, but if you’re open to it, it rewards you every time with a sonic landscape you can’t find anywhere else.

Essential Tracks: "I Know What I Like (In Your Wardrobe)" "Firth of Fifth" "Dancing with the Moonlit Knight" "The Cinema Show"

#11) Aladdin Sane - David Bowie (41 minutes, Glam-Rock/Hard-Rock)

David Bowie was coming hot off of his genre-defining glam-rock space opera “Ziggy Stardust” and being the genre chameleon he is, one would expect him to immediately pivot away from that sound, but like the master of surprise he is, he doubles down, creating one of the most stomping, glam-rock records of the time, filled to the brim with crunchy, singalong stadium anthems.  Bowie is as weird as ever, delivering wildly creative and obscure lyrics over some of Mick Ronson’s most fiery guitar heroics.  This album is packed wall to wall with some of Bowie’s hardest rockers, which makes the few ballads even more refreshing and beautiful, showcasing his interest in jazz.  While this may not soar to the immeasurable highs of Ziggy, this sister album is nearly as good in terms of pure enjoyability and rock and roll bounciness.  

Essential Tracks: "Panic in Detroit" "The Jean Genie" "Drive-In Saturday" "Aladdin Sane"

#10) The Wild, The Innocent & The E Street Shuffle - Bruce Springsteen (46 minutes, Pop-Rock/R&B)

Bruce Springsteen’s second album of 1973 delivers on all the promise of his more than solid debut album, creating a record that is filled to the brim with pure creativity, each song exploding with brassy full band arrangements, hyper-specific yet highly emotive lyrics and spellbinding melodies.  Every song on display here feels like an event, with many clocking in at seven plus minutes, letting The Boss weave stories about New Jersey and New York with an eye for detail that few writers can manage, while delivering songs that swell with vigor and verve.  From Clarence Clemons’ fiery saxophone to the rest of the band’s locked-in grooves, the entire album sounds like a joyous celebration, even in the more downbeat moments.  Springsteen hadn’t reached his apex yet, but rarely has he ever been more ambitious, or more successful.

Essential Tracks: "Rosalita (Come Out Tonight)" "New York City Serenade" "The E Street Shuffle" "Incident on 57th Street"

#9) 3 + 3 - The Isley Brothers (38 minutes, Funk-Rock/R&B)

The Isley Brothers were a very strong trio before this outing, but when they added their fellow siblings to the fold to create a full band sextet, the group soared to heights they never could have dreamed of before.  With the addition of Ernie Isley on guitar in particular, the group embraces a very fuzzy guitar-heavy brand of psychedelic funk-rock that plays to the group’s immense strengths, delivering superb originals that span from steamy, soulful ballads to fiery funk jams as well as utterly transforming soft-rock covers into works of funk-fusion art.  The group’s newfound chemistry is immediate, with each number featuring a startlingly high level of musicianship you would expect from a band many years into their career.  This is essential the debut of an all new band, and this truly commenced the golden era for this band, knocking classic R&B record after classic for the rest of the decade.

Essential Tracks: "Summer Breeze" "That Lady" "If You Were There" "The Highways of My Life"

#8) Countdown to Ecstasy - Steely Dan (41 minutes, Pop-Rock/Jazz-Fusion)

Steely Dan’s sophomore album showcases a band in peak performance, particularly because this was the last time Steely Dan was ever truly a band before the group became a conglomerate of unparalleled session musicians under the leadership of Donald Fagen and Walter Becker.  This very much is a band album, and that is why it both feels so distinct from other Dan albums and why it is such a brilliant record in the first place, really letting each member flex their chops on their instrument, resulting in each song having at least one dazzling solo.  The record radiates a sense of groove and funk with the compositions building on the California soft-rock meets New York snark of their debut, adding in much more jazz influence, making each song standout.  Fagen and Becker’s lyrics are as cutting as ever, resulting in some of their most cynical tracks.  Overall while this may not be the norm for Steely Dan, it easily ranks among their most accomplished products.

Essential Tracks: "My Old School" "Bodhisattva" "Show Biz Kids" "King of the World"

#7) There Goes Rhymin' Simon - Paul Simon (35 minutes, Singer-Songwriter/Pop)

Paul Simon’s sophomore solo album is a collection of absolutely joyful songs that play to Simon’s strengths, asserting himself as a major songwriting talent bridging the worlds of folksy singer-songwriters and outright pop stars with his endless warmth and cleverness.  The album is an exploration with Simon trying on various guises from New Orleans jazz to gospel, reggae and even Stax soul but every song still feels distinctly Simon because of his sharp lyrics and his delightfully simple yet affective sense of melody.  This takes all the ramshackle, homespun charm of his debut and makes it worthy of the big screen, with every hook landing with grace.  Simon would continue to get more ambitious, but there is no better introduction to his genius solo work than this delightful LP.

Essential Tracks: "Kodachrome" "Something So Right" "Loves Me Like a Rock" "St. Judy's Comet"

#6) Let's Get It On - Marvin Gaye (31 minutes, R&B/Soul/Motown)

Marvin Gaye’s follow-up to the landmark protest record “What’s Going On” is a similarly in-depth exploration of one of Gaye’s deep interests, but here he pivots from the social to the carnal, creating an album that celebrates love, lust and pleasure in a way that few albums dare to.  Gaye had always had a gorgeous voice, but here he uses his unmatched falsetto to create a devilishly sensual atmosphere of smoky warmth that feels just like a bedroom.  Few albums are this intimate, as Gaye feels as if he is singing only to you over the light funk and R&B.  The ballads are all heart stopping in their immaculate performances while the more uptempo tracks sparkle with pop hooks and steamy sex appeal.  While this may not be as important as “What’s Going On” it is nearly its equal when it comes to Gaye making an album experience that always deserved to be heard in full.  A masterpiece of pleasure and romance.

Essential Tracks: "Distant Lover" "Let's Get It On" "Come Get to This" "Just to Keep You Satisfied"

#5) Band On the Run - Paul McCartney and Wings (44 minutes, Pop-Rock)

Paul McCartney’s third album with Wings is the closest he ever came to penning a Beatles album all by himself, and it certainly lives up the quality of his best work in that group, delivering a set of pop-rock songs that are filled with knockout hooks, spellbinding melodies and virtuosic vocal performances, all dripping with Beatlesque charm.  McCartney is a songwriting powerhouse here, turning in riff-heavy rockers, sweet ballads and pop opuses with equal deftness, every song leaves you humming for days after you hear it.  Nobody writes a melody better than Paul and this album is proof of that fact.  Wings will never be seen in the same light as The Beatles, neither should they be, but for this one shining moment McCartney made something that can challenge any other Beatles classic in terms of total mastery of the pop song.

Essential Tracks: "Band On the Run" "Nineteen Hundred and Eighty-Five" "Jet" "Helen Wheels" "Let Me Roll It"

#4) Houses of the Holy - Led Zeppelin (Progressive/Hard Rock)

Led Zeppelin’s fifth record is a testament to the versatility of these titans of rock, as they had established themselves as heavy rockers, unparalleled interpreters of the blues and even soft acoustic folk troubadours, but this album makes their earlier records look safe, as the band takes risks on every song here and each time they pay off.  Whether they be the obvious stylistic diversions where the group gives their rocking takes on reggae or funk, each song feel uniquely ambitious from back masked vocals to soft acoustic ballads, organ-drenched progressive rock and wild time signature shifts, the band feels restless and that energy leads to some of their most inspired performances.  Never has Zeppelin sounded so content to push beyond their typical sound, and for that it remains their most interesting work to return to.  

Essential Tracks: "The Rain Song" "Over the Hills and Far Away" "The Ocean" "D'yer Ma'ker" "No Quarter"

#3) Goodbye Yellow Brick Road - Elton John (1 hour and 16 minutes, Pop-Rock/Glam-Rock)

Elton John’s second album of 1973 and his first double album feels like a victory lap, it is an album where Elton and Bernie celebrate their first successes by delivering a set of ridiculously varied songs, showcasing how versatile they can be all while Elton gives a career-making performance both vocally and on piano, radiating charm, camp and earnestness whenever necessary.  The duo tackle nearly every genre here: reggae, country, progressive rock, hard rock, soft balladry, folk and even old school rock and nearly every track is a success, with Elton giving his all to each performance, captivating every moment.  The amount of absolute classics here is mind-boggling, especially when the deep tracks are nearly as good and definitely would be single worthy on a weaker album.  Rarely can a 17 track album feel too short, but somehow Elton still leaves you wanting more.  This is an absolute superstar at the peak of his powers, showing off just because he can, and it’s utterly irresistible.

Essential Tracks: "Bennie and the Jets" "Goodbye Yellow Brick Road" "Harmony" "Saturday Night's Alright (For Fighting)" "Funeral for a Friend/Love Lies Bleeding"

#2) The Dark Side of the Moon - Pink Floyd (42 minutes, Progressive/Psychedelic Rock)

Few albums are as canonical as Pink Floyd’s 1973 masterpiece, an apex not just of their career but of progressive and psychedelic rock music on the whole, introducing legions of fans into avenues of more offbeat and experimental music.  For its seminal stepping stone status alone it should be celebrated, but beyond its reputation lies one of the most consistently dazzling musical experiences of any era.  The album flows between songs like no other, making it impossible to enjoy any song on its own without diving into the entire work, a fluid, transcendental experience of wonderment and darkness.  The group tackle massive subject matter, and while their musings are far from groundbreaking, the clarity and distilled nature of each song is still striking after countless listens.  The hazy, warm atmosphere of each track makes you feel utterly space bound, lost in a world of the stars.  The psychedelic washes of keys, the blazing guitar work and fluid rhythms make this an unparalleled listen.  No matter how many times you dive in, there’s always a new detail to discover.  A brilliant album from an all-time great band.

Essential Tracks: "Time" "Us and Them" "Breathe (In the Air)" "Money" "The Great Gig in the Sky"

#1) Innervisions - Stevie Wonder (43 minutes, Soul/R&B/Motown)

Stevie Wonder’s 1973 record distills everything brilliant about his artistry into a startlingly lucid and layered 45 minutes, where Wonder turns in a career-making set of attention grabbing compositions that take on social issues with nuance and passion.  Wonder’s blend of sizzling funk, soulful balladry and pointed social commentary is a potent mix that leads to an album where every single song feels like a career highpoint.  Wonder is unafraid to tackle poverty, drug addiction, political corruption and institutional racism all while turning these hardships into pop songs full of hooks and soaring, graceful vocal performances.  This is far from just a protest album, as Wonder also delivers achingly gorgeous love songs and uplifting testaments to the power of spirituality, embodying everything that makes him a truly unmatched artist.  Stevie Wonder has made many masterpieces over the course of his career, but if one could be considered his best, it would have to be this.  Soul personified in a single record.

Essential Tracks: "Living for the City" "Higher Ground" "Visions" "All in Love Is Fair" "Don't You Worry Bout a Thing"

Thanks for going on this musical journey through 1973 with me to celebrate 50 years of these amazing albums! Look out for the Top Twenty Albums of 1983 very soon!

Happy 50th Anniversary to some truly life-changing albums!