List of UK Albums Chart number ones of the 1970s

The UK Albums Chart is a record chart based on weekly album sales in the United Kingdom; during the 1970s, a total of 148 albums reached number one. In October 1971, Imagine by John Lennon and The Plastic Ono Band became the 100th album to top the UK chart; seven years later, Nightflight to Venus by Boney M. became the 200th album to do so.[1]

Swedish group ABBA spent 35 weeks at the top of the UK Album Chart during the 1970s, longer than any other artist.

Number ones

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Key
No. nth album to top the UK Albums Chart
re Return of an album to number one
Best-selling album of the year[2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9]
Best-selling album of the decade
Contents
← 1960s • 1970 • 1971 • 1972 • 1973 • 1974 • 1975 • 1976 • 1977 • 1978 • 1979 • 1980s →
No. Artist[a] Album[a] Record label[b] Reached number one
(for the week ending)[a][21]
Weeks at
number one[a]
1970
re The Beatles Abbey Road Apple 27 December 1969 6
74 Led Zeppelin Led Zeppelin II Atlantic 7 February 1970 1
75 Various artists Motown Chartbusters Volume 3 Tamla Motown 14 February 1970 1
76 Simon & Garfunkel Bridge Over Troubled Water CBS 21 February 1970 13
77 The Beatles Let It Be Apple 23 May 1970 3
re Simon & Garfunkel Bridge Over Troubled Water CBS 13 June 1970 4
78 Bob Dylan Self Portrait CBS 11 July 1970 1
re Simon & Garfunkel Bridge Over Troubled Water CBS 18 July 1970 5
79 The Moody Blues A Question of Balance Threshold 22 August 1970 3
80 Creedence Clearwater Revival Cosmo's Factory Liberty 12 September 1970 1
81 The Rolling Stones Get Yer Ya-Ya's Out! The Rolling Stones in Concert Decca 19 September 1970 2
re Simon & Garfunkel Bridge Over Troubled Water CBS 3 October 1970 1
82 Black Sabbath Paranoid Vertigo 10 October 1970 1
re Simon & Garfunkel Bridge Over Troubled Water CBS 17 October 1970 1
83 Pink Floyd Atom Heart Mother Harvest 24 October 1970 1
84 Various artists Motown Chartbusters Volume 4 Tamla Motown 31 October 1970 1
85 Led Zeppelin Led Zeppelin III Atlantic 7 November 1970 3
86 Bob Dylan New Morning CBS 28 November 1970 1
87 Andy Williams Andy Williams' Greatest Hits CBS 5 December 1970 1
re Led Zeppelin Led Zeppelin III Atlantic 12 December 1970 1
re Andy Williams Andy Williams' Greatest Hits CBS 19 December 1970 4
1971
re Simon & Garfunkel Bridge Over Troubled Water CBS 16 January 1971 3
88 George Harrison All Things Must Pass Apple 6 February 1971 8
89 Andy Williams Home Lovin' Man CBS 3 April 1971 2
90 Various artists Motown Chartbusters Volume 5 Tamla Motown 17 April 1971 3
91 The Rolling Stones Sticky Fingers Rolling Stones 8 May 1971 4
92 Paul and Linda McCartney Ram Apple 5 June 1971 2
re The Rolling Stones Sticky Fingers Rolling Stones 19 June 1971 1
93 Emerson, Lake & Palmer Tarkus Island 26 June 1971 1
re Simon & Garfunkel Bridge Over Troubled Water CBS 3 July 1971 5
94 Various artists Hot Hits 6 Music for Pleasure 7 August 1971 1
95 The Moody Blues Every Good Boy Deserves Favour Threshold 14 August 1971 1
96 Various artists Top of the Pops, Volume 18 Hallmark 21 August 1971 3
re Simon & Garfunkel Bridge Over Troubled Water CBS 11 September 1971 1
97 The Who Who's Next Track 18 September 1971 1
98 Deep Purple Fireball Harvest 25 September 1971 1
99 Rod Stewart Every Picture Tells a Story Mercury 2 October 1971 4
100 John Lennon and The Plastic Ono Band Imagine Apple 30 October 1971 2
re Rod Stewart Every Picture Tells a Story Mercury 13 November 1971 2
101 Various artists Top of the Pops, Volume 20 Hallmark 27 November 1971 1
102 Led Zeppelin Led Zeppelin IV Atlantic 4 December 1971 2
103 T.Rex Electric Warrior Fly 18 December 1971 6
1972
104 George Harrison, Bob Dylan and others The Concert for Bangladesh Apple 29 January 1972 1
re T.Rex Electric Warrior Fly 5 February 1972 2
105 Neil Reid Neil Reid Decca 19 February 1972 3
106 Neil Young Harvest Reprise 11 March 1972 1
107 Paul Simon Paul Simon CBS 18 March 1972 1
108 Lindisfarne Fog on the Tyne Charisma 25 March 1972 4
109 Deep Purple Machine Head Purple 22 April 1972 2
110 T.Rex Prophets, Seers & Sages: The Angels of the Ages / My People Were Fair and Had Sky in Their Hair... But Now They're Content to Wear Stars on Their Brows Fly Double Back 6 May 1972 1
re Deep Purple Machine Head Purple 13 May 1972 1
111 T.Rex Bolan Boogie Fly 20 May 1972 3
112 The Rolling Stones Exile on Main St. Rolling Stones 10 June 1972 1
113 Various artists 20 Dynamic Hits K-tel 17 June 1972 8
114 Various artists 20 Fantastic Hits Arcade 12 August 1972 5
115 Rod Stewart Never a Dull Moment Philips 16 September 1972 2
re Various artists 20 Fantastic Hits Arcade 30 September 1972 1
116 Various artists 20 All Time Greats of the 50s K-tel 7 October 1972 8
117 Various artists 25 Rockin' and Rollin' Greats K-tel 2 December 1972 3
re Various artists 20 All Time Greats of the 50s K-tel 23 December 1972 3
1973
118 Slade Slayed? Polydor 13 January 1973 1
119 Gilbert O'Sullivan Back to Front MAM 20 January 1973 1
re Slade Slayed? Polydor 27 January 1973 2
120 Elton John Don't Shoot Me I'm Only the Piano Player DJM 10 February 1973 6
121 Alice Cooper Billion Dollar Babies Warner Bros. 24 March 1973 1
122 Various artists 20 Flash Back Greats of the Sixties K-tel 31 March 1973 2
123 Led Zeppelin Houses of the Holy Atlantic 14 April 1973 2
124 Faces Ooh La La Warner Bros. 28 April 1973 1
125 David Bowie Aladdin Sane RCA Victor 5 May 1973 5
126 Various artists Pure Gold EMI 9 June 1973 3
127 Original soundtrack That'll Be the Day Ronco 30 June 1973 7
128 Peters and Lee We Can Make It Philips 18 August 1973 2
129 Rod Stewart Sing It Again Rod Mercury 1 September 1973 3
130 The Rolling Stones Goats Head Soup Rolling Stones 22 September 1973 2
131 Slade Sladest Polydor 6 October 1973 3
132 Status Quo Hello! Vertigo 27 October 1973 1
133 David Bowie Pin Ups RCA Victor 3 November 1973 5
134 Roxy Music Stranded Island 8 December 1973 1
135 David Cassidy Dreams Are Nuthin' More Than Wishes Bell 15 December 1973 1
136 Elton John Goodbye Yellow Brick Road DJM 22 December 1973 2
1974
137 Yes Tales from Topographic Oceans Atlantic 5 January 1974 2
re Slade Sladest Polydor 19 January 1974 1
138 Perry Como And I Love You So RCA Victor 26 January 1974 1
139 The Carpenters The Singles: 1969–1973 A&M 2 February 1974 4
140 Slade Old New Borrowed and Blue Polydor 2 March 1974 1
re The Carpenters The Singles: 1969–1973 A&M 9 March 1974 11
141 Rick Wakeman Journey to the Centre of the Earth A&M 25 May 1974 1
re The Carpenters The Singles: 1969–1973 A&M 1 June 1974 1
142 David Bowie Diamond Dogs RCA Victor 8 June 1974 4
re The Carpenters The Singles: 1969–1973 A&M 6 July 1974 1
143 Elton John Caribou DJM 13 July 1974 2
144 Paul McCartney & Wings Band on the Run Apple 27 July 1974 7
145 Mike Oldfield Hergest Ridge Virgin 14 September 1974 3
146 Mike Oldfield Tubular Bells Virgin 5 October 1974 1
147 Bay City Rollers Rollin' Bell 12 October 1974 1
148 Rod Stewart Smiler Mercury 19 October 1974 1
re Bay City Rollers Rollin' Bell 26 October 1974 1
re Rod Stewart Smiler Mercury 2 November 1974 1
re Bay City Rollers Rollin' Bell 9 November 1974 2
149 Elton John Elton John's Greatest Hits DJM 23 November 1974 11
1975
150 Engelbert Humperdinck His Greatest Hits Decca 8 February 1975 3
151 Status Quo On the Level Vertigo 1 March 1975 2
152 Led Zeppelin Physical Graffiti Swan Song 15 March 1975 1
153 Tom Jones 20 Greatest Hits Decca 22 March 1975 4
154 The Stylistics The Best of the Stylistics Avco 19 April 1975 2
155 Bay City Rollers Once Upon a Star Bell 3 May 1975 3
re The Stylistics The Best of the Stylistics Avco 24 May 1975 5
156 Wings Venus and Mars Apple 28 June 1975 1
157 The Carpenters Horizon A&M 5 July 1975 2
re Wings Venus and Mars Apple 19 July 1975 1
re The Carpenters Horizon A&M 26 July 1975 3
re The Stylistics The Best of the Stylistics Avco 16 August 1975 2
158 Rod Stewart Atlantic Crossing Warner Bros. 30 August 1975 5
159 Pink Floyd Wish You Were Here Harvest 4 October 1975 1
re Rod Stewart Atlantic Crossing Warner Bros. 11 October 1975 2
160 Jim Reeves 40 Golden Greats Arcade 25 October 1975 3
161 Max Boyce We All Had Doctors' Papers EMI 15 November 1975 1
162 Perry Como 40 Greatest Hits K-tel 22 November 1975 5
163 Queen A Night at the Opera EMI 27 December 1975 2
1976
re Perry Como 40 Greatest Hits K-tel 10 January 1976 1
re Queen A Night at the Opera EMI 17 January 1976 2
164 Roy Orbison The Best of Roy Orbison Arcade 31 January 1976 1
165 Slim Whitman The Very Best of Slim Whitman United Artists 7 February 1976 6
166 Status Quo Blue for You Vertigo 20 March 1976 3
167 Rock Follies Rock Follies Island 10 April 1976 2
168 Led Zeppelin Presence Swan Song 24 April 1976 1
re Rock Follies Rock Follies Island 1 May 1976 1
169 ABBA Greatest Hits Epic 8 May 1976 9
170 Rod Stewart A Night on the Town Riva 10 July 1976 2
171 The Beach Boys 20 Golden Greats Capitol 24 July 1976 10
172 The Stylistics The Best of the Stylistics Volume II H&L 2 October 1976 1
173 Dr. Feelgood Stupidity United Artists 9 October 1976 1
re ABBA Greatest Hits Epic 16 October 1976 2
174 Various artists Soul Motion K-tel 30 October 1976 2
175 Led Zeppelin The Song Remains the Same Swan Song 13 November 1976 1
176 Bert Weedon 22 Golden Guitar Greats Warwick 20 November 1976 1
177 Glen Campbell Glen Campbell's Twenty Golden Greats Capitol 27 November 1976 6
1977
178 Queen A Day at the Races EMI 8 January 1977 1
179 ABBA Arrival Epic 15 January 1977 1
180 Slim Whitman Red River Valley United Artists 22 January 1977 4
181 The Shadows 20 Golden Greats EMI 19 February 1977 6
182 Frank Sinatra Portrait of Sinatra – Forty Songs from the Life of a Man Reprise 2 April 1977 2
re ABBA Arrival Epic 16 April 1977 9
183 The Beatles The Beatles at the Hollywood Bowl Parlophone 18 June 1977 1
184 The Muppets The Muppet Show Pye 25 June 1977 1
185 Barbra Streisand & Kris Kristofferson A Star Is Born CBS 2 July 1977 2
186 Johnny Mathis The Mathis Collection CBS 16 July 1977 4
187 Yes Going for the One Atlantic 13 August 1977 2
188 Connie Francis 20 All Time Greats Polydor 27 August 1977 2
189 Elvis Presley Elvis' 40 Greatest Arcade 10 September 1977 1
190 Diana Ross & the Supremes 20 Golden Greats Motown 17 September 1977 7
191 Cliff Richard & The Shadows 40 Golden Greats EMI 5 November 1977 1
192 Sex Pistols Never Mind the Bollocks, Here's the Sex Pistols Virgin 12 November 1977 2
193 Bread The Sound of Bread Elektra 26 November 1977 2
194 Various artists Disco Fever K-tel 10 December 1977 6
1978
re Bread The Sound of Bread Elektra 21 January 1978 1
195 Fleetwood Mac Rumours Warner Bros. 28 January 1978 1
196 ABBA The Album Epic 4 February 1978 7
197 Buddy Holly & The Crickets 20 Golden Greats EMI 25 March 1978 3
198 Nat King Cole 20 Golden Greats Capitol 15 April 1978 3
199 Original soundtrack Saturday Night Fever RSO 6 May 1978 18
200 Boney M. Nightflight to Venus Atlantic 9 September 1978 4
201 Original soundtrack Grease RSO 7 October 1978 13
1979
202 Showaddywaddy Greatest Hits 1976-1978 Arista 6 January 1979 2
203 Various artists Don't Walk – Boogie EMI 20 January 1979 3
204 Various artists Action Replay K-tel 10 February 1979 1
205 Blondie Parallel Lines Chrysalis 17 February 1979 4
206 Bee Gees Spirits Having Flown RSO 17 March 1979 2
207 Barbra Streisand Barbra Streisand's Greatest Hits Vol. 2 CBS 31 March 1979 4
208 Leo Sayer The Very Best of Leo Sayer Chrysalis 28 April 1979 3
209 ABBA Voulez-Vous Epic 19 May 1979 4
210 Electric Light Orchestra Discovery Jet 16 June 1979 5
211 Tubeway Army Replicas Beggars Banquet 21 July 1979 1
212 Various artists The Best Disco Album in the World WEA 28 July 1979 6
213 Led Zeppelin In Through the Out Door Swan Song 8 September 1979 2
214 Gary Numan The Pleasure Principle Beggars Banquet 22 September 1979 1
215 Boney M Oceans of Fantasy Atlantic 29 September 1979 1
re Gary Numan The Pleasure Principle Beggars Banquet 6 October 1979 1
216 Blondie Eat to the Beat Chrysalis 13 October 1979[c] 1
217 The Police Reggatta de Blanc A&M 13 October 1979[23] 4
218 Fleetwood Mac Tusk Warner Bros. 10 November 1979 1
219 ABBA Greatest Hits Vol. 2 Epic 17 November 1979 3
220 Rod Stewart Greatest Hits, Vol. 1 Riva 8 December 1979 5
Contents
← 1960s • 1970 • 1971 • 1972 • 1973 • 1974 • 1975 • 1976 • 1977 • 1978 • 1979 • 1980s →

By artist

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Simon & Garfunkel's album Bridge Over Troubled Water topped the albums chart for 33 weeks during the 1970s, and was the decade's biggest-seller.
 
Rod Stewart (right) released seven number-one albums during this decade.

Five artists spent 20 weeks or more at number one on the albums chart during the 1970s.

Artist Number-one albums Weeks at number one
ABBA 5 35
Simon & Garfunkel 1 33
Rod Stewart 7 27
The Carpenters 2 22
Elton John 4 21

By record label

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Eight record labels spent 20 weeks or more at number one on the albums chart during the 1970s.

Record label Number-one albums Weeks at number one
CBS Records 9 53
K-tel 8 39
Epic Records 5 35
RSO Records 3 33
Apple Records 8 29
A&M Records 4 27
EMI Records 8 22
DJM Records 4 21

Notes

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  1. ^ a b c d The artist, album, date of reaching number one and number of weeks at number one are those given by the OCC.[10][11][12][13][14][15][16][17][18][19]
  2. ^ The record labels are those given by the OCC.[20]
  3. ^ [22]"During October 1979, a change in the publication date of the album chart meant that two rundowns were published in one week, which results (naturally) in two number 1 albums – Blondie’s Eat to the Beat and The Police’s Regatta De Blanc. Contrary to some databases, we take the view that both charts are valid – so Eat to the Beat WAS a number 1, despite the fact that some histories indicate that it peaked at 2."

References

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  1. ^ Howard, Amy (20 June 2010). "Oasis Score 900th Number 1 for Official Albums Chart". London: Official Charts Company. Archived from the original on 30 April 2011. Retrieved 30 January 2012.
  2. ^ Mawer, Sharon. "Album Chart History: 1970". The Official UK Charts Company. Archived from the original on 17 December 2007. Retrieved 24 June 2011.
  3. ^ Mawer, Sharon. "Album Chart History: 1971". The Official UK Charts Company. Archived from the original on 17 December 2007. Retrieved 24 June 2011.
  4. ^ Mawer, Sharon. "Album Chart History: 1972". The Official UK Charts Company. Archived from the original on 29 July 2007. Retrieved 24 June 2011.
  5. ^ Mawer, Sharon. "Album Chart History: 1973". The Official UK Charts Company. Archived from the original on 17 December 2007. Retrieved 24 June 2011.
  6. ^ Mawer, Sharon. "Album Chart History: 1974". The Official UK Charts Company. Archived from the original on 17 December 2007. Retrieved 24 June 2011.
  7. ^ Mawer, Sharon. "Album Chart History: 1975". The Official UK Charts Company. Archived from the original on 16 December 2007. Retrieved 24 June 2011.
  8. ^ Mawer, Sharon. "Album Chart History: 1976". The Official UK Charts Company. Archived from the original on 17 December 2007. Retrieved 24 June 2011.
  9. ^ Mawer, Sharon. "Album Chart History: 1977". The Official UK Charts Company. Archived from the original on 17 December 2007. Retrieved 24 June 2011.
  10. ^ "All the Number One Albums: 1970". London: Official Charts Company. 2010. Retrieved 30 January 2012.
  11. ^ "All the Number One Albums: 1971". London: Official Charts Company. 2010. Retrieved 30 January 2012.
  12. ^ "All the Number One Albums: 1972". London: Official Charts Company. 2010. Retrieved 30 January 2012.
  13. ^ "All the Number One Albums: 1973". London: Official Charts Company. 2010. Retrieved 30 January 2012.
  14. ^ "All the Number One Albums: 1974". London: Official Charts Company. 2010. Retrieved 30 January 2012.
  15. ^ "All the Number One Albums: 1975". London: Official Charts Company. 2010. Retrieved 30 January 2012.
  16. ^ "All the Number One Albums: 1976". London: Official Charts Company. 2010. Retrieved 30 January 2012.
  17. ^ "All the Number One Albums: 1977". London: Official Charts Company. 2010. Retrieved 30 January 2012.
  18. ^ "All the Number One Albums: 1978". London: Official Charts Company. 2010. Retrieved 30 January 2012.
  19. ^ "All the Number One Albums: 1979". London: Official Charts Company. 2010. Retrieved 30 January 2012.
  20. ^ "Artist Chart History". London: Official Charts Company. 2010. Retrieved 30 January 2012.
  21. ^ "All the Official Albums Chart Number 1s".
  22. ^ "How we built our database". London: Official Charts Company. Retrieved 2 January 2021.
  23. ^ "Blogabillyboogie: October 13th: On this Day in Music History". 2011.
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