How many albums were released in 1975 that have stood the test of time and still resonate strongly today as all-time standouts?
That was the question I posed in my Jan. 13 Sunday Arts+Culture cover story: “Was 1975 the fourth-best year ever for albums? From Bob Marley to Patti Smith, how would you vote?”
Nearly 20 readers responded with their picks. One reader, San Diego’s Kim A. Merrill, sent a color photo with the covers of all of his favorite albums from 1975. Another reader, Del Mar’s David Walters, neatly wrote on a piece of paper his 19 top 1975 album choices. And Brock Spore weighed in with a single choice from Yokohama, Japan.
Here are all the responses. They have been edited for clarity and length.
Tommy Bolin, UFO
Excellent article, as usual. Here goes, to add to your nice collection: 1. Tommy Bolin’s ” Teaser.” 2. UFO’s “Force It.” 3. The Scorpions’ “In Trance.” 4. Rush’s “Fly by Night.”5. Deep Purple’s “Come Taste the Band.” Honorable Mention: April Wine’s “Stand Back.”
Gordon Bergholtz, French Valley (near Temecula)
ELO
Some would say that Bob Dylan was the only rock star of the 1960s who, in the 1970s, equaled the quality of his earlier work with 1975’s “Blood on the Tracks.”
One album you might have overlooked was “Face the Music” by ELO. It has “Evil Woman,” “Waterfall” and “Fire on High,” and they are all are great tunes. The latter was used as the theme song for the “CBS Sports Spectacular.”
Brock Spore, Yokohama, Japan (and now a Union-Tribune subscriber)
Paul Simon, Carole King
Thanks for your article. Paul Simon’s “Still Crazy After All These Years” album resonated with me in 1975. I would also vote for absolutely anything, anytime, by Carole King. But, for 1975, it’s hard to overlook The Isley Brothers’ album, “The Heat Is On,” if only for the song “Fight the Power.”
Pat Vreeland, Bay Park
Tommy Bolin, The Outlaws
Here are a few choices of mine on some outstanding stuff released in 1975.
Tommy Bolin’s “Teaser”: I think this was his best album. Unfortunately he didn’t have a large catalog because he died the following year, but he did play with the likes of Alphonse Mouzon, Billy Cobham, Deep Purple and the James Gang in his truncated career. This album has stood the test of time. Tommy had musical maturity beyond his years. The songs are well written and composed (he was 24 at the time), the band was tight and his guitar work was extraordinary. It would have been nice to see/hear his evolution as a musician; still, he’s in my top ten of guitar greats.
Return to Forever’s “No Mystery”: This album is a jazz-rock fusion tour de force, an absolute masterpiece! All of the band contributed in writing this album but, the lion’s share of compositions are attributed to Chick Corea, the master. This album is great because of the musical virtuosity of the band, who give this album energy and life! This album is truly immersive.
The Outlaws’ “The Outlaws”: Why didn’t this band achieve super stardom? I’m not sure. but maybe it was due to the heavy Southern-Rock competition of that time. What a debut abum, though! There isn’t a bad song on the album, and it’s well-written and well-played. And how can you not like the great party song/guitar jam, Green Grass and High Tides,” with a momentum-building tempo to the crescendo of guitar leads trading-off? One of my favorite songs of all time!
Thanks for your articles over the years; they’re well-written and informative. I’ve got a lot more music on my phone, due to your articles. Keep up the great work!
Peter Campos, Poway
Two by Frank Zappa
I always enjoy reading your articles. I agree with a few of your favorites of 1975, most notably Patti Smith’s “Horses.” Here are some of my favorites of that year (when I was 13, but had an older brother and sister that were always looking for something new in the music world):
Frank Zappa’s “One Size Fits All”: In my book, this is Frank’s most accessible album. My favorite songs on it are “Sofa No. 1”, “Sofa No 2” and the complex “Inca Roads.” The other songs on the album are surprisingly hummable.
Frank Zappa’s “Bongo Fury”: Frank’s guitar solo on “Muffin Man” is the main reason I put this one in my top five.
Tom Waits’ “Nighthawks at the Diner”: I was lucky enough to see Tom twice at The Troubadour in Los Angeles when my sister’s friend cancelled on her. I’d race home to listen to this album, especially the song “Big Joe.”
Joe Leggett, Bonita
‘Born To Run’
These five are my winners:
Bruce Springsteen’s “Born to Run”; Bob Dylan’s “Blood on the Tracks”; Queen’s “A Night at the Opera”; Patti Smith’s “Horses”; Led Zeppelin’s “Physical Graffiti.”
I greatly enjoyed reading about your ‘70s immersion in music. Mine came through an increasingly eclectic mix of LPs played on a cheap turntable in my Orange County bedroom. (Those high-end stereos d in Rolling Stone and National Lampoon were tempting, but out of reach financially. Sadly, I was less able to resist Columbia House’s “Album of the Month” club…).
My choices reflect the discoveries of a teenaged brain — the process of discovery being, as you explained, such a powerful force in shaping musical taste. “Born to Run” holds a special place because I first heard Steve Winemiller play it in his car tape player on a snowy night while back to see friends in Northeast Ohio. (I recall him saying “Wait ’til you hear this!” as he plopped the tape in.) I played “Blood on the Tracks” on a loop in the house I rented with four junior-college pals; I now have to it, they were right: KC and the Sunshine band was more conducive to partying. “A Night at the Opera” introduced me to Queen; it was unlike anything I had heard.
Thanks for your heartfelt story and the chance to chime in.
Dan Beucke, San Diego
Led Zeppelin, Queen
My favorite 1975 albums are:
1. Led Zeppelin, “Physical Graffiti.” Probably their finest album and at the peak of their career and creativity. Some Zep fans think Side Two, with “Houses of the Holy,” “Trampled Underfoot,” and “Kashmir” is their best album side (better than Side One of the fourth album); I think it is worth noting that, at one time or another, each surviving member (John Paul Jones, Jimmy Page, RObert Plant) have pointed to it as a musical peak and/or their best album.
2. Queen, “A Night At The Opera.” Queen’s best album and their only one that legitimately belongs on best-of lists. Of course it includes Freddie Mercury’s baby “Bohemian Rhapsody,” but also showcases all of the band’s songwriting talents — John Deacon’s “You’re My Best Friend,” Brian May’s “‘39,” even Roger Taylor’s “I’m In Love With My Car.” Creative production and use of instruments, too.
3. Jeff Beck, “Blow By Blow.” Like Jimmy Page, Beck was a member of the Yardbirds, and in some ways beck’s album “Truth” was the prototype for Led Zeppelin’s debut album. But with “Blow By Blow,” he (with the help of producer George Martin) defines fusion. He “repays” Stevie Wonder for “Superstition” with a couple of covers, including “Thelonius,” which features an uncredited cameo by Stevie.
After that there is a drop off, although numerous albums from 1975 have songs that have made an impact. Two for me are:
4. David Bowie, “Young Americans.” Includes “Fame” (co-written with John Lennon) and the title track, which seems to summarize post-Watergate in its immediate aftermath (and features Luther Vandross on backing vocals).
5. Foghat, “Fool For The City.” Foghat was little more than a capable British blues band (and mistaken for a Southern-rock group). But one of their best blues covers, (Robert Johnson’s) “Terraplane Blues,” is here, along with the title track and, of course, “Slowride.” It also has a clever album cover.
John Kaup, Scripps Ranch
Be Bop Deluxe, Supertramp
Alphabetically, our choices are:
1. Be Bop Deluxe’s “Futurama,” The band’s second LP is full of amazing guitar playing by Bill Nelson. 2. Tommy Bolin’s “Teaser.” with Moxie, the James Gang, Deep Purple, Billy Cobham and Alphonse Mouzon, and on his own, Tommy could play everything. 3. Phil Manzanera’s “Diamond Head.” An effortless blend of Latin, prog and rock. It sure helps when you have Eno, Robert Wyatt and John Wetton on board. 3. Pink Floyd, “Wish You Were Here.” An obvious choice. 4. Supertramp, “Crisis, What Crisis?” It’s our second favorite Supertramp album, after “Crime Of The Century.”
We left off Jeff Beck’s “Blow by Blow” because we didn’t want to copy you!
Christina and Steve Honeycutt, Vista
Jeff Beck’s ‘Blow By Blow’
I enjoyed your article on 1975 albums. You did your readers a real service by showcasing a variety of different artists releases from that year. I wasn’t familiar with The Meters “Fire On The Bayou” but decided to check it out after reading your great article. It’s fantastic that we have the technology where we can just pull out our phones, pop in our AirPods and listen to a 50-year-old album. I did exactly that and enjoyed “Fire On The Bayou” immensely.
In comparison to the early 1970s, I think 1975 was a weak year for new album releases. Certainly Jefferson Starship’s “Red Octopus” and Led Zeppelin’s “Physical Graffiti” were important components of my 70s record collection. But by far my favorite 1975 release was Jeff Beck’s “Blow by Blow”. I rank it as the best rock instrumental album of all time. I used to play this album all the time and my friends would ask me why I liked it so much when it didn’t even have any singing on it. I would just look at them, and say: “It sings to me.”
Chris Lore, Del Cerro
Led Zeppelin, The Who
I was thinking/hoping you’d do a “Best Albums of 1975.” Keep up the great writings and I hope 2025 is a great one for you! My picks from that year are:
Led Zeppelin’s “Physical Graffiti.” My Favorite album by my (tied for second) favorite band. A double-album chock full of every style they ever played! And I spent hours looking at the small pictures of the cool cover!
The Who’s “Who By Numbers.” A freat record by my (other tied for second) favorite band. I was lucky to receive this for my 11th birthday a couple years after it came out. Everyone knows “Squeeze Box,” but that’s the worst song on the album. And you can participate by filling in the “by numbers” cover!
Lynyrd Skynyrd’s “Nuthin’ Fancy. My favorite album by my favorite American band and by one of the only bands that never had one bad song! (Tat comments is In regards to the band’s Ronnie Van Zant years.)
Doobie Brothers’ “Stampede.” The last great album they did, while the underrated Tom Johnston was still the leader of the band. An overlooked gem that came out a year before Michael McDonald gave the Dobies that overly-slick, wimpy sound.
Jeff Beck’s “Blow By Blow.” The first of his all-instrumentals albums. I being blown away at 11 years old by what sounded like the most amazing musicians I’d ever heard! And it was produced by the great George Martin!
Dan Richardson, Clairemont
Janis Ian and Emmylou Harris
I agree that 1975 was the fourth-best year for albums, and is definitely not on a par with the previous three. My choices are limited to pop, and — once again — don’t match any of the seven you picked.
Janis Ian’s “Between the Lines”: The best of the year and in my all-time Top 10. Every one of the 11 tracks is a gem. Her only Top 10 single,At Seventeen,” is on it and reached No. 3 on the singles charts. The title tune is a dazzling display of syncopation. “Bright Lights and Promises” uses key changes more effectively than any other album cut I can think of. Richard Davis on bass is an added plus.
Fleetwood Mac’s “Fleetwood Mac”: With the addition to the band’s lineup of Lindsey Buckingham and Stevie Nicks, this self-titled album by Fleetwood Mac sold 4 million copies. Their next album, “Rumours,” sold even more, but I like this one a little better. The songs “Over My Head,” “Rhiannon”” and “Say You Love Me” were the Top 20 hits, but my favorite cut is “Landslide.”
Paul Simon’s “Still Crazy After All These Years”: It won the Grammy for Album of the Year and deserves it. Its unusually ambitious harmonies and rhythms usually work. The song “My Little Town,” a reunion with Art Garfunkel, is a masterpiece which reached the Top 10.
Steely Dan’s “Katy Lied”: This is the fourth of the seventh excellent jazz-flavored pop albums released between 1972 and 1980 by Donald Fagen (piano, vocals, lyrics), Walter Becker (bass, vocals, music), and various sidemen. When Fagen and Becker reunited in 2000 and released a mediocre collection of jazz vamps and riffs, titled “Two Against Nature,” that album won the Grammy. But what else was there?
Renaissance’s “Scheherazade”: Not the classical-music piece, but a 24-minute suite with vocals on one side and three songs on the other. Classical-flavored pop at its best.
Emmylou Harris’ “Pieces of the Sky”: A crossover country album featuring the moving autobiographical song “Boulder to Birmingham” and the best version I’ve heard of the Beatles’ “For No One.” Emmylou often collaborated with Linda Ronstadt and Dolly Parton.
Dave Chamberlin, Tierresanta
Bruce Springsteen
Here are my Top 5 albums from 1975.
1. “Born to Run,” Bruce Springsteen: The breakout album for a transformative artist.
2. “Pieces of the Sky,” Emmylou Harris: The debut album by my favorite singer.
3. “Blood on the Tracks,” Bob Dylan: His best since the 1960s.
4. “The Basement Tapes,” Bob Dylan & The Band: Bob and the boys having fun
5. “Red-Headed Stranger,” Willie Nelson: A new approach to country.
My first runner-up would be “Venus and Mars” by Paul McCartney and Wings. Not one of his greatest, but still pretty good.
Alan Drooz, Mira Mesa/Sorrento Valley
Timid Baby Boomers
Thanks for your great article. I must give you credit for publishing a picture of your teenage self at the drum kit. Most of us Baby Boomers are more timid about our past…
You wrote in your article: “It would seem logical for me to now declare — completely subjectively of course — 1975 as the fourth greatest year for albums.” Maybe you just follow the famous Monty Python “No one expects the Spanish Inquisition,” and say, “Among the greatest years in music…” Or, “The years 1970-1979 brought a wealth of music, such as…”
I will definitely listen to your picks. Some notes on the 1975 albums you chose:
Bob Dylan’s “Blood on the Tracks”: I haven’t heard the whole album in centuries, and forgot it was about his dissolving marriage.
Bob Marley & The Wailers’ “Live”: I’m not a big reggae fan, but this sounds like a ripping performance.
Joni Mitchell’s “The Hissing of Summer Lawns”: A friend of mine bequeathed me this album (long story). I listened to it, wasn’t impressed, and put it back on the shelf where it has remained for decades. I’ll have to give it another spin. I’m hoping I’ve matured in the last 35 years. Well, not that much…
Wayne Shorter, featuring Milton Nascimento, “Native Dancer”: Of course, I’ve heard of this album, but never listened to it. Your description is fascinating.
The Meters’ “Fire On The Bayou”: I don’t have any Meters albums and probably should have several.
Jeff Beck’s “Blow By Blow”: We are in agreement on this one. A true classic, and one of the late, great guitarist’s finest moments.
Patti Smith’s “Horses”: Another album I haven’t heard in ages which has ed into “Legendary” status.
Also, thanks for sharing your experiences at the Montreux Jazz Festival in Switzerland. Any year of that festival is remarkable, and your having attended three times probably qualifies as life-changing. And having the albums of those 1975 Montreux performances…how lucky!
Again, thanks for keeping your finger on the pulse of our local music scene, and hipping us to great albums both past and contemporary! Looking forward to your next column.
Larry Brunson, El Cajon
Joe Cocker
Any Joe Cocker album is great. In 1975, Joe put out the album “Jamaica Say You Will.” Its title track is by, and honors, Jackson Browne. The album has two songs by Randy Newman, two by Matthew Moore, and one by Jim Price. Any song that Joe sang was (in my opinion) better than the original, and what a very nice man he was. I got to meet him at his home in Crawford, Colorado, in 1999. Fantastic!
I can listen to any of his albums over and over again. For anybody not familiar with Joe Cocker, I would recommend “Mad Dogs and Englishmen” and “One Night of Sin.” And for a little easier listening, “Have A Little Faith.”
Allen Stanko, Alpine
