This list covers albums from the early 70's that barely missed the cut from appearing on my other list (including those that appeared on my 1974 list) as well as albums that failed to appear on a year end list from the second half of the decade. Again I'm not putting too much effort into the commentary as this is more to fill out the decade with as many popular albums here in Australia I can determine to be as such.
From what I can gather, Paint your wagon is a western film that was panned by critics specifically for the awful singing from its stars Lee Marvin and Clint Eastwood. This didn't seem to prevent its soundtrack from being a massive success here in Australia upon its initial release.
Peak position #6
Go set #6
Hit singles
Wanderin star #10 (go set #11)
(POPULAR IN 1970)
Dionne Warwick first charted here in Australia with her 1964 hit "Anyone who had a heart," so it's not that out of the ordinary that the RNB legend would've had a successful album to her name here prior to her 1982 comeback.
Peak position #13
Go set #15
Hit singles
Let me go to him #47
(POPULAR IN 1970)
Well at least I can finally feature some of Yes's earlier work on this site as it did indeed find success here in Australia during the first half of the decade. From what I can gather, this was their biggest success here likely due to their brand of prog rock fitting in with the likes of Deep Purple and Jethro Tull.
Peak position #8
Go set #8
(POPULAR IN 1973)
While it didn't become the cultural phenomenon that Star Wars did, this early film from George Lucas nonetheless proved popular enough here in Australia for the soundtrack to be a massive success with us Aussies.
Peak position #11
Go set #10
(POPULAR IN 1974)
This is the debut album from Black sabbath, the fact these guys did so well off their first attempt here in Australia should tell you just how hungry we Aussies were for music that wasn't affiliated with hippy culture as the 60's became the 70's.
Peak position #8
Go set #6
(POPULAR IN 1971)
You know prog had taken over the Australian charts in the early 70's when Emerson Lake and Palmer managed to score two entries on this list. This is their first which was by far the bigger of the two, although it was released mere months prior to their other entry still to come on this list.
Peak position #9
Go set #7
(POPULAR IN 1971)
It was surprisingly hard to dig up information about these guys, however they were a group of older musicians from America who scored a massive hit with this album here in Australia and presumably in NZ given how the title track was a massive hit on the Listener charts.
Peak position #7
Go set #7
Hit singles
The rangers waltz #2 (go set #2)
(POPULAR IN 1972)
You may have noticed the different peak positions between the AMR charts and the Go set charts, for what it's worth, this ranking is based on the latter as it was extremely hard to track down chart runs for the former. That out of the way, we have the first of two entries from Santana on this list with this gem.
Peak position #16
Go set #11
(POPULAR IN 1973)
Although he didn't have much success with his singles here in Australia, Leon Russell nonetheless scored massive success with his albums with this one being the biggest of the bunch. From what I can gather he had a bit of a Jesus complex with his imagery which seemed to work out for his audience.
Peak position #6
Go set #7
Hit singles
Tightrope #24
(POPULAR IN 1972)
This is the final album that Slade found any success with here in Australia, it came close to appearing on my 1974 list but dropped off just before the AMR charts officially launched that year. It doesn’t seem rather convenient these guys lost their popularity right as David Kent began tracking popular music down under.
Peak position #6
Go set #8
Hit singles
Everday #13 (go set #20)
(POPULAR IN 1974)
This is one of the first albums to make it big on the Kent Music Reports (later Christened the Australian Music Reports or AMR for short) it also happens to be one of the few Australian bands from the early 70's to survive the Countdown transition given how well their second album did later in the decade.
Peak position #9
Go set #???
Hit singles
Walking #22
(POPULAR IN 1974)
For many years, this was Leonard Cohen's only successful album here in Australia given how the singer/songwriter never saw that much mainstream success throughout his career. He eventually found success with his final album in 2016 even if it was through sentimentality.
Peak position #8
Go set #9
(POPULAR IN 1971)
This is the other big hit that Leon Russell had here in Australia, technically this was the bigger hit, but I allowed his earlier entry to claim that prize given how that lasted longer on our charts than this did. His time in the spotlight was brief, however it did lead to two big hits for him.
Peak position #5
Go set #2
Hit singles
A hard rain's gonna fall #12 (go set #10)
(POPULAR IN 1971, 1972)
This is the only studio album that Chain saw success with here in Australia, although they still have a live album to come on this list, proving that the blues band did have appeal with their fellow Aussies back in the day. Even so, they definitely could've used some help with Bandstand which conveniently got cancelled when they got big.
Peak position #6
Go set #6
Hit singles
Black and blue #12 (go set #10)
(POPULAR IN 1971)
Although this implies that it's a live album, this is in fact Sherbet's second album which did quite well locally despite it being a year prior to when Countdown would launch and make them a household name. Although their debut album did spawn a few minor hits, it was a massive failure for the band.
Peak position #13
Go set #6
Hit singles
Cassandra #9 (go set #5)
(POPULAR IN 1974)
Following the success he had with his breakthrough album on the previous list, James Taylor no longer had any issues with finding success here in Australia as this follow up proved to be a massive hit for him among us Aussies. It didn't spawn that chart topping single here like it did in his homeland, but it was a hit regardless.
Peak position #12
Go set #10
Hit singles
You've got a friend #25
(POPULAR IN 1971)
With this entry from the Moody blues, we've now officially featured every album from them post 1960's on this site given how they always seemed to have some form of success with us Aussies. That said, this was a bit of a stumble for the band given how well their two albums from the previous list did.
Peak position #5
Go set #5
(POPULAR IN 1971)
We finally have every album from Black Sabbath on this site from the early 70's, this just goes to show how much we Aussies loved the heavy metal band as well as the theatrics of bands such as them and Alice Cooper given how they dominated our album charts in contrast to the country ballads on our singles charts.
Peak position #8
Go set #8
(POPULAR IN 1971)
Sergio Mendes was one of the lucky few to have a successful album here in Australia throughout the 60's, so it makes sense that he would find success with this greatest hits album at the start of the 70's before he fell into obscurity. He would come back thirteen years later with a Billboard hit "Never gonna let you go."
Peak position #6
Go set #6
(POPULAR IN 1970)
You may recognise Greg Allman if you've followed the life of Cher as he was her second husband from the mid to late 70's, a few years prior he scored a massive hit with his band the Allman brothers with this album. It's the type of blues rock that was competing with all the prog and heavy metal of the day.
Peak position #5
Go set #2
Hit singles
Rambling man #43
(POPULAR IN 1973)
This is widely considered to be David Bowie's best album, naturally this makes it one of the best albums of all time according to critics, although it was only a decent success at best for him back in the day likely due to it coming out around the time his debut single started gaining popularity worldwide.
Peak position #7
Go set #4
Hit singles
The jean genie #42
(POPULAR IN 1973)
We have two entries from Chicago on this list, this one is their fifth self-titled album which was a bit of a comeback for the band given how their fourth entry was a complete dud for them here in Australia. They would struggle for success following this album but came back stronger than ever later in the decade.
Peak position #5
Go set #7
Hit singles
Saturday in the park #43
(POPULAR IN 1972)
This is the only success that prog band Tully had in their career; they were Australian which allowed them to see success with this album even though that success didn't extend to their subsequent releases. I guess you can argue they were a bit ahead of the curve when it came to prog rock with us Aussies.
Peak position #9
Go set #6
(POPULAR IN 1970)
Both of David Bowie's entries on this list were technically from his alter ego Ziggy Stardust, this being the first entry into his alter ego's discography which he discontinued when he found massive success with Pins ups shortly after he released Aladdin sane.
Peak position #11
Go set #10
Hit singles
Starman #37
(POPULAR IN 1972)
Given how he had taken the Australian music scene by storm with his two entries on the previous list, Joe Cocker decided to release a two for one deal with this album containing his first two albums which of course was a huge success here as Australian exclusives tend to do well on our charts.
Peak position #8
Go set #6
(POPULAR IN 1972)
This is the other big hit that Emerson Lake and Palmer had here in Australia during the first half of the 70's, although they did have other albums that charted here before they were seemingly negatively impacted by the Countdown purge from 1974. They briefly recovered with their 1977 effort the Works.
Peak position #6
Go set #6
(POPULAR IN 1971)
This was a flop for the brothers Gibb upon its initial release, this is despite the fact that the lead single was their first Billboard chart topper for the trio as well as a big hit here at home. For whatever reason, the album took off in the early months of 1972 which allowed it to appear on this list.
Peak position #8
Go set #6
Hit singles
How can you mend a broken heart #3 (go set #2)
(POPULAR IN 1972)
This is Bob Dylan's only new entry on this list, although we will be revisiting his 1974 effort Before the flood later on as it was a decent success here in Australia that year. It makes sense he would find success with this album given how his two entries on my previous list did so well down under.
Peak position #6
Go set #7
(POPULAR IN 1972)
This was initially a flop for Roberta Flack worldwide, likely because nobody knew what to do with the umpteenth album that was inspired by Burt Bacharach and his brand of jazz. It was given a second chance three years after its release the lead single became a surprise chart topper for her in America and here in Australia.
Peak position #9
Go set #8
Hit singles
The first time I ever saw your face #1 (go set #1)
(POPULAR IN 1972)
It took him a while, but Art Garfunkel finally decided to release his own solo album following the success that Paul Simon had with his two entries on the main list. I should also point out that this is considered a sleeper hit here in Australia, thus I'll mark it as such by replacing POPULAR IN with PEAKED IN with these entries.
Peak position #14
Go set #13
Hit singles
All I know #36
(PEAKED IN 1973)
(PEAKED IN 1973)
This is the other big hit that Roberta Flack had here in Australia, she rounded out her success with her 1975 entry Feel like making love before she fell into obscurity down under. This is until she came back in 1983 with Peabo Bryson with for their big hit "Tonight I celebrate my love."
Peak position #11
Go set #7
Hit singles
Killing me softly #1 (go set #1)
Jesse #36
(POPULAR IN 1973)
Following the success, she had with her entry on my last list, Carole King managed to retain her momentum with this album even if it failed to spawn that massive worldwide hit that "It's too late" was from her previous album. She would fade into obscurity until 1977 when she released her Hard rock café endorsement.
Peak position #5
Go set #8
Hit singles
Sweet seasons #23
(POPULAR IN 1972)
This was the first album Eric Clapton released as a solo artist, although this was right before he formed Derek and the Dominoes who are of course best known for their hit single "Layla" which curiously flopped here for some reason. He would disband them and return with his entry from my previous list.
Peak position #7
Go set #5
(PEAKED IN 1970)
It's hard to say how much success Eric Burdon had with his first band the Animals with his albums here in Australia as information for the 60's album chart here is scarce at best. I do know that their greatest hits album was a massive success here, which would explain how well this album from his second band did here.
Peak position #9
Go set #7
Hit singles
Spill the wine #2 (go set #2)
(POPULAR IN 1970)
This often gets confused with Joe Cocker's second album given how they're both self-titled releases, however it's worth noting that it would've been odd if that album were the big hit he had instead of this one given how we've technically already featured that album with his earlier entry on this list.
Peak position #11
Go set #10
(POPULAR IN 1973)
We had previously looked at the Band throughout this site, be it with their live album or their works with Bob Dylan. This is their only entry on this list that doesn't fit into either category as it was their big breakthrough here in Australia and indeed throughout the rest of the world.
Peak position #3
Go set #2
(POPULAR IN 1970)
This is the only album from Cat Stevens that didn't make it onto my previous list from the early 70's, I guess this is due to him dabbling in prog rock with this album given how one side of the L.P is a single track that builds upon itself. He would regain form with his next album Buddha and the chocolate box.
Peak position #4
Go set #2
Hit singles
The hurt #30
(POPULAR IN 1973)
Even though this is credited to George Harrison, this is really a concert album which contains live tracks from him along with Ringo Starr, Bob Dylan, Leon Russell, Billy Preston and Ravi Shankar, the latter of which is the father of jazz singer Norah Jones.
Peak position #5
Go set #3
(POPULAR IN 1972)
We have a couple of posthumous albums to come from Jimi Hendrix on this list, the first is this album which was meant to be his final studio album but got delayed due to his untimely death similar to Janis Joplin's entry on my previous list. He's another artist that's been milked for nostalgia alongside 2pac and Juice wrld.
Peak position #4
Go set #4
(POPULAR IN 1971)
This is our final entry from Chicago on this site, it's their third album which picked up the slack from their second album. It seems like every second album from the band was destined to be a failure for them, although their tenth entry put an end to that curse.
Peak position #6
Go set #6
(POPULAR IN 1971)
We're slowly but surely getting to the entries that appeared on my 1974 list a while back, this one coming to us from the Rolling stones who were able to retain their popularity with this album even with the launch of Countdown shortly after its release which put an end to the winning streak of so many of their contemporaries.
Peak position #7
Go set #???
Hit singles
It's only rock n roll #17
(POPULAR IN 1974)
Santana was on a winning streak when they released this album here in Australia even if it didn't quite reach the dizzying heights of success their previous album on my other list did back in the day. There would be a quiet period for the band after their earlier entry as they struggled for mainstream success even in their native America.
Peak position #4
Go set #5
(POPULAR IN 1972)
This was the album which Billy Thorpe and the Aztecs came back with after a brief breakup from the end of the 60's. I don't think anyone was expecting the otherwise conventional rock band to go in a more prog direction with this album, but they did which resulted in it not being as big as their 60's efforts but still big regardless.
Peak position #8
Go set #7
(POPULAR IN 1971)
It took me a while to find out information about these guys, however it turns out this was a side project for several of the members of the 60's band the Rascals following that band's demise shortly before they released this album. It somehow caught on here in Australia despite its failure in their native America.
Peak position #10
Go set #10
Hit singles
No #22
(POPULAR IN 1973)
Given how this was a moderate success in 1993 when it became available on CD for the first time, it only seems fitting that this would be a hit here in Australia for the Beatles upon its initial release twenty years prior. For what it's worth, its sister album was a massive dud here.
Peak position #11
Go set #10
(POPULAR IN 1973)
It only seemed fitting to complete Brian Cadd's discography on this list given how this was indeed his final album to find any success here in Australia, again I have no idea why he failed to ride the wave of Countdown like so many of his contemporaries from the first half of the decade.
Peak position #11
Go set #???
Hit singles
Let go #10
(POPULAR IN 1974)
We have another entry from my 1974 list, this time it's the only successful album from Golden earring as they took the world by storm when the lead single to this album became a surprise hit for them in America of all places. Sadly, they would be a one album wonder in the English-speaking parts of the world.
Peak position #13
Go set #???
Hit singles
Radar love #10
(POPULAR IN 1974)
Although the band is best known for having a very young Peter Frampton as their guitarist, he had already left the band by the time Humble pie saw any success here in Australia. Even then, it was only with this album which was one of the firsts things they released following Frampton's departure.
Peak position #9
Go set #11
(PEAKED IN 1972)
Now this is an odd entry, mainly because I'm featuring an artist who's since changed their identity as this soundtrack from a Clockwork orange comes to us from someone named Walter Carlos. The thing is, she now goes by Wendy Carlos making her (to my knowledge) the first trans woman to find success in the music industry.
Peak position #18
Go set #14
(POPULAR IN 1972)
This is the only other entry from Yes to appear on this list, although their album Close to the edge did come err.... close to appearing on here as it simply had the misfortune of peaking during a Christmas period and thus not racking up the points needed to do so.
Peak position #13
Go set #12
(POPULAR IN 1974)
Here's the live album I mentioned earlier on this list from Chain, this was their introduction to their fellow Aussies given how they only released two studio albums with both of them coming out after this. I guess they were considered better live which makes sense given the genre they're in.
Peak position #15
Go set #15
(PEAKED IN 1971)
This is where it all began for JJ Cale, it's odd that he would see massive success here in Australia with his debut album but not with Troubadour which contained his signature track "Cocaine" which was a massive worldwide success for him despite being a complete failure on our charts.
Peak position #10
Go set #7
Hit singles
Crazy mama #10 (go set #8)
(POPULAR IN 1972)
Given how vastly successful their album was on my previous list, it makes sense that there would be a live album to go with the world tour these four men embarked on in order to promote it. Naturally it was a big success here in Australia and likely led to Neil Young's solo success also from my previous list.
Peak position #6
Go set #6
(POPULAR IN 1971)
This is the other posthumous album from Jimi Hendrix, although this is the soundtrack to a concert film his label put together following his tragic demise which we Aussies clearly had mixed emotions about when it came out. Ultimately, we allowed it to become a hit, however it likely would've done much better if he was alive to see it.
Peak position #9
Go set #3
(POPULAR IN 1971)
We looked at the sequel to this film on my 1975 list, suffice to say that the original film that depicts David Essex as a rising star in the 50's and 60's was more of a success back in the day as was the soundtrack which captured all of the films best musical moments.
Peak position #9
Go set #9
(POPULAR IN 1974)
Following the success she had with her breakthrough album, Melanie decided to release this live album which was supposedly recorded at a concert she gave for someone's birthday (at least that's what's proudly boasted on the cover) that nonetheless proved to be a massive success for her in Australia.
Peak position #8
Go set #10
Hit singles
Peace will come #43
(PEAKED IN 1971)
This was initially a failure for Carly Simon here in Australia, mainly because this was the album she released before her magnum opus from my previous list. It became a surprise hit not because of that album, but rather due to one of the songs randomly getting picked up on radio and eventually getting released exclusively here.
Peak position #12
Go set #9
Hit singles
I've got to have you #6 (go set #7)
(PEAKED IN 1973)
Given how inescapably popular James Taylor was worldwide, it only makes sense that his label would reissue his debut album which from what I can gather was a complete failure for him upon its initial 1968 release. We Aussies certainly gave it the chance it deserves hence its placement on this list.
Peak position #12
Go set #10
(PEAKED IN 1971)
Given how popular her film Cabaret was, it only makes sense that Liza Minnelli would capitalise off her newfound success with this live album she recorded during a performance on some TV show. If you're wondering why there's a vast gap between the Go set and AMR stats, that's because they were widely different when going through them much like the AMR and ARIA charts of the 90’s.
Peak position #17
Go set #10
(PEAKED IN 1973)
Although Joe Cocker's momentum had slowed down by the time we got to the Countdown era here in Australia, he would obviously have it pick back up a decade later when he won an Oscar for his theme song for An officer and a gentleman.
Peak position #11
Go set #???
Hit singles
You are so beautiful #32
(POPULAR IN 1974)
Even though this spawned his first Billboard chart topper in America, this was a bit of a dud for John Lennon here in Australia especially when you consider juts how well his former band mates were doing when he released it. Heck even Ringo Star had beaten him two to one with his entry from my previous list.
Peak position #8
Go set #6
Hit singles
Mind games #16 (go set #8)
(POPULAR IN 1974)
Had this been released just a few weeks later in Australia, it probably would've made it on my 1974 list given how well this did during the final weeks of the Go set charts for Carly Simon. It continued her winning streak worldwide given how the lead single was a duet with her (then) husband James Taylor.
Peak position #9
Go set #7
Hit singles
Mockingbird #8 (go set #8)
(POPULAR IN 1974)
This is one half of a greatest hits release that CCR released following their breakup in 1972, the other half was More Creedence gold which covered their 70's output as opposed to this covering their 60's output. Needless to say, the fans preferred their earlier output even back in the day.
Peak position #9
Go set #10
(POPULAR IN 1972)
This was caught between two years to appear on either my 1977 or 1978 list from a while back, however there's no denying this was a massive success for the king of rock and roll following his tragic passing here in Australia given how well it did on our charts.
Peak position #12
(PEAKED IN 1977)
Even though I'm ranking this based on how well it did on the Go set charts, I will say that it was arguably the first sleeper hit on the AMR charts given how long it stuck around the lower half of those charts following its release. Either way, this was arguably the album that put Stevie Wonder on the map here on Australia.
Peak position #26
Go set #17
(PEAKED IN 1974)
On the flip side, we have an album that had the misfortune to come out just as the go set charts were wrapping up, meaning I had to use the AMR charts to determine where this went on the list for Gordon Lightfoot. Either way, it was his only charting album here in Australia given how big the title track was.
Peak position #13
Go set #19
Hit singles
Sundown #4 (go set #15)
(PEAKED IN 1974)
This is another album that had the misfortune to peak right when the Go set charts had ended, this time it's this live album from Gary Glitter which became a modest success just as the AMR charts were starting to take form. It really is a coincidence his popularity died out while this transition was happening.
Peak position #12
Go set #14
Hit singles
Remember me this way #33
(PEAKED IN 1974)
Well at least this was a success prior to the transition of charts here in Australia, although I'm a bit surprised that Tangerine dream managed to make it big here given how limited their international success was back in the day.
Peak position #13
Go set #11
(PEAKED IN 1974)
Here's the other album from Bob Dylan on this list, this also means that the Band has two entries on this list which means that most bands and artists on here scored two entries on this bonus list of mine.
Peak position #15
Go set #???
(PEAKED IN 1974)
This charted twice here in Australia, the first time it was a complete dud for Lou Reed likely due to nobody knowing who he was. He was given a second chance on the one-year anniversary where it became a sleeper hit for him here due to the success of his other albums he released since.
Peak position #12
Go set #19
(PEAKED IN 1974)
Well, you knew this would be coming back on the list even if it has a much lower position compared to everything else on here, this was the introduction to Steely Dan both here and in their native America and suffice to say it’s mediocre success was a poor representation of what was to come for the band.
Peak position #18
Go set #???
Hit singles
Rikki don't lose my number #30
(PEAKED IN 1974)
Here's the reason why Lou's earlier entry on this list managed to become a success, again he was by no means a mainstream juggernaut back in the day, but at least his presence on oldies stations makes sense given how we at least heard of him during his prime.
Peak position #14
Go set #???
(PEAKED IN 1974)
Stevie Wonder always had some form of success here in Australia, however it's worth noting he only became a massive household name once he released his greatest hits package the following year which allowed his albums to see the massive success they had in his native America.
Peak position #19
Go set #???
(PEAKED IN 1974)
We have one final new entry on this list, this one comes to us from Meco who just like Elvis Presley from earlier, also struggled to make it onto a year end list from the late 70's despite this sticking onto our charts back in the day. I guess we Aussies went with the official Star Wars soundtrack as opposed to this discofied version.
Peak position #18
Hit singles
Star wars theme #3
(PEAKED IN 1974)
