Jethro Tull: "Aqualung"
Emerson Lake & Palmer: "Tarkus"
Genesis: "Nursery Cryme"
Gentle Giant: "Acquiring the Taste"
Van der Graaf Generator: "Pawn Hearts"
Pink Floyd: "Meddle"
Yes: "The Yes Album" and "Fragile" (UK release was in November 1971; US release Feb 1972)
King Crimson: "Lizard" and "Islands" (latter released in late Dec 1971 in UK, in Jan 1972 in US)
Moody Blues, "Every Good Boy Deserves Favor"
The Who: "Who's Next" (yeah, The Who were in definite prog mode then)
Le Orme: "Collage"
Focus, "Focus II" (with the one big hit that made it to AM radio)
McDonald & Giles: (Self-titled)
Frank Zappa and the Mothers: "Live at the Fillmore East"
Electric Light Orchestra: "No Answer" (first album, most progressive)
Alice Cooper Band, "Love it to Death" (you don't know this one? Just. Get. It. And try to tell me there are not progressive elements throughout this album. Yeah, back then...) and "Killer"
Traffic: "Low Spark of High Heeled Boys"
And that's just the progressive albums. There were so many classic albums released in this year as well:
The Doors, "LA Woman" (last Jim Morrison with the Doors album)
Beach Boys, "Surf's Up" (this has some outstanding tracks on it, starting with the brilliant title track; plus, "Student Demonstration Time")
Led Zeppelin, "L Z IV" (yes, with "Stairway to Heaven")
Humble Pie, "Rockin' the Fillmore" (with the classic rendition of "I don't need no doctor!" Haven't heard it? Look it up)
David Bowie, "Hunky Dory"
Paul Winter Consort, "Icarus"
Detroit, Self-titled (the best rendition of the Velvet Underground's "Rock and Roll" I ever heard; this was Mitch Ryder going sorta prog, but more AOR rock style)
Black Sabbath: "Master of Reality," which may be the truly first pure heavy metal album
Allman Brothers, "Live at Fillmore East" (with the great rendition of "Whippin' Post") and "200 Motels" (soundtrack)
Carole King, "Tapestry" (yeah, THAT album!)
Carly Simon, Self-titled (yup, the first album!)
Paul & Linda McCartney, "Ram"
John Lennon, "Imagine"
Rod Stewart, "Every Picture Tells a Story" ("Maggie May," "Stay with Me," and title track alone worth the album)
Joni Mitchell, "Blue"
Cat Stevens, "Teaser and the Firecat"
The Move, "Message from the Country" (a splendid album. Another: Just. Get. It.)
Don McLean, "American Pie" (album is great, too!)
Harry Nilsson, "Nilsson Schmilsson")
Paul Kanter/Grace Slick, "Sunfighter")
Freddie Hubbard, "Sing Me a Song of Songmy" (God taught me to play the guitar...Just look it up on
Led Zeppelin, "L Z IV" (yes, with "Stairway to Heaven")
Humble Pie, "Rockin' the Fillmore" (with the classic rendition of "I don't need no doctor!" Haven't heard it? Look it up)
David Bowie, "Hunky Dory"
Paul Winter Consort, "Icarus"
Detroit, Self-titled (the best rendition of the Velvet Underground's "Rock and Roll" I ever heard; this was Mitch Ryder going sorta prog, but more AOR rock style)
Black Sabbath: "Master of Reality," which may be the truly first pure heavy metal album
Allman Brothers, "Live at Fillmore East" (with the great rendition of "Whippin' Post") and "200 Motels" (soundtrack)
Carole King, "Tapestry" (yeah, THAT album!)
Carly Simon, Self-titled (yup, the first album!)
Paul & Linda McCartney, "Ram"
John Lennon, "Imagine"
Rod Stewart, "Every Picture Tells a Story" ("Maggie May," "Stay with Me," and title track alone worth the album)
Joni Mitchell, "Blue"
Cat Stevens, "Teaser and the Firecat"
The Move, "Message from the Country" (a splendid album. Another: Just. Get. It.)
Don McLean, "American Pie" (album is great, too!)
Harry Nilsson, "Nilsson Schmilsson")
Paul Kanter/Grace Slick, "Sunfighter")
Freddie Hubbard, "Sing Me a Song of Songmy" (God taught me to play the guitar...Just look it up on
Youtube. Wild!)
And there are more I missed.
