Do stellar albums and one-hit wonders make 1974 the Greatest Year in Music?
Joni’s Court and Spark remains her most successful album, while Dolly Parton’s single “Jolene” became a country music staple.
Carl Douglas’ one-hit wonder “Kung Fu Fighting” won a Grammy Award for Best Selling Single, and George McCrae’s “Rock Your Baby” was an early adopter of the disco music trend that would hit just a couple years later.
Local R&B / soul group Blue Magic crossed over onto the Billboard Hot 100 with their single “Sideshow,” taken from 1974’s self-titled debut recorded at Philadelphia’s Sigma Sound Studios.
It was also a good year for radio staples, with Queen’s “Killer Queen,” Lynyrd Skynyrd’s “Sweet Home Alabama,” Steely Dan’s “Rikki Don’t Lose That Number” and The Doobie Brothers’ “Black Water” all charting.
Was 1974 the Greatest Year in Music? Let us know what you think in the comments below and across social media withe #XPNGreatestYear.
Albums:
Court and Spark – Joni Mitchell
Wild Tales – Graham Nash
The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway – Genesis
On the Beach – Neil Young
The Phosphorescent Rat – Hot Tuna
Veedon Fleece – Van Morrison
Lookin’ For a Love Again – Bobby Womack
Blue Magic – Blue Magic
Grievous Angel – Gram Parsons
Mockingbird – Carly Simon
Here Come the Warm Jets – Brian Eno
Autobahn – Kraftwerk
Mirage – Camel
What Were Once Vices Are Now Habits – The Doobie Brothers
Pretzel Logic – Steely Dan
Crime of the Century – Supertramp
Red – King Crimson
Jolene – Dolly Parton
Radio City – Big Star
Second Helping – Lynyrd Skynyrd
Sheer Heart Attack – Queen
Big Fun – Miles Davis
Too Much Too Soon – New York Dolls
Diamond Dogs – David Bowie
Body Heat – Quincy Jones
The Heart of Saturday Night – Tom Waits
I Want to See the Bright Lights Tonight – Richard and Linda Thompson
Kimono My House – Sparks
Late for the Sky – Jackson Browne
Natty Dread – Bob Marley
From the Album of the Same Name – Pilot
Fulfillingness’ First Finale – Stevie Wonder
It’s Only Rock ‘n’ Roll – The Rolling Stones
