20 Albums Turning 50 in 2024

Critics don’t necessarily point to 1974 as being a great year for popular music, but a glimpse at the albums released in that 12-month span reveals some real gems. With the twin revolutions of punk and disco on the horizon, innovative musicians across the globe were pushing the boundaries of rock, pop, soul, funk, electro-pop, and more. There were also some ’60s holdovers asserting their relevance with inspired LPs.

What follows are 20 important albums from 1974. They’re all turning 50 this year, and they’re all worth a listen right this very second.

Joni Mitchell’s Court and Spark // Released January 17, 1974

Joni Mitchell’s jazz-inflected sixth studio album stands as her highest-charting—it reached No. 2 on the Billboard 200 and yielded the single “Help Me,” the legendary singer-songwriter’s only Top 10 hit in America.

Bob Dylan’s Planet Waves // Released January 17, 1974

Arriving more than a decade after his self-titled debut, Bob Dylan’s 14th studio album became his first to top the Billboard 200. Four have followed in the half-century since.

Brian Eno’s Here Come the Warm Jets // Released January 1974

English visionary and future U2 producer Brian Eno’s first solo album after leaving Roxy Music is named for the guitar sound he achieved on the title track, which he described as a “warm jet guitar.”

Dolly Parton’s Jolene // Released February 4, 1974

According to legend, Dolly Parton wrote the two big hits off this album—the title track and “I Will Always Love You”—on the same day. It turns out she might not have penned them in exactly the same 24-hour span, but they date back to the same short period of time, so it’s ridiculously impressive either way.

KISS’s KISS // Released February 18, 1974

The self-titled debut from makeup-loving hard rockers KISS stalled at No. 87 on the Billboard 200. But it was clearly the start of big things, as nine Top 10 albums followed. KISS includes the classic “Black Diamond,” which ’80s alt-rock heroes The Replacements covered for their 1984 album Let It Be.

Big Star’s Radio City // Released February 1974

The sophomore effort from Memphis power-pop pioneers Big Star wasn’t a huge commercial success, but it’s influenced loads of musicians, including The Bangles: They covered the Radio City favorite “September Gurls” on their hit-packed 1986 album Different Light.

ABBA’s Waterloo // Released March 4, 1974

If you love the title track, which won ABBA 1974’s Eurovision Song Contest and launched this co-ed Swedish pop foursome globally, you’re in luck. Waterloo, the group’s sophomore LP, begins with the Swedish version of the song and ends with the English. Double the “Waterloo” for your listening pleasure.

Sparks’s Kimono My House // Released May 1, 1974

The LA sibling art-rock duo Sparks have always been an acquired taste, but a lot of people got on board thanks to 1974’s Kimono My House. Artists like Björk and Morrissey have named this LP as one of their all-time favorites, and the bizarro earworm “This Town Ain’t Big Enough for the Both Of Us” reached No. 2 on the UK pop charts.

Rufus’s Rags to Rufus // Released May 1974

The second album from Chaka Khan’s funk-soul band features the Stevie Wonder-penned lead single “Tell Me Something Good.” The song went to No. 3 on the Billboard Hot 100 and earned Rufus a Grammy for Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals.

David Bowie’s Diamond Dogs // May 24, 1974

The eighth studio album from David Bowie was originally going to be a musical based on George Orwell’s dystopian novel 1984. Alas, the author’s widow, Sonia, denied permission, forcing the rocker to change course. Nevertheless, the collection includes tunes called “1984” and “Big Brother.”

Stevie Wonder’s Fulfillingness’ First Finale // Released July 22, 1974

Arriving midway through a triumphant decade for Stevie Wonder, Fulfillingness’ First Finale earned the singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist his second consecutive Grammy for Album of the Year. (Innervisions won the year before.) It also spawned two Top 5 hits on the Billboard Hot 100: “You Haven’t Done Nothin’ ” and “Boogie On Reggae Woman.”

The Commodores’ Machine Gun // Released July 22, 1974

The debut LP from Lionel Richie’s funk band includes the lively “The Assembly Line,” which has been sampled in more than 370 songs, according to the website WhoSampled.

Eric Clapton’s 461 Ocean Boulevard // Released July 1974

Named for the address in Golden Beach, Florida, that Eric Clapton called home during the recording sessions, this album marked the British blues guitar hero’s return to music after a three-year heroin-induced hiatus. The LP includes a cover of Bob Marley’s “I Shot the Sheriff,” which became Clapton’s first and only No. 1 hit on the Hot 100.

Robert Palmer’s Sneakin’ Sally Through the Alley // Released September 1974

This was the solo debut from English soul-pop great Robert Palmer, formerly of the band Vinegar Joe. Palmer recorded the LP in New Orleans and New York City, largely improvising with a crew of veteran funk players that included members of The Meters and Little Feat.

Judas Priest’s Rocka Rolla // Released September 6, 1974

Behold, the debut album from metal gods Judas Priest—though fans of later albums like 1980’s mega-selling British Steel (the one featuring “Breaking the Law”) might be confused by the bluesy hard-rock sound heard here. Ace guitarist Glenn Tipton had joined just prior to the Rocka Rolla recording sessions, and the band was definitely still honing its sound.

John Lennon’s Walls and Bridges // Released September 26, 1974

The fifth solo studio album from John Lennon topped the Billboard 200 and yielded the hit “Whatever Gets You thru the Night,” which reached No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100. Co-written by Elton John, it was Lennon’s only solo single to top the U.S. pop charts in his lifetime. (Lennon’s “(Just Like) Starting Over” went to No. 1 in late December 1980, shortly after his murder.)

Kraftwerk’s Autobahn // Released in November 1974

The entirety of side one of this seminal electro-pop album is devoted to the title track, which runs 22:47. The song—and the album on the whole—was inspired by the experience of driving the titular highway, located in Kraftwerk’s native Germany.

Queen’s Sheer Heart Attack // Released November 8, 1974

The third studio LP from Freddy Mercury and the gang is the one that broke them in America. It includes the single “Killer Queen,” which reached No. 12 on the Billboard Hot 100, giving Queen their first stateside Top 40 hit.

Genesis’s The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway // Released November 22, 1974

Described by The New Yorker as a “surreal fantasia written by five Englishmen about a half-Puerto Rican street kid named Rael,” this prog-rock masterpiece was the final Genesis album to feature Peter Gabriel on lead vocals. (He was replaced by Phil Collins, who took the band in a far more commercial direction.)

George Harrison’s Dark Horse // Released December 1974

The Quiet Beatle’s fifth solo set includes a reworking of the Everly Brothers classic “Bye Bye Love” that Harrison recorded in response to his wife Pattie Boyd leaving him for Eric Clapton. The first verse begins like this: “There goes our lady with a you-know-who / I hope she’s happy and old Clapper too.”

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