The 25 Best Classic Rock Albums of 1975
15 April 2024, 14:41 | Updated: 15 April 2024, 14:50
Classic albums of 1975: Wish You Were Here, Venus & Mars, Physical Graffiti, Young Americans and A Nigh At The Opera. 
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Let’s remember the best albums of the mid-70s: Wish You Were Here, Venus & Mars, Physical Graffiti, Young Americans, A Night At The Opera… and more!
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Bob Dylan – Blood On The Tracks: release date January 20, 1975
Ignore the critical artwork, Bob’s fifteenth album includes some classics: Tangled Up In Blue, Shelter From The Storm and You’re A Big Girl Now.
Bob Dylan – Blood On The Tracks cover art.
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John Lennon – Rock & Roll: release date March 17, 1975
Lennon’s final five-year-old album began life as a way out of a legal action he took for “borrowing” a part of Chuck Berry’s song for the Beatles’ song Come Together. Tasked with rounding up some of the grieving publisher’s catalog, John takes a trip through his old favorites – with a cover photo of the man with his pals the Beatles’ home in Hamburg in the early 60s. Songs included Stand By Me, Be-Bop-A-Lula and Ain’t That A Shame.
John Lennon – The Art of Rock & Roll.
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Led Zeppelin – Body Graffiti: release date March 24, 1975
The hard rock legends were at the peak of their power in ’75, they headlined five nights at Earls Court n London in May. Physical Graffiti was their only double studio album and the first on their Swan Song label. Songs included in My Dying Time, Trampling and Kashmir Atrocity.
Led Zeppelin – Graffiti Body Cover.
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Alice Cooper – Welcome to My Nightmare: release date March 28, 1975
Cooper became the solo artist on this album (as opposed to Alice Cooper, the group), which featured the international hit Only Women Bleed, which was later covered by Julie Covington.
Alice Cooper – Welcome to My Nightmare cover art.
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David Bowie – New Americans: release date March 7, 1975
Bowie’s eighth album saw the superstar take on soul and R&B. The title track and collaboration with John Lennon, Fame, were both hits and gave Bowie a huge boost in the USA.
David Bowie – America’s youth cover art.
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10cc – The Original Soundtrack: release date March 11, 1975
Stockport’s finest rockers have released what is widely regarded as their best album; All three of their releases include the all-time classic Ha ke Rato, as well as Life Is A Minestrone.
10cc – The Original Soundtrack cover art.
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Nazareth – Hair Of The Dog: released April 3, 1975
The sixth album from the Scottish hard rockers included covers of The Everly Brothers’ Love Hurts and Randy Newman’s Guilty.
Nazareth – Hair Of The Dog album artwork.
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Aerosmith – Toys In The Attic: release date April 8, 1975
The third album from Steven Tyler and Joe Perry’s blues rockers included Sweet Emotion and the first version of Walk This Way, later a famous collaboration between Aerosmith and Run DMC.
Aerosmith – Toys In The Attic cover art.
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ZZ Top – Fandango: release date April 18, 1975
The trio’s fourth album Texas consisted of one record side and one studio side, and included the singles Tush and Heard It On The X.
ZZ Top – Fandango album cover.
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Elton John – Captain Fantastic & The Brown Dirt Cowboy: release date 19th May 1975
Elton’s ninth studio album included the classic Someone Saved My Life Tonight.
Elton John – Captain Fantastic & The Brown Dirt Cowboy cover art.
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Paul McCartney & Wings – Venus And Mars: release date 27 May 1975
Macca’s fourth album under the Wings umbrella saw the arrival of guitarist Jimmy McCulloch and drummer Geoff Britton and the hit single Listen To What The Man Said. There is also the unexpected inclusion of a cover of the theme song to the TV soap Crossroads, but he was a Beatle so he can do what he likes.
Paul McCartney & Wings – Venus and Mars cover art.
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Eagles – One Of These Nights: release date June 10, 1975
The fourth studio album from the LA country rockers included the singles Lyin’ Eyes, Take It To the Limit and the title track. The iconic song Journey Of The Sorcerer later became famous as the theme song to The Hitchhiker’s Guide To The Galaxy series.
The Eagles – One of these Nights covers art.
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Fleetwood Mac – Fleetwood Mac: release date 11 July 1975
The group’s eponymous second album (!) saw the recruitment of Lindsey Buckingham and Stevie Nicks, cementing the line-up that would record the Rumors album two years later. The album includes Nick’s song Rhiannon, an international hit.
Fleetwood Mac – Fleetwood Mac cover art.
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Black Sabbath – Sabotage: release date 28 July 1975
Sabbath’s sixth studio album featured a striking cover photo and included the singles Am I Going Insane (Radio), Hole In The Sky and Symptom Of The Universe.
Black Sabbath – Sabotage album artwork.
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Rod Stewart – Atlantic Crossing: release date 15 August 1975
Rod’s sixth album marked (as the title suggests), the singer’s move to Los Angeles and included the monster songs Sailing and I Don’t Want to Talk About It.
Rod Stewart – Atlantic Crossing cover art.
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Bruce Springsteen – Born To Run: release date 25 August 1975
The Boss’ third studio album was a commercial success, spawning the title track and singles Tenth Avenue Freeze-Out and Thunder Road.
Bruce Springsteen – Born To Run cover art.
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Electric Orchestra of Light – Face The Music: release date 1st September 1975
Jeff Lynne’s instrumental rockers released their fifth album, which saw them move in the direction of pop, producing the Top 10 hit Evil Woman.
Electric Light Orchestra – Face The Music cover art.
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Pink Floyd – Wish You Were Here: release date 12 September 1975
The ninth album from the British prog rock titans was the follow-up to the best-selling Dark Side Of The Moon and included the beautiful Shine On You Crazy Diamond and the haunting title track.
Pink Floyd – Wish You Were Here cover art.
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The Who – The Who By Numbers: release date 3 October 1975
The seventh studio album from the British rock band included the singles Squeeze Box and Slip Kid.
The Who – The Who by Numbers cover art.
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Paul Simon – Still Crazy After All These Years: release date 17 October 1975
Simon’s fourth solo album included the popular title track and hit single 50 Ways To Leave Your Lover.
Paul Simon – Still crazy after all these years of cover art.
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Roxy Music – Siren: release date 24 October 1975
The fifth album from art rockers Bryan Ferry includes the singles Both Ends Burning and Love Is The Drug. Jerry Hall was the cover model, photographed at South Stack Lighthouse in Anglesey.
Roxy Music – Siren cover art.
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Patti Smith – Horses: release date November 10, 1975
Smith’s first album was one of the most influential in punk and included his cover of the classic Gloria.
Patti Smith – Horses cover art.
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Neil Young & Crazy Horse – Zuma: release date November 10, 1975
The seventh album from Young was another collaboration with the band Crazy Horse and included the song Cortez The Killer.
Neil Young & Crazy Horse – Zuma cover art.
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Queen – A Night at the Opera: release date November 21, 1975
The fourth album of the British rock band was a landmark in their career: besides the most popular song Bohemian Rhapsody (No 1 for nine weeks), it included Love Of My Life and You Say My Best Friend.
Queen – A Night At The Opera cover art.
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Supertramp – Problems? What Problems? Release date November 28, 1975
The fourth album from the British progressive rock stalwarts included Lady and Nobody But Me.
Supertramp – Problems? What Problems? album cover.
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