5 Albums That Topped the Album Charts 50 Years Ago This Month

Rock ruled the album charts in the 1970s, and a look at the Billboard 200 rankings from 50 years ago really brings the genre’s dominance into focus. Five different albums spent time at No. 1 during the month of November 1974, and each was performed by a rock act that had already enjoyed great success during the decade.

Soon enough, artists like Peter Frampton, Fleetwood Mac, Linda Ronstadt, Billy Joel, and Boston would have their moment in the sun. However, as the ‘70s were about to hit the halfway mark, these five acts—who had already spent time atop the Billboard 200 with previous albums—were back on top again.

So Far by Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young

So Far was the first Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young compilation album, and its 11 tracks constituted half of their released output at that time. Though the album was somewhat redundant, given that you could get nine of its tracks from the first two Crosby, Stills & Nash albums, it still ranks as the second-biggest selling album by CSN or CSNY, trailing only Déjà Vu. The only tracks not previously released on either Crosby, Stills & Nash or Déjà Vu are “Ohio” and “Find the Cost of Freedom,” which were respectively the A- and B-sides of a 1970 single.

So why didn’t Atlantic Records wait until CSNY had more material to release a compilation album? The label wanted to put out an album that would coincide with CSNY’s reunion tour during the summer of 1974. Their bet that the album would benefit from increased interest in the group paid off, as So Far was certified Gold one month after its release. Overall, it has sold more than 6 million copies in the U.S. and more than 10 million copies worldwide.

Wrap Around Joy by Carole King

King released two No. 1 albums in 1971, and Tapestry and Music spent a combined 18 weeks atop the Billboard 200. Her subsequent releases Rhymes & Reasons and Fantasy were still Top-10 albums, but Wrap Around Joy returned King to the top of the chart. For each of the album’s 12 tracks, King had a new writing partner—David Palmer, formerly of Steely Dan. The pair did something King had not achieved on any previous album. They wrote a pair of songs—”Jazzman” and “Nightingale”—that reached the Top 10 of the Billboard Hot 100 as A-sides of separate singles. (“It’s Too Late” and “I Feel the Earth Move” from Tapestry both went to No. 1, but they were on opposite sides of the same single.)

Walls and Bridges by John Lennon

Lennon and King shared space in the Top 10 three years earlier when Imagine and Tapestry took their turns in the top spot of the Billboard 200. Like King, Lennon released a comeback album in the fall of 1974 with Wall and Bridges. Recorded in the summer of 1974 during the midst of his notorious “Lost Weekend” period, Lennon was joined by an all-star roster of contributors. Most notably Elton John sang and played piano on the No. 1 hit “Whatever Gets You Thru the Night” and performed backing vocals on “Surprise, Surprise (Sweet Bird of Paradox).” The album also featured Harry Nilsson, drummer Jim Keltner and frequent Rolling Stones contributors Nicky Hopkins and Bobby Keys.

It’s Only Rock and Roll by The Rolling Stones

Heading into 1974, The Rolling Stones had made five straight albums produced by Jimmy Miller, all of which were certified Gold shortly after their release, and three that topped the Billboard 200. With It’s Only Rock and Roll, the band tinkered with a successful formula, having Mick Jagger and Keith Richards—under the moniker of The Glimmer Twins—replace Miller. The result was another chart-topping Gold album, though its impact was less than that of its predecessors. It spent only 20 weeks on the Billboard 200, which is the shortest stay of any of The Rolling Stones’ nine No. 1 albums. It’s Only Rock and Roll was also their last album to feature guitarist Mick Taylor. Ronnie Wood would take Taylor’s place for the Stones’ next album, Black and Blue.

Elton John’s Greatest Hits by Elton John

No album artist could touch John in the mid-’70s. Goodbye Yellow Brick Road was Billboard’s top album of 1974, even though it hit its commercial peak the previous year, and then John reached No. 1 again during the summer with Caribou. John’s long-overdue first greatest-hits album was released in November, and it began its 10-week run at No. 1 on November 30. The collection goes as far back as his first Hot 100 hit “Border Song,” and includes “Don’t Let the Sun Go Down on Me,” which had been released just six months before the compilation came out. Though John could have easily released a greatest-hits album sooner, in retrospect, its timing was perfect. John’s popularity would gradually decline in the latter half of the ‘70s, so the album is a fitting collection of his work from when he was at his most ubiquitous.

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