In 1973 the album charts got weird. Sure, there were classic albums by iconic artists such as Paul McCartney, the Rolling Stones and Elton John that topped the charts that year. Two different ones in Elton’s case.
But there was also a No. 1 album of bluegrass banjo-picking from the movie soundtrack of a film that made fans wince whenever they thought of actor Ned Beatty.
As well as the strange fact of the Pink Floyd album that reached No. 1 for just a single week in 1973 but also hung around on the album charts for more than 18 years total.
The singles charts didn’t make much more sense. “Tie a Yellow Ribbon Round the Ole Oak Tree,” as corny and sentimental a song to ever reach No. 1, was the top-selling single of the year.
And a dead man — singer-songwriter Jim Croce — topped the charts late in the year with “Time in a Bottle” after hitting No. 1 in midsummer — before his fatal plane crash — with “Bad, Bad Leroy Brown.”
What’s it all mean? Who knows! So let’s make like Eddie Kendricks in his ’73 chart-topping single and “Keep On Truckin” through the 18 albums that reached No. 1 on the Billboard charts in 1973, listed here in chronological order, as well as some other musical moments that arrived as each of those looked down from No. 1.
“Seventh Sojourn,” Moody Blues / Total weeks at No. 1: 1
Like a hangover after New Year’s Eve, this Moody Blues album stuck around at No. 1 for the first week of 1973 after four weeks there to close out 1972. The band’s eighth LP, it’s the last of the Moodies’ “core seven” albums, a run that began with the 1967 sophomore release “Days of Future Passed.”
New and noteworthy: The new year also welcomed two debuts with greater lasting significance than “Seventh Sojourn.” Bruce Springsteen‘s “Greetings From Asbury Park, N.J.” signaled the arrival of a mighty talent, though it didn’t sell much, peaking at No. 60. Aerosmith‘s self-titled debut did better, reaching No. 21, though its signature track, “Dream On” went nowhere for three years until its rerelease went Top 10.
“No Secrets,” Carly Simon / Total weeks at No. 1: 5
Carly Simon really kicked off the new year with “No Secrets,” from which the single, “You’re So Vain,” also went No. 1 for the first three weeks of the year. Her third album built upon the modest success of its 1971 predecessor “Anticipation,” with second single “The Right Thing To Do” furthering Simon’s breakout.
New and noteworthy: During Simon’s run atop the charts a trio of ace albums arrived. Little Feat dove deep into swamp rock and New Orleans’ boogie with “Dixie Chicken.” Gram Parsons, booted from the Rolling Stones’ French chalet for being a bigger druggie than Keith Richards, got himself together to record his excellent debut album “GP.” And the proto-punk of Iggy Pop and the Stooges, with a production save by David Bowie, unleashed “Raw Power.”
“The World is a Ghetto,” War / Total weeks at No. 1: 2
Propelled by the success of the singles “Cisco Kid” and the title track, the progressive soul-funk act out of Long Beach, California, scored a massive hit with its fifth album. Though the record only held No. 1 on the album charts for two weeks of February, it sold steadily enough to be the top-selling album of 1973.
New and noteworthy: Surprised War had the top-selling album of the year? Check this: Hanging out around No. 30 when War was at No. 1 was Seals & Crofts’ “Summer Breeze.” The record, released in September 1972, never reached No. 1 but ended up as the No. 2 selling album for all of 1973.
“Don’t Shoot Me I’m Only the Piano Player,” Elton John / Total weeks at No. 1: 2
The first of two chart-topping albums released by Elton John in 1973, ‘Don’t Shoot Me I’m Only the Piano Player’ held No. 1 for two weeks in March, propelled by the hit singles “Crocodile Rock” and “Daniel.” The album track “Have Mercy on the Criminal” remains a live favorite, replacing “Daniel” on Elton’s recent farewell shows at Dodger Stadium.
New and noteworthy: Early March also welcomed a handful of albums that would be influential beyond sales figures alone. Tom Waits debuted with “Closing Time,” Todd Rundgren got weird(er) with “A Wizard, A True Star,” and John Cale delivered the cult classic “Paris 1919.”
Dueling Banjos,” Eric Weissberg & Steve Mandell / Total weeks at No. 1: 3
Here’s where the year got strange: A catchy banjo duet from from "Deliverance," the film that scared a generation of city slickers out of ever wanting to go camping in rural Appalachia took an instrumental bluegrass soundtrack to No. 1 for three weeks as spring arrived.
New and noteworthy: ABBA debuted with “Ring Ring,” though the album wouldn’t be released in the United States for two decades, Dolly Parton released the concept album “My Tennessee Mountain Home,” and the Faces went “Ooh La La.”
“Lady Sings the Blues,” Diana Ross/soundtrack / Total weeks at No. 1: 2
Movie soundtracks continued to rule the charts with this Diana Ross-starring biopic of jazz singer Billie Holiday holding No. 1 for a pair of weeks. Ross sounds good as Holiday, but with dialogue from the film interspersed between and into songs the double album is a frustrating listen today.
New and noteworthy: David Bowie followed up his “Ziggy Stardust” success with “Aladdin Sane.” Bob Marley and the Wailers lit up the reggae classic “Catch A Fire,” and the Eagles released “Desperado,” the band’s lowest-charting album despite the popularity of its title track and “Tequila Sunrise.”
“Billion Dollar Babies,” Alice Cooper / Total weeks at No. 1: 1
The hard rock band Alice Cooper followed up the success of 1972’s “School’s Out” with its only album to reach No. 1. Songs featured various perversions and fears, which the ensuing tour brought to life with props that included a guillotine, a dentist’s drill, various baby dolls and mannequins, and buckets of blood.
New and noteworthy: During Alice Cooper’s week at No. 1 the Anaheim Convention Center was hoppin’ with concerts by Steely Dan, Bread and two nights with Elvis Presley.
“The Dark Side of the Moon,” Pink Floyd / Total weeks at No. 1: 1
Apparently “Dark Side of the Moon” was only good enough to top the charts for a single week? In reality, this Pink Floyd classic is one of the bestselling albums of all time, holding the record for most weeks in the Billboard 200 albums chart with 963 weeks — more than 18 years — total.
New and noteworthy: Columbia Records’ A Week to Remember fest is forgotten by most today but the week Pink Floyd reigned at No. 1 the record label featured more than 20 of its artists in shows at the Ahmanson Theatre in Los Angeles. One night included a hot new artist named Bruce Springsteen opening for Dr. Hook and the Medicine Show and New Riders of the Purple Sage.
“Aloha from Hawaii Via Satellite,” Elvis Presley / Total weeks at No. 1: 1
This double-album chronicled Elvis’s January 1973 concert in Honolulu, which despite the fancy new satellite technology wasn’t seen in the United States until April so as not to conflict with the Super Bowl or an Elvis concert film then in release. How to win a bar bet: It’s the only album released in the quadrophonic sound format to ever top the charts.
New and noteworthy: Paul Simon‘s “There Goes Rhymin’ Simon” arrived this week. It would go on to reach No. 2 on the charts and become the first album ever purchased by yours truly with my allowance money.
“Houses of the Holy,” Led Zeppelin / Total weeks at No. 1: 2
The band’s fifth album featured a shift beyond the harder blues-influenced rock of its earlier records and resulted in a collection of songs — “No Quarter,” “Dancing Days,” D’yer Mak’er” among them — more diverse than anything Zeppelin had done before.
New and noteworthy: Van Morrison played eight shows in four nights at the Troubadour in West Hollywood, California, from May 24-27 with sets drawn from classic albums such as “Astral Weeks,” “Moondance,” “Tupelo Honey,” and “His Band and the Street Choir.” You know, the good stuff.
“1967-1970,” The Beatles / Total weeks at No. 1: 1
This double-album of latter-day Beatles’ hits was known as “the Blue Album” to distinguish it from “1962-1966” or “the Red Album.” The first authorized collections of Beatles’ hits in the U.S., both were released on April 2, 1973, this one reached No. 1 while its counterpart topped out at No. 3.
New and noteworthy: Mike Oldfield debuted with “Tubular Bells,” the first-ever release on Virgin Records. Critically acclaimed, it didn’t take off until the end of the year when part of the album was used on the soundtrack for “The Exorcist.”
“Red Rose Speedway,” Paul McCartney and Wings / Total weeks at No. 1: 3
Whoa, whoa-whoa, whoa, the Beatles aren’t done for 1973 yet. Paul McCartney and Wings climbed into the top spot for three weeks with a record that was never considered his best work but benefited from a massive radio hit with “My Love.” Paul and Wings would return with a much stronger record before the end of the year.
New and noteworthy: “Shotgun Willie,” the first album Willie Nelson released after leaving Nashville, Tennessee, for Austin, Texas, and RCA for Atlantic Records, let Willie do what Willie wanted. The June release didn’t sell much but as one of the first “outlaw country” albums its impact was huge.
“Living in the Material World,” George Harrison / Total weeks at No. 1: 5
George Harrison, the most spiritually inclined member of the Beatles, confronted the clash between his beliefs and his superstar status on an album that presented serious thoughts via gorgeous songcraft. “Give Me Love (Give Me Peace On Earth)” remains one of his very best solo singles. I was thrilled to get this at Christmas ’73.
New and noteworthy: Rock stars were restless in late June and July. Singer Ian Gillan quit Deep Purple. David Bowie announced on stage he was “retiring” Ziggy Stardust. The Everly Brothers broke up after Phil smashed his guitar on stage. At the same time, Barry Manilow, Queen, and the New York Dolls released self-titled debut albums.
“Chicago VI,” Chicago / Total weeks at No. 1: 5
The magic touch of Chicago in the ’70s continued with “Chicago VI,” the jazz-rock band’s second of five straight No. 1 albums. Hits here included “Just You ‘n’ Me” and “Feelin’ Stronger Every Day,” both of which cracked the Top 10.
New and noteworthy: Stevie Wonder released “Innervisions,” which won the Grammy for album of the year in 1974, with the single “Living For The City” winning best R&B song. Lynyrd Skynyrd debuted with “(Pronounced ‘Lĕh-‘nérd ‘Skin-‘nérd)” plaguing the world with people shouting “Free Bird” ever after.
“A Passion Play,” Jethro Tull / Total weeks at No. 1: 1
Jethro Tull‘s true follow-up to 1972’s superior “Thick as a Brick” knocked Chicago out of the top spot temporarily for a single week. It’s a prog-rock concept album about religion, morality, and the like. If the idea of a spoken word piece titled “The Story of the Hare Who Lost His Spectacles” appeals to you then this is your jam.
New and noteworthy: The week of Tull at the top coincided with Jimmy Buffett‘s residency at the Troubadour in West Hollywood and the Mystic Knights of the Oingo Boingo’s residency at the Century City Playhouse in Los Angeles. You’d probably have been fine wearing a parrot on your shoulder to either one.
“Brothers and Sisters,” The Allman Brothers Band / Total weeks at No. 1: 5
The Allman Brothers Band reached a commercial peak here thanks partly to “Ramblin’ Man,” the band’s biggest hit single, which went to No. 2 on the charts. The record proved the group’s resilient strength after the deaths of Duane Allman and Barry Oakley, but strains within the band led to its breakup two years later.
New and noteworthy: Singer-songwriter Jim Croce died in a plane crash on Sept. 20 and the Roxy Theatre opened in West Hollywood on Sept. 23. Bruce Springsteen released “The Wild, the Innocent & the E Street Shuffle” and Lou Reed released “Berlin.”
“Goats Head Soup,” the Rolling Stones / Total weeks at No. 1: 4
The follow-up to “Exile on Main St.” is pointed to as the start of a decline in quality for the Stones, but there are plenty of highlights, from album-opener “Dancing With Mr. D” and the ballad and single “Angie” to the funk-fueled “Doo Doo Doo Doo Doo (Heartbreaker)” and the enthusiastically obscene “Star Star.”
New and noteworthy: Ringo Starr released “Ringo,” his first rock-oriented solo album, and one on which his three Beatles’ bandmates all appear. It went to No. 2. The Who delivered “Quadrophenia” and a month later a 19-year-old fan is pulled out of the crowd in San Francisco to play drums after drummer Keith Moon passed out mid-concert.
“Goodbye Yellow Brick Road,” Elton John / Total weeks at No. 1: 8
Elton John‘s greatest work reached No. 1 a month after its Oct. 5, 1973, release and stayed there for the rest of the year. And why wouldn’t it? The double album featured classic singles such as “Candle in the Wind,” “Bennie and the Jets,” “Funeral for a Friend/Love Lies Bleeding,” “Saturday Night’s Alright for Fighting,” and the title track.
New and noteworthy: November saw John Lennon release “Mind Games” to complete the 1973 Beatles solo set and Yoko Ono released her own “Feeling the Space.” Paul McCartney and Wings returned with “Live and Let Die” in December, but you’ll have to wait until next year to find out whether it reached No. 1 in 1974.
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