Cultural Highlights of 1971
- Jan 1971: Carole King Releases *Tapestry* – Singer-songwriter Carole King defined the sensitive, intimate soft-rock sound of the early 1970s with the release of her masterpiece album, *Tapestry*. Featuring timeless, deeply personal tracks like 'It's Too Late' and 'You've Got a Friend,' the album spent an astonishing 15 weeks at number one on the Billboard charts and remained on the charts for over six years, becoming one of the best-selling and most influential confessional singer-songwriter albums of all time.
- Mar 1971: Led Zeppelin Releases *Led Zeppelin IV* – Hard rock giants Led Zeppelin released their untitled fourth studio album (commonly known as *Led Zeppelin IV* or *Zoso*), featuring the ultimate rock anthem of the 20th century: 'Stairway to Heaven.' The album brilliantly bridged acoustic folk ballads with thunderous hard rock, cementing the band's status as stadium-filling arena gods and setting an unassailable commercial and artistic standard for 1970s rock music.
- May 1971: Marvin Gaye Releases *What's Going On* – Motown star Marvin Gaye completely revolutionized soul and R&B music with the release of his socially conscious concept album, *What's Going On*. Addressing the Vietnam War, urban poverty, drug addiction, and environmental decay from the perspective of a returning veteran, Gaye fought against label resistance to release the project, which became an enduring artistic triumph and shifted soul music toward deep political commentary.
- Oct 1971: John Lennon Releases 'Imagine' – Former Beatle John Lennon released his immortal peace anthem 'Imagine,' accompanied by a visually iconic minimalist music video. With its gentle piano melody and utopian lyrics calling for a world without borders or divisions, the track instantly transcended pop charts to become an enduring global standard for human unity, hope, and anti-war sentiment.
The Yes Album
By Yes
Label: Atlantic
Released: 1971
What’s Going On
By Marvin Gaye
Label: Tamla
Released: 1971
Meddle
By Pink Floyd
Label: Harvest
Released: 1971
Pearl
By Janis Joplin
Label: Columbia
Released: 1971
Any Where / Any Time / Any Place
By John Lee Hooker
Label: United Artists
Released: 1971
En la corte del Rey Carmesi
By King Crimson
Label: Atlantic
Released: 1971
Faron Young Sings "Leavin’ and Sayin’ Goodbye"
By Faron Young
Label: Mercury Records
Released: 1971
Bonnie Raitt
By Bonnie Raitt
Label: Warner Bros. Records
Released: 1971
Salisbury
By Uriah Heep
Label: Bronze
Released: 1971
A Dalesman’s Litany
By Dave Burland
Label: Trailer
Released: 1971
Toe Fat Two
By Toe Fat
Label: Unknown Label
Released: 1971
Dez anos depois
By Nara Leão
Label: Unknown Label
Released: 1971
Simple Man
By Cuby + Blizzards
Label: Philips
Released: 1971
Ichnos
By Tony Oxley
Label: RCA Victor
Released: 1971
Wet Willie
By Wet Willie
Label: Capricorn Records
Released: 1971
Piano Rags by Scott Joplin
By Scott Joplin
Label: Nonesuch
Released: 1971
Stones
By Neil Diamond
Label: UNI Records
Released: 1971
Third World War
By Third World War
Label: Fly
Released: 1971
Jola Rota
By Joakim Skogsberg
Label: Gump
Released: 1971
Zero Time
By Tonto’s Expanding Head Band
Label: Embryo Records
Released: 1971
Nature
By Tetragon
Label: Unknown Label
Released: 1971
Det året det var så bratt
By Øystein Sunde
Label: Unknown Label
Released: 1971
Please to See the King
By Steeleye Span
Label: Big Tree Records
Released: 1971
Collage
By Le Orme
Label: Philips
Released: 1971
Something Else
By Shirley Bassey
Label: United Artists
Released: 1971
Charity Ball
By Fanny
Label: Reprise Records
Released: 1971
Freedom Line
By The Heptones
Label: Studio One
Released: 1971
The Rite of Spring
By Hubert Laws
Label: CTI
Released: 1971
God Bless the Child
By Kenny Burrell
Label: CTI
Released: 1971
Los dinámicos
By Pacheco
Label: Fania
Released: 1971
White Trash
By Edgar Winter’s White Trash
Label: Epic
Released: 1971
Handgjort
By Handgjort
Label: Silence Records
Released: 1971
Otoño
By Mocedades
Label: Unknown Label
Released: 1971
Rock Love
By Steve Miller Band
Label: Capitol Records
Released: 1971
Terje Rypdal
By Terje Rypdal
Label: ECM Records
Released: 1971
La Cofradía de la Flor Solar
By La Cofradía de la Flor Solar
Label: Microfon
Released: 1971
Soul Revolution, Part II
By Bob Marley & The Wailers
Label: Upsetter Records
Released: 1971
Soul Rebels
By Bob Marley & The Wailers
Label: Rough Gang
Released: 1971
Experience
By Experience
Label: Disques Vogue
Released: 1971
Fame & Price / Price & Fame / Together
By Georgie Fame
Label: CBS
Released: 1971
Hanging In There
By Hudson and Landry
Label: Doré
Released: 1971
A Testament of Time
By Gordon Giltrap
Label: MCA Records
Released: 1971
Hiro Yanagida
By 柳田ヒロ
Label: Atlantic
Released: 1971
Tu trouveras la paix
By Renée Claude
Label: Barclay
Released: 1971
New Sky（アルバム第5集 Part 1）
By 五つの赤い風船
Label: URC
Released: 1971
Un cantastorie dei giorni nostri
By Claudio Baglioni
Label: RCA Italiana
Released: 1971
Top of the Pops, Volume 21
By Top of the Poppers
Label: Hallmark Records
Released: 1971
Le Monde fabuleux des Yamasuki
By Yamasuki
Label: Biram
Released: 1971
Gila
By Gila
Label: BASF
Released: 1971
Acceleration
By Middle of the Road
Label: RCA Victor
Released: 1971
Won't You Step Inside?
By Heta Linjen
Label: Odeon
Released: 1971
Chimarrão da Hospitalidade
By Teixeirinha
Label: Copacabana
Released: 1971
Entre a Cruz e o Amor
By Teixeirinha
Label: Copacabana
Released: 1971
Art Ensemble of Chicago with Fontella Bass
By Art Ensemble of Chicago
Label: America Records
Released: 1971
HE6와 함께 고고를! / Go Go Sound '71 제1집
By He6
Label: Universal Record Co.
Released: 1971
Saat kaiken
By Kirka
Label: Scandia
Released: 1971
Fifteen Cents Is All I've Got
By Grandpa Jones
Label: Unknown Label
Released: 1971
J.S. Bach Is Alive and Well and Doing His Thing on The Koto
By 沢井忠夫
Label: RCA
Released: 1971
Sod
By Sod
Label: Decca Records
Released: 1971
Poppys
By Poppys
Label: Barclay
Released: 1971
Blues Ain't Nothin' Else But...
By Ida Cox
Label: Milestone
Released: 1971
If Only...
By Axiom
Label: Warner Bros. Records
Released: 1971
Improvisations
By Georges Ivanovitch Gurdjieff
Label: 4th Way
Released: 1971
Pepper's Pow Wow
By Jim Pepper
Label: Embryo Records
Released: 1971
OM
By OM
Label: Edigsa
Released: 1971
Inside Out
By The Lords
Label: Columbia
Released: 1971
Tusenfryd og grå hverdag
By Finn Kalvik
Label: NorDisc
Released: 1971
Sündenfall II
By Sündenfall II
Label: Trefiton
Released: 1971
Banana Moon
By Daevid Allen
Label: BYG Records
Released: 1971
Gypsys, Tramps & Thieves
By Cher
Label: Kapp Records
Released: 1971
Chilly Wind
By Maxine Weldon
Label: Mainstream Records
Released: 1971
Here and Now
By Jean Shepard
Label: Capitol Records
Released: 1971
Just As Soon As I Get Over Loving You
By Jean Shepard
Label: Capitol Records
Released: 1971
Songs From the Land I Love
By Slim Dusty
Label: Columbia
Released: 1971
The Soul of Spain: Vol. 3
By 101 Strings
Label: Alshire Records
Released: 1971
Drugstore
By Tony Iglio
Label: TRY Records
Released: 1971
Goldberg Variations
By Johann Sebastian Bach
Label: Columbia Masterworks
Released: 1971
La Biblia
By Vox Dei
Label: Disc Jockey
Released: 1971
Human Music
By Jon Appleton
Label: Flying Dutchman
Released: 1971
Paranoia Picknick
By Ernst Schultz
Label: Kuckuck
Released: 1971
Change of Scenes
By Stan Getz
Label: Verve
Released: 1971
Sunset Upon An Imaginary Beach Of Latent Energy
By Kevin Aprill
Label: Unknown Label
Released: 1971
A New Era
By Wade Marcus
Label: Unknown Label
Released: 1971
Hammond Hit Parade 3
By Franz Lambert
Label: Fontana
Released: 1971
Kings, Queens & Jokers
By Victoria
Label: Dirty Martha
Released: 1971
English Muffins
By The Mystic Moods Orchestra
Label: Philips
Released: 1971
Country Lovin' Folk
By The Mystic Moods Orchestra
Label: Philips
Released: 1971
Farm
By Farm
Label: [no label]
Released: 1971
Skara Brae
By Skara Brae
Label: Gael-Linn
Released: 1971
Intercommunal Music
By François Tusques
Label: Shandar
Released: 1971
Beautiful Bamboo-Flute
By Hozan Yamamoto
Label: Philips
Released: 1971
Good Morning Sunshine
By Paul Coleman
Label: Pinent Records
Released: 1971
Every Word You Say Is Written Down
By Peter Sarstedt
Label: United Artists
Released: 1971
Earth Song / Ocean Song
By Mary Hopkin
Label: Apple Records
Released: 1971
Dándole azúcar al danzón
By Los Xochimilcas
Label: ECO
Released: 1971