As we’re inundated with “Best of 2013” lists, a look back 40 years at one of the most remarkable years in rock/popular music, 1973. That year’s output is notable for both its quality – many musicians who created/formed the rock “canon” were in their prime – and quantity. Bruce Springsteen, Bob Marley & the Wailers, John Martyn, Roxy Music, and Yes each released 2 albums. John McLaughlin’s Mahavishnu Orchestra had 2, McLaughlin & Carlos Santana collaborated on one and Santana had a separate release. And the albums released overall would find their way onto many listeners’ “best of” lists for the artists involved.

An abbreviated list follows, in chronological order, with release dates shown when known (by me). For a complete list of the year’s releases click here.

1973 Albums
Greetings from Asbury Park, N.J.  –  Bruce Springsteen  –  Jan 5
GP  –  Gram Parsons  –  Jan
We the People  –  Ellen McIlwaine  –  Jan
Raw Power – The Stooges – Feb 7
Dixie Chicken  –  Little Feat  –  Feb
Solid Air  –  John Martyn  –  Feb
The Dark Side of the Moon  –  Pink Floyd  –  Mar 1
A Wizard, a True Star  –  Todd Rundgren  –  Mar 2
For Your Pleasure  –  Roxy Music  –  Mar 23
Larks Tongue in Aspic  –  King Crimson  –  Mar 23
Houses of the Holy  –  Led Zeppelin  –  Mar 28
Birds of Fire  –  Mahavishnu Orchestra  –  Mar
Closing Time  –  Tom Waits  –  Mar
Paris 1919  –  John Cale  –  Mar
Aladdin Sane  –  David Bowie  –  Apr 13
Catch a Fire  –  Bob Marley & the Wailers  –  Apr 13
Desperado  –  The Eagles  –  Apr 17
Diamond Girl  –  Seals and Crofts  –  Apr
The Marshall Tucker Band  – The Marshall Tucker Band  –  Apr
Ooh La La  –  The Faces  –  Apr
There Goes Rhymin’ Simon  –  Paul Simon  –  May 5
Yessongs  –  Yes  –  May 18
Tubular Bells  –  Mike Oldfield  –  May 25
Head to the Sky  –  Earth, Wind & Fire  –  May
A White Sport Coat and a Pink Crustacean  –  Jimmy Buffett  –  June
Love Devotion Surrender  –  Santana and McLaughlin  –  June 20
Tres Hombres  –  ZZ Top  –  July 26
Berlin – Lou Reed – July
Countdown to Ecstasy  –  Steely Dan  –  July
Innervisions  –  Stevie Wonder  –  Aug 3
(pronounced ‘lĕh-‘nérd ‘skin-‘nérd)  –  Lynyrd Skynyrd  –  Aug 13
Goats Head Soup  –  Rolling Stones  –  Aug 31
Brothers and Sisters  –  Allman Brothers Band  –  Aug
Future Days – Can – Aug
Hard Nose the Highway – Van Morrison – Aug
Maria Muldaur  –  Maria Muldaur  –  Aug
Over-Nite Sensation  –  Frank Zappa  –  Sept 7
The Wild, the Innocent & the E Street Shuffle  –  Springsteen  –  Sept 11
Goodbye Yellow Brick Road  –  Elton John  –  Oct 5
For Girls Who Grow Plump in the Night  –  Caravan  –  Oct 5
Selling England by the Pound  –  Genesis  –  Oct 12
Head Hunters  –  Herbie Hancock  –  Oct 13
Wake of the Flood  –  Grateful Dead  –  Oct 15
Burnin’  –  Bob Marley & the Wailers  –  Oct 19
Quadrophenia  –  The Who  –  Oct 19
The Adventures of Panama Red  –  New Riders of the Purple Sage  –  Oct
For Everyman  –  Jackson Browne  –  Oct
Inside Out  –  John Martyn  –  Oct
Sweet Revenge  –  John Prine  –  Oct
Takin’ My Time  –  Bonnie Raitt  –  Oct
Stranded  –  Roxy Music  –  Nov 1
Abandoned Luncheonette  –  Hall & Oates  –  Nov 3
Piano Man  –  Billy Joel  –  Nov 6
Welcome  –  Santana  –  Nov 9
Tattoo  –  Rory Gallagher  –  Nov 11
Bette Midler  –  Bette Midler  –  Nov 16
Between Nothingness and Eternity  –  Mahavishnu Orchestra  –  Nov
FM/Live  –  Climax Blues Band  –  Nov
(No Pussyfooting)  –  Robert Fripp & Brian Eno  –  Nov
Viva Terlingua  –  Jerry Jeff Walker  –  Nov
Band on the Run  –  Paul McCartney & Wings  –  Dec 5
Tales from Topographic Oceans  –  Yes  –  Dec 14
(Release dates unknown: )
Attempted Mustache  –  Loudon Wainwright III
Breezy Stories  –  Danny O’Keefe
Oooh So Good ‘n Blues  –  Taj Mahal
The Tain  –  Horslips