1971

Undoubtedly, 1971 is one of the most powerful years for classic rock of all time. Even so, nary a disc could challenge the evil guitar tones that Iommi presented in "Master of Reality". Many of the tracks on the album like "Into the Void" and "Lord of This World" feature a guitar tone that actually sounds three-dimensional. It's so thick, heavy, and organic that you'd swear there was some additional element in that sound besides simple distorted electric guitar. Iommi also demonstrated new heights in compositional execution, contrasting the mellow, trippy interludes like "Orchid" and "Embryo" against the devastating riffs of "Children of the Grave" and "Sweet Leaf". Absolutely flattening stuff that would be copied and recopied throughout rock history.

It could be argued that the entire year represents a major renaissance period for the rock scene as a whole. Psychedelic rock mixes itself with hard blues and dark themes on many of the albums below. For an extensive look at the music of this year, check out the Cheap Seats Guide to 1971.

Picks of the litter, 1971: