Iconic Albums Turning 50 in 2025

Let’s kick it back to the 1970s and explore some albums that are turning 50 this year! The year of 1975 saw several big moments in music history: Andy Williams hosted the 17th Grammy Awards, Bruce Springsteen appeared on the cover of Time magazine, Simon and Garfunkel reunited for the first time in five years on the second-ever episode of SNL… iconic bands such as Iron Maiden, Boston, Motörhead, and the Sex Pistols were newly formed, while artists like Peter Gabriel and Alice Cooper left their previous bands and started their solo careers… and of course, plenty of fantastic music was released in 1975.

1975 was a significant year for rock music, giving us many iconic and anthemic rock songs including Queen’s “Bohemian Rhapsody,” Led Zeppelin’s “Kashmir,” Bruce Springsteen’s “Born to Run,” and Aerosmith’s “Walk This Way.” The Eagles’ album One Of These Nights alone boasted several iconic singles, such as the title song, “Lyin’ Eyes” and “Take it to the Limit.” Elton John’s Captain Fantastic and the Brown Dirt Cowboy featured the disco-inspired “Philadelphia Freedom” and a fantastic cover of the Beatles’ “Lucy in the Sky.” Pink Floyd’s Wish You Were Here was a prog-rock masterpiece, with the multi-part “Shine On You Crazy Diamond” as its awe-inspiring emotional centerpiece.

In the realm of folk music, Bob Dylan’s Blood on the Tracks represented one of his most personal and emotionally raw albums. Funk and disco – some of the most defining sounds of the ’70s – included releases such as Earth, Wind and Fire’s groovy That’s The Way of the World, and Parliament’s sci-fi Afrofuturist odyssey Mothership Connection. Jeff Beck’s Blow by Blow was another incredible instrumental album that fused funk, rock and jazz, and highlighted his virtuosic guitar playing.

Celebrate the 50th anniversaries of these iconic albums by borrowing them from WPL’s collection of CDs and vinyl.