Best 1972

Released in 1972 by the British rock band Jethro Tull, Thick as a Brick is a concept album consisting of a single continuous track divided across the two sides of the original vinyl LP. Frontman Ian Anderson wrote the piece as a satirical response to the serious pretensions of the progressive rock g...

Wimmen’s Comix was a zine series launched in 1972 offering a vital platform for female artists working within the underground comics movement. Published until 1992, it showcased diverse feminist perspectives and experimental art styles. The project represents a last gasp of independent, DIY publicat...

McCoy Tyner's Sahara (1972) is a landmark jazz album recognized for its exceptional musicianship and innovative approach. The recording highlights Tyner’s distinctive piano style characterized by flowing melodic lines and sophisticated harmonic language. It’s particularly notable within the post-bop...

Octopus is the fourth studio album by British progressive rock band Gentle Giant, released in 1972. The album is recognized for its complex musical arrangements, diverse instrumentation, and intricate vocal harmonies, incorporating instruments like cellos, trumpets, and recorders. It features eight...

Simon and Garfunkel's Greatest Hits is a 1972 compilation album by the American folk-rock duo that consolidated their most successful singles from the 1960s and early 1970s. The tracklist includes number-one songs like "The Sound of Silence," "Mrs. Robinson," and "Bridge over Troubled Water," alongs...

Darwin! is the second studio album by the Italian progressive rock band Banco del Mutuo Soccorso, released in 1972 on Ricordi. It is a concept album centered on Charles Darwin's theory of evolution, with lyrics by Francesco Di Giacomo and compositions driven by the dual-keyboard arrangements of Vitt...

"Per un amico" is the second studio album by the Italian progressive rock band Premiata Forneria Marconi (PFM), released in 1972. The album is characterized by its complex arrangements, classical instrumentation, and dynamic shifts, drawing influence from English progressive rock acts. It was instru...

Seamus Heaney’s “Wintering Out,” published in 1972, explores the complexities of the Northern Irish conflict through intensely personal and evocative poetry. The collection examines themes of violence, displacement, and memory within the context of the Troubles. It is notable for its unflinching por...

Chick Corea's *Romantic Warrior* (1973) is a landmark jazz-fusion album created by Return to Forever. The record demonstrates sophisticated musical arrangements incorporating elements of hard bop, progressive rock and ECM style electronic textures. It’s notable for its extended instrumental passages...

Sleuth is a 1972 mystery thriller directed by Joseph L. Mankiewicz and adapted by Anthony Shaffer from his stage play. Laurence Olivier plays successful crime novelist Andrew Wyke, while Michael Caine plays Milo Tindle, the younger man involved with Wyke's wife. Set largely at Wyke's elaborate count...

Tits & Clits is an alternative zine created in 1972 by Joyce Farmer and Lyn Chevely. It represents a pioneering effort in women’s graphic storytelling, directly exploring female sexuality within the underground comic scene. This work gained significance as one of the earliest examples of feminist-dr...

Duke Ellington & Ray Brown’s "This One’s For Blanton" (1972) presents a notable duo-jazz album. It features Ellington's compositions arranged for piano and tenor saxophone, demonstrating Brown’s masterful harmonic support and Ellington’s signature melodic approach. The recording is primarily aimed a...

"Banco del Mutuo Soccorso" is the self-titled debut studio album by the Italian progressive rock band Banco del Mutuo Soccorso, released in 1972. The album is a foundational release in the Italian progressive rock movement, noted for its heavy use of keyboards, complex time signatures, and classical...

Again, Dangerous Visions is a 1972 anthology of original science fiction stories edited by Harlan Ellison. It followed the 1967 collection Dangerous Visions and continued its effort to publish experimental, controversial, or convention-challenging work by a broad group of writers. The volume also in...

Robert Frank’s Cocksucker Blues documents the Rolling Stones’ 1972 American tour. This unreleased concert film offers a raw and unflinching look at the band's performance and backstage activity. Due to legal disputes surrounding its content, screenings were historically limited. The documentary is o...

Philip Levine’s *They Feed They Lion* (1972) is a collection of American poetry addressing political and social concerns. The volume gained attention through its impactful title poem reflecting on the Detroit riot and offering a stark examination of inequality. Levine's work resonates with readers i...

The Alien Critic was a science fiction zine edited by Richard E. Geis beginning in 1972. It’s notable for being a significant early example of fan-created science fiction criticism and contributing to the burgeoning fanzine scene. The publication earned Hugo Awards under both its original title and...

Charles Mingus’s *Let My Children Hear Music* (1972) is a significant big-band jazz album. The work showcases Mingus's distinctive compositional style blending complex arrangements with explorations of social commentary and deeply personal emotion. It remains notable for its ambitious scope and inno...

Released in 1972, *Facing You* is a remarkable solo piano album by Keith Jarrett recorded live at Leningrad’s Alexandrovsky Concert Hall, featuring entirely improvised pieces without pre-determined structure or setlist. It showcases his intensely focused and complex melodic development within a sin...

*Lone Wolf and Cub: Baby Cart at the River Styx* is a 1972 Japanese action film centered around a former samurai warrior and his young daughter. The narrative portrays their relentless pursuit of vengeance across Edo-period Japan, showcasing intense martial arts sequences and stark visuals. This mov...

Storia di un minuto is the debut studio album by the Italian progressive rock band Premiata Forneria Marconi (PFM), released in 1972. It stands as one of the earliest and most influential albums in the Italian progressive rock movement, showcasing the band's distinctive blend of classical instrument...

The Concert for Bangladesh documents a historic 1972 rock concert held at Madison Square Garden. Filmed by Saul Swimmer, it captures performances by George Harrison, Ravi Shankar, and numerous other artists raising funds and awareness for Bangladeshi refugees. This significant film represents an ear...

Miles Davis' *On the Corner* (1969) represents a significant shift in jazz. This album showcases Davis’s ambitious exploration of jazz-funk and electronic music, integrating synthesizers and prepared piano with his quintet. Its innovative sound influenced subsequent generations of musicians and rema...

The Limits to Growth is a report published in 1972 and commissioned by the Club of Rome, an international association of scientists and policy experts concerned with global long-term issues. A research team at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, led by Donella and Dennis Meadows, used a compu...

The Biological Weapons Convention is a landmark 1972 treaty established under the United Nations. It represents the first multilateral agreement to prohibit the development, production, stockpiling, and use of biological weapons. The convention aims to prevent the proliferation of these dangerous ag...

SALT I, formally the Strategic Arms Limitation Treaty of 1972, represents a pivotal moment in the Cold War. This treaty between the United States and the Soviet Union established limits on the production of intercontinental ballistic missiles and submarine-launched ballistic missiles. It was notable...

Bonnie Raitt’s 1972 album *Give It Up* showcases her burgeoning talent as an electric blues-rock artist. The record features interpretations of classic R&B and blues tracks, solidifying her position as a skilled interpreter of roots music. Primarily aimed at listeners interested in traditional Ameri...

Francis Bacon’s “August 1972” is a diptych executed in oil on canvas. The work reflects intense emotional turmoil stemming from the artist's grief following the suicide of his companion George Dyer. Its distorted figures and unsettling palette capture a profound sense of anguish and isolation, chara...

“Lone Wolf and Cub: Baby Cart to Hades” is a 1972 Japanese action film renowned for its brutal aesthetic and compelling narrative. The story follows a former samurai and his young daughter as they navigate a fractured Japan, constantly hunted by those seeking retribution for past crimes. This visual...