Glam Slam Guide

Albums: Ten slabs of vinyl that turned the 70s day-glo – the records that defined the glitter revolution.

These aren’t just albums. They’re manifestos in sequins, manifestos with riffs, manifestos that made teenagers steal their sister’s eyeliner and dream of electric warriors.

Rank	Album & Year	Artist	Why It’s Essential
1	The Slider (1972)	T.Rex	Bolan at his sexiest, sleaziest peak – “Metal Guru”, “Telegram Sam”, pure cosmic swagger.
2	The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust… (1972)	David Bowie	The alien messiah lands – glam’s bible, from “Starman” to “Suffragette City”.
3	Roxy Music (1972)	Roxy Music	Art-school invaders with oboe solos and eyeliner – “Virginia Plain” rewrote the rules.
4	Desolation Boulevard (1974)	Sweet	Bubblegum meets thunder – “Ballroom Blitz”, “Fox on the Run”, glam’s catchiest knockout.
5	Transformer (1972)	Lou Reed	Bowie & Ronson polish Reed’s NYC sleaze into gold – “Walk on the Wild Side”, “Perfect Day”.
6	New York Dolls (1973)	New York Dolls	Trash, lipstick, and proto-punk attitude – “Personality Crisis” is glam’s dirty little secret.
7	Mott (1973)	Mott the Hoople	Bowie’s “All the Young Dudes” gift + “All the Way from Memphis” = pure rock ’n’ roll heart.
8	School’s Out (1972)	Alice Cooper	Shock-rock anthem factory – the title track alone rewrote summer holidays forever.
9	Kimono My House (1974)	Sparks	Falsetto madness and Hitler moustaches – “This Town Ain’t Big Enough…” is operatic glam genius.
10	Slayed? (1972)	Slade	Working-class war cries – “Mama Weer All Crazee Now”, glam’s loudest, proudest stomp-along.

T. Rex – The Slider (1972) Marc Bolan’s glam pinnacle, packed with swaggering hits like “Metal Guru” and “Telegram Sam.” Its polished yet raw energy and Bolan’s charismatic delivery make it a defining glam rock masterpiece.

David Bowie – The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders From Mars (1972) A concept album about an alien rock star, blending theatricality and hits like “Starman” and “Suffragette City.” It’s a glam cornerstone with enduring influence.

Roxy Music – Roxy Music (1972) A stylish debut mixing art rock and glam. Bryan Ferry’s croon and Brian Eno’s avant-garde flair shine in tracks like “Virginia Plain.”

Sweet – Desolation Boulevard (1974) Bubblegum-metal anthems like “Ballroom Blitz” and “Fox on the Run” deliver glam’s catchy, hard-edged sound.

Lou Reed – Transformer (1972) Produced by Bowie and Mick Ronson, this blends New York grit with glam polish in songs like “Walk on the Wild Side” and “Satellite of Love.”

New York Dolls – New York Dolls (1973) Proto-punk glam with a raw, drag-queen aesthetic. Tracks like “Personality Crisis” and “Trash” bridge glam and punk.

Mott the Hoople – Mott (1973) Powered by Bowie’s “All the Young Dudes,” this album delivers glam grit with tracks like “All the Way from Memphis.”

Alice Cooper – School’s Out (1972) Theatrical shock-rock meets glam in the iconic title track, blending dark humor with catchy riffs.

Sparks – Kimono My House (1974) Quirky, operatic glam with “This Town Ain’t Big Enough for Both of Us,” showcasing Sparks’ theatrical wit.

Slade – Slayed? (1972) Working-class glam with stomping hits like “Mama Weer All Crazee Now,” defined by raucous energy and chant-along choruses.