The same time Apollo 16 landed on the moon, major league baseball returned after a ten day long strike, and Carmen Electra was born, these were the top 10 rock albums in Philly and, man, what a lineup!

• 10. A Nod Is As Good As A Wink..To A Blind Horse - Faces

  Kicking off the countdown this week is the third album by Faces, and their biggest seller here in the U.S. After peaking at #6, A Nod Is As Good As A Wink..To A Blind Horse drops here to #10.

• 9. Electric Warrior - T. Rex

  The second album by Tyrannosaurus Rex, now shortened to just “T. Rex,” was not only their biggest album but it was the biggest selling album of 1971 in the UK, beating out Zeppelin, The Who, even Bowie!  Electric Warrior was the #9 rock album here in Philly on April 20, 1972.

• 8. Madman Across The Water - Elton John

  Elton John’s fourth album peaked here at #8, but it would be his last to do so for a while as his next six releases all hit #1!  From Madman Across The Water, here’s “Tiny Dancer” on 102.9 MGK’s Thursday Top 10 Countdown.

• 7. Led Zeppelin (IV) - Led Zeppelin

  It’s been called IV, Zoso, Four Symbols and Runes but, technically, it’s just Led Zeppelin, their second self-titled album and the biggest seller in their catalogue.  It was the #7 rock album on April 20, 1972.

• 6. Smokin' - Humble Pie

  The first Humble Pie album to be released after Peter Frampton left the band was their most successful.  Self produced by lead singer Steve Marriott, Smokin’ peaked here at #6, and featured this rock and roll anthem, “30 Days In The Hole.”

• 5. American Pie - Don McLean

  “American Pie” might have catapulted the album of the same name to the top of the charts, but there was another hit single from the album, the beautiful “Vincent,” written about the artist Vincent Van Gogh. The American Pie album was #5 on April 20, 1972.

• 4. Eat A Peach - Allman Brothers Band

  In addition to dedicating this album to his fallen brother, Gregg Allman also resurrected a song that Duane had written in 1967, and included it in his honor.  It’s the beautiful “Melissa,” and it’s off of Eat A Peach, the #4 rock album on this week’s Thursday Top 10 Countdown.

• 3. Fragile - Yes

  The fourth album by Yes had three firsts.  It was the first Yes album to feature Rick Wakeman on keyboards, the first to have a cover designed by Roger Dean, and it was Yes’s first album to crack the top 10.  Fragile peaked at #3 on April 20, 1972.

• 2. Harvest - Neil Young

  Neil Young was in Nashville to appear on the Johnny Cash Show, when he decided to make a country-flavored album with some Nashville musicians.  It resulted in his biggest solo album, Harvest, the #2 rock album on the countdown.

• 1. America - America

  At the top of the chart this week is the debut album by three guys who met in London, while their parents were all stationed in the Air Force.  The album initially stalled on the charts, until the band’s label had them record another song which they’d add to the album.  That song ended up topping the charts, and also catapulted the album to #1.  The #1 rock album on April 20, 1972 was the debut album by America.

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