Jim's Gems, 1973: Bowie, The Who, Planxty and more in an incredible year 

50-year anniversaries: In the latest instalment of the series, Jim Comet selects what he believes are the 10 best albums of 1973. Feel free to give us your feedback on Jim's choices 

Lou Reed and Bowie feature at the top of Jim Comet's list of best albums of 1973.

The year was 1973. The post-'60s hangover was starting to abate. Many of the hopes, dreams, and aspirations and much of the optimism of the previous decade had disappeared and people were starting to realise that the world was in a much worse condition than they'd realised. Musically, it was all about the album and many artists went a little deeper, adapting to the changing times and marketplace. New artists were also emerging all eager to shake up the status quo and spearhead musical change.

1. Lou Reed, Berlin