0 0 ▁albums . ▁As ▁the ▁charts ▁had ▁to ▁be ▁compiled ▁before ▁the ▁end ▁of ▁the ▁year , ▁the ▁cut - off ▁date ▁for ▁collection ▁of ▁sales ▁data ▁was ▁ 8 ▁December ▁ 1 9 7 9 . ▁ ▁The ▁biggest - s elling ▁album ▁of ▁the ▁ 1 9 7 0 s ▁in ▁the ▁UK ▁was ▁Bridge ▁over ▁Tr ouble d ▁Water ▁by ▁American ▁du o ▁Simon ▁& ▁Gar f unk el . ▁Re leased ▁on ▁ 6 ▁February ▁ 1 9 7 0 , ▁it ▁spent ▁a ▁total ▁of ▁ 3 3 ▁weeks ▁at ▁number ▁one , ▁and ▁was ▁the ▁best - s elling ▁album ▁of ▁both ▁ 1 9 7 0 ▁and ▁ 1 9 7 1 . ▁Origin ally ▁it ▁was ▁cred ited ▁with ▁ 4 1 ▁weeks ▁at ▁number ▁one , ▁but ▁this ▁figure ▁includes ▁eight ▁weeks ▁in ▁February ▁and ▁March ▁ 1 9 7 1 ▁when ▁no ▁charts ▁were ▁published ▁due ▁to ▁a ▁postal ▁strike ▁which ▁prevent ed ▁collection ▁of ▁sales ▁data , ▁and ▁the ▁chart ▁of ▁ 3 0 ▁January ▁ 1 9 7 1 ▁was ▁re used ▁during ▁this ▁period . ▁In ▁ 2 0 0 6 ▁the ▁O CC ▁decided ▁that ▁the ▁rival ▁Mel ody ▁M aker ▁album ▁chart ▁would ▁replace ▁the ▁missing ▁weeks , ▁with ▁George ▁Harrison ' s ▁All ▁Things ▁Must ▁Pass ▁at ▁number ▁one ▁during ▁that ▁period . ▁ ▁Although ▁it ▁was ▁not ▁an ▁immediate ▁big ▁s eller ▁at ▁the ▁time ▁and ▁therefore ▁does ▁not ▁appear ▁in ▁this ▁list , ▁Bat