NME Reader's Poll Results 1973

If you recall, at the end of every year there was a reader’s vote in the New Musical Express. You had to fill out the coupon and send it in the post. Ah, the glory days of analogue communication!

When the results were published we all poured over them and in the timeless fashion, said as one, ‘who voted for them/that?’ However, in 1973, the readership pretty much got everything spot on. I voted for John McLaughlin as best guitarist because I was in the first throes of falling in love with the Mahavishnu Orchestra.

I also voted for Chris Squire as bass player, I know this because I always did! I like the idea that Golden Earring won Most Promising New Group as they’d been in existence for 10 years by that point. I do also recall wondering what a Vocal Group was, surely all groups were vocal groups and those that were not, were in the instrumental section. But even so for Yes to win this, as brilliant as they were/are seemed odd as their records had such extended instrumental sections. Best Group would have sufficed as a definition. 

I like the idea of ‘Best Dressed’ album in an era when albums really mattered as works of art. And Yessongs a worthy winner with its triple fold out sleeve. Seeing these polls really takes me back to teenage years.

• Album - Pink Floyd-Dark Side Of The Moon
• Bass - Paul McCartney
• Best Dressed LP – Yes - Yessongs
• Discjockey - John Peel
• Drums - Carl Palmer
• Female Singer - Diana Ross
• Female Singer Uk - Maggie Bell
• Guitar - Eric Clapton
• Instrumental Personality - Roy Wood
• Male Singer - David Bowie
• Male Singer Uk - David Bowie
• Most Overrated Single - Dawn-Tie A Yellow Ribbon
• New Group/Most Promising - Golden Earring
• Piano/Keyboards - Rick Wakeman
• Producer - David Bowie
• Radio Show - Sound Of The 70s
• Single - Golden Earring-Radar Love
• Songwriters - Elton John/Bernie Taupin
• Soul Act - Stevie Wonder
• Stage Band/Live Act - Alice Cooper
• Tv Show - The Old Grey Whistle Test
• Vocal Group - Yes
• Vocal Group UK - Yes