In 1971, Billboard published a Jazz Album list weekly for the first half of the year, then monthly for the remainder of the year. Twenty albums were ranked in each chart. Here’s a chart of the #1 jazz albums of 1971:
| Week Ending | Album | Artist(s) |
|---|---|---|
| January 2 | To Be Continued | Isaac Hayes |
| January 9 | ||
| January 16 | ||
| January 23 | ||
| January 30 | ||
| February 6 | ||
| February 13 | ||
| February 20 | ||
| February 27 | Miles Davis at Fillmore | Miles Davis |
| March 6 | To Be Continued | Isaac Hayes |
| March 13 | ||
| March 20 | ||
| March 27 | Bitches Brew | Miles Davis |
| April 3 | ||
| April 10 | To Be Continued | Isaac Hayes |
| April 17 | Bitches Brew | Miles Davis |
| April 24 | ||
| May 1 | To Be Continued | Isaac Hayes |
| May 8 | ||
| May 15 | Bitches Brew | Miles Davis |
| May 22 | ||
| May 29 | To Be Continued | Isaac Hayes |
| June 5 | ||
| June 12 | ||
| June 19 | ||
| June 26 | Second Movement | Eddie Harris & Les McCann |
| July | ||
| August | ||
| September | ||
| October | ||
| November | Shaft | Isaac Hayes |
| December |
#1 Jazz Albums:
1970 · 1971 · 1972 · 1973 · 1974 · 1975 · 1976 · 1977 · 1978 · 1979
1980 · 1981 · 1982 · 1983 · 1984 · 1985 · 1986 · 1987 · 1988 · 1989
#1 Contemporary Jazz Albums:
1987 · 1988 · 1989