1976 is by FAR my least favorite musical year of the 1970’s- my most favorite musical decade. That is not to say it’s not a great year- just not comparatively so. By ’76 America was in the full throes of Bicentennial fever, trying to wash away the hangover and recession of the previous two years. Gerald Ford was in his last year of the presidency and Jimmy Carter was elected in November of that year. Many of the sixties musical heroes with a few exceptions had either died off, stopped making music or were releasing music with diminishing commercial and artistic returns. It was the apex of disco’s first wave (i.e. pre-“Saturday Night Fever”) with cocaine seemingly America’s new drug of choice for the partying crowd. Mellow and mostly awful soft-rock ruled the radio airwaves along with light funk and disco and the beginning of both Punk and a new wave of hard rock and heavy metal bands rose up as an alternative. Reggae music had perhaps its best and most important year ever in 1976, though the music remained only a minor concern in America until much later.

Though there were many fine albums released in 1976, as in every other year of the 70’s, four stand out to me above the rest. The Ramones self-titled debut truly gave birth to Punk music as a genre, inspiring tons of bands in the U.S., Great Britain and around the world to follow in their footsteps. Their legacy has only increased with time and their debut remains their definitive statement. A lesser known, but equally amazing debut was Jonathan Richman’s Modern Lovers from Boston. Though most of their debut was recorded in 1972 & 1973, it wasn’t released until Beserkley Records bought the rights in 1976, several years after the original group disbanded. The album is a pre-punk masterpiece and is rightfully heralded alongside the Stooges first three albums, and the New York Dolls first two as one of Punk’s greatest influences. Motown Record’s Stevie Wonder capped off his incredible early-mid 70’s run of classic albums with the double album “Songs In the Key Of Life”, one of his all-time best. He would never again release an album as great but “Songs” cemented his status as one of Soul music’s most legendary artists. Finally David Bowie unveiled his Thin White Duke persona with the Krautrock-influenced “Station to Station” album, which bridged a gap between the white soul of “Young Americans” and his later Berlin trilogy collaborations with Brian Eno. Though nearly all of Bowie’s 70’s albums are masterpieces, “Station to Station” to me is one of his two or three best and may be his most underrated album.

Though Punk music wouldn’t truly break until 1977, there were other punk rumblings in addition to the Ramones in 1976. Fellow CBGB-ers Blondie and the Patti Smith Group released albums then. Patti Smith had released her debut album “Horses” the prior year. Her music isn’t truly like punk but is a close enough cousin to include her as part of the scene. Her follow-up “Radio Ethiopia” released in 1976. Blondie’s self-titled debut also came out that year. Blondie were a much lighter version of punk, though their debut remains their most punk-like release. Thought of then as part of the punk scene their debut really gave birth to what became known as New Wave two years later. A little known band named Crime from San Francisco released two ferocious singles. They never broke through to a wide audience but were very influential in their local scene and to aspiring musicians- Sonic Youth would cover their “Hot Wire My Heart” a decade later. Cleveland art-punkers Pere Ubu released their great “Final Solution” in 1976. They would be an enormous influence on post-punk. Across the pond the Stiff Records label was putting out great Pub-rock (another close cousin of punk) like Nick Lowe and Eddie & the Hot Rods as well as the first ever U.K. punk single “New Rose” by the Damned. Likeminded artist Graham Parker released his first two albums, “Howlin’ Wind” and “Heat Treatment” on a major label, taking pub rock to a more sophisticated level alongside future artists like Elvis Costello and Joe Jackson. But making the biggest noise of all were the Sex Pistols who debuted their massively influential single “Anarchy In the U.K.” in late November. A year later British music would be dominated by Punk rock and nothing would be the same again.

The biggest rock bands were mostly thought to be running of fumes by 1976. The Who’s best days were behind them, while the Kinks were at the beginning of a musical reinvention but between albums. Led Zeppelin released both “Presence” and the double live album “The Song Remains the Same”. The former was thought to be their weakest album yet and the latter was lambasted for being bloated and excessive. While both albums do have their merits (particularly “Presence”) it is fair to say that neither were close to a career high point for the band. After an extraordinary early 70’s run Black Sabbath had all but died out by 1976 and would kick lead singer Ozzy Osbourne out of the band shortly thereafter. Most of the progressive rock bands popular in the early 70’s like Yes, Jethro Tull, King Crimson and Emerson, Lake & Palmer were also releasing increasingly bloated and inessential music. The Rolling Stones “Black and Blue” is a bit unfairly maligned and may even be a better album than their previous two albums, but is less of a rock album and more concerned with disco, funk & reggae. Southern rockers Lynyrd Skynyrd released “Gimme Back My Bullets” which is also an overlooked album. Skynyrd’s first five proper albums should all be considered essential listening in my book .

Several bands who had been touring hard and releasing an album a year since the early part of the seventies would see their commercial fortunes skyrocket in 1976. KISS released their biggest seller to date “Destroyer” as well as the popular follow-up album “Rock and Roll Over”. Aerosmith, had been growing in popularity steadily since their 1973 debut, but 1976 “Rocks” marked the height of their seventies fame, before a commercial and artistic plummet brought on mostly by drugs in the late 70’s. Irish band Thin Lizzy released their career highlight “Jailbreak” which also garnered them a worldwide hit single “The Boys Are Back in Town”. Long Island’s Blue Oyster Cult had been toiling away for several years but their “Agents Of Fortune” album and huge hit single “(Don’t Fear) The Reaper” made them a household name in hard rock. Detroit’s Bob Seger, who had some minor hits in the late 60’s but had been less successful since then had his fortunes completely turn around as well in 1976 with the release of both the smash hit “Night Moves” album as well as the career spanning live album “Live Bullet”. He went from a nobody to one of the biggest names in proper rock n’ roll in a year. Australia’s AC/DC debuted their first two albums in 1976- “High Voltage” and “Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap”. Though neither would be massively successful right away (Deeds wasn’t even released in the U.S. until 1981), they would slowly but surely become one of the biggest bands in the Hard Rock/Metal world. Canadian Prog-rock group Rush released their third album “2112”. Their first two garnered little sales but “2112” was the breakthrough the band was waiting for. The first side of the album is an entire suite of music and it remains one of the hugely successful group’s most beloved moments.

The groups Boston and Kansas both released their most successful albums as well. Boston’s was their self-titled debut and Kansas’s released their third album “Leftoverture” containing their two most enduring hits “Carry On My Wayward Son” and “Dust In the Wind”. These two albums helped bring about the rise of AOR (Album oriented rock) or Arena Rock, which was derided by hipsters and critics as being corporate and faceless (the band’s names certainly didn’t help). While there is some truth to that much of the songwriting and musicianship of some of these bands is excellent (particularly the nearly perfect “Boston” album) and these songs were a welcome earful on the radio during a time of stale soft-rock. Because of interminable classic rock radio replays over the years, much of the music has become stale but I remember much of it sounding pretty great the first hundred times I heard it. Perhaps the biggest rock album of 1976 was the double live album “Frampton Comes Alive” by rock journeyman Peter Frampton. While it has its charms like the pretty great “Show Me the Way” and the talk box epic “Do You Feel Like We Do”, its success seems more like a right place/right time situation sort of like Hootie & the Blowfish in the mid 90’s (though at a higher artistic level). Two other groups debuting in 1976 were the female-led Heart, whose debut “Dreamboat Annie” contains their two best songs “Magic Man” and “Crazy On You” and Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers, who bridged the gap between the original rockers and New Wave- the 50’s-60’s & the 70’s. Their solid debut contains their best-loved song “American Girl” as well as the excellent “Breakdown”. Both of those groups would remain popular long after their debut and are now members of the Rock N’ Roll Hall of Fame. Two other great albums which should be mentioned are Steely Dan’s “The Royal Scam”, their fifth straight excellent album and last before their true commercial breakthrough “Aja” in 1977. Though the Dan was developing a smoother sound they often get lumped in with L.A.’s “Mellow Mafia” when they really stand alone as a singular band with their own very unique sound. Jeff Lynn’s Electric Light Orchestra (E.L.O.) also released their breakthrough album in “New World Record”. They were already in the middle of a run of great singles and were one of the best and most successful bands of the mid-late seventies.

By the mid 70’s most of what was previously known as Soul music was taken over by Disco, Funk & Quiet Storm (i.e. soft pillow talk music as played by the fictional DJ Venus Flytrap on “WKRP in Cincinnati”). Outside of Stevie Wonder, most soul artists I can think of had reformed their sound around one or all of these forms of music. Even Funk music was getting less heavy and psychedelic and more aligned with disco. James Brown did manage his last couple of hits, including the great “Get Up Offa That Thing” before a slight career resurrection in the 80’s and Funkadelic released their last real hard funk album “Hardcore Jollies”. After that their newer music became more similar to the danceable sister band Parliament (also led by George Clinton), whose own “The Clones of Dr. Funkenstein” released in 1976. Most of the other funk bands of the mid 70’s were lighter, like the Commodores, Brick, Brass Construction, Rufus and even the Spinners- all fit well right on the disco dance floor. If you’ve been reading this blog for awhile, you know I think disco gets an undeserved bap rap. While there are certainly some crappy disco songs (the worthless “Disco Duck” came out in ’76 for instance) I think disco actually has a much higher batting average than most pop genres. In 1976 alone here are some of disco’s great tracks- Vickie Sue Robinson’s “Turn the Beat Around”, Dr. Buzzard’s Original Savannah Band “Cherchez La Femme”, Thelma Houston “Don’t Leave Me This Way”, Tavares “Heaven Must be Missing an Angel”, Andrea True Connection’s “More, More More”, Johnnie Taylor’s “Disco Lady”, KC & the Sunsine Band “Shake Shake Shake (Shake Your Booty), The Bee Gees “You Should Be Dancing”, Candi Staton’s “Young Hearts Run Free” & Diana Ross’s “Long Hangover”. Not to mention the great smooth soul disco companion “You’ll Never Find a Love Like Mine” by Lou Rawls and ABBA’s immortal “Dancing Queen” and “Fernando”. If you don’t like at least half of these tracks you must really hate pop music or have a stick up your butt. It’s o.k. to dance people ☺ The first wave of disco was at its peak of popularity. By the end of 1977 it was thought to be dying out a bit but was then given a huge second life with the release of the hugely popular “Saturday Night Fever” movie and soundtrack, which allowed the music to dominate the culture as never before and to annoy enough people so that it eventually came crashing down in early 1980.

Reggae music has been flourishing in Jamaica since the late 60’s and its roots in Ska and Rock Steady since even before that. Jimmy Cliff’s “The Harder They Come” soundtrack along with the first Bob Marley & the Wailers full length albums in 1973 made it a major concern among musicians, music heads and the U.K. It wouldn’t really explode in America until the mid 80’s release of the Marley compilation “Legend” but much of the best of the genre’s music was being made in the mid 70’s. Marley along with the Wailers released the great and slightly underrated “Rastaman Vibration”, their fourth straight classic studio album. Former Wailer, Peter Tosh released his debut “Legalize It”, an instant pothead classic. Legendary Reggae producer Lee “Scratch” Perry released his album “Super Ape” with the Upsetters as well as producing dub reggae classics by other groups & artists like Max Romeo & Junior Murvin. Augustus Pablo’s collaboration with King Tubby- “King Tubby Meets Rockers Uptown” is known as THE classic dub reggae album and other phenomenal reggae groups like Toots & the Maytals, the Heptones & the Abysinnians also released some of their best tunes the same year.

In America the biggest sound of all in 1976 remained Socal soft-rock. Much of it was an offshoot of either the early 70’s Laurel Canyon singer songwriter scene or the country-rock of the late 60’s incarnation of the Byrds and other Gram Parson’s led bands the Flying Burrito Brothers and the International Submarine Band. Early singer songwriter Joni Mitchell went in a very different direction in 1976 with her “Heijira” album- much closer to actual jazz than her folkie early records. Jackson Browne, increasingly one of the biggest selling of the Laurel Canyon scene in the mid 70’s released his “The Pretender” album, which held up a mirror to his fellow aging baby boomers wondering where all of their ideals had gone. Another Socal country-rock group the Eagles had amassed several big pop hits, but would release their biggest selling album even in late ’76 with “Hotel California”, the title track also their most well renowned song. A compilation of their early years also released in 1976 ended up eventually becoming the biggest selling album of all time. “Hotel California” also offered a hard look at the materialism and mindless drug culture going on in California and America at the time. Longtime scenester Warren Zevon released his self-titled second album (after a 1969 flop debut), which set the tone for a quirky but successful second act throughout the rest of the decade. Tom Waits released his fourth album “Small Change” marking a notable change in sound, away from a more traditional singer songwriting style toward a howling drunken drifter persona that he is now most known for. Other successful singer songwriters of ’76 outside of L.A. were the great Bob Dylan, whose “Desire” contains one of his signature songs “Hurricane”, J.J. Cale, writer of much covered songs like “Cocaine”, “After Midnight” (Eric Clapton) & “Call Me the Breeze” and “I Got the Same Old Blues Again” (Lynyrd Skynyrd). Also Jimmy Buffett who was nearing the end of an excellent plethora of country-tinged releases with “Havana Daydreamin’” and Billy Joel still a year away from superstardom, but his 1976 “Turnstiles” album had his iconic “New York State of Mind” as well as “Say Goodbye to Hollywood”.

With all of that great music it’s hard to believe 1976 is the worst year of the 70’s but that’s both a tribute to how great all of the others years are and a statement of how bad so much of the AM radio fodder that I didn’t name was during that time. Bay City Rollers, “The Year of the Cat”, the aforementioned “Disco Duck”, “Afternoon Delight” and lots of Barry Manilow being some of the main offenders.

AEROSMITH- ROCKS

 

 

 

 

 

Buy Rocks – Aerosmith
Buy Rocks Amazon

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

BOB MARLEY & THE WAILERS- RASTAMAN VIBRATION

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Buy Rastaman Vibration (Deluxe Edition) – Bob Marley
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THE EAGLES- HOTEL CALIFORNIA

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Buy Hotel California – Eagles
Buy Hotel California Amazon

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

DAVID BOWIE- STATION TO STATION

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Buy Station to Station (Deluxe Edition) – David Bowie
Buy Station To Station Amazon

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

AUGUSTUS PABLO- KING TUBBY MEETS ROCKERS UPTOWN

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Buy King Tubby Meets Rockers Uptown – Augustus Pablo
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STEELY DAN- THE ROYAL SCAM

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Buy The Royal Scam – Steely Dan
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TOM WAITS- SMALL CHANGE

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Buy Small Change – Tom Waits
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RUSH- 2112

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Buy 2112 (Remastered) – Rush
Buy 2112Amazon

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

AC/DC- HIGH VOLTAGE

 

 

 

 

 

 

Buy High Voltage – AC/DC
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THE MODERN LOVERS- THE MODERN LOVERS

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Buy The Modern Lovers – The Modern Lovers
Buy The Modern Lovers Amazon

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

BOB SEGER & THE SILVER BULLET BAND- NIGHT MOVES

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

*Album not available via iTunes
Buy Night Moves Amazon

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

BLONDIE- BLONDIE

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Buy Blondie – Blondie
Buy Blondie Amazon

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

THIN LIZZY- JAILBREAK

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Buy Jailbreak (Deluxe Edition) – Thin Lizzy
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LYNYRD SKYNYRD- GIMME BACK MY BULLETS

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Buy Gimme Back My Bullets (Remastered) – Lynyrd Skynyrd
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BOB DYLAN- DESIRE

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Buy Desire – Bob Dylan
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STEVIE WONDER- SONGS IN THE KEY OF LIFE

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Buy Songs In the Key of Life – Stevie Wonder
Buy Songs in the Key of Life Amazon

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

BOSTON- BOSTON

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Buy Boston – Boston
Buy Boston Amazon

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

THE RAMONES- THE RAMONES

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Buy Ramones (Deluxe Version) – Ramones
Buy Ramones [Expanded] Amazon

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

KISS- DESTROYER

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Buy Destroyer (Remastered) – Kiss
Buy Destroyer (Remastered Version) Amazon

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

AC/DC- DIRTY DEEDS DONE DIRT CHEAP (*x AMERICA RELEASE FIRST U.S. RELEASE 1981)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Buy Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap – AC/DC
Buy Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap Amazon

Best of 1976 Volume 1 (12/17/02)

1.  The Ramones- Blitzkrieg Bop

Buy Blitzkrieg Bop – Weird Tales of the Ramones (Audio Version)
Buy Blitzkreig Bop (Remastered Version )Amazon

2.  The Modern Lovers- Roadrunner

Buy Roadrunner – The Modern Lovers
Buy Roadrunner Amazon

3.  The Sex Pistols- Anarchy In the U.K.

Buy Anarchy In the U.K. – Never Mind the Bollocks, Here’s the Sex Pistols
Buy Anarchy In The U.K.Amazon

4.  David Bowie- Golden Years

Buy Golden Years – Station to Station (Deluxe Edition)
Buy Golden Years (1999 Digital Remaster)Amazon

5.  Stevie Wonder- Sir Duke

Buy Sir Duke – Songs In the Key of Life
Buy Sir Duke Amazon

6.  ABBA- Dancing Queen

Buy Dancing Queen – Arrival (Import Bonus Tracks Remastered)
Buy Dancing Queen Amazon

7.  Vickie Sue Robinson- Turn the Beat Around

Buy Turn the Beat Around – More Monty (Original Soundtrack)
Buy Turn The Beat Around Amazon

8.  Dr. Buzzard’s Original Savannah Band- Sunshower

Buy Sunshower – Dr. Buzzard’s Original Savannah Band
Buy Sunshower Amazon

9. Roy Ayers Ubiquity- Everybody Loves The Sunshine

10.  Boz Scaggs- Lowdown

Buy Lowdown – Silk Degrees
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11.  Augustus Pablo- King Tubby Meets Rockers Uptown

Buy King Tubby Meets Rockers Uptown – King Tubby Meets Rockers Uptown
Buy King Tubby Meets Rocker Uptown Amazon

12. Max Romeo & The Upsetters- Chase The Devil

13.  Bob Marley & the Wailers- Johnny Was

Buy Johnny Was – Rastaman Vibration (Remastered)
Buy Johnny Was (Album Version)Amazon

14.  Bob Dylan- Hurricane

Buy Hurricane – Desire
Buy Hurricane Amazon

15.  Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers- American Girl

Buy American Girl – Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers: Greatest Hits
Buy American Girl (Album Version)Amazon

16.  The Flamin’ Groovies- Shake Some Action

Buy Shake Some Action – Shake Some Action
Buy Shake Some Action (Album Version)Amazon

17.  T. Rex- Laser Love

Buy Laser Love – Solid Gold
*Track not available via Amazon

18.  Blondie- X Offender

Buy X Offender – Blondie
Buy X Offender (2001 Digital Remaster)Amazon

19.  KISS- Detroit Rock City

Buy Detroit Rock City – Destroyer (Remastered)
Buy Detroit Rock City Amazon

20.  Aerosmith- Last Child

Buy Last Child – Rocks
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Best of 1976 Volume 2 (12/18/02)

1.  Led Zeppelin- Achilles Last Stand

Buy Achilles Last Stand – Presence (Remastered)
Buy Achilles Last StandAmazon

2.  Thin Lizzy- The Boys are Back in Town

Buy The Boys Are Back In Town – Jailbreak
Buy The Boys Are Back In Town Amazon

3.  Aerosmith- Sick As a Dog

Buy Sick As a Dog – Rocks
Buy Sick As A Dog Amazon

4.  AC/DC- Problem Child

Buy Problem Child – Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap
*Track not available via Amazon

5.  The Ramones- Judy Is a Punk

Buy Judy Is a Punk – Ramones (Deluxe Version)
Buy Judy Is A Punk (Remastered Version )Amazon

6.  The Modern Lovers- Pablo Picasso

Buy Pablo Picasso – The Modern Lovers
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7.  Tom Waits- The Piano Has Been Drinking (N0t Me)

Buy The Piano Has Been Drinking (Not Me) – Small Change
Buy The Piano Has Been Drinking [Not Me]Amazon

8.  Bob Dylan- One More Cup of Coffee

Buy One More Cup of Coffee – Desire
Buy One More Cup Of Coffee Amazon

9.  Stevie Wonder- I Wish

Buy I Wish – Songs In the Key of Life
Buy I Wish Amazon

10.  Graham Parker & the Rumour- White Honey

Buy White Honey – Howlin’ Wind
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11. The Doobie Brothers- Takin’ It To The Streets

12.  Blondie- Rip Her to Shreds

Buy Rip Her to Shreds – Blondie
Buy Rip Her To Shreds (Remastered) [Explicit]Amazon

13.  Bob Seger & the Silver Bullet Band- Night Moves

*Track not available via iTunes or Amazon

14.  Boston- More Than a Feeling

Buy More Than a Feeling – Boston
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15.  Blue Oyster Cult- (Don’t Fear) The Reaper

Buy (Don’t Fear) The Reaper – Agents of Fortune
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16.  Bob Marley & the Wailers- War

Buy War – Rastaman Vibration (Remastered)
Buy War (Album Version)Amazon

17.  Warren Zevon- Carmelita

Buy Carmelita – Warren Zevon (Collector’s Edition)
Buy Carmelita Amazon

Best of 1976 Volume 3 (1/29/04)

1.  AC/DC- It’s a Long Way to the Top (If You Wanna Rock N’ Roll)

Buy It’s a Long Way to the Top (If You Wanna Rock ‘N’ Roll) – High Voltage
*Track not available via Amazon

2.  Thin Lizzy- Jailbreak

Buy Jailbreak – Jailbreak
Buy Jailbreak Amazon

3.  The Damned- New Rose

Buy New Rose – Damned Damned Damned
Buy New Rose Amazon

4.  The Ramones- Havana Affair

Buy Havana Affair – Ramones (Deluxe Version)
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5.  Aerosmith- Back in the Saddle

Buy Back In the Saddle – Rocks
Buy Back In The Saddle Amazon

6.  James Brown- Get Up Offa That Thing (Release the Pressure)

Buy Get Up Offa That Thing / Release the Pressure – Star Time
Buy Medley: Get Up Offa That Thing/Release The Pressure  Amazon

7.  Dr. Buzzard’s Original Savannah Band- Cherchez La Femme/Si Si Bon

Buy Cherchez la femme / Se si bon – Dr. Buzzard’s Original Savannah Band
Buy Cherchez La Femme / Se Si Bon Amazon

8.  Thelma Houston- Don’t Leave Me This Way

Buy Don’t Leave Me This Way (Single Version) – Motown 1’s
Buy Don’t Leave Me This Way Amazon

9.  KISS- Hard Luck Woman

Buy Hard Luck Woman – Rock and Roll Over (Remastered)
Buy Hard Luck Woman Amazon

10.  Tavares- Heaven Must Be Missing an Angel

Buy Heaven Must Be Missing An Angel – Disco Gold
Buy Heaven Must Be Missing An Angel Amazon

11.  Funkadelic- Comin’ Round the Mountain

*Track not available via iTunes or Amazon

12.  Lynyrd Skynyrd- All I Can Do Is Write About It

Buy All I Can Do Is Write About It – Gimme Back My Bullets (Remastered)
Buy All I Can Do Is Write About It (Album Version)Amazon

13.  Stevie Wonder- Black Man

Buy Black Man – Songs In the Key of Life
Buy Black Man Amazon

14.  Bob Marley & the Wailers- Roots, Rock, Reggae

Buy Roots, Rock, Reggae – Rastaman Vibration (Remastered)
Buy Roots, Rock, Reggae Amazon

15.  Peter Tosh- Legalize It

Buy Legalize It – Legalize It
Buy Legalize It Amazon

16.  The Modern Lovers- The Modern World

Buy Modern World – The Modern Lovers
Buy Modern World Amazon

17.  T. Rex- I Love to Boogie

Buy I Love to Boogie – Dandy in the Underworld
Buy I Love To Boogie Amazon

 

Best of 1976 Volume 4 (2/1/04)

1.  Rush- 2112 Overture/The Temples of Syrinx

Buy 2112: Overture / The Temples of Syrinx (Chronicles Version) – Chronicles (Remastered)
Buy 2112 Overture / The Temples Of Syrinx (Chronicles Version)Amazon

2.  Bob Marley & the Wailers- Positive Vibration

Buy Positive Vibration – Rastaman Vibration (Remastered)
Buy Positive Vibration (Album Version)Amazon

3.  Andrew True Connection- More, More, More

Buy More, More, More – More, More, More
Buy More More More Amazon

4.  The Bee Gees- You Should Be Dancing

Buy You Should Be Dancing – Number Ones
Buy You Should Be Dancing (2007 Remastered)Amazon

5.  David Bowie- Station to Station

Buy Station to Station – Station to Station (Deluxe Edition)
Buy Station To Station (1999 Digital Remaster)Amazon

6.  The Modern Lovers- She Cracked

Buy She Cracked – The Modern Lovers
Buy She Cracked Amazon

7.  KISS- King of the Night Time World

Buy King of the Night Time World – Destroyer (Remastered)
Buy King Of The Night Time World Amazon

8.  Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers- The Wild One, Forever

Buy The Wild One, Forever – Anthology – Through the Years
Buy The Wild One, Forever (Album Version)Amazon

9.  Thin Lizzy- The Cowboy Song

Buy Cowboy Song – Jailbreak
Buy Cowboy Song Amazon

10.  Lynyrd Skynyrd- Every Mother’s Son

Buy Every Mother’s Son – Gimme Back My Bullets (Remastered)
Buy Every Mother’s Son (Album Version)Amazon

11.  Steely Dan- Kid Charlemagne

Buy Kid Charlemagne – The Royal Scam
Buy Kid Charlemagne (Album Version)Amazon

12.  Joni Mitchell- Coyote

Buy Coyote – Hejira
Buy Coyote (LP Version)Amazon

13.  The Ramones- Chain Saw

Buy Chain Saw – Ramones (Deluxe Version)
Buy Chain Saw Amazon

14.  Stevie Wonder- As

Buy As – Songs In the Key of Life
Buy As Amazon

15.  Bob Dylan- Sara

Buy Sara – Desire
Buy Sara Amazon

16.  Pere Ubu- Final Solution

Buy Final Solution – Terminal Tower: An Archival Collection, Nonlp Singles & B Sides 1975-1980
Buy Final Solution Amazon

Best of 1976 Volume 5 (3/31/07)

1.  The Eagles- Hotel California

Buy Hotel California – Hotel California
Buy Hotel California (LP Version)Amazon

2.  Warren Zevon- Poor, Poor Pitiful Me

Buy Poor Poor Pitiful Me – Warren Zevon (Collector’s Edition)
Buy Poor Poor Pitiful Me Amazon

3.  E.L.O.- Livin’ Thing

Buy Livin’ Thing – A New World Record
Buy Livin’ Thing Amazon

4.  Diana Ross- Long Hangover

Buy Love Hangover – Number 1’s: Diana Ross & The Supremes
Buy Love Hangover Amazon

5.  Lou Rawls- You’ll Never Find a Love Like Mine

Buy You’ll Never Find Another Love Like Mine – The Essential Lou Rawls
Buy You’ll Never Find Another Love Like Mine Amazon

6.  Brick- Dazz

Buy Dazz – The Best of Brick
Buy Dazz Amazon

7.  Parliament- Do That Stuff

Buy Do That Stuff – Clones of Dr. Funkenstein
Buy Do That Stuff (Album Version) Amazon

8. Graham Parker & the Rumour- Pourin’ It All Out

Buy Pourin’ It All Out – Heat Treatment
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9.  Nick Lowe- Heart of the City

Buy Heart of the City – Jesus of Cool
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10.  The Saints (I’m) Stranded

Buy (I’m) Stranded – (I’m) Stranded [Remastered]
Buy (I’m) Stranded (2004 Digital Remaster) Amazon

11.  The Ramones- Beat On the Brat

Buy Beat On the Brat – Ramones (Deluxe Version)
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12.  The Runaways- Cherry Bomb

Buy Cherry Bomb – The Runaways
Buy Cherry Bomb (Album Version) Amazon

13.  AC/DC- Live Wire

Buy Live Wire – High Voltage
*Track not available via Amazon

14.  Waylon Jennings- Are You Ready for the Country?

Buy Are You Ready for the Country – Ultimate Waylon Jennings
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15.  Jimmy Buffett- Havana Daydreamin’

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16.  Jorge Ben- Xica de Silva

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17.  Dr. Buzzard’s Original Savannah Band- I’ll Play the Fool

Buy I’ll Play the Fool – Dr. Buzzard’s Original Savannah Band
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18.  ABBA- Fernando

Buy Fernando – Arrival (Import Bonus Tracks Remastered)
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19.  The Modern Lovers- Astral Plane

Buy Astral Plane – The Modern Lovers
Buy Astral Plane Amazon

20.  The Manhattans- Kiss and Say Goodbye

Buy Kiss and Say Goodbye – The Manhattans
Buy Kiss And Say Goodbye (Single Version) Amazon

Best of 1976 Volume 6 (4/1/07)

1.  KISS- Do You Love Me

Buy Do You Love Me – Destroyer (Remastered)
Buy Do You Love Me Amazon

2.  Radio Birdman- I-94

3.  Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers- Breakdown

Buy Breakdown – Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers: Greatest Hits
Buy Breakdown (Album Version) Amazon

4.  Blondie- In the Flesh

Buy In the Flesh – Blondie
Buy In The Flesh (2001 Digital Remaster) Amazon

5.  The Ramones- 53rd & 3rd

Buy 53Rd & 3Rd – Ramones (Deluxe Version)
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6. Dillinger- Cocaine In My Brain

7.  Junior Murvin- Police & Thieves

Buy Police & Thieves – Police & Thieves (Remastered)
Buy Police & Thieves Amazon

8.  AC/DC- Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap

Buy Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap – Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap
*Track not available via Amazon

9.  Lynyrd Skynyrd- Gimme Back My Bullets

Buy Gimme Back My Bullets – Gimme Back My Bullets (Remastered)
Buy Gimme Back My Bullets (Album Version) Amazon

10.  Max Romeo & the Upsetters- War Ina Babylon

Buy War Ina Babylon – War Ina Babylon (Bonus Track Version)
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11.  Peter Tosh- Why Must I Cry

Buy Why Must I Cry – Legalize It
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12.  The Rolling Stones- Fool to Cry

Buy Fool to Cry – Black and Blue (Remastered)
Buy Fool To Cry Amazon

13.  Bob Marley & the Wailers- Crazy Baldheads

Buy Crazy Baldhead – Rastaman Vibration (Remastered)
Buy Crazy Baldhead (Album Version) Amazon

14.  Augustus Pablo- Each One Dub

Buy Each One Dub – King Tubby Meets Rockers Uptown
Buy Each One Dub Amazon

15.  Steve Miller Band- Fly Like An Eagle

Buy Fly Like An Eagle – Fly Like An Eagle
Buy Fly Like An Eagle (2006 Digital Remaster) Amazon

16.  The Modern Lovers- Old World

Buy Old World – The Modern Lovers
Buy Old World Amazon

17.  David Bowie- TVC-15

Buy Tvc 15 – Station to Station (Deluxe Edition)
Buy TVC15 (1999 Digital Remaster) Amazon

18. Gary Wright- Love Is Alive (Single Edit)   **Album version 1975

19.  Stevie Wonder- Isn’t She Lovely

Buy Isn’t She Lovely – Songs In the Key of Life
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20. Kate & Anna McGarrigle- Kiss And Say Goodbye

Best of 1976 volume 7 (6/8/13)

1.  E.L.O.- Do Ya

Buy Do Ya – A New World Record
Buy Do Ya Amazon

2.  Nick Lowe- So It Goes

Buy So It Goes – Basher – The Best of Nick Lowe
Buy So It Goes Amazon

3.  The Ramones- I Don’t Wanna Go Down to the Basement

Buy I Don’t Wanna Go Down to the Basement – Ramones (Deluxe Version)
Buy I Don’t Wanna Go Down To The Basement Amazon

4.  Eddie & the Hot Rods- Teenage Depression

Buy Teenage Depression – Rock ‘N’ Roll High School (Music from the Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)
*This version not available via Amazon

5.  The Modern Lovers- Hospital

Buy Hospital – The Modern Lovers
Buy Hospital Amazon

6.  David Bowie- Stay

Buy Stay – Station to Station (Deluxe Edition)
Buy Stay Amazon

7.  Tom Waits- Bad Liver and a Broken Heart

Buy Bad Liver and a Broken Heart (In Lowell) – Small Change
Buy Bad Liver And A Broken Heart [in Lowell] Amazon

8.  The Eagles- Victim of Love

Buy Victim of Love – Hotel California
Buy Victim of Love – Hotel California Amazon

9.  Bob Dylan- Isis

Buy Isis – Desire
Buy Isis Amazon

10.  Steely Dan- The Fez

Buy The Fez – The Royal Scam
Buy The Fez (Album Version) Amazon

11.  J.J. Cale- Cocaine

Buy Cocaine (Grass/Soundtrack Version) – Troubadour
Buy Cocaine Amazon

12.  Johnnie Taylor- Disco Lady

Buy Disco Lady – Eargasm
Buy Disco Lady Amazon

13.  The Spinners- Rubberband Man

Buy The Rubberband Man – The Very Best of the Spinners
Buy Rubberband Man Amazon

14.  Candi Station- Young Hearts Run Free

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Buy Young Hearts Run Free Amazon

15.  Lynyrd Skynyrd- Searchin’

Buy Searching – Gimme Back My Bullets (Remastered)
Buy Searchin’ (Album Version) Amazon

16.  Bob Seger & the Silver Bullet Band- Mainstreet

Buy Mainstreet – Ultimate Hits: Rock and Roll Never Forgets
Buy Mainstreet Amazon

17.  Toots & the Maytals- Living in the Ghetto

Buy Living In the Ghetto – Reggae Got Soul
Buy Living In The Ghetto Amazon

18.  The Upsetters- Dread Lion

Buy Dread Lion – Super Ape (Bonus Track Version)
Buy Dread Lion (Album Version) Amazon

19.  Stevie Wonder- Pastime Paradise

Buy Pastime Paradise – The Complete Stevie Wonder
Buy Pastime Paradise Amazon

Best of 1976 Volume 8 (6/9/13)

1.  AC/DC- TNT

Buy T.N.T. – High Voltage
*Track not available via Amazon

2. The Ramones- Now I Wanna Sniff Some Glue

Buy Now I Wanna Sniff Some Glue – Ramones (Deluxe Version)
Buy Now I Wanna Sniff Some Glue Amazon

3.  Led Zeppelin- Nobody’s Fault But Mine

Buy Nobody’s Fault But Mine – Presence (Remastered)
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4.  Aerosmith- Lick and a Promise

Buy Lick and a Promise – Rocks
Buy Lick And A Promise Amazon

5.  Boston- Peace of Mind

Buy Peace of Mind – Boston
Buy Peace of Mind – Boston Amazon

6.  Patti Smith Group- Ask the Angels

Buy Ask the Angels – Radio Ethiopia (Remastered)
Buy Ask the Angels (Digitally Remastered 1996)Amazon

7.  David Bowie- Word On a Wing

Buy Word On a Wing – Station to Station (Deluxe Edition)
Buy Word On A Wing (1999 Digital Remaster) Amazon

8.  E.L.O.- Telephone Line

Buy Telephone Line – A New World Record
Buy Telephone Line Amazon

9.  Steely Dan- Don’t Take Me Alive

Buy Don’t Take Me Alive – The Royal Scam
Buy Don’t Take Me Alive (Album Version) Amazon

10.  The Abyssinians- Satta Massagana

Buy Satta Massagana – Satta Massagana
Buy Satta Massagana Amazon

11.  The Upsetters- Curly Dub

Buy Curly Dub – Super Ape (Bonus Track Version)
Buy Curly Dub (Album Version) Amazon

12.  Augustus Pablo- Frozen Dub

Buy Frozen Dub – King Tubby Meets Rockers Uptown
Buy Frozen Dub Amazon

13.  Stevie Wonder- All Day Sucker

Buy All Day Sucker – Songs In the Key of Life
Buy All Day Sucker Amazon

14.  The Modern Lovers- Someone I Care About

Buy Someone I Care About – The Modern Lovers
Buy Someone I Care About Amazon

15.  Crime- Hot Wire My Heart

Buy Hot Wire My Heart – Hot Wire My Heart / Baby You’re So Repulsive – Single
Buy Hot Wire My Heart Amazon

16.  Blondie- Look Good In Blue

Buy Look Good In Blue – Blondie
Buy Look Good In Blue (2001 Digital Remaster) Amazon

17.  Billy Joel- New York State of Mind

Buy New York State of Mind – Turnstiles
Buy New York State Of Mind Amazon

18.  Jackson Browne- The Pretender

Buy The Pretender – The Pretender
Buy The Pretender (LP Version) Amazon