The 1977 Pazz & Jop Critics Poll
Albums
1. Sex Pistols: Never Mind the Bollocks, Here's the Sex Pistols (Warner Bros.) 412 (32)2. Elvis Costello: My Aim Is True (Columbia) 367 (33)3. Television: Marquee Moon (Elektra) 327 (26)4. Fleetwood Mac: Rumours (Warner Bros.) 318 (26)5. Steely Dan: Aja (ABC) 266 (23)6. Ramones: Rocket to Russia (Sire) 238 (23)7. Talking Heads: Talking Heads: 77 (Sire) 170 (17)8. Randy Newman: Little Criminals (Warner Bros.) 160 (16)9. Garland Jeffreys: Ghost Writer (A&M) 153 (15)10. Cheap Trick: In Color (Epic) 121 (11)11. Jackson Browne: Running on Empty (Asylum) 113 (9)12. Pete Townshend & Ronnie Lane: Rough Mix (MCA) 105 (10)13. Kate & Anna McGarrigle: Dancer with Bruised Knees (Warner Bros.) 104 (12)14. Al Green: The Belle Album (Hi) 89 (10)15. Ornette Coleman: Dancing in Your Head (Horizon) 83 (8)16. Bryan Ferry: In Your Mind (Atlantic) 80 (9)17. Peter Gabriel: Peter Gabriel (Atco) 75 (6)18. The Kinks: Sleepwalker (Arista) 74 (8)19. Graham Parker & the Rumour: Stick to Me (Mercury) 72 (10)20. Neil Young: American Stars 'n Bars (Reprise) 69 (8)21. David Bowie: Heroes (RCA) 66 (7)22. The Persuasions: Chirpin' (Elektra) 63 (7)23. James Taylor: JT (Columbia) 61 (7)24. The Jam: In the City (Polydor) 61 (6)25. Ramones: Ramones Leave Home (Sire) 60 (8)26. The Beatles: The Beatles at the Hollywood Bowl (Capitol) 60 (7)27. Linda Ronstadt: Simple Dreams (Asylum) 59 (7)28. The Beach Boys: Love You (Brother/Reprise) 59 (6)29. Mink DeVille: Mink DeVille (Capitol) 57 (5)30. Kraftwerk: Trans-Europe Express (Capitol) 55 (4)
― Thus Spoke Darraghustra (Oor Neechy), Thursday, 21 March 2019 13:42 (five years ago) link
'70s critics really loved singer-songwriter mor
― the scientology of mountains (rushomancy), Thursday, 21 March 2019 13:55 (five years ago) link
Taylor, Ronstadt, maybe Beach Boys = 3 out of 30? I guess Rumours and Aja could count but I don't think of them as SSW albums
― Emperor Tonetta Ketchup (sleeve), Thursday, 21 March 2019 13:59 (five years ago) link
that Beach Boys album is too wacked out to consider it singer-songwriter mor
― . (Michael B), Thursday, 21 March 2019 14:05 (five years ago) link
I mean I do wonder what Rough Mix and Sleepwalker are doing in there but the rest mostly makes sense in context?
― Emperor Tonetta Ketchup (sleeve), Thursday, 21 March 2019 14:16 (five years ago) link
i'm sort of saying "singer-songwriter mor" in an expansive sense. all of these records on p&j the list are good records, but they're also, by and large, generally very sophisticated records by established and, well, aging figures. "sleepwalker", for instance, is probably in there because it fits a "return to form" narrative (i.e. it's better than their last one), and because ray davies at his best is a clever writer.
it just seems like the critical consensus at the time offered a fairly narrow slice of what the year had to offer, either through deliberate omission (arbitrarily declaring all jazz music "out of scope", all "hard rock", bands like pink floyd and led zeppelin, probably also bob marley, though american critics were much better at ignoring reggae than british critics were) or just not having access to some of the more interesting music.
― the scientology of mountains (rushomancy), Thursday, 21 March 2019 14:40 (five years ago) link
Too bad not more jazz on there, but yeah Dancing In Your Head, and is punk not a form of hard rock? F Mac always did seem like a convergence of singer-songwriters--highly skilled instrumental and production-smart ones--ditto Steely Dan, even if Becker didn't sing ---Rough Mix ditto---Al G. and Garland J. count as singer-songwriters too here, the latter as one of the first and last American artists to adapt reggae to his own self-expression on occasion, and Ghost Writer def on my Top Ten of this Top 30. Aja has always seemed about half-good-to-great, though, and self-pitying middle-ageing male wine-sipping behind drawn drapes---- smellin' you, "Deacon Blue"----sure pissed me off in '77---oh wait, it's *about* that, right? BS/who cares
― dow, Thursday, 21 March 2019 15:48 (five years ago) link
one of the first and last to do it well, that is.
― dow, Thursday, 21 March 2019 15:51 (five years ago) link
went for Aja, cause it's the one i've listened to the most in the past year and for that glorious side one.
― Neus Anneus (voodoo chili), Thursday, 21 March 2019 15:51 (five years ago) link
I thought people fought and died so our generation could listen to something better.
― pomenitul, Thursday, 21 March 2019 15:58 (five years ago) link
Exactly. And how is "Aja" about middle-age when Becker and Fagan weren't even 30?
― Gerald McBoing-Boing, Thursday, 21 March 2019 17:00 (five years ago) link
Although to be fair I've long passed the point that I'll sneer at any band, but back in the day Steely Dan was certainly sneered upon quite a bit.
― Gerald McBoing-Boing, Thursday, 21 March 2019 17:01 (five years ago) link
oh god why are we reviving the Dan Wars again
― the scientology of mountains (rushomancy), Thursday, 21 March 2019 17:30 (five years ago) link
Sorry, I couldn't help it. I've actually never listened to a Steely Dan album in its entirety, although I will admit to strongly disliking what little I've heard on the radio. I'll have to give them another chance some time.
― pomenitul, Thursday, 21 March 2019 17:34 (five years ago) link
From this list in '77 in would probably have been Rumours and that's how I'm voting now. If it was all the albums from '77, as a kid I would have voted Hotel California.
― that's not my post, Friday, 22 March 2019 05:14 (five years ago) link
I'd love to give the Stranglers a vote but it's Low for me.
― Valentijn, Friday, 22 March 2019 09:40 (five years ago) link
christ, don't listen to steely dan on my behalf, i'm not a fan either, it's just an argument that's been beaten to an exceptional pulp around here :)
― the scientology of mountains (rushomancy), Friday, 22 March 2019 13:17 (five years ago) link
NME Albums 1977
1. Heroes - David Bowie2. New boots & Panties - Ian Dury3. My aim is true - Elvis Costello4. Never Mind the Bollocks - Sex Pistols5. Marquee Moon - Television6. Exodus - Bob Marley & the Wailers7. The Clash - The Clash8. Lust for life - Iggy Pop9. Leave Home - The Ramones10. Rattus Norvegicus - The Stranglers11. Rocket to Russia - The Ramones12. Get It - Dave Edmunds13. When two sevens clash -Culture14. Before & after science - Brian Eno15. In the City - The Jam16. Little Criminals - Randy Newman17. Talking heads '77 - Talking Heads18. In Colour - Cheap trick19. Blank generation - Richard Hell20. Aja - Steely Dan21. One World - John Martyn22. Live! - Burnin Spear23. Rock n' Roll with the Modern Lovers - The Modern Lovers24. Spectres - Blue Oyster Cult25. Bad reputation - Thin Lizzy26. Pink Flag - Wire27. Low - David Bowie28. Blondie - Blondie29. Peter Gabriel - Peter Gabriel30. Hard Again - Muddy Waters
Honourable Mentions to...
Stick to me - Graham Parker & The RumourOut of our skulls - The PiratesFeelin’ bitchy - Millie JacksonMusic to kill by - Afrika korpsListen now - 801American stars and bars - Neil youngHeavy weather - Weather reportLive at the Hollywood bowl - The BeatlesTwilley don’t mind - Dwight TwilleyTrans-Europe express - KraftwerkPolice and thieves - Junior MurvinRumours - Fleetwood MacJoe Ely - Joe ElyGreg Kihn Again - Greg KihnAhh, The name Bootsy, Baby - Bootsy’s rubber bandAfrican dub - Joe Gibbs
― Thus Spoke Darraghustra (Oor Neechy), Friday, 22 March 2019 17:30 (five years ago) link
before and after science, especially the second side.
― Ich bin kein Berliner (alex in mainhattan), Friday, 22 March 2019 20:39 (five years ago) link
http://www.acclaimedmusic.net/year/1977a.htm
― Thus Spoke Darraghustra (Oor Neechy), Saturday, 23 March 2019 18:41 (five years ago) link
That Billy Joel seems so out of place, but it is a really good album.
― dorsalstop, Saturday, 23 March 2019 19:11 (five years ago) link
What, no Bat Out of Hell????
― Mr. Snrub, Saturday, 23 March 2019 22:08 (five years ago) link
one world.
(. . .like it or not☮)
― Totally different head. Totally. (Austin), Sunday, 24 March 2019 14:53 (five years ago) link
Not the first recorded, but the first released Motorhead LP came out in '77 too.
― earlnash, Sunday, 24 March 2019 15:59 (five years ago) link
One of my internal ILX rules, Marquee Moon gets the vote.
― Mark G, Sunday, 24 March 2019 21:55 (five years ago) link
sounds fair
― Thus Spoke Darraghustra (Oor Neechy), Monday, 25 March 2019 15:21 (five years ago) link
Before & After Science still feels like a timeless album to me, it's one I can really never get sick of
"Splish splash, I was raking in the cash, the biology of purpose keeps my nose above the surface BUHHH" - one of my favorite lyrics of all time
― frogbs, Monday, 25 March 2019 17:46 (five years ago) link
Automatic thread bump. This poll is closing tomorrow.
― System, Tuesday, 26 March 2019 00:01 (five years ago) link
went Kraftwerk
― Neil S, Tuesday, 26 March 2019 09:38 (five years ago) link
went dancing in your head sounds much better though neil
― Thus Spoke Darraghustra (Oor Neechy), Tuesday, 26 March 2019 16:04 (five years ago) link
went east of the river nile works too
East of the River Nile is great, I don't know the Ornette record
― Neil S, Tuesday, 26 March 2019 16:09 (five years ago) link
Went with Pink Flag because I've listened to it the most.
― pomenitul, Tuesday, 26 March 2019 16:52 (five years ago) link
neil i meant as in Went East Of The River NileWent Dancing In Your Head
geddit?
― Thus Spoke Darraghustra (Oor Neechy), Tuesday, 26 March 2019 16:54 (five years ago) link
I don't know the Ornette record A better title would have been Electric Music For The Mind and Body, but that was already taken. It's based around that "dah dee dah dah, dah dah dah" motif in his symphonic Skies of America: sort of hippity jiggity okay yeah more for actual dancing in your head than feet, but word gets around, and you can't sit down, at least in your head, especially of you're stoned, and a friend of mine thought of it ot at the time as somewhat like an all-instrumental Beefheart & Magic Band, if the Captain aimed his sax a little closer to home. Kind of. Should be said that some longtime Ornette fans, of different ages, haaate Prime Time (this was his first with them). But it's worth checking out if you like him at all. It's not like what got tagged as fusion, it's not like no wave (well kinda the same idea in some ways), but really finds its own space in the 70s.
― dow, Tuesday, 26 March 2019 17:05 (five years ago) link
All of these warrant consideration... AC/DC - Let There Be RockChrome - Alien SoundtracksDavid Bowie - HeroesDead Boys - Young Loud and SnottyHeartbreakers - L.A.M.F.Iggy Pop - Lust For LifeIggy Pop - The IdiotKraftwerk - Trans Europa ExpressPink Floyd - AnimalsRadio Birdman - Radios AppearRamones - Leave HomeRamones - Rocket To RussiaRichard Hell & the Voidoids - Blank GenerationSex Pistols - Never Mind the Bollocks Here's the Sex PistolsSuicide - SuicideTalking Heads - 77Television - Marquee MoonThe Clash - The ClashThe Damned - Damned Damned DamnedThe Saints - (I'm) StrandedThin Lizzy - Bad ReputationUFO - Lights OutWire - Pink Flag
Jesus Christ, who to pick!
― Loud guitars shit all over "Bette Davis Eyes" (NYCNative), Tuesday, 26 March 2019 17:09 (five years ago) link
I think the last poll got the most votes of all so far but more chat than this one so I'll be interested to see how many vote in this supposedly better indeed stellar important year
― Thus Spoke Darraghustra (Oor Neechy), Tuesday, 26 March 2019 20:33 (five years ago) link
brian what did you pick? I can see heavy rock not getting much votes so maybe a wee vote for ufo from your shortlist?
― Thus Spoke Darraghustra (Oor Neechy), Tuesday, 26 March 2019 20:34 (five years ago) link
Automatic thread bump. This poll's results are now in.
― System, Wednesday, 27 March 2019 00:01 (five years ago) link
results are kind of what I expected. really so many great albums from this year
― Dan S, Wednesday, 27 March 2019 01:10 (five years ago) link
I picked Rumours, sort of regret not picking Marquee Moon, which would have made it tie for first. impossible choices
― Dan S, Wednesday, 27 March 2019 01:15 (five years ago) link
Only 1 vote for the Pistols! Times have changed...
― Gerald McBoing-Boing, Wednesday, 27 March 2019 01:22 (five years ago) link
that is surprising
― Dan S, Wednesday, 27 March 2019 01:29 (five years ago) link
I was only paying attention to music in 1979 on a basic level and hadn't heard a lot of these. Of all of the ones I listened to for the first time later, Suicide made an impression
― Dan S, Wednesday, 27 March 2019 01:30 (five years ago) link
*1977
― Dan S, Wednesday, 27 March 2019 01:57 (five years ago) link
pretty good mix of votes, surprised "low" took it over television, i guess rym is well into its "bowie stan" phase
surprised to see that many votes for john martyn, i finally got around to "solid air" last year and thought it was ok
respectable showing for the floyd. i expect one vote AT MOST for "the wall", if it's even on the list. i don't even know what records came out in '79 other than maybe "beat rhythm news" and "number 1 in heaven" but there have to be twenty or thirty records better than "the wall" from that year. "duty now for the future" maybe. love all these votes for the one-offs. after all the "before and after science" talk it wound up pretty low.
― Jaki Liebowitz (rushomancy), Wednesday, 27 March 2019 02:01 (five years ago) link
Am pleased "Heart of the Congos" is up there
― Mark G, Wednesday, 27 March 2019 08:47 (five years ago) link
I am too.
Went with Suspiria in the end cos I fancied listening to it but should probably have stuck with Suicide. Some of the most frightening sounds on any rock records between those two?
My problem with Bowie is I don't like his voice or most of the songs LOL.
― *there's (Noel Emits), Wednesday, 27 March 2019 08:56 (five years ago) link
yeah Heart of the Congos was in the running for me also, great album.
dow- your description makes that Ornette record sound really interesting, I will check it out.
Neechy- got it! Sense of humour failure there...
― Neil S, Wednesday, 27 March 2019 08:57 (five years ago) link
Best Album on My Favourite Albums of......1978!
― Thus Spoke Darraghustra (Oor Neechy), Wednesday, 27 March 2019 10:50 (five years ago) link