Best Albums of 1976

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I don't know if this is a thread alraedy (the search engine is giving me technofear vibes). I'm working on a mix project and I'm wondering what your top ten albums released in 1976 are.

So far my definites are:
Modern Lovers - Modern Lovers (note that released is the key here!)
Ramones - s/t
Wild Tchoupitoulas - s/t
Graham Parker - Howlin' Wind

and my maybes are:
Rolling Stones - Black and Blue
Patti Smith Group - Radio Ethiopia
Funkadelic - hardcore Jollies
Eagles - Hotel California

― Radio Free Albemuth (DocMartensBoots), Monday, 9 October 2006 19:35 (nineteen years ago)

SONGS IN THE KEY OF LIFE

Gordie Lightfoot: Summertime Dream
Parliament's: Mothership Connection
Tom Waits: Small Change

er, 2112? can i get a 'right on'?

― J. Grizzle (trainsmoke), Monday, 9 October 2006 19:43 (nineteen years ago)

Nice on the Stevie and Parliament esp.!

― Radio Free Albemuth (DocMartensBoots), Monday, 9 October 2006 19:46 (nineteen years ago)

David Bowie - Station to Station

― Stephen Bush (Stephen B.), Monday, 9 October 2006 20:03 (nineteen years ago)

Eno - Another Green World
David Bowie - Station to Station
ELO - A New World Record
Ramones - Ramones
Bob Marley - Live!
Blue Oyster Cult - Agents of Fortune
Music From The Penguin Cafe Orchestra
Candi Staton - Young Hearts Run Free
Rod Stewart - Atlantic Crossing

― Billy Dods (Billy Dods), Monday, 9 October 2006 20:06 (nineteen years ago)

ACDC - Dirty Deeds
KISS - Destroyer
Tom Waits - Small Change
Flamin' Groovies - Shake Some Action
Stevie Wonder - Songs in the Key of Life

― darin (darin), Monday, 9 October 2006 20:09 (nineteen years ago)

Seconding the Stevie and Bowie. Also, Jefferson Starship, Spitfire; and (unless it was '75) the Miracles, City of Angels.

― Joseph McCombs (Joseph McCombs), Monday, 9 October 2006 20:14 (nineteen years ago)

JONI MITCHELL - HEJIRA

― derrick (derrick), Monday, 9 October 2006 20:36 (nineteen years ago)

henry cow - concerts
801 live
frith et al - guitar solos 2
la dusseldorf - s/t
joni mitchell - hejira
penguin cafe orchestra - music from the penguin cafe
ramones - s/t
steely dan - the royal scam

― phil turnbull (philT), Monday, 9 October 2006 20:39 (nineteen years ago)

this should help you in your project:

top 1000 albums of 1976
http://rateyourmusic.com/charts/top/album/1976

― DJ Martian (djmartian), Monday, 9 October 2006 20:48 (nineteen years ago)

Oh yes, definitely put Hejira and Royal Scam up there!

― Joseph McCombs (Joseph McCombs), Monday, 9 October 2006 20:56 (nineteen years ago)

Another Green World was made in 1975.

― zeus (zeus), Monday, 9 October 2006 22:02 (nineteen years ago)

Led Zeppelin - Presence!
Aerosmith - Rocks!

― Brooker Buckingham (Brooker B), Monday, 9 October 2006 22:07 (nineteen years ago)

According to the 1976 P&J poll:

1. Stevie Wonder: Songs in the Key of Life (Tamla) 292 (25)
2. Graham Parker & the Rumour: Heat Treatment (Mercury) 234 (22)
3. Jackson Browne: The Pretender (Asylum) 232 (22)
4. Graham Parker & the Rumour: Howlin' Wind (Mercury) 215 (19)
5. Kate & Anna McGarrigle: Kate & Anna McGarrigle (Warner Bros.) 208 (16)
6. Steely Dan: The Royal Scam (ABC) 182 (14)
7. Joni Mitchell: Hejira (Asylum) 169 (16)
8. Ramones: Ramones (Sire) 153 (15)
9. Rod Stewart: A Night on the Town (Warner Bros.) 150 (15)
10. Blue Oyster Cult: Agents of Fortune (Columbia)

― Alfred, Lord Sotosyn (Alfred Soto), Monday, 9 October 2006 22:12 (nineteen years ago)

who the fuck is Graham Parker

― Shakey Mo Collier (Shakey Mo Collier), Monday, 9 October 2006 22:27 (nineteen years ago)

those two graham parker albums in the top 10 are surely a mistake. i mean, at the time, i realize all the critics thought it made perfect sense. but certainly even they must realize by now how off they were. right?

― fact checking cuz (fcc), Monday, 9 October 2006 22:39 (nineteen years ago)

This won't be a real thread until Patrin posts.

― Michael Daddino (epicharmus), Monday, 9 October 2006 22:58 (nineteen years ago)

Thanks for the great link DJ Martian...

― Radio Free Albemuth (DocMartensBoots), Tuesday, 10 October 2006 01:11 (nineteen years ago)

FAKE THREAD OVER, REAL THREAD COMMENCE

Assuming Mothership Connection was '75:

1) Jorge Ben - Africa Brasil
2) Steely Dan - The Royal Scam
3) Max Romeo & the Upsetters - War ina Babylon
4) Stevie Wonder - Songs in the Key of Life
5) The Ramones - s/t
6) David Bowie - Station to Station
7) Blue Öyster Cult - Agents of Fortune
8) The Modern Lovers - s/t
9) Dr. Buzzard's Original Savannah Band - s/t
10) Thin Lizzy - Johnny the Fox/Jailbreak [tie]

Aaaand fuck it, singles:

1) Diana Ross, "Love Hangover"
2) Double Exposure, "Ten Percent"
3) Manfred Mann's Earth Band, "Blinded By the Light"
4) Junior Murvin, "Police and Thieves"
5) The Rolling Stones, "Fool to Cry"
6) Pere Ubu, "Final Solution"
7) Blondie, "X Offender"
8) The Quick, "Pretty Please Me"
9) The Nerves, "Hanging on the Telephone"
10) Sex Pistols, "Anarchy in the UK"

Honorable Mention: John Carpenter's theme from "Assault on Precinct 13" and that vicious live version of "Cosmic Slop" from Hardcore Jollies

― nate p. (natepatrin), Tuesday, 10 October 2006 02:14 (nineteen years ago)

Fact Checking Cuz:..Howlin' Wind still holds up but in a better year for music wouldn't be in a top ten for me...

― Radio Free Albemuth (DocMartensBoots), Tuesday, 10 October 2006 02:16 (nineteen years ago)

nate...that Dr. Buzzard album is great, I d/l'ed it a few nights ago and it may make my final cut. The album limitation makes it tough because as you demonstrated 76 was a great year for singles...

― Radio Free Albemuth (DocMartensBoots), Tuesday, 10 October 2006 02:19 (nineteen years ago)

Yeah, Pistols at #10 isn't even me being contrarian (and I had to leave out some choice stuff -- "Body Heat"! "Last Child"! "I Want More"! "Rich Girl"! "Atmosphere Strut"! "Lowdown," which was a crux of my flippin' EMP piece! That batshit loony cover of "Nights in White Satin" that Giorgio Moroder dorked out on!)

― nate p. (natepatrin), Tuesday, 10 October 2006 02:25 (nineteen years ago)

#1: Marvin Gaye - I Want You

― Stormy Davis (diamond), Tuesday, 10 October 2006 03:04 (nineteen years ago)

How's the rest of that album? I adore the title track, but "After the Dance" didn't do anything for me so I never dug deeper.

― Joseph McCombs (Joseph McCombs), Tuesday, 10 October 2006 03:59 (nineteen years ago)

ASH RA TEMPEL - NEW AGE OF EARTH

― 0xDOX0RNUTX0RX0RSDABITFIELDXOR^0xDEADBEEFDEADBEEF00001 (donut), Tuesday, 10 October 2006 04:19 (nineteen years ago)

http://img.webring.com/r/b/boston/logo

― Tim Ellison (Tim Ellison), Tuesday, 10 October 2006 04:43 (nineteen years ago)

um, more love for HEJIRA please!

i forgot the mcgarrigles, though - thought it was 77! fantastic album.

― derrick (derrick), Tuesday, 10 October 2006 05:04 (nineteen years ago)

yes, Music from the Penguin Cafe thirded.

― Max Blazevic (kitaj), Tuesday, 10 October 2006 07:47 (nineteen years ago)

For me, a toss-up between Saxophone Solos by Evan Parker and Closeness by Charlie Haden.

― Marcello Carlin (nostudium), Tuesday, 10 October 2006 07:55 (nineteen years ago)

1. Black & Blue - Rolling Stones
2. Rastaman Vibration - Bob Marley & The Wailers
3. Ramones - Ramones
4. Songs In The Key Of Life - Stevie Wonder
5. Shamal - Gong
6. Stupidity - Doctor Feelgood
7. Music From The Penguin Cafe - Penguin Cafe Orchestra
8. Good Morning - Daevid Allen & Euterpe
9. Station To Station - David Bowie
10. Yes We Have No Mananas, So Get Your Mananas Today - Kevin Ayers

And the runners-up:

11. Howlin' Wind - Graham Parker & The Rumour
12. Olias Of Sunhillow - Jon Anderson
13. Teenage Depression - Eddie & The Hot Rods
14. Hejira - Joni Mitchell
15. Heat Treatment - Graham Parker & The Rumour
16. Wind & Wuthering - Genesis
17. Desire - Bob Dylan
18. A Day At The Races - Queen

― mike t-diva (mike t-diva), Tuesday, 10 October 2006 13:21 (nineteen years ago)

Even Kevin Ayers doesn't like Yes We Have No Mananas!

― Marcello Carlin (nostudium), Tuesday, 10 October 2006 13:25 (nineteen years ago)

Augustus Pablo, King Tubby's Meets Rockers Uptown

Mothership Connection is 1975. The '76 Parliament album is The Clones of Dr. Funkenstein. But the best P-Funk record that year was Ahh . . . the Name Is Bootsy, Baby!

― Matos-Webster Dictionary (M Matos), Tuesday, 10 October 2006 13:43 (nineteen years ago)

enough of this revisionism!...the correct answer, then as now, is:

Bob Seger - Night Moves

― hank (hank s), Tuesday, 10 October 2006 14:04 (nineteen years ago)

Looking back, 1976 seems like kind of a down year, when you compare it to 1975 and 1977.

― kornrulez6969 (TCBeing), Tuesday, 10 October 2006 14:36 (nineteen years ago)

More disco and 10cc needed before this thread has any credibility.

― zebedee (zebedee), Tuesday, 10 October 2006 14:46 (nineteen years ago)

zebedee: problem with disco is that it's a singles medium, there aren't that many great disco albums (which should be the subject of another thread if not one already)...

― Radio Free Albemuth (DocMartensBoots), Tuesday, 10 October 2006 15:45 (nineteen years ago)

I'd say it's only an off year if you hate reggae. I think Jamaican music was at an all-time peak.

1. Lee Perry & the Upsetters * Super Ape (Island/Hip-O Select)
2. Rico * Man From Wareika (Island)
3. Cedric Im Brooks * The Light Of Saba (Total Sounds/Honest Jon's)
4. Max Romeo & the Upsetters * War Ina Babylon (Mango/Hip-O Select)
5. The Mighty Diamonds * Right Time (Shanachie)
6. Justin Hinds & The Dominoes * Jezebel (Island)
7. La Dusseldorf (Radar)
8. The Meditations * Message From The Meditations (UA)
9. Bunny Wailer * Blackheart Man (Island)
10. David Bowie * Station To Station (RCA)
11. Johnny Clarke * Rockers Time Now (Front Line)
12. Augustus Pablo * King Tubbys Meets Rockers Uptown (Shanachie)
13. Ramones * Ramones (Sire)
14. Blondie * Blondie (Chrysalis)
15. Harry Mudie * Harry Mudie Meets King Tubby In Dub Conference Vol. One (Moodisc)
16. Parliament * Mothership Connection (Casablanca)
17. Serge Gainsbourg * L' Homme a Tete De Chou (Philips Fr)
18. Toots & the Maytals * Reggae Got Soul (Mango)
19. The Abyssinians * Satta Massagana (Heartbeat)
20. Gladiators * Trench Town Mix Up (Front Line/Virgin)
21. Cluster * Sowiesoso (Sky)
22. The Wailing Souls (Studio One)
23. Johnny Clarke * Authorized Version (Front Line)
24. Electric Light Orchestra * A New World Record (Jet/Epic Legacy)
25. AC/DC * High Voltage (Epic)
26. Bob Marley & the Wailers * Rastaman Vibration (Tuff Gong/Island)
27. Heldon * Un Reve Sans Consequence Speciale (Cunneiform/Rune)
28. T. Rex * Futuristic Dragon (Mercury)
29. Graham Parker * Howlin' Wind (Mercury)
30. AC/DC * Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap (Albert Productions)
31. Burning Spear * Man In The Hills (Mango)
32. Patti Smith * Radio Ethiopia (Arista)
33. Be Bop Deluxe * Sunburst Finish (EMI)
34. Peter Tosh * Legalize It (Columbia)
35. Vibrators * Pure Mania (Columbia)
36. Jah Lion * Colombia Colly (Mango/Island)
37. Haruomi Hosono * Bon Voyage Co. (Crown Japan)
38. Fela Kuti * Up Side Down (Celluloid)
39. Parliament * The Clones Of Dr. Funkenstein (Casablanca)
40. Stevie Wonder * Songs In The Key Of Life (Motown)

― Fastnbulbous (Fastnbulbous), Tuesday, 10 October 2006 15:46 (nineteen years ago)

Led Zeppelin - Presence!
Aerosmith - Rocks!

― Brooker Buckingham (Brooker B), Tuesday, 10 October 2006 18:06 (nineteen years ago)

But the best P-Funk record that year was Ahh . . . the Name Is Bootsy, Baby!

Allmusic says Jan '77 but they're kinda suspect sometimes. Either way, I like Stretchin' Out... just a bit more (key: "I'd Rather Be With You").

― nate p. (natepatrin), Tuesday, 10 October 2006 19:05 (nineteen years ago)

actually I think you're right, Stretchin' Out is '76 and definitely belongs.

― Matos-Webster Dictionary (M Matos), Tuesday, 10 October 2006 20:50 (nineteen years ago)

fourthin' Music From The Penguin Cafe

― 0xDOX0RNUTX0RX0RSDABITFIELDXOR^0xDEADBEEFDEADBEEF00001 (donut), Wednesday, 11 October 2006 02:30 (nineteen years ago)

klaatu

― Tim Ellison (Tim Ellison), Wednesday, 11 October 2006 02:32 (nineteen years ago)

I'm with those two Thin Lizzy albums.

― jim wentworth (wench), Wednesday, 11 October 2006 02:36 (nineteen years ago)

1. bowie - station to staion
2. lou reed - coney island baby
3. van der graaf generator - still life
4. roxy music - viva
5. anonymous - inside the shadow
6. steely dan - royal scam
7. marvin gaye - i want you
8. modern lovers -
9. john martyn - live at leeds
10. kevin coyne - in living black and white
10. laura nyro - smile
10. joni mitchell - hjeira
10. streetwalkers - red card
10. kevin ayers - oditties

― Rik Eistek (Rikfripper), Wednesday, 11 October 2006 11:48 (nineteen years ago)

Rico * Man From Wareika

Top call, fanstnbulbous. I love this album so much.

― Daniel Giraffe (Daniel Giraffe), Wednesday, 11 October 2006 12:03 (nineteen years ago)

Heart (Dreamboat Annie), The Runaways, Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers & Warren Zevon all debuted in 1976.

― zaxxon25 (zaxxon25), Wednesday, 11 October 2006 12:47 (nineteen years ago)

Funny, I'd been looking for Penguin Cafe Orchestra for years, and never thought to look in New Age or Jazz sections. I found the second album in Jazz at Virgin.

I also got the 30th Anniversary edition of Lou Reed's Coney Island Baby. I always thought it was underrated, and with the extra tracks he recorded with Doug Yule, I might like it better than Street Hassle and the equally underrated The Bells.

― Fastnbulbous (Fastnbulbous), Wednesday, 11 October 2006 13:02 (nineteen years ago)

A few salsa titles to add (I'm sure there are more):

Bobby Valentin - Afuera
Cheo Feliciano - Cheo
Pete El Conde Rodriguez - Este Negro Si Es Sabroso
Héctor Lavoe - De Ti Depende

― R_S (RSLaRue), Wednesday, 11 October 2006 13:09 (nineteen years ago)

(Actually scratch the Pete el Conde Rodriguez, I only really like one song on that.)

― R_S (RSLaRue), Wednesday, 11 October 2006 14:19 (nineteen years ago)

Wasn't Miles Davis *Agartha* '76? That would be my pick.

― totph (Totph), Wednesday, 11 October 2006 16:17 (nineteen years ago)

"Have Moicy" and "Pour Down Like Silver" deserve mention, no?

― M. V. (M.V.), Saturday, 14 October 2006 04:45 (nineteen years ago)

I downloaded Streetwalkers' Red Card. Fun to hear something I didn't know about, but I don't know how special it is. Singer sounds like Steve Marriott in his Humble Pie era. I'm also listening to 10cc again, though their 1976 album, How Dare You! isn't all that great either. I need to hear Kevin Coyne, he's always been under my radar.

So I wonder if Bowie's Station To Station will get the 30th Anniversary treatment that previous albums got before the year is over? Currently the Rico and Justin Hinds albums are only available via Island Japan for $25 at Dusty Groove. Would be nice it they reissued those domestically. I highly recommend both -- they are way underappreciated and underheard.

― Fastnbulbous (Fastnbulbous), Wednesday, 18 October 2006 16:48 (nineteen years ago)

My top ten in alphabetical order:

Alan Parsons Project - Tales of Mystery and Imagination
Serge Gainsbourg - L’Homme à Tête de Chou
Keith Jarrett - Byablue
Keith Jarrett - Eyes of the Heart
Keith Jarrett - Sun Bear Concerts
Steve Miller - Fly Like an Eagle
Joni Mitchell - Hejira
The Modern Lovers - s/t (recorded in 1972)
Penguin Café Orchestra - Music from the Penguin Café
Tom Waits - Small Change

― alex in mainhattan (alex63), Wednesday, 18 October 2006 17:03 (nineteen years ago)

no love for Garvey's Ghost? ROCKISTS

― Thomas Tallis (Tommy), Wednesday, 18 October 2006 17:37 (nineteen years ago)

VdGG - Still Life
Steely Dan - Royal Scam
Joni - Hejira
Miles - Agharta
Rush - 2112
Bowie - Station to Station
Serge Gainsbourg - L’Homme à Tête de Chou
DC - Dirty Deeds
Max Romeo - War Ina Babylon
Augustus Pablo - King Tubby

― James Herbert Dip (noodle vague), Wednesday, 18 October 2006 17:49 (nineteen years ago)

Oh yeah, and ABBA - Arrival

― James Herbert Dip (noodle vague), Wednesday, 18 October 2006 17:53 (nineteen years ago)

Still seems like kindof a "down" year to me. A few notable gems do not a year make.

― Bassment Jacks (Bimble...), Thursday, 19 October 2006 00:04 (nineteen years ago)

I haven't heard that many albums from 1976, but here we go:

1. Blue Oyster Cult - Agents of Fortune
2. Silver Convention - Madhouse
3. Arlo Guthrie - Amigo
4. Jorge Ben - Africa Brasil
5. Warren Zevon - Warren Zevon
6. Stevie Wonder - Songs in the Key of Life
7. David Bowie - Station to Station
8. Aerosmith - Rocks
9. AC/DC - Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap (Australian version)
10. Thin Lizzy - Jailbreak

― Patrick (Patrick), Thursday, 19 October 2006 00:43 (nineteen years ago)

Alphabetically:

AC/DC, High Voltage
Blue Öyster Cult, Agents of Fortune
Miles Davis, Agharta
Debris', Static Disposal
Led Zeppelin, Presence
Parliament, Mothership Connection
Ramones
Residents, Third Reich and Roll
Steely Dan, The Royal Scam
Stevie Wonder, Songs In The Key Of Life

Ruled as ineligible (hate to exclude 'em entirely without at least a nod): Cecil Taylor's Nefertiti, The Beautiful One Has Come (because it's an archival recording from 1962); War's Greatest Hits (because it's a compilation spanning '71-76); and MX-80 Sound's Big Hits/Hard Pop From The Hoosiers (because it's only a 7-inch EP, albeit one which kicks the ass of everything else here.)

― Monty Von Byonga (Monty Von Byonga), Thursday, 19 October 2006 03:33 (nineteen years ago)

MUSIC FOR 18 MUSICIANS TO THREAD

― max (maxreax), Thursday, 19 October 2006 03:59 (nineteen years ago)

"Looking back, 1976 seems like kind of a down year, when you compare it to 1975 and 1977."

Everything looks down compared to '77. '76 is still a very strong year.

― Alex in SF (Alex in SF), Thursday, 19 October 2006 14:59 (nineteen years ago)

Miles Davis: Agharta
Richard & Linda Thompson: Pour Down Like Silver
The Wild Tchoupitoulas: The Wild Tchoupitoulas
Eno: Another Green World
Graham Parker & the Rumour: Heat Treatment
Burning Spear: Marcus Garvey
Dr. Buzzard's Original Savannah Band: Dr. Buzzard's Original Savannah Band
David Bowie: Station to Station
Parliament: Mothership Connection
Kate & Anna McGarrigle: Kate & Anna McGarrigle

― totph (Totph), Thursday, 19 October 2006 15:09 (nineteen years ago)

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