Previous: 1976

As I did with 1969, I have selected 20 songs. Quite simply, there’s too much good stuff. 1977 might actually be my favorite year in rock music: the birth of the Clash, Cohen working with Spector, two game-changing albums from Bowie and Costello’s debut album. Even Fleetwood Mac’s Rumours, an album I feel like I should hate, is pop perfection.

20. Billy Joel- Just the Way You Are (Listen)

19. The Clash- Complete Control (Listen)

18. The Damned- Neat Neat Neat (Listen)

17. Parliament- Flash Light (Listen)

16. Richard Hell and the Voidoids- Blank Generation (Listen)

15. Leonard Cohen- Memories (Listen)

14. The Clash- Janie Jones (Listen)

13. Ramones- Sheena is a Punk Rocker (Listen)

12. Bob Marley- Natural Mystic (Listen)

11. Bee Gees- How Deep Is Your Love (Listen)

10. Talking Heads- Psycho Killer (Listen)

9. Television- Venus (Listen)

8. The Jam- Away from the Numbers (Listen)

7. Sex Pistols- Holidays in the Sun (Listen)

6. Paul Simon- Slip Slidin’ Away (Listen)

5. David Bowie- “Heroes” (Listen)

4. Fleetwood Mac- Dreams (Listen)

3. David Bowie- Sound and Vision (Listen)

2. Elvis Costello- Alison (Listen)

1. Neil Young- Like a Hurricane (Listen)

Next: 1978

See Also: Top 10 Albums of 1977

Previous: 1975

Punk is a wonderful thing, or at least it used to be. I recently saw Blondie live, and it would have been nice if they had played “X Offender.” (They didn’t.) I can’t think of “Long May You Run” these days without thinking about Conan O’Brien’s last week on NBC. ABBA is best known these days for an upbeat dance tune (and a horrible movie musical), but their best material is their break-up music. Though to be fair, even their break-up songs are upbeat dance tunes. The single release of “Anarchy in the U.K.” in 1976 allows me to include two songs off of Never Mind the Bollocks for this project, the second for 1977’s list.

10. The Damned- New Rose (Listen)

9. David Bowie- Station to Station (Listen)

8. Blondie- X Offender (Listen)

7. Neil Young- Long May You Run

6. The Modern Lovers- Roadrunner (Listen)

5. Ramones- Judy is a Punk (Listen)

4. ABBA- Knowing Me, Knowing You (Listen)

3. Jackson Browne- The Pretender (Listen)

2. Sex Pistols- Anarchy in the U.K. (Listen)

1. Stevie Wonder- Love’s In Need of Love Today (Listen)

Next: 1977

See Also: Top 10 Albums of 1976

1. Elvis Costello- My Aim is True

Listen: “(The Angels Wanna Wear My) Red Shoes” [Non-Album Live Version]

2. Sex Pistols- Never Mind the Bollocks Here’s the Sex Pistols

Listen: “Anarchy in the U.K.”

3. The Clash- The Clash

Listen: “Janie Jones”

4. David Bowie- Low

Listen: “Sound and Vision”

5. Television- Marquee Moon

Listen: “Venus”

6. Ramones- Rocket to Russia

Listen: “Teenage Lobotomy” [Non-Album Live Version]

7. Fleetwood Mac- Rumours

Listen: “Dreams”

8. Bob Marley- Exodus

9. Leonard Cohen- Death of a Ladies’ Man

Listen: “Don’t Go Home With Your Hard-On”

10. The Jam- In the City

Listen: “Away From the Numbers”

Honorable Mention: David Bowie’s “Heroes”, Richard Hell & The Voidoids’ Blank Generation, Kraftwerk’s Trans-Europe Express, Bob Marley’s Exodus, Iggy Pop’s Lust for Life, Talking Heads’ Talking Heads: 77

Updated: April 23, 2013

See Also: Top 20 Tracks of 1977, Top 10 Albums of 2007, Top 10 Albums of 2006, Top 10 Albums of 2005, Top 10 Albums of 2004, Top 10 Albums of 2003,  Top 10 Albums of 2002, Top 10 Albums of 2001, Top 10 Albums of 2000, Top 10 Albums of 1999, Top 10 Albums of 1998, Top 10 Albums of 1997, Top 10 Albums of 1996, Top 10 Albums of 1995, Top 10 Albums of 1994, Top 10 Albums of 1993, Top 10 Albums of 1992, Top 10 Albums of 1991, Top 10 Albums of 1990, Top 10 Albums of 1989, Top 10 Albums of 1988, Top 10 Albums of 1987, Top 10 Albums of 1986, Top 10 Albums of 1985, Top 10 Albums of 1984, Top 10 Albums of 1983, Top 10 Albums of 1982, Top 10 Albums of 1981, Top 10 Albums of 1980, Top 10 Albums of 1979, Top 10 Albums of 1978, Top 10 Albums of 1976, Top 10 Albums of 1975, Top 10 Albums of 1974, Top 10 Albums of 1973, Top 10 Albums of 1972, Top 10 Albums of 1971, Top 10 Albums of 1970, Top 10 Albums of 1969, Top 10 Albums of 1968, Top 10 Albums of 1967, Top 10 Albums of 1966, Top 10 Albums of 1965

1. Ramones- Ramones

Listen: “Judy is a Punk”

2. Stevie Wonder- Songs in the Key of Life

Listen: “Knocks Me Off My Feet”

3. David Bowie- Station to Station

Listen: “Station to Station”

4. ABBA- Arrival

Listen: “Why Did It Have to Me”

5. The Modern Lovers- The Modern Lovers

Listen: “Roadrunner”

6. Blondie- Blondie

Listen: “X Offender”

7. Tom Waits- Small Change

Listen: “Tom Traubert’s Blues”

8. Bob Dylan- Desire

Listen: “Hurricane”

9. Jackson Browne- The Pretender

Listen: “The Pretender”

10. Joni Mitchell- Hejira

Listen: “Blue Motel Room”

Honorable Mention: AC/DC’s High Voltage

Updated: December 31, 2011

See Also: Top 10 Tracks of 1976, Top 10 Albums of 2007, Top 10 Albums of 2006, Top 10 Albums of 2005, Top 10 Albums of 2004, Top 10 Albums of 2003,  Top 10 Albums of 2002, Top 10 Albums of 2001, Top 10 Albums of 2000, Top 10 Albums of 1999, Top 10 Albums of 1998, Top 10 Albums of 1997, Top 10 Albums of 1996, Top 10 Albums of 1995, Top 10 Albums of 1994, Top 10 Albums of 1993, Top 10 Albums of 1992, Top 10 Albums of 1991, Top 10 Albums of 1990, Top 10 Albums of 1989, Top 10 Albums of 1988, Top 10 Albums of 1987, Top 10 Albums of 1986, Top 10 Albums of 1985, Top 10 Albums of 1984, Top 10 Albums of 1983, Top 10 Albums of 1982, Top 10 Albums of 1981, Top 10 Albums of 1980, Top 10 Albums of 1979, Top 10 Albums of 1978, Top 10 Albums of 1977, Top 10 Albums of 1975, Top 10 Albums of 1974, Top 10 Albums of 1973, Top 10 Albums of 1972, Top 10 Albums of 1971, Top 10 Albums of 1970, Top 10 Albums of 1969, Top 10 Albums of 1968, Top 10 Albums of 1967, Top 10 Albums of 1966, Top 10 Albums of 1965