When I look back at this splice of albums selected from the best 1,000 albums ever that were released in 1976, they not only showcase incredible music from a specific pocket of the mid-‘70s, but they also highlight trendlines from my personal journey with music.
I was born in Queens, New York, grew up to its east on Long Island, and again lived there post-college before heading west forevermore. That ties in part to an exciting period of discovery for me as a teen, plunging into punk rock’s first wave and connecting with the Ramones, a band assembled quite close to the vicinity in which I lived during different parts of my life.
Their debut album remains a pure blast of melodic punk rock perfection, and so it’s no surprise that it landed as the best 1,000 albums ever project’s top pick for 1976.
Around the same time in my life, I discovered Bob Dylan. My gateway was his ‘60s stuff, particularly catchy, iconic classics such as “Subterranean Homesick Blues” and “All Along the Watchtower.”
It took me until I was much older to delve fully into Dylan’s incredible and rich catalog. For example, the movie Wonder Boys helped lead me to “Things Have Changed,” which Dylan provided for the soundtrack, while Brian Koppelman’s talking up Oh Mercy from 1989 on social media helped lead me to that one – and eventually place it at #352 on the best 1,000 albums ever.
But it was ‘70s Dylan that felt like the top of the mountain, and in a strange way it was worth the journey to get there at the end. Now, most classic rock and Dylan heads will immediately point to Blood on the Tracks (#187) from 1975 as the pinnacle for this period – if not for all of Dylan’s output.
But for me it’s Desire from 1976 that’s my personal Bob Dylan peak. “Hurricane,” “Isis,” “One More Cup of Coffee,” and more – all pure delight.
When I look at the rest of 1976, I see more music that I discovered earlier in my life (Blondie, Steve Miller, Stevie Wonder) versus later (The Runaways, The Modern Lovers). And it causes me to consider and re-consider how I think about and place music with relation to other music at various points in time.
I’d place Boston’s debut album higher than #675 if I revamped the best 1,000 albums ever right now, for example.
With that, here are the nine best albums from 1976.
1) Ramones – Ramones (#83 of best 1,000 albums ever)
Hey ho, let’s go.
2) Bob Dylan – Desire (#96)
Here comes the story of the Hurricane, the man the authorities came to blame.
3) Stevie Wonder – Songs in the Key of Life (#562)
Music is a world within itself, with a language we all understand, with an equal opportunity for all to sing, dance, and clap their hands.
4) Blondie – Blondie(#626)
Oh, you know her, would you look at that hair.
5) Elvis Presley – The Sun Sessions (#628)
Well, I heard the news, there’s good rockin’ tonight.
6) The Runaways – The Runaways (#658)
Down the streets I’m the girl next door. I’m the fox you’ve been waiting for.
7) Boston – Boston(#675)
I lost myself in a familiar song. I closed my eyes and I slipped away.
8) The Modern Lovers – The Modern Lovers (#727)
I’m in love with rock and roll and I’ll be out all night.
9) Steve Miller Band – Fly Like An Eagle (#857)
Wherein I find my appetite for this slice of space blues.