Last Updated on November 25, 2025 by Christian Adams
Rock music is about to get interesting. I’m excited. Good stuff is about to happen.
The 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die list was very generous in 1977–1978. They give us roughly 64 albums from the period. In contrast, we only get 37 albums from 1983–1984.
1001 Albums Rating Key:
- Strikethrough indicates what you probably think it does
- Green indicates highly recommended listening
- Underlined indicates questionable but ultimately acceptable record
- Blue bold italic indicates ABSOLUTELY MUST HEAR BEFORE YOU DIE
- Also, anything in Red generally indicates hazardous material
Albums You Must Hear Before You Die…Or Not (1977)
Note: Suggested alternatives are from the same year as the contested entry unless otherwise indicated.
Billy Joel – The Stranger (1977)
Rock n’ Roll Hall of Fame singer-songwriter Billy Joel is yet another artist best experienced through a greatest hits collection. He has some undeniably good jams, two of which are on The Stranger: “Anthony’s Song (Movin’ Out)” and “Only the Good Die Young”.
Many fans and critics consider The Stranger to be Joel’s best work. Ultimately, you must hear something/anything by this dude, just not The Stranger. Ever wondered who Ben Folds wanted to be when he was a kid? Wonder no more.
On the other hand, The Stranger (produced by the legendary Phil Ramone) has some seriously unforgivable jams, “Just the Way You Are” and “She’s Always a Woman”. This being a zero-sum game, we’re back at square one.
Track two, “The Stranger” features a whistling bit in place of what probably should have been a David Sanborn sax riff, I dunno. Whistling was dead and buried in rock music. John Lennon and Lynyrd Skynyrd made short work of it, hadn’t they?
Meanwhile, “Scenes From an Italian Restaurant” is trite, bloated, and mundane. The album ends with a six-minute reprise of the title cut. Or whatever is happening on the back end of this album, I dunno. I suppose that’s the point. Even his piano has a New York accent. And he’s wearing a suit because fuggetabbottit.
Bob Marley & The Wailers – Exodus (1977)
The second half of this album is phenomenal.
Brian Eno – Before And After Science (1977)
If Eno’s solo career was a sinking ship, this is where the rats like me would be diving overboard.
Ambient music is helpful in film and theater, but in almost every other context, it’s Muzak for your life. I don’t want life to sound like it’s taking place in a hotel lobby or an elevator unless I’m in a hotel lobby or an elevator.
There’s an imaginary line between popular and avant-garde, not unlike the Tropic of Cancer, which you may cross without even knowing it. It’s safe to assume that Eno knew what he was doing.
Chic – C’est Chic (1977)
This is the only record you need to understand disco. Not that you need to understand disco. Nevertheless, this is what people were dancing to in…wait a minute. C’est Chic wasn’t released until August 1978, so I don’t know what the fuck it’s doing here. Their first album, the one with “Dance, Dance, Dance (Yowsah, Yowsah, Yowsah)” was released in 1977, and there’s no way you must hear that one.
Suggested Alternative:
Saturday Night Fever – The Original Movie Sound Track
The fact that Saturday Night Fever,The Original Sound Track (1977) is not included on the list was a welcome discovery, but puzzling as well.
Surely, if the idea is to give people an idea of what was cookin’ in 1977, Chic is a fine example of disco; however, Fever, partially due to its movie tie-in, goes above and beyond a simple representation of a genre. Its cultural impact cannot be understated as the best-selling soundtrack album of all time, until surpassed by Whitney Houston’s soundtrack to The Bodyguard (1993).
David Bowie – Heroes (1977)
David Bowie – Low (1977)
Based on precedent (Exile on Main Street, from 1969-1971), I’m going to make one awesome album out of two occasionally brilliant but ultimately lackluster records. We’ll call it Herlows.
| From ‘Heroes’: “Sons of the Silent Age” “‘Heroes’” “Sense of Doubt” “The Secret Life of Arabia” From Low: “Speed of Light” “Sound + Vision” “Always Crashing the Same Car” “Warszawa |
Listen, David Bowie fanatics consider these two albums part of the ‘Berlin trilogy’; therefore, some of Bowie’s best work. There is absolutely some great stuff happening here. But the rest of it sounds like Disco Dave is taunting someone from the other side of town. The bottom line is that the average listener does not need to hear these records. They could and they should, but it isn’t necessary.
Dennis Wilson – Pacific Ocean Blue (1977)
The only reason this record might be heard in its entirety is to make sure you didn’t miss out on any type of musical genius. You didn’t. Though it has garnered a certain cult appreciation among Beach Boy fans and neo-hipster vinyl nerds, Pacific Ocean Blue has few highlights, despite contributions from James Jamerson on bass, Hal Blaine on drums, and Robert Lamm (Chicago) on backing vocals. You can take a turd to the beach, but you can’t make it surf.
Electric Light Orchestra – Out Of The Blue (1977)
This one has it all: pop, rock, psych, soul, and disco, and it sounds great, too. Sadly, production values are all too often window dressing for mediocre songwriting. Generally speaking, Out of the Blue is laboring, tiresome, and often insufferable music, best heard during a Couple’s Skate at a roller rink. And if you’re old enough to get that reference, you’re old enough to skip this record entirely.
“Turn to Stone” and “Mr. Blue Sky” are the highlights, but Double LP Syndrome claims another victim. If you were going to sit through any mid-to-late 70s ELO album, A New World Record (1976) is the one to hear.
Suggested Alternative:
Queen – News of the World
I wasn’t surprised that the disappointing A Day at the Races (1976) wasn’t included on the unofficial 1001 Albums list, and I didn’t suggest it as an alternative, either. However, the cultural impact of “We Will Rock You/We Are the Champions” was on par with Saturday Night Fever, and the rest of the album is pretty solid, too.
Elvis Costello – My Aim Is True (1977)
Because the 1001 Albums list is arranged alphabetically by year, not that it would be a fantastic pain in the ass to arrange these albums in chronological order, although don’t think for a second that I didn’t consider it, Elvis Costello appears before the Sex Pistols.
There were two major developments in rock music in 1977: punk rock and new wave.
Elvis Costello represents new wave. I’m not a fan of his work, but every time I hear a track from this or his second (and superior, IMHO) album, This Year’s Model (1978), it’s a positive reaction: skinny ties, amphetamines, Raymond Chandler, and pale blue Fender Jaguars. What could go wrong?
Fela Kuti & The Afrika 70 – Zombie (1977)
Talking Heads had this record on heavy rotation.
Fleetwood Mac – Rumours (1977)
She don’t lie, she don’t lie, she don’t lie. Cocaine.
Fleetwood Mac, sigh. You should probably hear Rumours. It sold 40 million copies and counting.
Ian Dury – New Boots And Panties! (1977)
I respect Ian Dury like any other Great One. People loved Ian Dury. Is he a Hall-of-Famer? Probably not. He must have been something special over in the U.K., but we didn’t get him in the States. I get him now, but, eh. Where disco and pub rock collide.
Iggy Pop – Lust For Life (1977)
Iggy Pop – The Idiot (1977)
Which Iggy Pop album are you going to listen to? You can only choose one.
Well, which one did you choose?
Jean Michel Jarre – Oxygene (1977)
Great. Another synthesizer.
Suggested Alternative:
Cheap Trick – Cheap Trick
The first album from the most unappreciated rock n’ roll band ever, according to me, is also one of the most fun, energetic, and rambunctious rock performances not from a punk or new wave group in 1977.
Cheap Trick belongs in the conversation about Best American Rock Band Ever.
John Martyn – One World (1977)
John Martyn was a Scottish singer and guitarist who emerged in the early 1970s as an experimental folk and jazz artist, not unlike Tim Buckley. Several cult favorite albums later, Martyn changed directions. One World features more relaxed, pop-leaning material with Jamaican dub influences.
Kraftwerk – Trans-Europe Express (1977)
Kraftwerk is responsible for synth-pop in the 80s, techno in the 90s, and glitch in the 00s. And Nintendocore today. They’ve got their gloved German hands on most genres of electronic music. You must hear this album. Otherwise, at some point in 1995, you’re going to say, “What the fuck is this Depeche Mode shit?” and someone is going to school. Save yourself the hassle and get in early.
Pere Ubu – The Modern Dance (1977)
Punk hasn’t crested the mainstream, and we already have the first post-punk band. From Cleveland, no less!
The Pixies should be sending these guys a check every month.
Peter Gabriel – Peter Gabriel I (1977)
Exactly when and where do we start with Peter Gabriel’s solo career? Because there’s definitely a stopping point. While this debut album (aka Car) contains a timeless classic track “Solsbury Hill”; and a couple of hot jams (“Moribund the Burgermeister” and “Modern Love”), as a whole, it fails to transcend Gabriel’s work with his former band Genesis, i.e., maybe he shouldn’t have bailed on the band; and isn’t something you need to hear start to finish.
In fact, Car might be one of those records I think you shouldn’t hear, because it contains several tracks that make me question my affinity for Gabriel’s work, e.g., the unbelievably overblown, awful, torchy blues track “Waiting for the Big One”; or the bulky, disco-funk Meatloaf choogle fest, “Down the Dolce Vita”.
Furthermore, the record was produced by Bob Ezrin, who also produced Kiss – Destroyer (1976), and several other hard rock superstars (Alice Cooper, Aerosmith, The Babys). A fantastic producer, he didn’t produce another PG solo album.
Sex Pistols – Never Mind The Bollocks, Here’s The Sex Pistols (1977)
If this isn’t the most important album since Sgt. Pepper, then I don’t know shit about rock music. You could argue both points, but not while this record is on the turntable.
Steely Dan – Aja (1977)
Aja is geared toward the more adult, sophisticated listener, but still contains the odd catchy melody and toe-tapping tempo. These guys somehow make jazz rock palatable for the wider pop audience, which is no easy task. It’s a formidable recording; however, we’ve already been through two Steely Dan albums.
Suicide – Suicide (1977)
The first electropunk album.
Talking Heads – Talking Heads 77 (1977)
Art-punk means high-energy music you can dance to without forming a mosh pit.
Television – Marquee Moon (1977)
Here’s a perfect rainy Sunday afternoon in November. Homework has been done since Friday afternoon. Nothing on TV except football. Go for a walk in the park. Have dinner while listening to Marquee Moon.
The Clash – The Clash (1977)
That Steely Dan record seems kinda obsolete, all things considered.
The Modern Lovers – The Modern Lovers (1977)
Eh, I’m feeling stingy. Fuck the Modern Lovers. They have one jam, “Road Runner”, and that’s it.
The Penguin Cafe Orchestra – Music From The Penguin Cafe (1977)
Have you ever been waiting in line somewhere and somebody is about to cut in line, and you’re thinking, “Motherfucker, don’t you dare try to cut in on me, or I’ll knock you the fuck out right now.” At the last minute, they change their mind, and you never wind up making eye contact with someone who just three seconds ago you would have ripped the trachea from their throat? That’s how I felt the first time I put this record on. The PCO is Moondog without the moon or the dog.
The Stranglers – Rattus Norvegicus (1977)
Why not? Because they’re not important, that’s why not. Stingy mode: in effect. Another one of those records I’ve sat through, so you don’t have to. No need to thank me. The Stranglers are OK, man. They have a “sound” which reminds me of the Smiths (aesthetically) from time to time, except the Smiths didn’t have that cheesy organ player.
Suggested Alternative:
The Damned – Damned Damned Damned
They wouldn’t be filed under “comedy rock“, but The Damned were hilarious.
Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers – Tom Petty And The Heartbreakers (1977)
This was released on November 9, 1976. The first single, “Breakdown”, was also released in ’76; however, it didn’t chart on the Billboard Hot 100 until 1978. Not that it matters.
The Byrds on Viagra. I love love love this record. It’s one of those LPs that just seems pure and uncomplicated. Kudos to TP & the H-breakers.
Weather Report – Heavy Weather (1977)
Jazz guys like to show off, even when they aren’t showing off. The big hit here is “Birdland”; a money shot for every half-wit junior high school band director in 1977. And you can’t deny the jam. It’s a real toe-tapper. Unfortunately, the rest of Heavy Weather is remarkably pedestrian, somber, almost morose, in a bad porn sort of way. The John Holmes Quintet on Swedish Erotica Records.
I don’t care that it’s Joe Zawinul, Jaco Pastorius, Wayne Shorter, and Co. This is crap no matter who plays on it. Nothing happens. Things threaten to happen, but nothing ever does. There’s only so long you can be impressed by technical prowess until you need a melody or something to keep your interest.
Suggested Alternative:
Mahavishnu Orchestra – Inner Mounting Flame (1971)
Birds of Fire (1973) is another superior listening experience.
Wire – Pink Flag (1977)
If you haven’t heard this, consider yourself having missed out on something truly worthwhile.
Albums You Must Hear Before You Die…Or Not (1978)
Note: Suggested alternatives are from the same year as the contested entry unless otherwise indicated.
Big Star – Third/Sister Lovers (1978)
Sometimes I’m afraid to hear this album. It’s one scary, unfortunate piece of work. Sometimes I’m not in the right frame of mind to deal with it. Please note, the record was originally recorded in 1974, and this unfinished version wasn’t released until ’78. “Kangaroo” contains one of the Greatest Moments in Cowbell History.
Blondie – Parallel Lines (1978)
One-and-done for this band.
Brian Eno – Ambient 1: Music For Airports (1978)
You may enjoy ambient music. Good for you. Music For Airports is the seminal record of the genre, and should be Your Cup of Tea. Everybody else can fuck off to somewhere else.
Bruce Springsteen – Darkness On The Edge Of Town (1978)
Springsteen had legal troubles that kept him out of the studio for three years after the release of Born To Run (1975). And he does occasionally sound pissed off on this album (“Adam Raised a Cain”). There are some gorgeous moments (“Candy’s Room” – for the record, my favorite Bruce jam) and several cuts with intros way better than the jam itself (“Something in the Night”); and then, there’s talking about cars, Chevy engines with specifications. Either way, I’m sorry. It’s not a must-hear. Check back with me when he releases The River (1980).
Buzzcocks – Another Music In A Different Kitchen (1978)
Eh, stingy, stingy, stingy. The Buzzcocks are a greatest hits band that never had any hits. I like the idea of them, but when it comes down to it, I’m not sitting through “Orgasm Addict” ever again. You do what you want, but keep in mind that Singles Going Steady (1979) may or may not be on our horizon.
Cheap Trick – At Budokan (1978)
An electrifying work of genius. It’s not entirely live, either.
Devo – Q: Are We Not Men? A: We Are Devo! (1978)
I’m listening to this right now.
Dire Straits – Dire Straits (1978)
“Sultans of Swing” is one of my least favorite songs of all time, and I’ve always thought that if some day the Onion’s AV Club calls me up to do a HateSong, “Sultans” is my hatesong.
I hate this song so much because I grew up listening to classic rock radio, and the DJ would announce his next set of songs. “All right, we’re gonna hear from Pink Floyd, Black Sabbath, and Queen. But first, here’s ‘Sultans of Swing’.” And it’s like a 7-minute song! I’d have to suffer through that interminable guitar solo on the outro. Good God, man! Wrap it up!
Elis Regina – Vento De Maio (1978)
Oh God…bossa nova. Make it stop. But bring another pitcher of sangria, if you don’t mind.
Suggested Alternative:
Little Feat – Waiting For Columbus (1978)
Elvis Costello – This Year’s Model (1978)
Seriously, how could anyone listen to current popular music and not think, “How did we get from Elvis Costello to BTS?” It just boggles the mind.
Funkadelic – One Nation Under A Groove (1978)
Joe Ely – Honky Tonk Masquerade (1978)
Garth Brooks mounted this Joe Ely guy like a donkey and rode him out of town.
Suggested Alternative:
AC/DC – If You Want Blood, You Got It
Kraftwerk – The Man Machine (1978)
Some people think Kraftwerk is the Led Zeppelin of electronic music, and while krautrock in general has its charm, it’s like running on a treadmill. You might be burning calories, but you aren’t going anywhere. You’re staring straight ahead at CNN on the flat-screen TV, probably wearing headphones and listening to Soundgarden, I dunno.
Magazine – Real Life (1978)
I’ve given Real Life about five chances to make an impression, based largely on the guitar work of John McGeoch (Siouxsie and the Banshees). That’s four more tries than Joe Ely. There’s no doubt in my mind that if I’d heard this 37 years ago, it would have been just as beloved as At Budokan, though probably not as earth-shattering as Van Halen. Magazine would have been one of my favorite bands, for sure.
Marvin Gaye – Here, My Dear (1978)
Thanks for the effort, Marvin, but we’re kind of…past all that now? Thanks for understanding.
Meat Loaf – Bat Out Of Hell (1978)
Why would anyone need to hear Bat Out of Hell? That’s fucking nonsense. You’re going to hear half of it at some point. Do you think you need to be punched in the face just because you’ve never been punched in the face before?
Suggested Alternative:
Ultravox – Systems of Romance
Give this record a chance!
Muddy Waters – Hard Again (1978)
Produced by Johnny Winters (and mentioned here), this is not a true must-hear album, but it’s far better than any one of the following albums released in 1978.
- Village People – Macho Man
- Village People – Cruisin’
- Jimmy Buffett – Son of a Son of a Sailor
- Ringo Starr – Bad Boy
- Jefferson Starship – Earth
- Journey – Infinity
- The Alan Parsons Project – Pyramid
- Shaun Cassidy – Under Wraps
- Toto – Toto
- Melissa Manchester – Don’t Cry Out Loud
- Gordon Lightfoot – Endless Wire
- Atlanta Rhythm Section – Champagne Jam
- Rainbow – Long Live Rock n’ Roll
- Genesis – And Then There Were Three
- Yes – Tormato
- Santana – Inner Secrets
….and all four Kiss solo albums.
Pere Ubu – Dub Housing (1978)
Maintain the boogie element. Or Not. Their first album crushes it. This one is a struggle.
Suggested Alternative:
The Police – Outlandos D’Amour
Another “How Could They Skip This?” Album. Seriously? The Police weren’t so much danceable as they were energizing. Their music didn’t inspire dancing; it inspired bouncing up and down in one place for up to 90 minutes at a time.
Public Image Ltd – First Issue (1978)
Siouxsie & The Banshees – The Scream (1978)
Talking Heads – More Songs About Buildings And Food (1978)
Too much of a good thing is a bad thing. Tread with caution. They’ll make more records.
The Adverts – Crossing The Red Sea With The Adverts (1978)
One chord wonders? No. One song, yes.
Suggested Alternative:
Generation X – Generation X
Close your eyes, and it’s Green Day.
The Cars – The Cars (1978)
The Cars probably made the most perfect power pop-rock album of the year, thanks in no small part to producer-genius Roy Thomas Baker.
The Jam – All Mod Cons (1978)
The Jam are champions, and there’s no good reason not to hear All Mod Cons. However, as an album, it starts to wear thin—if we were listening to an LP, call it side two. It’s not their best record by a long shot.
The Only Ones – The Only Ones (1978)
The Only Ones are a well-kept secret, and I’m sure there are reasons they didn’t stick around long enough for anyone to notice. However, this album gets better every time I hear it.
The Residents – Duck Stab/Buster And Glen (1978)
Humor has a very specious (i.e., deceptively appealing) place in rock music. There’s a limit on how funny a band can be before they fall into the dreaded comedy rock genre. Humor is rock music should make you smirk, at most. This album makes me feel like I’m tickling myself. It’s like Zappa without so many guitar solos.
The Saints – Eternally Yours (1978)
The Saints are a minor figure in the sub-punk genre, i.e., Australia’s version. Not a must-hear album. They have saxophones.
Suggested Alternatives:
Black Flag – Nervous Breakdown EP
Thin Lizzy – Live And Dangerous (1978)
Live & Dangerous would be fucking A-M-A-Z-I-N-G if it were anywhere near a live recording. According to producer Tony Visconti, about 25% of this album is live. According to surviving band members, it’s 75% live. Who are you going to believe? The producer, that’s who.
What does Tony Visconti have to gain or lose by saying that more than half of this record was manufactured the way 95% of other records are made? On one hand, it makes him look like a terrible live audio engineer. On the other hand, it makes the band look bad because they were so high on booze and coke that the original tapes were complete shit, and they had to go back in the studio and fix it. Thin Lizzy was trying to cash in on the Kiss double live LP phenomenon. Fair enough.
Since we’ve already heard all the tight cuts from Thin Lizzy, a live album is negligible unless it features previously unheard material. L&D does not. On the other hand, it could almost count as a greatest hits collection, and thus, worth the effort, but it doesn’t contain “Fightin’ My Way Back”, so I’m telling you it’s not.
Throbbing Gristle – DOA: Third And Final Report (1978)
This is partially where industrial music comes from. Do you need to hear all of it? Probably not.
Van Halen – Van Halen (1978)
Meet the new champion of hard rock.
Willie Colon & Ruben Blades – Siembra (1978)
Willie Nelson – Stardust (1978)
It’s almost impossible to find a flaw with Stardust. So you were wondering whatever happened to country rock and all that nonsense? This is where it wound up: In soft rock hell. And if I’m going to hell, I guess I’ll see you there.
X-Ray Spex – Germ Free Adolescents (1978)
“Oh Bondage, Up Yours” and all that. This record is pretty cool. Not among the least of the must-hear albums.
Seriously, there are probably 50 albums you should hear before X-Ray Spex. Even Rush – Hemispheres is more valuable as a listening experience.
Did you enjoy our round-up of must-hear albums from 1977–1978? Let us know in the comments!
