The 25 biggest Classic Rock albums of 1977

7 April 2024, 09:00

Transport yourself back to the sunny year of '77, an era that saw rock music spread its wings. Prog continued in earnest, while metal and punk started to get a foothold in the mainstream. Take a trip to those hazy days of the 1970s with a selection of the period's most influential albums.

By Radio X

@RadioX

1. Pink Floyd - Animals: release date 21st January 1977

   The tenth album from the prog rock legends was a concept album about society and featured this memorable sleeve photo by design team Hipgnosis.

   

2. Fleetwood Mac - Rumours: release date 4th February 1977

   It went on to become one of the biggest selling albums of all time... and it was the eleventh album under the Mac name! It includes the classic motor racing theme The Chain, alongside Go Your Own Way, Dreams and Don't Stop.

   

3. Peter Gabriel - Peter Gabriel: release date 25th February 1977

   The former Genesis frontman went solo with the first of a series of self-titled albums, which included the classic single Solsbury Hill.

   

4. Foreigner - Foreigner: release date 8th March 1977

   The debut album from the British-American band fronted by Lou Gramm and Mick Jones included the classic Cold As Ice, Feels Like The First Time and Long Long Way From Home.

   

5. AC/DC - Let There Be Rock: release date 21st March 1977 (Australia)

   The Aussie rock juggernaut's fourth studio album was released internationally in July 1977 and included the epic title track and the risque Whole Lotta Rosie.

   

6. The Clash - The Clash: release date 8th April 1977

   The debut album from Joe Strummer's punk pioneers included the singles White Riot and Remote Control, plus Career Opportunities, Janie Jones and a cover of Junior Murvin's Police & Thieves.

   

7. Supertramp - Even In The Quietest Moments...: release date 8th April 1977

   The British prog rock band's didth album included the fantastic single Give A Little Bit, written by vocalist Roger Hodgson.

   

8. Steve Miller Band – Book of Dreams: release date May 1977

   Miller's tenth studio album included the singles Jet Airliner, Swingtown and Jungle Love.

   

9. Neil Young - American Stars N Bars: release date 27th May 1977

   Young's eighth solo album included one of his most famous songs, Like A Hurricane.

   

10. Kiss – Love Gun: release date 30th June 1977

    The sixth album from the be-makeupped glam rockers included the raucous title track and Christine Sixteen.

    

11. Styx – The Grand Illusion: release date 7th July 1977

    The Chicago rockers' seventh studio album featured the singles Come Sail Away and Fooling Yourself (The Angry Young Man).

    

12. Yes - Going For The One: release date 15th July 1977

    The progressive rock titans issued their eighth studio album, which included the Top 10 hit Wondorous Stories.

    

13. Dennis Wilson - Pacific Ocean Blue: release date 22nd August 1977

    The only studio album from the former Beach Boy is considered to be a lost classic and spawned the singles You And I and River Song. Wilson never recorded a follow-up and died in December 1983, aged just 39.

    

14. Rush - A Farewell To Kings: release date 29th August 1977

    The Canadian prog rockers' fifth studio album included the hit singles Closer To The Heart and Cinderella Man.

    

15. Thin Lizzy – Bad Reputation: release date 2nd September 1977

    The eighth studio album from the Irish rockers includes one of Phil Lynott's most famous songs, Dancing in the Moonlight (It's Caught Me in Its Spotlight).

    

16. Iggy Pop - Lust For Life: release date 9th September 1977

    Both Bowie and Iggy were hugely productive once they’d moved to Berlin and released two albums each in ’77. The Igster’s second outing this year was his most popular, spawning the raucous title track, The Passenger and another track Bowie would later cover: Tonight.

    

17. Steely Dan – Aja: release date 23rd September 1977

    The jazz rock band's sixth studio album is regarded as Donald Fagen and Walter Becker's masterpiece, and included the singles Peg, Josie and Deacon Blues.

    

18. Billy Joel - The Stranger: release date 29th September 1977

    Joel's fifth studio album was his first to be recorded with producer Phil Ramone and included the famous ballad Just The Way You Are, Only The Good die Young and Movin' Out (Anthony's Song).

    

19. Heartbreakers - L.A.M.F.: release date 3rd October 1977

    Like A Motherf**ker was the US proto--punk band's only studio album and featured former New York Dolls Johnny Thunders and Jerry Nolan. The LP included the classics Born To Lose and Chinese Rocks.

    

20. David Bowie - “Heroes”: release date 14th October 1977

    Bowie’s second album of ’77 featured the all-time classic title track, but there are plenty of other great songs on there: Beauty And The Beast, Sons Of The Silent Age, The Secret Life Of Arabia and some more ambient tunes, courtesy of Eno. Brilliant cover, too.

    

21. Lynyrd Skynyrd – Street Survivors: release date 17th October 1977

    Three days after the release of the Florida band's fifth album, members Ronnie Van Zandt and Steve Gaines - along with Gaines's sister Cassie - were killed in a plane crash, causing the record label to hastily change the fiery cover photo. Singles included What's Your Name and You Got That Right.

    

22. Meat Loaf - Bat Out Of Hell: release date 21st October 1977

    The debut album from the Texas-born singer was masterminded by producer Jim Steinman and went on to become one of the biggest-selling albums of all time. Aside from the epic title track, songs included You Took The Words Right Out Of My Mouth (Hot Summer Night), Two Out Of Three Ain't Bad and Paradise By The Dashboard Light.

    

23. Queen - News Of The World: release date 28th October 1977

    The sixth album from Freddie Mercury and co featured the double whammy of We Will Rock You and We Are The Champions and the underrated single Spread Your Wings. The sleeve was painted by American pulp sci-fi artist Frank Kelly Freas and went on to scare Stewie Griffin in Family Guy.

    

24. Electric Light Orchestra - Out Of The Blue: release date 28th October 1977

    A classic double album from Jeff Lynne and his team, this monster LP included Turn To Stone, Sweet Talkin’ Woman, Wild West Hero and the Concerto For A Rainy Day which climaxes with the classic Mr Blue Sky.

    

25. Eric Clapton - Slowhand: release date 25th November 1977

    Ol' Slowhand's fifth studio album included the classics Cocaine, Wonderful Tonight and Lay Down Sally, co-written by Marcy Levy, later one half of Shakespears Sister.