The 25 best Classic Rock tracks of 1976
13 October 2025, 10:00 | Updated: 13 October 2025, 16:41
The year of '76: the year of Don't Fear The Reaper, Living Thing, More Than A Feeling and Somebody To Love... plus many more rock classics!
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Bob Dylan - Hurricane: release date 16th January 1976
Boxer Rubin "Hurricane" Carter and his friend John Artis were found guilty of a triple homicide in 1966, but controversy over evidence led many to question the verdict. After reading "Hurricane"'s autobiography, Dylan recorded this song in 1975 claiming that racial profiling played a part in the case. The track led off Dylan's album Desire, and the single made Number 43 in the UK charts.
Bob Dylan - Hurricane (Official Audio)
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Status Quo - Rain: release date 6th February 1976
From the band's ninth studio album Blue For You this Rick Parfitt-penned tune peaked at Number 7 in the UK charts.
Status Quo - Rain - HQ
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Eagles - Take It To The Limit: release date 20th February 1976
Written by Randy Meisner, Don Henley and Glenn Frey, this was the final single to be taken from the album One Of These Nights, peaking at Number 12 in the UK and Number 4 on the Billboard Hot 100. Next stop: Hotel California!
Eagles - Take It To The Limit (Live 1977) (Official Video) [4K]
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10cc - I'm Mandy Fly Me: release date 12th March 1976
Taken from the band's album How Dare You!, this was the final single to feature founding members Kevin Godley and Lol Creme before they left 10cc, making Number 6 in the UK charts. Eric Stewart and Graham Gouldman would be back later in the year under the band name with The Things We Do For Love.
10cc - I'm Mandy Fly Me
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Elton John - Pinball Wizard: release date 12th March 1976
Elt appeared in the Ken Russell movie version of Tommy album performing the climactic hit. His version of the 1969 Who track made Number 7 in the charts.
Tommy | Elton John Singing Pinball Wizard
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The Bellamy Brothers - Let Your Love Flow: release date 9th April 1976
The Floridian duo of David and Howard Bellamy released this soft rock classic from their debut album, which peaked at Number 7 in May 1976. In 2008, the track had a boost when it was featured in a TV ad for Barclaycard, leading to the song making a re-appearance in the Top 30.
Bellamy Brothers - Let Your Love Flow (Remastered)
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Peter Frampton - Show Me The Way: release date 9th April 1976
The former Humble Pie man's debut solo album included this evergreen tune, which later appeared on the huge-selling concert album Frampton Comes Alive. The live version made Number 10 in the UK in June 1976 and Number 6 on the Billboard Hot 100.
Show Me The Way - Peter Frampton | The Midnight Special
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Wings - Silly Love Songs: release date 30th April 1976
Macca responded to his critics with this jolly tune, taken from the album Wings At The Speed Of Sound. It was his biggest solo hit since Another Day in 1971, but would be eclipsed by the mammoth success of Mull Of Kintyre the following year.
Wings - Silly Love Songs (Official Music Video)
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Thin Lizzy - The Boys Are Back In Town: release date 23rd April 1976
Phil Lynott's eternal rock classic originllay appeared on the band's sixth studio album Jailbreak and peaked at Number 8 in the UK. It's since been certified Platinum in this country.
Thin Lizzy - The Boys Are Back In Town (Official Music Video)
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John Miles - Music: release date 5th March 1976
The British singer-songwriter had his biggest hit with this anthemic tune that peaked at Number 3 in th UK and topped the charts in the Netherlands.
John Miles - Music (1976) • TopPop
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Led Zeppelin - Achilles Last Stand: release date 31st March 1976
No British singles from Led Zep in '76, but this was a key track from the album Presence. Due to Robert Plant and his wife being involved in a car crash the previous year, the band didn't tour in 1976 - instead, the concert film The Song Remains The Same premiered that October.
Achilles Last Stand (Remaster)
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The Rolling Stones - Fool To Cry: release date 16th April 1976
An epic rock balland from the Stones and a highlight from their Black And Blue album. It made Number 6 in the UK and Number 10 in the Billboard Hot 100.
The Rolling Stones - Fool To Cry - OFFICIAL PROMO
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Gallagher & Lyle - Heart On My Sleeve: released 14th May 1976
The Scottish duo of Benny Gallagher and Graham Lyle were founding members of the band McGuinness Flint and made Number 6 in the UK with this classic. Bryan Ferry covered the song on his album Let's Stick Together, later the same year.
Gallagher And Lyle - Heart On My Sleeve (Original Footage From ITV Pop Quest 1976 Rebroadcast)
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Bryan Ferry - Let's Stick Together: release date 28th May 1976
The singer's first solo release following the dissolution of Roxy Music earlier in 1976 was a mix of B-sides, re-workings of older material and covers, including this memorable take on Wilber Harrison's 1962 R&B stomper. It made Number 4 in the UK, which was Ferry's biggest solo hit.
Bryan Ferry - Let's Stick Together
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Blue Öyster Cult - (Don't Fear) The Reaper: release date 23rd July 1976
This eerie rock classic from the New York rock band was taken from their fourth album Agents Of Fortune. It made Number 12 on the Billboard Hot 100, 16 on the UK charts and later turned up on the soundtrack to the 1978 horror movie Halloween.
Blue Oyster Cult - (Don't Fear) The Reaper (Official Audio)
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Steve Harley & Cockney Rebel - Here Comes The Sun: release date 30th July 1976
The London-born musician covered the Beatles classic during the long, hot summer of '76 and rode a new wave of interest in the Fab Four thanks to label EMI reissuing a whole host of 60s singles that year. Harley's version of the Abbey Road tune made Number 10 in August 1976.
Steve Harley - Here Comes The Sun (1976)
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Manfred Mann's Earth Band - Blinded By The Light: release date 6th August 1976
The South African musician had enjoyed a successful career in the 60s and formed a new group for the 70s, who made Number 6 in the UK with this Bruce Springsteen cover.
Manfred Mann - Blinded by the Light
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Rod Stewart - The Killing Of Georgie Parts 1 and 2: release date 13th August 1976
Rod took on the controversial topic of a homophobic murder in this unlikely hit, which peaked at Number 2 and was the singer's biggest chart success of the year.
Rod Stewart - The Killing Of Georgie (Part I & II) (Official Video)
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Joan Armatrading - Love And Affection: release date 27th August 1976
The British singer-songwriter's breakthrough hit, taken from her self-titled third studio album. Love And Affection peaked at Number 10 on the UK chart.
Joan Armatrading - Love And Affection 1976
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Chicago - If You Leave Me Now: release date 24th September 1976
This mammoth hit from the established US band features the distinctive voice of bassist Peter Cetera and topped the charts both sides of the Atlantic.
If You Leave Me Now - Chicago (1976) HD Musikladen
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Steve Miller Band - Rock 'N' Me: release date 1st October 1976
The second single from the album Fly Like An Eagle topped the Billboard Hot 100 and peaked at Number 11 in November 1976.
Steve Miller Band – Rock’n Me – Music Video
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Boston - More Than A Feeling: release date 15th October 1976
The eternal rock classic was the opening track on the band's self-titled debut album. Despite breaking the Top 5 in the US, it only made Number 22 in early 1977 and gained a new lease of life when it was included in Guitar Hero in the mid-2000s.
Boston - More Than a Feeling (Official HD Video)
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Electric Light Orchestra - Livin' Thing: release date 29th October 1976
Taken from the album A New World Record, this was ELO's highest charting single until 1979's Don't Bring Me Down, peaking at Number 4.
Electric Light Orchestra - Livin' Thing (Official Video)
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Queen - Somebody To Love: release date 12th November 1976
The British band had a tough job following up the huge success of their album A Night Of The Opera. This gospel-inspired anthem was the first single from the LP A Day At The Races and peaked at Number 2 in the UK and Number 13 on the Billboard Hot 100.
Queen - Somebody To Love (Official Video)
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Smokie - Living Next Door To Alice: release dare 12th November 1976
Originally written by Nicky Chinn and Mike Chapman for the Australian band New World, this folk rocker became a monster hit for Bradford band Smokie, making Number 5 in January 1977. In the 90s, a Dutch band called Gompie recorded a cover that included the refrain "Alice, who the f**k is Alice?" after the joke became popular in a Nijmegen bar, which led to Smokie recording their own "blue" version with comedian Roy "Chubby" Brown. It was the 90s.
Smokie - Living Next Door to Alice (Official Video) (VOD)
