Never has there been a more diverse year for popular music – The Clash re-align rock with the angst and frustrations of youth producing the greatest debut album of all time, Elvis Costello running them a close second as he brings depth and gravitas to New Wave.
There is nothing new from big beasts such as The Who, Bob Dylan, the Rolling Stones or Led Zeppelin, while the death of Elvis Presley brings the first twenty year cycle of rock music to an end.
The album buying binge that began the year before with ‘Frampton Comes Alive‘ and ‘Hotel California‘ continues with the disco charged soundtrack to ‘Saturday Night Fever‘ and the soft-rock of ‘Rumours‘ – neither John Travolta nor the members of Fleetwood Mac looking like they were on their way to a Sex Pistols gig.
Forty years ago: ‘No Elvis, Beatles or the Rolling Stones,’ sang The Clash, who told us in no uncertain terms – ‘This is 1977.’
THE TWENTY BEST ALBUMS of 1977:
- The Clash – THE CLASH;
- Low – DAVID BOWIE;
- Never Mind The Bollocks Here’s the Sex Pistols – SEX PISTOLS;
- Running on Empty – JACKSON BROWNE;
- My Aim is True – ELVIS COSTELLO;
- Saturday Night Fever (Soundtrack);
- Rumours – FLEETWOOD MAC;
- Exodus – BOB MARLEY & THE WAILERS;
- Rough Mix – PETE TOWNSHEND & RONNIE LANE;
- Islands – THE BAND;
- Leave Home – THE RAMONES;
- Heroes – DAVID BOWIE;
- New Boots and Panties!! – IAN DURY;
- Aja – STEELY DAN;
- Rocket to Russia – THE RAMONES;
- Animals – PINK FLOYD;
- Talking Heads: 77 – TALKING HEADS;
- JT – JAMES TAYLOR;
- CSN – CROSBY, STILLS & NASH;
- In Color – CHEAP TRICK;
