What a year 1976 was for influential albums that changed the music scene. You can spin the wheel and stop at any year to see momentous records released. But half a century on, 1976 remains highly significant.
We saw new genres emerging and rock and roll rattling on. The latter matured somewhat into an easy-on-the-ears adult variation, while the punk rockers got louder and rowdier. Prog rock was still evident despite a new wave surge that rebelled against it. There were also the early steps of a more electronic and techno sound taking shape.
You can see all of that and more from many of the album releases from 1976. Five in particular stand out as prime examples that gave music a lead and direction for years to come. Each one highlights a different shift in music.
5 albums from 1976 that changed music
Ramones - Ramones
The debut disc from the legendary band. Released in April 1976, it brought the fast-paced punkish sound from their renowned gigs to vinyl. The album was revolutionary, inspiring, and sparked many others to make records. Ramones, as an album, launched the band and brought their short, punchy, simple blasts of rock to many more fans in the US and beyond.
I say many, but as was often the case with the Ramones, their albums weren't huge sellers. Their renown and fame went far beyond the records. They plowed a trail for others to follow. They left a huge legacy, and this was the starting point in album terms. It’s a terrific blast of punk rock and nostalgia for those times. Go play it!
Boston - Boston
When it comes to debut albums, this monster from Boston set new standards and raised expectations even higher. Developed and recorded almost entirely at home in an apartment basement by Tom Scholz, this album took off in a big way on release.
It’s bombastic but simple rock. It’s memorable and catchy riffs and choruses. It’s owned by millions, and hated by plenty of people, too. Hey, you can't please all of the people all of the time! It showed what can be done in a small way. The album helped push forward the AOR sound, taking over the airwaves. And it set the bar very high for debut albums.
Peter Frampton - Frampton Comes Alive
What an album. This one rocketed Peter Frampton back into the headlines and charts. He’d already achieved a lot with the Herd and Humble Pie, but he went big solo style with this one as a superb showcase for his excellent guitar skills.
Live albums had been around for years at the time. They didn't always excite; sometimes, they just filled a contractual need or saved money in the studio budget. But Frampton's album changed all that. People saw its success, heard its sound, and wanted some of the live action for themselves.
Record labels, artists, and studio producers all pricked up their ears and then planned out their live album contenders. Frampton Comes Alive opened the door for a huge swathe of live discs to follow in the rest of the 1970s and through the 1980s.
David Bowie - Station To Station
When it comes to reinventing yourself and taking your music in new directions, David Bowie is an absolute master. He moves on perfectly from Ziggy Stardust and Aladdin Sane as the Thin White Duke in this early 1976 album. Astonishingly, now perhaps, it was his tenth studio release.
Station To Station delivered some funk, post punk, and a touch of his glam rock. He was always edgy, but some techno aspects here hinted at a colder side, and of course, more to come later. This album was a stepping stone for Bowie, leading towards his Berlin trilogy later in the 1970s.
As a transitional album, it is very complete. The tracks all stack up on their own merit, and they deliver several Bowie classics. Three were standouts for me, with “Golden Years” bringing his disco side out. Then “TVC15” is very glam Bowie, and there's a cool, almost wistful sound to “Wild Is The Wind.”
Enough to inspire Bowie himself to keep moving down this kind, and to influence others to follow him in their own output.
Rush - 2112
The advent of punk threatened to destabilise prog rock. But there remained a place for it alongside. Rush shrugged off some disappointing sales and no real chart success in the US with their previous albums. The release of 2112 in 1976 brought in some extra metal to the progressive elements.
It may have been album four for the band, and perhaps getting towards the last chance. Rush, though, pulled off a commercial breakthrough with 2112. If you want guitar wizardry, complex music and vocals, epic songs, and sweeping grandeur, there is a home here for you.
While no doubt other bands saw this album as a signal to keep on prog rocking, it is very much a go-to album for fans sampling that style and deciding it works for them.