Though it would be faced with opposition in just a couple of years, disco was hot in 1976.
Classic disco artists like Gloria Gaynor, Donna Summer, KC and the Sunshine Band and the Bee Gees released albums this year, along with Elton John and Kiki Dee’s crossover hit “Don’t Go Breaking My Heart.”
In Sweden, ABBA released their fourth record Arrival, which produced a handful of their biggest songs including “Dancing Queen.”
In Philadelphia, Gamble and Huff were carrying on the local soul tradition with Lou Rawls’s All Things In Time and got the newly-rebranded Jacksons their first hit in a few years with “Enjoy Yourself” on the groups self-titled album.
But the unrest that circled disco’s opulent lifestyle was beginning to break through the cracks. Frank Zappa took comical aim at the culture in “Disco Boy” on his ’76 LP Zoot Allures, while the new, more grounded genre of punk was spreading its roots with the Ramones’ debut.
Was disco “It?” Was 1976 the Greatest Year in Music? Let us know what you think in the comments or across social media with #XPNGreatestYear.
Albums:
Ramones – Ramones
Songs in the Key of Life – Stevie Wonder
Hotel California – The Eagles
Station to Station – David Bowie
Hasten Down the Wind – Linda Ronstadt
The Runaways – The Runaways
Destroyer – Kiss
Joan Armatrading – Joan Armatrading
Takin’ It to the Streets – The Doobie Brothers
All Things in Time – Lou Rawls
Agents of Fortune – Blue Oyster Cult
Children of the World – Bee Gees
Boston – Boston
Blondie – Blondie
2112 – Rush
Rastaman Vibration – Bob Marley & The Wailers
Jailbreak – Thin Lizzy
Chicago X – Chicago
Hejira – Joni Mitchell
Harvest for the World – The Isley Brothers
A Day at the Races – Queen
Troubadour – JJ Cale
Howlin’ Wind – Graham Parker and the Rumour
The Clones of Dr. Funkenstein – Parliament
Hardcore Jollies – Funkadelic
Summertime Dream – Gordon Lightfoot
Black and Blue – The Rolling Stones
Big Beat – Sparks
Part 3 – KC and the Sunshine Gang
Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers – Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers
The Pretender – Jackson Browne
Amigo – Arlo Guthrie
Dreamboat Annie – Heart
Spirit – Earth, Wind & Fire
The Modern Lovers – The Modern Lovers
Bigger Than Both of Us – Hall & Oates
A New World Record – ELO
The Royal Scam – Steely Dan
Zoot Allures – Frank Zappa
Night Moves – Bob Seger
Arrival – ABBA
Desire – Bob Dylan
Frampton Comes Alive! – Peter Frampton
Rocks – Aerosmith
Futuristic Dragon – T. Rex
Warren Zevon – Warren Zevon
T Shirt – Loudon Wainwright III
A Night on the Town – Rod Stewart
Rising – Rainbow
Thoroughbred – Carole King
Silk Degrees – Boz Scaggs
Wind and Wuthering – Genesis
Small Change – Tom Waits
Fly Like an Eagle – Steve Miller Band
Love & Understanding – Kool and the Gang
Year of the Cat – Al Stewart
Faithful – Todd Rundgren
Reflections – Jerry Garcia
The Troublemaker– Willie Nelson
The Sun Sessions – Elvis Presley
Moonmadess – Camel
