100 Greatest Albums of 1976

Criteria: These albums were chosen for their initial and lasting popularity and their influence and impact on rock music in general. Also considered is critical acclaim. The list includes rock and roll and related genres that were influential on rock music.

Note: Yearly album lists go by earliest 'release date'. Not necessarily the year an album peaked in the U.S. charts.

1. Songs In The Key Of Life
Stevie Wonder
2. Hotel California
The Eagles
3. The Ramones
The Ramones
4. Boston
Boston
5. Car Wash
Rose Royce
6. Frampton Comes Alive
Peter Frampton
7. Spirit
Earth, Wind & Fire
8. Fly Like An Eagle
Steve Miller Band
9. I Want You
Marvin Gaye
10. The Wild Tchoupitoulas
The Wild Tchoupitoulas
11. Night Moves
Bob Seger
12. Station To Station
David Bowie
13. Harvest For The World
The Isley Brothers
14. Dreamboat Annie
Heart
15. Blackheart Man
Bunny Wailer
16. Ain't That A Bitch
Johnny "Guitar" Watson
17. Legalize It
Peter Tosh
18. Rocks
Aerosmith
19. Rastaman Vibration
Bob Marley
20. The Clones Of Dr. Funkenstein
Parliament
21. A Day At The Races
Queen
22. Destroyer
Kiss
23. Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers
Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers
24. Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap
AC/DC
25. Jailbreak
Thin Lizzy
26. Desire
Bob Dylan
27. A Night On The Town
Rod Stewart
28. Contradiction
Ohio Players
29. The Runaways
The Runaways
30. 2112
Rush
31. Takin' It To The Streets
The Doobie Brothers
32. Hardcore Jollies
Funkadelic
33. The Pretender
Jackson Browne
34. Full Of Fire
Al Green
35. Sad Wings Of Destiny
Judas Priest
36. Hot On The Tracks
The Commodores
37. Disco Inferno
The Trammps
38. Wired
Jeff Beck
39. The Modern Lovers
The Modern Lovers
40. Silk Degrees
Boz Scaggs
41. Arrival
ABBA
42. Warren Zevon
Warren Zevon
43. Super Ape
The Upsetters
44. Blondie
Blondie
45. Presence
Led Zeppelin
46. Stretchin' Out In Bootsy's Rubber Band
Bootsy's Rubber Band
47. Rising
Rainbow
48. Sky High
Tavares
49. War Ina Babylon
Max Romeo & The Upsetters
50. Hejira
Joni Mitchell
51. Sparkle
Aretha Franklin
52. Turnstiles
Billy Joel
53. Agents Of Fortune
Blue Öyster Cult
54. Message In The Music
The O'Jays
55. 15 Big Ones
The Beach Boys
56. Black And Blue
The Rolling Stones
57. Live Bullet
Bob Seger & the Silver Bullet Band
58. Open Sesame
Kool & The Gang
59. Right Time
The Mighty Diamonds
60. Chicken Skin Music
Ry Cooder
61. Any Way You Like It
Thelma Houston
62. Wings At The Speed Of Sound
Wings
63. Satta Massagana
The Abyssinians
64. A New World Record
Electric Light Orchestra
65. Diana Ross
Diana Ross
66. Howlin' Wind
Graham Parker
67. Let The Music Play
Barry White
68. Bigger Than Both Of Us
Daryl Hall & John Oates
69. Zoot Allures
Frank Zappa
70. Radio Ethiopia
Patti Smith Group
71. The Royal Scam
Steely Dan
72. Take The Heat Off Me
Boney M.
73. Blue Moves
Elton John
74. Soul Searching
Average White Band
75. Children Of The World
The Bee Gees
76. One More From The Road
Lynyrd Skynyrd
77. Look Out For #1
The Brothers Johnson
78. Part Three
KC & The Sunshine Band
79. Happiness Is Being With The Spinners
The Spinners
80. Wings Over America
Wings
81. Amigos
Santana
82. Tales Of Kidd Funkadelic
Funkadelic
83. Small Change
Tom Waits
84. A Trick Of The Tail
Genesis
85. Shake Some Action
The Flamin' Groovies
86. Blow Your Face Out
J. Geils Band
87. Dr. Buzzard's Original Savannah Band
Dr. Buzzard's Original Savannah Band
88. Crisus Time
I-Roy
89. Get Up Offa That Thing
James Brown
90. Total Explosion
Syl Johnson
91. I Don't Want To Go Home
Southside Johnny & The Asbury Jukes
92. Night Food
The Heptones
93. The Manhattans
The Manhattans
94. Junco Partner
James Booker
95. Still Life
Van der Graff Generator
96. Teenage Depression
Eddie & The Hot Rods
97. Joan Armatrading
Joan Armatrading
98. Alice Cooper Goes To Hell
Alice Cooper
99. Too Hot To Stop
The Bar Kays
100. Year of the Cat
Al Stewart
DigitalDreamDoor Editor Picks for 1976
An unheralded great album from 1976
Lew's choice:
* Whistling Down the Wire
Crosby & Nash

Bruce's choice:
* Every Night's A Saturday Night
The Drifters

Brian's choice:
* Heat Treatment
Graham Parker
1975   |   1977