Last Updated on 27 January 2026 by Massimo M.
What were the most important records of 1977?
1977 was a year musically characterized by strong contrasts and musical currents that would inevitably influence future generations of musicians.
1977 was the year of disco music and the films Car Wash and Saturday Night Fever brought disco to the big screen. Donna Summer and the Bee Gees are sweeping the mainstream.
It is also the year in which Never mind the bollocks is released, the first explosive album by Sex Pistola which definitively open the way for the punk musical movement.
Unfortunately it is also a year of mourning. Elvis is found dead at his Memphis Tennessee home at the age of 42. Singer Marc Bolan of T.Rex dies in car crash in UK. Lynyrd Skynyrd lead singer Ronnie Van Zandt and two bandmates die in plane crash.
Finally, 1977 was a year in which some very interesting records were released, in some cases even seminal.
So let’s try to draw up a list of the most important records of 1977.
David Bowie – Low e Heroes
In January 1977 David Bowie released Low followed in October by Heroes, respectively the eleventh and twelfth album composed by the artist. Low is considered the first album of the so-called “Berlin trilogy” made up of Low, “Heroes” and Lodger. Of the three albums, however, only “Heroes” was recorded entirely in Berlin. Berlin, understood as a geographical place, has little to do with these records.
Instead, it is crucial for Bowie who, during his stay in the German city, manages to overcome his previous glam rock experience and reinvents himself, throwing himself headlong into art and experimentation.
Thanks also to the meeting with Brian Eno, between 1977 and 1978, he managed to compose three seminal albums for the music of the eighties.
Iggy Pop – The idiot
The idiot is the title of former Stooges frontman Iggy Pop’s debut solo album. The idiot marks a departure from the guitar-based sound of Pop’s previous effort,
The Idiot is produced by David Bowie who also contributes songwriting. The album reached number 72 in the US and number 30 in the UK.
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The Clash debout album
London punk band The Clash release their self-titled album debut and peaks at number 12 in the UK sales chart United. The album’s mix of punk, reggae and politics received strong reviews, but was not released in the United States due to being considered “not suitable for radio”.
Despite this, it manages to sell over 100,000 imported copies in the United States.
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Foreigner debout album
British/American rock band Foreigner release their self-titled debut album and chart at #4 in the US. The album contains two singles that went straight into the US Top Ten, “Feels Like The First Time” and “Cold As Ice”.
The album goes 5x platinum in the US.
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Yes – Going For The One
After a two-year hiatus to record solo albums, British progressive rock band Yes regroup to release the album Going For The One. Keyboardist Rick Wakeman rejoins the band and the album is their second UK No. 1 album (#8 US) and their sixth Top Ten LP in the UK and fifth in the US.
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Sex pistols – Never mind the bollocks
British punk rock band The Sex Pistols release debut album Never Mind The Bollocks. The record peaks at No. 1 in the UK, No. 106 in the US and includes previously released singles such as “God Save The Queen” which, although banned by the BBC, still reaches No. 2 in the UK.
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Pink Floyd – Animals
In 1977, Animals, the tenth album by Pink Floyd, was released. This is yet another masterpiece of the band but it is also the album in which Waters begins to conquer a predominant role. Gilmour and Wright’s work is still important but the entire album is a concept by Waters.
The album fully reflects the disgusted view that the Pink Floyd bassist has towards the world and capitalist society.
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Kansas – Point of Know return
Point of know return, the fifth album in Kansas’ discography, had the difficult task of following up a record, Leftoverture, which it had been capable of selling over four million copies.
Point of know return managed to match the very high compositional and executive quality of the previous vinyl by repeating its commercial success, placing well in the American charts, thus transforming the band into a true rock legend.
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Surely this list is not exhaustive but we hope it will still be useful for discovering or rediscovering some recording jewels.
Most important records of 1975
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