Stuck In The 70s here to bring you a look at the year 1977. The “King of Rock and Roll”, Elvis Presley, is found dead at his Graceland home in Memphis, Tennessee. NASA’s Voyager 2 probe launches carrying a golden record containing images and music including the Chuck Berry classic “Johnny B. Goode”. Elvis Costello makes his first appearance on American television by performing on Saturday Night Live and is subsequently banned from the show after stopping in mid-song to instead play the controversial “Radio, Radio” (his ban is lifted in 1989). Saturday Night Fever releases in theaters with a best-selling soundtrack that popularizes disco music to the masses. A plane chartered by the band Lynyrd Skynyrd crashes killing singer Ronnie Van Zant, guitarist Steve Gaines, and backing vocalist Cassie Gaines and injuring many others. Rock and roll continues to evolve as punk and new wave albums explode onto the scene. Artists releasing debut albums in 1977 include: solo albums from Peter Gabriel, Steve Winwood, and Iggy Pop, Cheap Trick, Foreigner, Motorhead, Elvis Costello, The Sex Pistols, Talking Heads, Blondie, The Clash, and even a very young Bjork!. Check out the playlist for some other musical highlights from the year 1977:
Supertramp – “Even In The Quietest Moments” – Even In The Quietest Moments
Steve Miller Band – “Jungle Love” – Book Of Dreams
The Kinks – “Sleepwalker” – Sleepwalker
Cheap Trick – “Southern Girls” – In Color
Electric Light Orchestra – “Turn To Stone” – Out Of The Blue
Styx – “The Grand Illusion” – The Grand Illusion
Crosby, Stills & Nash – “Just A Song Before I Go” – CSN
Steely Dan – “Peg” – Aja
James Taylor – “Your Smiling Face” – JT
Jackson Browne – “You Love The Thunder” – Running On Empty
Billy Joel – “Vienna” – The Stranger
The Beach Boys – “Let Us Go On This Way” – Love You
Talking Heads – “Psycho Killer” – Talking Heads 77
Elvis Costello – “Less Than Zero” – My Aim Is True
Ultravox – “Saturday Night In The City Of The Dead” – Ultravox!
The Stranglers – “No More Heroes” – No More Heroes
Ian Dury – “Sex & Drugs & Rock & Roll” – New Boots And Panties
Television – “Marquee Moon” – Marquee Moon
Iggy Pop – “The Passenger” – Lust For Life
David Bowie – “Heroes” – Heroes
Rush – “A Farewell To Kings” – A Farewell To Kings
Jethro Tull – “Songs From The Wood” – Songs From The Wood
Pink Floyd – “Sheep” – Animals
Yes – “Going For The One” – Going For The One
Peter Gabriel – “Here Comes The Flood” – Peter Gabriel (I)
Blue Oyster Cult – “Godzilla” – Spectres
Judas Priest – “Diamonds and Rust” – Sin After Sin
Queen – “Sheer Heart Attack” – News Of The World
The Runaways – “Neon Angels On The Road To Ruin” – Queens Of Noise
Motorhead – “Motorhead” – Motorhead
The Damned – “Neat Neat Neat” – Damned Damned Damned
Ramones – “Pinhead” – Leave Home
Johnny Thunders & The Heartbreakers – “Chinese Rocks” – L.A.M.F.
The Clash – “Remote Control” – The Clash
Eddie & The Hot Rods – “Do Anything You Wanna Do” – Life On The Line
The Boomtown Rats – “Lookin’ After No. 1” – The Boomtown Rats
The Saints – “(I’m) Stranded” – (I’m) Stranded
Wire – “Mannequin” – Pink Flag
The Jam – “In The City” – In The City
Sex Pistols – “God Save The Queen” – Nevermind The Bollocks, Here’s The Sex Pistols
Bad Company – “Burnin’ Sky” – Burnin’ Sky
Aerosmith – “Get It Up” – Draw The Line
Lynyrd Skynyrd – “I Know A Little” – Street Survivors
Eric Clapton – “The Core” – Slowhand
Kiss – “Love Gun” – Love Gun
Foreigner – “Lon, Long Way From Home” – Foreigner
Heart – “Barracuda” – Little Queen
Thin Lizzy – “That Woman’s Gonna Break Your Heart” – Bad Reputation
Fleetwood Mac – “The Chain” – Rumours
AC/DC – “Let There Be Rock” – Let There Be Rock