There were far too many disco-influenced songs released in ’76 for my taste, but fortunately bands such as the Eagles, Boston, Nazareth and Steve Miller gave us rock fans something to take away from this year.
Unlike most rankings, I won’t be simply tossing these up in a numerical order. Because I know better than anybody that on some days, some songs kick more ass than other songs. A song that is ranked 14th today could very well rank 1st tomorrow, if it suddenly comes on the radio during the perfect moment. So I group them:
Awesome
Great
Solid
Not Bad
…with inter-group splitting.
First, some audio/video of my favorites from that year…
11 Great Songs from 1976
Fernando – ABBA
Yes, ABBA is a serious distance away from anything remotely close to something even vaguely resembling my wheelhouse. But they sunk their claws in me with their addictive earworm music with a couple of their songs getting played by the ladies at the parties I went to later in high school. And after I caved and bought their greatest hits, pretty much every song on that album hooked me. But I made sure that I only sang along loudly when nobody was around. I think.
Let Me Take You Home Tonight – Boston
Take The Money And Run – Steve Miller Band
This song led me to make their Greatest Hits album one of my first CDs. It was one of eight CDs because, yes, I bought eight for one penny thanks to Columbia House. Turns out this was a great album, top to bottom.
Peaceful Easy Feeling – Eagles
In late 2019 I sang this one on karaoke. My little girls were up singing karaoke and loving it, and they really wanted to see me up there. I didn’t do too badly.
Dance, Dance, Dance – Steve Miller Band
An underrated hoedown of a song, taking me back to the Buck and Does of the Stratford area in high school.
Sir Duke – Stevie Wonder
Carry On Wayward Son – Kansas
December 1963 (Oh What a Night) – The Four Seasons
Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap – AC/DC
Livin’ Thing – Electric Light Orchestra
Long May You Run – Neil Young
8 Truly Awesome Songs from 1976
Hotel California – Eagles
More Than A Feeling – Boston
(Don’t Fear) The Reaper – Blue Öyster Cult
Foreplay / Long Time – Boston
Love Hurts – Nazareth
Peace Of Mind – Boston
Rock ‘N’ Me – Steve Miller Band
Knowing Me, Knowing You – ABBA
All of my favorites from 1976 are on a YouTube playlist you can find here.
Here is the full list of favorites from 1976…
| Awesome – 1 | Hotel California | – | Eagles |
| Awesome – 1 | More Than A Feeling | – | Boston |
| Awesome – 3 | (Don’t Fear) The Reaper | – | Blue Öyster Cult |
| Awesome – 3 | Foreplay / Long Time | – | Boston |
| Awesome – 3 | Love Hurts | – | Nazareth |
| Awesome – 3 | Peace Of Mind | – | Boston |
| Awesome – 3 | Rock ‘N’ Me | – | Steve Miller Band |
| Awesome – 3 | Knowing Me, Knowing You | – | ABBA |
| Great – 8 | Fernando | – | ABBA |
| Great – 8 | Let Me Take You Home Tonight | – | Boston |
| Great – 8 | Take The Money And Run | – | Steve Miller Band |
| Great – 8 | Peaceful Easy Feeling | – | Eagles |
| Great – 8 | Dance, Dance, Dance | – | Steve Miller Band |
| Great – 14 | Sir Duke | – | Stevie Wonder |
| Great – 14 | Carry On Wayward Son | – | Kansas |
| Great – 14 | December 1963 (Oh What a Night) | – | The Four Seasons |
| Great – 14 | Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap | – | AC/DC |
| Great – 14 | Livin’ Thing | – | Electric Light Orchestra |
| Great – 14 | Long May You Run | – | Neil Young |
| Solid – 20 | Night Moves | – | Bob Seger |
| Solid – 20 | The First Cut Is The Deepest | – | Rod Stewart |
| Solid – 20 | 50 Ways To Leave Your Lover | – | Paul Simon |
| Solid – 23 | Let Your Love Flow | The Bellamy Brothers | |
| Solid – 23 | Blitzkrieg Bop | – | Ramones |
| Solid – 23 | Crazy On You | – | Heart |
| Solid – 23 | Dancing Queen | – | ABBA |
| Solid – 23 | Fly Like An Eagle | – | Steve Miller Band |
| Solid – 23 | Fool To Cry | – | The Rolling Stones |
| Solid – 23 | If You Leave Me Now | – | Chicago |
| Solid – 23 | Lakeside Park | – | Rush |
| Solid – 23 | Life In The Fast Lane | – | Eagles |
| Solid – 23 | Magic Man | – | Heart |
| Solid – 23 | Mahna Mahna | – | The Muppets |
| Solid – 23 | Mamma Mia | – | ABBA |
| Solid – 23 | Money, Money, Money | – | ABBA |
| Solid – 23 | New Kid In Town | – | Eagles |
| Solid – 23 | Nobody’s Fault But Mine | – | Led Zeppelin |
| Solid – 23 | Silly Love Songs | – | Paul McCartney & Wings |
| Solid – 23 | Smokin’ | – | Boston |
| Solid – 23 | Somebody To Love | – | Queen |
| Solid – 23 | Welcome Back | – | John Sebastian |
| Solid – 23 | Telephone Line | – | Electric Light Orchestra |
| Solid – 23 | Serenade | – | Steve Miller Band |
| Solid – 23 | Fox On the Run | – | Sweet |
| Not Bad – 45 | Young Blood | – | Bad Company |
| Not Bad – 45 | You Sexy Thing | – | Hot Chocolate |
| Not Bad – 45 | 2112 | – | Rush |
| Not Bad – 45 | (Shake, Shake, Shake) Shake Your Booty | – | KC & The Sunshine Band |
| Not Bad – 45 | Back In The Saddle | – | Aerosmith |
| Not Bad – 45 | Big Balls | – | AC/DC |
| Not Bad – 45 | Blinded by the Light | – | Manfred Mann’s Earth Band |
| Not Bad – 45 | Calling Occupants (Of Interplanetary Craft) | – | Klaatu |
| Not Bad – 45 | Daddy Cool | – | Boney M. |
| Not Bad – 45 | Don’t Go Breaking My Heart | – | Elton John and Kiki Dee |
| Not Bad – 45 | Last Child | – | Aerosmith |
| Not Bad – 45 | Looks Like We Made It | – | Barry Manilow |
| Not Bad – 45 | Play That Funky Music | – | Wild Cherry |
| Not Bad – 45 | The Boys Are Back In Town | – | Thin Lizzy |
| Not Bad – 45 | The Things We Do For Love | – | 10cc |
| Not Bad – 45 | Tonight’s The Night | – | Rod Stewart |
| Not Bad – 45 | Victim Of Love | – | Eagles |
| Not Bad – 45 | Wreck Of The Edmund Fitzgerald | – | Gordon Lightfoot |
| Not Bad – 45 | You Make Me Feel Like Dancing | – | Leo Sayer |
| Not Bad – 45 | You’re My Best Friend | – | Queen |
| Not Bad – 45 | General Hand Grenade | – | Trooper |
| Not Bad – 66 | Disco Inferno | – | The Trammps |
| Not Bad – 66 | Dreamboat Annie | – | Heart |
| Not Bad – 66 | For Your Life | – | Led Zeppelin |
| Not Bad – 66 | Kung Fu Fighting | – | Carl Douglas |
| Not Bad – 66 | Takin’ It To the Streets | – | The Doobie Brothers |
| Not Bad – 66 | You Should Be Dancing | – | Bee Gees |
| Not Bad – 66 | Roxy Roller | – | Sweeney Todd |
| Not Bad – 66 | Tie Your Mother Down | – | Queen |
| Not Bad – 66 | Do Ya | – | Electric Light Orchestra |
| Not Bad – 66 | Turn the Beat Around | – | Vicki Sue Robinson |
| Not Bad – 66 | Convoy | – | C.W. McCall |
| Not Bad – 66 | Let ’em In | – | Paul McCartney & Wings |
Dobber's Take 
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