Top 39 Music Albums of 1978
by 
Romanelli 
- Chart updated: 07/31/2026 19:45
- (Created: 04/11/2012 18:17).
- Chart size: 39 albums.
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1978-ELEKTRA
Produced By ROY THOMAS BAKER
1. Good Times Roll
2. My Best Friend's Girl
3. Just What I Needed
4. I'm In Touch With Your World
5. Don't Cha Stop
6. You're All I've Got Tonight
7. Bye Bye Love
8. Moving In Stereo
9. All Mixed Up
Ah, The Cars. You'd be hard pressed to find 5 people who list them as their favorite band...and you'd also have a hard time finding 5 people who hate them. Their debut came from nowhere in 1978, and gave us all a glimpse of what New Wave should have been like, before it actually happened. The album plays like a greatest hits disc, with everything from start to finish being familiar. They didn't overdo the keyboards, they put on a hefty helping of guitar, and they got the robotic vocal thing just right. Songs like "Good Times Roll" are stiff and overly clean...and they groove at the same time. How did they do it? We may never know.
This is still The Cars disc to have. They had some ups and downs in their career, but they never matched this album. It's a good time from start to finish. [First added to this chart: 04/11/2012]
Produced By ROY THOMAS BAKER
1. Good Times Roll
2. My Best Friend's Girl
3. Just What I Needed
4. I'm In Touch With Your World
5. Don't Cha Stop
6. You're All I've Got Tonight
7. Bye Bye Love
8. Moving In Stereo
9. All Mixed Up
Ah, The Cars. You'd be hard pressed to find 5 people who list them as their favorite band...and you'd also have a hard time finding 5 people who hate them. Their debut came from nowhere in 1978, and gave us all a glimpse of what New Wave should have been like, before it actually happened. The album plays like a greatest hits disc, with everything from start to finish being familiar. They didn't overdo the keyboards, they put on a hefty helping of guitar, and they got the robotic vocal thing just right. Songs like "Good Times Roll" are stiff and overly clean...and they groove at the same time. How did they do it? We may never know.
This is still The Cars disc to have. They had some ups and downs in their career, but they never matched this album. It's a good time from start to finish. [First added to this chart: 04/11/2012]
Year of Release:
1978
Appears in:
Rank Score:
5,532
Rank in 1978:
Rank in 1970s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
1978 – BRIGHT
Produced By JOHN LECKIE
1. One Chord Wonders
2. Bored Teenagers
3. New Church
4. On The Roof
5. Newboys
6. Gary Gilmore’s Eyes
7. Bombsite Boy
8. No Time To Be 21
9. Safety In Numbers
10. New Day Dawning
11. Downing Men
12. On Wheels
13. Great British Mistake
14. One Chord Wonders
15. Quickstep
16. Gary Gilmore’s Eyes
17. Bored Teenagers
18. Safety In Numbers
19. We Who Wait
20. On Wheels (Live)
21. Newboys (Live)
22. New Church (Live)
23. Gary Gilmore’s Eyes (Live)
24. Drowning Men (Live)
25. No Time To Be 21 (Live)
The early days of punk were dominated by three bands: Sex Pistols, The Clash and The Damned. But don’t sleep on The Adverts. This, their debut album, came out in 1978 and was just as good as what their more famous brethren were doing. The Adverts were led by T.V. Smith and the first female star of the punk era, bassist Gaye Advert. The band played fast and angry music, and the debut was a solid whirl of pure punk angst. The original album was eleven tracks, clocking in at 31 minutes of punk joy. But over the years, Crossing The Red Sea has grown into a somewhat difficult 25 song marathon that can be tough to take in a single sitting. And while it’s great that songs like “Gary Gilmore’s Eyes” (maybe the creepiest punk song ever) are included, having three different versions is pretty tedious.
The first 13 tracks are the original album plus a pair of what were non album tracks. The next six are the band’s singles leading up to the album, and the final six are live versions. It’s great to have this album, but it’s also a bit much for a single disc. The Adverts released a second album (Cast Of Thousands) in 1979, which featured a puzzling experimental sound that did not work well at all, and the band was gone by the end of the year. It would be great to find a shorter version of this re-release from 2011, but for now, this will have to do. The Adverts were a blip on the radar of what great British punk in the seventies was all about…they were as good as any of their contemporaries, if only for a single album. Well worth hearing, and you can always skip the monotony at the end. [First added to this chart: 05/18/2019]
Produced By JOHN LECKIE
1. One Chord Wonders
2. Bored Teenagers
3. New Church
4. On The Roof
5. Newboys
6. Gary Gilmore’s Eyes
7. Bombsite Boy
8. No Time To Be 21
9. Safety In Numbers
10. New Day Dawning
11. Downing Men
12. On Wheels
13. Great British Mistake
14. One Chord Wonders
15. Quickstep
16. Gary Gilmore’s Eyes
17. Bored Teenagers
18. Safety In Numbers
19. We Who Wait
20. On Wheels (Live)
21. Newboys (Live)
22. New Church (Live)
23. Gary Gilmore’s Eyes (Live)
24. Drowning Men (Live)
25. No Time To Be 21 (Live)
The early days of punk were dominated by three bands: Sex Pistols, The Clash and The Damned. But don’t sleep on The Adverts. This, their debut album, came out in 1978 and was just as good as what their more famous brethren were doing. The Adverts were led by T.V. Smith and the first female star of the punk era, bassist Gaye Advert. The band played fast and angry music, and the debut was a solid whirl of pure punk angst. The original album was eleven tracks, clocking in at 31 minutes of punk joy. But over the years, Crossing The Red Sea has grown into a somewhat difficult 25 song marathon that can be tough to take in a single sitting. And while it’s great that songs like “Gary Gilmore’s Eyes” (maybe the creepiest punk song ever) are included, having three different versions is pretty tedious.
The first 13 tracks are the original album plus a pair of what were non album tracks. The next six are the band’s singles leading up to the album, and the final six are live versions. It’s great to have this album, but it’s also a bit much for a single disc. The Adverts released a second album (Cast Of Thousands) in 1979, which featured a puzzling experimental sound that did not work well at all, and the band was gone by the end of the year. It would be great to find a shorter version of this re-release from 2011, but for now, this will have to do. The Adverts were a blip on the radar of what great British punk in the seventies was all about…they were as good as any of their contemporaries, if only for a single album. Well worth hearing, and you can always skip the monotony at the end. [First added to this chart: 05/18/2019]
Year of Release:
1978
Appears in:
Rank Score:
351
Rank in 1978:
Rank in 1970s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
Produced by Robbie Robertson. It was supposed to have been the last show by The band, but they couldn't keep away. Except for Robbie Robertson. But regardless, this is the way to go out. Invite people like Van and Neil and Neil and Joni and Eric and Muddy and maybe Bob Dylan, too, to help send you on your way in style. This is how I'd like to end a band someday. With a big Scorsese production and the best musicians in the business stopping by to pay tribute by singing along with the band. Simply glorious.
[First added to this chart: 04/11/2012]
Year of Release:
1978
Appears in:
Rank Score:
897
Rank in 1978:
Rank in 1970s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
Produced by Bob Seger, Punch Andrews, and The Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section. The follow up to Night Moves, a pretty daunting task for Bob Seger, was a resounding success. Seger's formula for success, great rock and roll songs guided by strong piano and gritty vocals, continues here with a lineup that includes "Hollywood Nights", "we've Got Tonight", "Still The Same" and "Old Time Rock And Roll". Proving he could handle nationwide fame on more than just a single album, Seger gives notice with this one that he's here to stay. Lucky for us.
[First added to this chart: 08/26/2012]
Year of Release:
1978
Appears in:
Rank Score:
728
Rank in 1978:
Rank in 1970s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
1978-HOLLYWOOD
Produced By ROY THOMAS BAKER & QUEEN
1. Mustapha
2. Fat Bottomed Girls
3. Jealousy
4. Bicycle Race
5. If You Can't Beat Them
6. Let Me Entertain You
7. Dead On Time
8. In Only Seven Days
9. Dreamer's Ball
10. Fun It
11. Leaving Home Ain't Easy
12. Don't Stop Me Now
13. More of That Jazz
Bonus Tracks
14. Fat Bottomed Girls (1991 Bonus Remix by Brian Malouf)
15. Bicycle Race (1991 Bonus Remix by Junior Vasquez)
Jazz is the followup effort to News Of The World, and it's generally considered to be a poor album. I say no! Jazz is actually the last of the creative period Queen album, the last to contain no use of synthesizers, and is actually much stronger than New Of The World in terms of songs. It was critically blasted at the time, and with the exception of "Fat Bottomed Girls" and "Bicycle Race", went mostly unheard.
However, you should take this back out for a spin. This may be the heaviest Queen album. Songs like "Mustapha", "Fun It", and "If You Can't Beat Them" are heavy fun, and "Dead On Time" is Brian May at his rocking best. Even the slower material is covered in great Queen harmonies, and "Don't Stop Me Now" may be the most fun Queen track ever. Only "Bicycle Race", with its dated Star Wars and Jaws references, sounds bad. It's not perfect, but it's a lot better than people remember it. Play it loud, and give it a chance. [First added to this chart: 04/11/2012]
Produced By ROY THOMAS BAKER & QUEEN
1. Mustapha
2. Fat Bottomed Girls
3. Jealousy
4. Bicycle Race
5. If You Can't Beat Them
6. Let Me Entertain You
7. Dead On Time
8. In Only Seven Days
9. Dreamer's Ball
10. Fun It
11. Leaving Home Ain't Easy
12. Don't Stop Me Now
13. More of That Jazz
Bonus Tracks
14. Fat Bottomed Girls (1991 Bonus Remix by Brian Malouf)
15. Bicycle Race (1991 Bonus Remix by Junior Vasquez)
Jazz is the followup effort to News Of The World, and it's generally considered to be a poor album. I say no! Jazz is actually the last of the creative period Queen album, the last to contain no use of synthesizers, and is actually much stronger than New Of The World in terms of songs. It was critically blasted at the time, and with the exception of "Fat Bottomed Girls" and "Bicycle Race", went mostly unheard.
However, you should take this back out for a spin. This may be the heaviest Queen album. Songs like "Mustapha", "Fun It", and "If You Can't Beat Them" are heavy fun, and "Dead On Time" is Brian May at his rocking best. Even the slower material is covered in great Queen harmonies, and "Don't Stop Me Now" may be the most fun Queen track ever. Only "Bicycle Race", with its dated Star Wars and Jaws references, sounds bad. It's not perfect, but it's a lot better than people remember it. Play it loud, and give it a chance. [First added to this chart: 04/11/2012]
Year of Release:
1978
Appears in:
Rank Score:
1,109
Rank in 1978:
Rank in 1970s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
[First added to this chart: 04/13/2012]
Year of Release:
1978
Appears in:
Rank Score:
1,264
Rank in 1978:
Rank in 1970s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
1978 – WARNER BROS.
Produced By MUFF WINWOOD
1. Down To The Waterline
2. Water Of Love
3. Setting Me Up
4. Six Blade Knife
5. Southbound Again
6. Sultans Of Swing
7. In The Gallery
8. Wild West End
9. Lions
Dire Straits came from nowhere in 1978, showcasing the incredible guitar skills of Mark Knopfler. The biggest hit from the album, “Sultans Of Swing”, became a guitar anthem, and pretty much every guitar star wannabe over the next twenty or so years tried their hand at playing it. To this day, bands still hear requests for “Sultans”. Unlike most of the other guitar heroes from the sixties and seventies, Knopfler played in a more laid back and pickless style, and his band could rock it out or slay you with an acoustic ballad. Dire Straits (the album) made the band stars, and for good reasons. Not just “Sultans”, this record also includes the excellent “Down To The Waterline”, “Water Of Love”, and “Setting Me Up”.
As great and enduring as those songs are, the other half of Dire Straits is not nearly as memorable. It all sounds great, for sure, but after “Wild West End”, the rest is pretty forgettable. Meaning that the Straits had songs, but they still had a ways to go. “Southbound Again” is basically a Dylan rewrite with different lyrics, and the rest is merely dull. With a few more powerful tracks like “Sultans”, Dire Straits may have been a perfect debut. They did get better…after their second album, Knopfler began to show real growth as a songwriter, but the band was over already within a decade. Both Knopflers (Mark and David) have had varying success as solo artists, but never like they did when Dire Straits got it just right. [First added to this chart: 04/11/2012]
Produced By MUFF WINWOOD
1. Down To The Waterline
2. Water Of Love
3. Setting Me Up
4. Six Blade Knife
5. Southbound Again
6. Sultans Of Swing
7. In The Gallery
8. Wild West End
9. Lions
Dire Straits came from nowhere in 1978, showcasing the incredible guitar skills of Mark Knopfler. The biggest hit from the album, “Sultans Of Swing”, became a guitar anthem, and pretty much every guitar star wannabe over the next twenty or so years tried their hand at playing it. To this day, bands still hear requests for “Sultans”. Unlike most of the other guitar heroes from the sixties and seventies, Knopfler played in a more laid back and pickless style, and his band could rock it out or slay you with an acoustic ballad. Dire Straits (the album) made the band stars, and for good reasons. Not just “Sultans”, this record also includes the excellent “Down To The Waterline”, “Water Of Love”, and “Setting Me Up”.
As great and enduring as those songs are, the other half of Dire Straits is not nearly as memorable. It all sounds great, for sure, but after “Wild West End”, the rest is pretty forgettable. Meaning that the Straits had songs, but they still had a ways to go. “Southbound Again” is basically a Dylan rewrite with different lyrics, and the rest is merely dull. With a few more powerful tracks like “Sultans”, Dire Straits may have been a perfect debut. They did get better…after their second album, Knopfler began to show real growth as a songwriter, but the band was over already within a decade. Both Knopflers (Mark and David) have had varying success as solo artists, but never like they did when Dire Straits got it just right. [First added to this chart: 04/11/2012]
Year of Release:
1978
Appears in:
Rank Score:
2,628
Rank in 1978:
Rank in 1970s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
[First added to this chart: 04/11/2012]
Year of Release:
1978
Appears in:
Rank Score:
815
Rank in 1978:
Rank in 1970s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
[First added to this chart: 04/13/2012]
Year of Release:
1978
Appears in:
Rank Score:
4,339
Rank in 1978:
Rank in 1970s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
[First added to this chart: 04/11/2012]
Year of Release:
1978
Appears in:
Rank Score:
7,059
Rank in 1978:
Rank in 1970s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
Total albums: 39. Page 1 of 4
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Top 39 Music Albums of 1978 composition
| Artist | Albums | % | |
|---|---|---|---|
|
|
|||
| AC/DC | 1 | 3% | |
| Dire Straits | 1 | 3% | |
| Steely Dan | 1 | 3% | |
| Big Star | 1 | 3% | |
| Generation X | 1 | 3% | |
| Gerry Rafferty | 1 | 3% | |
| Cheap Trick | 1 | 3% | |
| Show all | |||
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Error Finn 04/11/2012 21:24 | #39998
A good choice for best album of 1978! Although the concert is Thanksgiving day in 1976.
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