6 albums from 1976, who do you put as #1?

[Nikki1989]

Boston

The Eagles

Peter Frampton

Rainbow

Rush

Steve Wonder

Updates

1 y

1. Rainbow
2. Rush
3. Boston
4. Steve Wonder

Can't stand the other two. So overrated!

[LiamJHayden]

Rising.

[LiamJHayden]

Those who know me would have guessed that since I am a Blackmore and Dio fanatic.

[Nikki1989]

Yes 100%

[DrPepper12]

2112!!!

[abc3643]

Wow. Well, Hotel California was very good and had some important songs on it.

Frampton Comes Alive was a monster album.

The songs from Hotel California would all be on a classic rock station. The same can't be said of Frampton Comes Alive, partly because the best song is Do You Feel Like We Do which clocks in at over 14 minutes for the album version. That said, Show Me the Way and Baby, I Love Your Way still get plenty of airplay.

The Eagles made other decent albums so Hotel California is not their only significant album. For instance, their Best of (1971-1975) was also released that year. Indeed, as much as Hotel California sold, that Best of is among the best selling albums of all time.

However, Frampton Comes Alive was the only significant album from Peter Frampton although it's three singles still get airplay.

Boston's debut album was also very good and, I won't say revolutionary, but an amazing album compared to other records of the time.

As for the Stevie Wonder album, the song As is very very good.

Rainbow's Rising and Rush's 2112 don't belong in this question... especially Rising; that album wasn't even heard on the radio.

For the record, I was 13 in 1976 and Frampton Comes Alive and Boston were among the first LPs that I ever bought.

For the best song among all these albums, I'd have to go with Do You Feel Like We Do.

For durability based on the number of songs from the album that still receive airplay - I have to go with Hotel California.

For impact, I have to go with Boston; that was a very strong debut album.

So, to answer this question given the choice of these 6 albums (others should be included such as Aerosmith's Rocks), I'll go with Boston's debut album. I quote Ultimate Guitar:

https://www.ultimate-guitar.com/articles/features/top_10_best_selling_debut_albums_of_all_time-77011

We could easily say that Boston's self-titled debut is one of the most revolutionary albums in rock music. And the fact that most of the material was already written by Tom Scholz several years before the release makes it even more amazing. Seems like combining hard rock with pop music worked out pretty well. Released in 1976, the album is a timeless classic.

That said, if I was stuck on an island and could only listen to one of these albums, the one I would select is Frampton Comes Alive.

[Nikki1989]

Sorry, but I don't judge quality on radio airplay or album sales.

[abc3643]

I agree, you shouldn't judge on airplay or sales.

At the same time, how you judge quality is different than how others might judge quality, but, yes, sales and airplay are not necessarily the best indicators of that. That said, they often do allude so quality or revolutionary work because sales and airplay provide something of a statistical assertion about quality. It's not a 1-to-1 because there's a lot of money at stake influencing things and people can be gullible (we have President Trump, don't we), so, yeah, not always the best indicators. Still, they do allude that something good is there.

By the way, of the 6 albums you identified, only 3 are in the Grammy Hall of Fame:
Frampton Comes Alive (inducted in 2020)
Songs In the Key of Life (inducted in 2002)
Hotel California (inducted 2003)

For instance, Boston's debut album was an example of quality or revolutionary work and sales/airplay. Had you been alive in 1976 and experienced that album when it debuted, you'd appreciate that better.

Hotel California, while not revolutionary exactly, was quality and it helped define the "California sound". This is why, of the albums in this list, many people would select it.

Frampton Comes Alive was critical from a live album standpoint. In the history of music, there are two eras of live albums: Before Frampton Comes Alive and After Frampton Comes Alive.

(more)

[abc3643]

This comes from Google Gemini's "AI Overview" of Frampton Comes Alive.
====
Peter Frampton's Frampton Comes Alive! (1976) influenced many live albums that followed, including Captured by Journey and Live and Dangerous by Thin Lizzy. It also helped make AOR radio a mainstream format.

>>> How it influenced live albums
* Trend of live releases: Many critics credit Frampton Comes Alive! as a catalyst for a trend of live albums.
* AOR radio: The album's success helped make AOR radio a mainstream format.
* Live versions of songs: The album's success pushed live versions of "Show Me the Way" and "Baby I Love Your Way" back onto the charts.

>>> Other impacts
* Breakthrough for Frampton
The album was a breakthrough for Frampton, who had previously released four studio albums with little success.
* Best-selling live album
The album was the best-selling live album of its time and held the record for bestselling live album of all-time for several years.
* Redefined rock music
The album redefined rock music and became one of the biggest-selling live records of all time.

(more)

[abc3643]

This comes from AXS. tv:

axs.tv/.../

Frampton Comes Alive! This Week In Music History

On January 6th, 1976, Peter Frampton released his legendary live album Frampton Comes Alive! Before this monumental album, Frampton released four solo albums with little commercial success. With Alive! Frampton earned three top 15 singles and the album itself hit the #1 spot and stayed there for ten weeks. It was the best-selling album of 1976, selling over 8 million copies in the US and is one of the best-selling live albums to date, with estimated sales of 11 million worldwide. Frampton broke barriers by making the album almost completely live, which was unheard of at the time.

====
So, a case can definitely be made that the answer to your question:
"6 albums from 1976, who do you put as #1?"
should be Frampton Comes Alive. It wasn't just the #1 live album that year, but the #1 album overall that year.

bestsellingalbums.org/.../Billboard_Top_Albums_1976

[Nikki1989]

Call me weird if you wish, but I prefer Frampton's studio works over that live album. I know how huge it was as it has been so well documented. Again, not to sound like a broken record, but album sales and, even less important, Grammy Awards mean nothing to me. I am all about what moves me musically.

[loveslongnails]

I chose Boston because it was a debut LP unlike any other. Hotel California has 5 great songs, 6 if you count "Pretty Maids All in a Row". Boston's debut has 8 great songs, start to finish, which is the entire LP. Frampton doesn't belong on that list. I also rank Rainbow, Rush, Eagles as tied for 2nd - 4th. Songs In The Key of Life is not far behind. In my mind, there are decimal point differences among all these LP's except for Frampton.

[Nikki1989]

I agree. The Boston album is all killer, no filler. The Eagles has 2, maybe 3 listenable songs at best.

[loveslongnails]

No argument about Boston, start to finish not a weak song. But I DO think there are 4 killer songs on Hotel California including the title track, New Kid in Town, Life In The Fast Lane and Victim or Love. I also like Wasted Time for the 5th.

[leahzrc]

I choose the Stevie Wonder bc I know more songs on that album over the other ones I'm pretty sure

[leahzrc]

Okay waot Boston could tie

[leahzrc]

Okay change my mind stevie wonder is great but I like his songs from other albums more

[Nikki1989]

The Boston album is one of the most solid debut albums ever recorded.

[BCRanger10]

Of these, I'd probably have to go with Rush.

[Beckybooboo]

Peter Frampton but they are all excellent choices. I actually have his live CD and saw him in concert. I never knew he was such a good guitar player!

[CupcakeTheDestroyer]

Are we ranking by album art or album content? This is all before my time so I’ve never listened to any of this.

[MysticDevice]

2112 hands down.

It was critical for the evolution of Prog and a masterclass in musical proficiency.

[DrPepper12]

Yes! The Professor and class was in session!

[oldawg]

It was a toss up between Rush and Peter Frampton

[fuddly]

I agree. I don't like the Eagles.
So boring
And sort of country music

Tbh I don't really know the others

[Nice222]

Rush 2112 was the first album I was given by my older Brother and I have loved them ever since.

[RetroReviews]

Of these Rush is the only one I dig

[LadyBecks]

I picked the eagles

[bowenw]

Same

[LadyBecks]

They have a lot of good songs 😊

[bowenw]

Every song on the album is great in my opinion.

[bowenw]

Eagles

[krin_m]

The Eagles!