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The same time Paul McCartney kicked off his Wings Over America tour, the Flyers lost a heartbreaking Stanley Cup series to the Canadiens, and The Who set a Guinness World Record for being the loudest live band, these were the top 10 rock albums that we turned up to 11:

  • 10. Takin' It To The Streets - The Doobie Brothers

    We kick things off with album #10, the sixth album by The Doobie Brothers, one which featured a new lead singer named Michael McDonald, who not only took over the vocals, but wrote, or co-wrote, 4 of the 9 songs on the album, including the title track, “Takin’ It To The Streets.”

    Takin' It to the Streets
  • 9. Run With The Pack - Bad Company

    It was another solid album for Bad Company, their third called Run With The Pack, which peaked at #5 but drops this week to #9 on May 4, 1976.  Closing out side one is the powerful title track.

    Bad Company Running With the Pack (music video)
  • 8. The Dream Weaver - Gary Wright

    Gary Wright first found success as the lone American in the British band Spooky Tooth, but his biggest bout with fame was as a solo artist with this album, The Dream Weaver, the #8 rock album on the countdown.

    Dream Weaver
  • 7. Destroyer - Kiss

    Coming off of their breakthrough live album, Alive!, Kiss returned with Destroyer, a much more polished album, thanks to them working with the legendary Bob Ezrin as producer. It peaked here at #7 on May 4, 1976, and gave them their biggest hit song, written and sung by Peter Criss.

    Beth
  • 6. Fleetwood Mac - Fleetwood Mac

    It was after sitting down for lunch and chatting at a Mexican restaurant in L.A. that Mick Fleetwood asked Lindsey Buckingham and Stevie Nicks to join Fleetwood Mac.  They said “yes,” of course, and just three months later, their self-titled Fleetwood Mac album was finished, and on May 4, 1976, it was the #4 rock album.

    Say You Love Me
  • 5. Frampton Comes Alive! - Peter Frampton

    Frampton Comes Alive was such a huge album, it was the biggest selling album of 1976, and the 14th biggest selling album of 1977!  On this week’s countdown, it’s #5.

    Show Me The Way
  • 4. A Night At The Opera - Queen

    Queen’s first of two albums to be named after Marx Brothers movies was their international breakthrough, and reportedly the most expensive album ever made up to that point.  A Night At The Opera peaked here at #4 on May 4, 1976.

    Queen - You're My Best Friend (Official Video)
  • 3. Their Greatest Hits 1971-75 - Eagles

    We don’t normally feature greatest hits collections on the countdown but, then again, not every best of compilation released becomes the biggest selling album of all time!  At last count, The Eagles’ Their Greatest Hits 1971-75 has sold over 38 million copies and, on May 4, 1976, it was #3.

    Take It Easy
  • 2. At The Speed Of Sound - Wings

    One of the best parts about this album for Paul McCartney fans was that he toured across the U.S. to support it! Wings At The Speed Of Sound was another chart topper for Macca and company, and drops one to #2 this week.

    Wings - Silly Love Songs (Official Music Video)
  • 1. Presence - Led Zeppelin

    Our #1 rock album this week is the sixth studio album by one of the biggest bands in all of Classic Rock.  Originally, the band was slated to hit the road, but their singer was injured in a car accident, and instead, the band made plans to record a new album.  Since the singer had been injured, he had to cut all of his vocals while sitting in a wheelchair. #1 on May 4, 1976 was Presence by Led Zeppelin.

    Nobody's Fault but Mine (Remaster)

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