100 Greatest Albums of 1978

Criteria: These albums were chosen for their initial and lasting popularity and their influence and impact on rock music in general. Also considered is critical acclaim. The list includes rock and roll and related genres that were influential on rock music.

Note: Yearly album lists go by earliest 'release date'. Not necessarily the year an album peaked in the U.S. charts.

1. One Nation Under A Groove
Funkadelic
2. Parallel Lines
Blondie
3. C'est Chic
Chic
4. Stranger In Town
Bob Seger
5. Van Halen
Van Halen
6. This Year's Model
Elvis Costello
7. Here, My Dear
Marvin Gaye
8. Darkness On The Edge Of Town
Bruce Springsteen
9. The Cars
The Cars
10. Motor Booty Affair
Parliament
11. 52nd Street
Billy Joel
12. Showdown
The Isley Brothers
13. Some Girls
The Rolling Stones
14. Babylon By Bus
Bob Marley
15. Energy
The Pointer Sisters
16. Q: Are We Not Men?  A: We Are Devo
Devo
17. Love Tracks
Gloria Gaynor
18. More Songs About Buildings And Food
Talking Heads
19. Bootsy? Player Of The Year
Bootsy Collins
20. Cheap Trick At Budokan
Cheap Trick
21. Chaka
Chaka Khan
22. Destiny
The Jacksons
23. Rose Royce III: Strikes Again
Rose Royce
24. The Man Machine
Kraftwerk
25. Natural High
The Commodores
26. 2 Hot
Peaches & Herb
27. Excitable Boy
Warren Zevon
28. Central Heating
Heatwave
29. Dire Straits
Dire Straits
30. So Full Of Love
The O'Jays
31. All Mod Cons
The Jam
32. Is It Still Good To Ya
Ashford & Simpson
33. Outlandos d'Amour
The Police
34. Waiting For Columbus
Little Feat
35. Raydio
Raydio
36. Third/Sister Lovers
Big Star
37. Togetherness
L.T.D.
38. Live And More
Donna Summer
39. Cool Ruler
Gregory Isaacs
40. Easter
Patti Smith Group
41. Come And Get It
Rick James
42. Double Vision
Foreigner
43. Street Player
Rufus & Chaka Khan
44. Chairs Missing
Wire
45. A Briefcase Full Of Blues
The Blues Brothers
46. The Modern Dance
Pere Ubu
47. Etta Is Better Than Evah
Etta James
48. Cheryl Lynn
Cheryl Lynn
49. Stained Class
Judas Priest
50. Kaya
Bob Marley

51. Life Is A Song Worth Singing
Teddy Pendergrass
52. Public Image First Edition
Public Image Ltd.
53. Give 'Em Enough Rope
The Clash
54. Infinity
Journey
55. A Taste of Honey
A Taste Of Honey
56. Don't Look Back
Boston
57. Money Talks
The Bar-Kays
58. Cruisin'
The Village People
59. Who Are You
The Who
60. Night People
Lee Dorsey
61. Pieces Of Eight
Styx
62. If You Want Blood
AC/DC
63. Night Flight To Venus
Boney M.
64. Return Of The Wanderer
Dion
65. Step Two
Sylvester
66. London Town
Wings
67. Norma Jean
Norma Jean Wright
68. Live And Dangerous
Thin Lizzy
69. Heaven Tonight
Cheap Trick
70. Adventure
Television
71. Road To Ruin
The Ramones
72. Blue Valentine
Tom Waits
73. Get It Out'cha System
Millie Jackson
74. My Radio Sure Sounds Good To Me
Larry Graham & Graham Central Station
75. Blam!!
The Brothers Johnson
76. Jazz
Queen
77. Funk Or Walk
The Brides Of Funkenstein
78. Comes A Time
Neil Young
79. Marcus' Children
Burning Spear
80. Blondes Have More Fun
Rod Stewart
81. Street Hassle
Lou Reed
82. The Man
Barry White
83. Best Dressed Chicken In Town
Dr. Alimantado
84. So Alone
Johnny Thunders
85. New Dimensions
The Three Degrees
86. Wavelength
Van Morrison
87. The Bottom Line
O.V. Wright
88. Germfree Adolescents
X-Ray Spex
89. Shiny Beast (Bat Chain Puller)
Captain Beefheart
90. Truth n' Time
Al Green
91. But Seriously, Folks
Joe Walsh
92. Very Extremely Dangerous
Eddie Hinton
93. Summertime Groove
Bohannon
94. Live On The Queen Mary
Professor Longhair
95. Harder Than The Rest
Culture
96. Another Music In A Different Kitchen
The Buzzcocks
97. Just Another Band From East L.A.
Los Lobos
98. Do What You Wanna Do
The Dramatics
99. Golden Time Of Day
Maze featuring Frankie Beverly
100. Move It On Over
George Thorogood & The Destroyers
DigitalDreamDoor Editor Picks for 1978
Lew's choice - An unheralded great album from 1978
* City to City
Gerry Rafferty

Bruce's choice:
* Tracks on Wax 4
Dave Edmunds

Brett's choice:
* Not Shy
Walter Egan
1977   |   1979