Half a century of masterpieces: Radio X magazine ranks the 25 best classic rock albums of 1976

Masterpieces half a century old. Plenty of landmark albums turn fifty this year, in 2026. Radio X magazine has picked out what it considers the 25 most important classic-rock albums released in 1976. The list ranges from acts already established at the time, like Dylan, Bowie, Genesis, Rolling Stone and Led Zeppelin, to names on the rise such as Boston, Tom Petty and Electric Light Orchestra.

Here is Radio X magazine's ranking of the 25 best classic-rock albums of 1976 (full feature here).

1. Bob Dylan – “Desire”
2. Peter Frampton – "Frampton Comes Alive!"
3. David Bowie – "Station To Station"
4. Genesis – “A Trick Of The Tail”
5. KISS – “Destroyer”
6. Wings – “Wings At The Speed Of Sound”
7. Judas Priest – “Sad Wings Of Destiny”
8. Thin Lizzy – “Jailbreak”
9. Led Zeppelin – “Presence”
10. Rush – “2112”
11. Ramones – “Ramones”
12. Rolling Stones – “Black & Blue”
13. Aerosmith – “Rocks”
14. Rainbow – "Rising"
15. Blue Öyster Cult – “Agents Of Fortune”
16. Rod Stewart – “A Night On The Town”
17. The Modern Lovers – “The Modern Lovers”
18. Boston – "Boston"
19. Kansas – "Leftoverture"
20. Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers – “Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers”
21. Ac/Dc – “Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap”
22. Electric Light Orchestra – “A New World Record”
23. The Eagles – “Hotel California”
24. Queen – “A Day At The Races”
25. Blondie – “Blondie”

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