Top 10 for 1978

TheBigBlack's Rock Top 10

Midnight Oil
Midnight Oil

Rock | Album | 1 November 1978

'Midnight Oil' is the debut album by Midnight Oil. It reached the Top 50 on the Australian Kent Music Report Albums Chart.

Cold Chisel
Cold Chisel

Rock | Album | 24 April 1978

'Cold Chisel' is the debut album by Cold Chisel. It spent 23 weeks in the Australian charts, peaking at number 38.

David Gilmour
David Gilmour

Rock | Album | 25 May 1978

Rose Tattoo
Rose Tattoo

Hard Rock | Album | ?? November 1978

'Rose Tattoo' is the debut self-titled album by Rose Tattoo. It was produced by the famous Vanda & Young team who have worked with AC/DC, The Angels and Stevie Wright. The album was released as 'Rock 'n' Roll Outlaw' (or 'Rock 'n' Roll Outlaws') in some countries.

Public Image Ltd. (PiL)
Public Image (First Issue)

Post-Punk | Album | 8 December 1978

Going solo (or at least creating a new band identity for yourself) after being in a ground breaking genre-defining band is always going to be tough. People like Paul McCartney and Robert Plant realised this, and struggled to find a new norm amongst their established audience. Johnny Rotten knew that post Sex Pistols his fans wanted to see him become more Rotten than ever, which is why he did the opposite - he became himself. Re-emerging as John Lydon, he introduced the world to PiL, a post-punk art-rock anomaly, that many fans were left confused and alienated by. There are shades of his former band buried here, but more in attitude than style. There are acerbic buzzsaw guitars, but they create atmosphere rather that riffs, and the spoken word poetry of Religion was likely too much for most mohawked glue-sniffers in 1978. There are still some 'real' songs here, with tracks like Annalisa and Public Image pumping out rock greatness, but for the most part this is an album (and band) designed to make you think, rather than pogo.

Jeff Wayne
Jeff Wayne's Musical Version Of 'The War Of The Worlds'

Progressive Rock | Album | 9 June 1978

'Jeff Wayne's Musical Version Of The War Of The Worlds' is the debut studio album by Jeff Wayne. It is an album musical adapted from the science-fiction novel The War Of The Worlds by H. G. Wells in a rock opera style with a rock band, orchestra, narrator, and leitmotifs to carry the story and lyrics that express the feelings of the various characters. The album features guest artists David Essex, Justin Hayward, Phil Lynott, Chris Thompson, and Julie Covington, with actor Richard Burton as the narrator. The album became a commercial success in the U.K., debuting at No. 5 on the U.K. Albums Chart. It won two Ivor Novello Awards, including one for Wayne and main lyricist Gary Osborne for Best Instrumental or Popular Orchestral Work. The album has enjoyed enduring popularity since its release and attracted critical acclaim. It has sold over 2.7 million copies in the U.K., and an estimated 15 million copies worldwide. In 2018, it was the U.K.'s 32nd best-selling studio album of all time.

Jethro Tull
Heavy Horses

Progressive Rock | Album | 21 April 1978

The Angels
Face To Face

Hard Rock | Album | 12 August 1978

Bob Dylan
Street-Legal

Classic Rock | Album | 15 June 1978

'Street-Legal' is the eighteenth studio album by Bob Dylan. The album was a departure for Dylan, who assembled a large pop-rock band with female backing vocalists for its recording. It was met with a more lukewarm critical reception, though the album was still commercially successful, being certified as Gold in the U.S. and Platinum in the U.K.

AC/DC
Powerage [A.U. Edition]

Hard Rock | Album | 25 May 1978

'Powerage' is the fifth studio album by AC/DC. This was the band's first album to feature Cliff Williams on bass guitar.

Somewhere deep inside of us is the need to hear rhythms. Back to the days of our ancient ancestors, they banged drums and danced and sang. Much like the need to eat and drink, it is built into all of us in some way. AC/DC taps into that primal needs in a way no other band can, and Powerage is the album that shows this best. It is both simplistic and yet complex, in that the instruments are rough and raw and deceivingly primal, but only after repeat listens do the structures of the songs really reveal themselves as perfectly crafted. There is a method to the madness, like some great architect planned every chord to unlock something in the mind, and no doubt that was the intention when writing these riffs. 'Rock 'n' Roll Damnation' opens the album with a groove that is irresistible, and with a simplistic riff the band creates their most 'pop' like song, whilst still keeping every ounce of muscle. Bon Scott's vocals are restrained, showcasing his singing, but he still takes the opportunity to unleash that all too familiar wail when he can. The challenge to the listener is to try not to sing along, especially when that chorus soars. Any chance of the opening track showing a new 'lighter' direction for the band is quickly squashed once the main riff of 'Down Payment Blues' kicks in. The songs gives us a darker side of the band than the usual tongue-in-cheek attitude. This isn't Bon Scott the dreamer - this is Bon Scott the realist, barking of his real life woes. In fact, this sets the tone for most of the rest of the album, with most of the lyrics sounding quite personal for the first time ever. In 'Gimme A Bullet' we learn that the cheeky smile on Scott's face can turn to a grimace when necessary, as he curses a female ex-lover for her past transgressions. There is a lot of repetition in the riffs throughout the album, and in some places they almost become a drone, adding creating a sensation of claustrophobia. This is perfect for the tone the album is feeding the listener - with it's dark and biting lyrics. The leads of Angus Young are as always sublime and perfect in every way, but brother Malcolm is the true star here, crafting a mood in the way he plays. The irresistible groove of the main riff of 'Riff Raff' kicks in and it feels like going home, as it is so drenched in the AC/DC charm it couldn't have come from any other band. Scott now really opens up for the first time, and that familiar banshee wail locks this into the 'classic' category of any fans collection. Phil Rudd holds down a steady beat on the drums, and Cliff Williams plays in a very economical style the album, allowing the songs to glide on his steady bass thumps rather than filling the empty spaces with unnecessary notes. 'Sin City' follows, and once opened side 2 of the album with a mid-paced punch the stomach. The guitars are tight and biting, and the tone is perfect. These songs have a feeling of urgency, like there is some sort of anticipation of something nefarious following behind, driving them at pace. "What's Next To The Moon' showcases this feeling, with the riffs all feeling like they are pushed to the limit. Things finally slow a little by 'Gone Shootin'', a laid back blues groove, and the lyrics take us into the more familiar territory of the band, dropping the vitriol for just a moment. It is easily the weakest song on the album, but is needed to break the pace. The final two tracks, 'Up To My Neck In You' and 'Kicked In The Teeth' are more in the style of the earlier tracks on the album, with barnstorming riffs and vocals, and lyrics hotter than a summer's day. Scott really had a chip or two on his shoulder when writing the lyrics of this album, but this proved to be a good thing, as many of the lyrics here are the most accessible and relatable he ever penned. It moves the tone of the album from powerful to downright aggressive at times. For the casual AC/DC listener, this may not be an album with many well-known songs and may be overlooked - but for the die-hard fan this is an album that generally sits near the top of any album ranking.

TheBigBlack's Rock Honourable Mentions

AC/DC
If You Want Blood, You've Got It

Hard Rock | Album; Live | 13 October 1978

'If You Want Blood, You've Got It' is the first live album by AC/DC, and their only live album released during Bon Scott's lifetime.

Bob Dylan
At Budokan

Classic Rock | Album; Live | 21 August 1978

TheBigBlack's Metal Top 10

Black Sabbath
Never Say Die!

Heavy Metal | Album | 28 September 1978

Judas Priest
Stained Class

Heavy Metal | Album | 10 February 1978

'Stained Class' is the fourth studio album by Judas Priest. It is the first of three Judas Priest albums recorded with drummer Les Binks, as well as the first to feature the band's now well-known logo in the artwork. Musically it is considered the album on which the band honed many of the elements of their hard-edged signature sound, dispensing with most of the progressive and blues rock overtones and softer ballads of previous efforts. The album features such notable tracks as 'Exciter', considered an early precursor to speed metal and thrash metal, and a cover version of 'Better By You, Better Than Me' by Spooky Tooth, which became the subject of an infamous civil suit in 1990 which alleged the song subliminally influenced two teenaged boys to make a suicide pact. Upon release it was a modest commercial success, reaching number 27 on the U.K. Albums Chart and becoming the band's first album to enter the U.S. Billboard 200; it was eventually certified gold in the latter country. Retrospectively, it is regarded by some as one of the most important and influential albums in the development of heavy metal and one of Judas Priest's best records.

Judas Priest
Killing Machine

Heavy Metal | Album | 9 October 1978

'Killing Machine' is the fifth studio album by Judas Priest. The album pushed the band towards a more commercial style while still featuring the dark lyrical themes of their previous albums. At about the same time, the band members adopted their now-famous 'leather-and-studs' fashion image, inspired by Rob Halford's interest in leather culture. The album was retitled 'Hell Bent For Leather' for its U.S. in February 1979, due to controversy over the Cleveland Elementary School shooting. Both album titles are drawn from the titles of songs on the album with 'The Green Manalishi (With the Two Prong Crown)', an early Fleetwood Mac cover, being added to the U.S. release.