The Best Rock Albums of 1978

Today's post in 50 Years of Music, a section of my blog devoted to the best rock albums of the past fifty years, will include the best albums of 1978. I have covered 12 years of music in other posts (1965-77), which can be found by typing the year into the search bar at the top of my blog. Each post in 50 Years of Music is updated frequently, with new albums recommended by readers added to the posts. What's your favorite?

• AC/DC- Powerage; If You Want Blood You've Got It
• Dire Straits- Dire Straits
• The Cars- The Cars
• Joe Walsh- But Seriously, Folks...
• The Rolling Stones- Some Girls
• Foreigner- Double Vision
• The Police- Outlandos d'Amour
• Bob Dylan- Street-Legal
• Bob Seger & the Silver Bullet Band- Stranger in Town
• Ted Nugent- Double Live Gonzo (Live Album); Weekend Warriors
• The Godz- The Godz
• Rush- Hemispheres
• Journey- Infinity
• Cheap Trick- Heaven Tonight
• Ringo Starr- Bad Boy
• Styx- Pieces of Eight
• Foghat- Stone Blue
• REO Speedwagon- You Can Tune a Piano, But You Can't Tuna Fish
• The Who- Who Are You
• Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers- You're Gonna Get It!
• George Thorogood & the Destroyers- Move It on Over
• Ringo Starr- Bad Boy 
• Todd Rundgren- Hermit of Mink Hollow 
• Alice Cooper- From the Inside

Van Halen- Van Halen (1978)

Van Halen is the first studio album by the American rock group Van Halen released on February 10, 1978. The album has been certified 10x Platinum in the United States, 4x Platinum in Canada, and Gold in the United Kingdom. The album has charted twice: at #19 on the U.S. Pop Albums Chart in 1978 and at #117 on the U.S. Billboard 200 in 1984. The latter charting was likely due to the release of their popular 1984 album titled 1984, the last Van Halen album for many years featuring David Lee Roth on vocals.

Ten of the eleven songs on Van Halen were released as singles, the only exclusion being a cover of John Brim's "Ice Cream Man." The singles "You Really Got Me" and "Runnin' With the Devil" charted at #36 and #84 on the U.S. Billboard Pop Singles Chart, respectively. Other notable songs on the album include: "Eruption," "Ain't Talkin' 'Bout Love," and "Jamie's Cryin'."

Notable of the album is the hard rock cover of the 1960s The Kinks song "You Really Got Me." Also, Van Halen was founded by two brothers- guitarist Eddie Van Halen and drummer Alex Van Halen. Eddie Van Halen had become a legend among local guitarists even before their debut album release particularly for his 'unorthodox' guitar techniques and sounds. Eddie is often regarded as one of the main guitarists to popularize right-hand tapping, artificial harmonics, and  'dive bomb' techniques on the electric guitar, most notably in the song "Eruption" on the band's debut album.

In past interviews, Eddie Van Halen has stated that he was largely influenced by the right-hand tapping technique when viewing a Led Zeppelin concert while the band was performing the song "Heartbreaker." During the guitar solo, guitarist Jimmy Page held the guitar behind his head and used the right-hand tapping technique while playing. The technique has gone on to influence many rock and heavy metal guitarists, including: Randy Rhoads of Ozzy Osbourne/Quiet Riot, Kirk Hammett of Metallica, Dave Mustaine of Megadeth, Dimebag Darrell of Pantera, Zakk Wylde of Ozzy Osbourne/Black Label Society, and many more.

For a guitar cover by me of a song released in 1978, just click on the link to a YouTube video: The Cars - Bye Bye Love Cover 

via (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8DcAzKWaXhk)

Alexander Schwartz - JPageFan71
The Antagonists

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