Back in 1977, big things were happening in the music world. Music technology and studio recording techniques were evolving rapidly as musicians and audiophiles descended toward the glittering 1980s. Plenty of songs from 1977, particularly in early punk rock, sounded massively ahead of their time enough that they could be mistaken for 1990s tunes. Let’s look at a few examples, shall we?
“12XU” by Wire from ‘Pink Flag’
That wry sense of lyrical humor, that heavy particular distortion… This song, to me, really doesn’t sound like an early punk rock song from 1977. I’d be bold enough to say the whole of Wire’s debut album Pink Flag sounds way ahead of its time in the context of how punk rock sounded during that era, but “12XU”, the album’s closer, really stands out. This could have come from a 90s art punk or post-hardcore band, easily.
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“Sonic Reducer” by The Dead Boys from ‘Young, Loud And Snotty’
Another killer punk rock song, “Sonic Reducer” by The Dead Boys might just fit this list better than “12XU”. This song’s distorted guitar and rough vocals, complete with a nihilistic vibe that is very 90s, all things considered, were way ahead of the song’s time. This could have been an early 90s garage punk song. And yet, this iconic track came from Young, Loud And Snotty from 1977. I recommend listening to the entirety of that album. You’ll be blown away by how modern it sounds.
“Sonic Reducer” would go on to become a massive punk rock classic. It has since been covered by the likes of Guns N’ Roses, Pearl Jam, Bad Religion, and many others.
“Marquee Moon” by Television from ‘Marquee Moon’
Diehard Television fans might disagree that this entry on our list of 1977 songs sounds like it belongs in the 1990s. At the very least, to me, this sounds like an early 90s garage rock punk-leaning tune. Those guitars sound insanely clean, and that extended instrumental bit almost predicts the trends of 90s indie alt-rock bands. At the very least, this song could have dropped in the 80s rather than the 70s. Television were insanely ahead of their time.
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