There’s nothing that special about the year 1976. Sure, the whole of the 1970s was an incredible time for music, but that particular year was like any other. Plenty of songs blew up that year, but there were also quite a few underrated songs from 1976 that have been somewhat lost to time. Let’s revisit those underrated hits, shall we?
1. “So It Goes” by Nick Lowe
Nick Lowe knew what he was doing with the melody of “So It Goes”. This repetitive, stuck-in-your-head classic power pop track was inspired by Kurt Vonnegut and isn’t anything particularly special in terms of lyricism. Rather, it’s just a solid example of a good pop song that masters simplicity over complicated soundscapes.
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2. “Carmelita” by Warren Zevon
By far one of the most underrated country rock songs of 1976, “Carmelita” by Warren Zevon is as loved by Zevon’s fans as it is loved by his contemporaries. Superstars Linda Ronstadt and Dwight Yoakam are just a couple of artists who have recorded versions of this lovely tune.
3. “Crazy On You” by Heart
Heart has released countless memorable rock hits through the years, but “Crazy On You” isn’t often brought up in conversations that include “Baraccuda” or “Magic Man”. It’s a crazy notion, considering that “Crazy On You” is realistically one of their best songs. It should have peaked way higher than no. 35 on the US charts at the time of its release.
4. “The Pretender” by Jackson Browne
Jackson Browne was an expert songwriter from the get-go, penning some legendary music when he was just a teenager. He wrote “The Pretender” as an adult after years of fine-tuning his songwriting skills, and it’s still a lyrical gem today. The song was more or less a minor hit that did decently on the Hot 100 chart, but it’s since gone on to become a classic rock favorite among fans.
5. “I Want More” by CAN
“I Want More” by CAN makes it to our list of underrated songs from 1976 simply because it’s a joyful and odd little gem. This krautrock song was on the experimental side, and it was likely a little too ahead of its time to make it higher on the UK charts at the time of its release.
Photo by Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images
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