40 Years Ago - These 35 Rock Hits Defined 1976 Radio

The year was 1976 and these songs kept the radio rocking through the bicentennial.

First, it should be noted that "rock radio" was not technically a thing yet in the mid-1970s, at least not in terms of quantifying the popularity of rock songs. In fact, the Mainstream Rock chart didn't even start until 1981, so back in 1976 the success of rock songs was largely measured on the Hot 100 against all other forms of music as well.

That said, rock existed in a more welcoming environment as it was not uncommon to see rock songs breaking into the Top 10 with some even topping the Hot 100 chart going head to head with more pop related material.

READ MORE: The Most Shocking Rock + Metal Moments of the 1970s

It was a big year for such acts as the Steve Miller Band, Peter Frampton and Fleetwood Mac, who each placed three songs in high charting positions over the course of the 1976 calendar year. Paul McCartney's band Wings, Aerosmith, Queen and Electric Light Orchestra also had multiple entries.

So let's take it back to a year where punk rock was emerging from the underground, Rocky was ruling the box office and Charlie's Angels kept us tuned in on TV.

Revisit the rock songs that defined radio in 1976 below.