The 25 best Indie songs of 1977

5 August 2025, 18:57

Landmark singles from the landmark year of 1977: Sex Pistols. Ramones, Stranglers, Buzzcocks, Clash and more. Picture: Press

Radio X turns back the clock to the year punk broke, with milestone tracks by the Sex Pistols, The Clash, Ramones, The Damned, Buzzcocks and many more.

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The Damned - Neat Neat Neat: release date 25th February 1977

Cue The Damned! The London band's debut New Rose was technically the first British punk single in October 1976 and this was the follow-up, which was taken from the group's debut album Damned Damned Damned.

The Damned - Neat Neat Neat - Supersonic 1977 HD Best Version
The Clash - White Riot: release date 18th March 1977

The iconic punk band's first single, which later appeared on their their self-titled debut album.

The Clash - White Riot Single Version [1977 Single]
Television - Marquee Moon: release date 8th April 1977

The title track of the New York band's debut album fronted by Tom Verlaine, which became hugely influential, despite the group's relatively short lifespan.

Marquee Moon
The Jam - In The City: release date 15th April 1977

Paul Weller, Bruce Foxton and Rick Buckler kicked off their stellar career with this urgent single, which just made it into the Top 40. Their next release, All Around The World, would peak at Number 13, the first of 13 Top 20 hits.

The Jam - In The City
Kraftwerk - Trans-Europe Express: release date 22nd April 1977

While Britain and America were forging ahead with punk and the new wave, over in Germany, Kraftwerk were quietly inventing the 1980s.

This influential track became a huge favourite of hip hop DJs and was an edit of the title track of the Dusseldorf collective's sixth album.

Kraftwerk - Trans Europe Express (Original Video)
Ramones - Sheena Is A Punk Rocker: release date 13th May 1977

From the Brothers Ramone's album Rocket To Russia, this classic single made it to Number 22 in the UK.

Ramones - Sheena Is A Punk Rocker (Official Music Video)
Sex Pistols - God Save The Queen: release date 27th May 1977

This iconoclastic rant was originally slated to be released by A&M in March 1977, but the punk pioneers managed to get themselves kicked off the label after too much bad behaviour caused an attack of fright at the record company. Richard Branson's Virgin imprint stepped in and released the single in time for the Queen's Silver Jubilee in June, but some underhand shenanigans ensured that the punks were denied a chart-topped and remained at Number 2 behind Rod Stewart for the duration of the festivities.

Sex Pistols - God Save The Queen
The Saints - This Perfect Day: release date 1st July 1977

The Brisbane punks effectively created the look and feel of 00s indie with this forward-looking single, which managed to reach Number 34 in the UK and got them an appearance on the BBC's Top Of The Pops.

The Saints ('73 -'78) - This Perfect Day
The Adverts - Gary Gilmore's Eyes: release date 12th August 1977

The first single by the English punks was the manifesto One Chord Wonders and they followed it up with this piece of mock-horror, based on the news story that convicted US killer Gary Gilmore had donated his corneas to medical science after being sent before the firing squad. The track made Number 18 in the UK.

Gary Gilmore's Eyes
Wreckless Eric - Whole Wide World: release date 12th August 1977

One of the first wave of artists to join the influential label Stiff records, this wasn't a chart hit, but became a much-loved punk tune for Eric Goulden.

Whole Wide World
The Boomtown Rats - Lookin' After Number One: release date 19th August 1977

The debut single from the Dublin punks, featuring the future Band Aid/Live Aid hero Bob Geldof.

They were one of the first punk acts to receive support from the BBC and the single made Number 11 in the cummer of '77.

Looking After Number One - Boomtown Rats 1977 (Stereo W/S)
Ian Dury - Sex And Drugs And Rock And Roll: release date 19th August 1977

An ironic classic from the former Kilburn & The High Roads frontman, who began his association with the band The Blockheads here.

Ian Dury & The Blockheads - Sex & Drugs & Rock 'n' Roll o TopPop
Rezillos - I Can't Stand My Baby: release date 19th August 1977

The Edinburgh punks enjoyed some brief success but imploded shortly after the release of their debut album, Can't Stand The Rezillos, in July 1978. Guitarist Jo Callis would later join The Human League.

I Can't Stand My Baby
Devo - (I Can't Get No) Satisfaction: released September 1977

This masterful deconstruction of the Rolling Stones classic was originally issued in the States in 1977, but issued as a single the following year in the UK.

(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction (Official HD Music Video)
Iggy Pop - Lust For Life: release date 9th September 1977

Incredibly, the storming title track from Iggy's second solo album wasn't issued as a single at the time, but later took on a whole new lease of life when it was used on the soundtrack for the film Trainspotting in 1996.

Iggy Pop - Lust For Life o TopPop
The Stranglers - No More Heroes: release date 16th September 1977

One of four singles issued by the Guildford punks in '77 - the others were (Get A) Grip (On Yourself), Peaches and Something Better Change. Both this and Peaches broke the UK Top 10.

The Stranglers - No More Heroes
Jonathan Richman & The Modern Lovers: Egyptian Reggae: release date 23rd September 1977

The Massachusetts garage rock revivalists had a British hit with the hypnotic Roadrunner in July 1977, but went Top 5 with this quirky instrumental.

Jonathan Richman & the Modern Lovers - Egyptian Reggae o TopPop
Tom Robinson Band: 2-4-6-8 Motorway: release date 7th October 1977

TRB went to Number 5 with their anthemic debut single.

Tom Robinson Band 2-4-6-8 Motorway
Elvis Costello - Watching The Detectives: release date 18th October 1977

Costello had his first chart hit when this piece of mysterious reggae went to Number 15 in the autumn of 1977.

He later claimed it was inspired by listening to The Clash.

Elvis Costello - Watching The Detectives
Blondie - Rip Her To Shreds: released November 1977

This attack on gossp columns was the first single from the band to be issued in the UK - the country would become huge fans of Debbie Harry over the next 18 months.

Rip Her To Shreds (Remastered 2001)
John Cooper Clarke - Suspended Sentence: released November 1977

"Right, we all start when the drum machine starts, lads." The lead track from Bard Of Salford's Innocents EP, produced by future Joy Division mastermind Martin Hannett.

Suspended Sentence
Buzzcocks - Orgasm Addict: release date 4th November 1977

Original frontman Howard Devoto had already left the Manchester punks by the time this single came along, the follow-up to their debut EP Spiral Scratch. Pete Shelley stepped up to take on full-time vocals, but a BBC ban over the lyrics and the controversial sleeve artwork by Linder Sterling harmed its commercial prospects.

The Buzzcocks - Orgasm Addict - 1977 45rpm
X-Ray Spex - Oh Bondage Up Yours! Released 30th September 1977

Poly Styrene's punk feminist anthem remains the London band's most famous track.

X Ray Spex - Oh Bondage!

Up Yours! with lyrics
Richard Hell & The Voidoids: Blank Generation: release date 18th November 1977

Another classic New York art punk tune, Hell claimed that the "blank" was there for you to fill in yourself.

Originally part of the Another World EP in 1976, the song was later issued as a single in the UK.

Richard Hell and the Voidoids - Blank Generation (Music Video - Fan Edit)
Talking Heads - Psycho Killer: release date 2nd December 1977

The New York art rockers featuring David Byrne made a critical splash with their debut album Talking Heads '77.

Talking Heads - Psycho Killer (Official Audio)