Scot Bertram

Welcome to the April 2026 Exclusive Content episode of Political Beats, as we bring back our ever-popular “Year In Music” series.

In this episode, we treat 1977 less like a canon and more like a collision. It’s what we think the 1977 should be, not necessarily what it was on the charts. On one side, there’s the stripped-down energy of The Clash and the experimentation of David Bowie’s records that feel like they’re actively reshaping what rock can be. On the other, we spotlight the intricate, locked-in playing of Television’s Marquee Moon and the hook-heavy punch of Cheap Trick, showing how melody and minimalism could coexist in totally different ways.

We also make time for the year’s bigger, more polished statements, from the sweeping ambition of Meat Loaf’s Bat Out of Hell to the utter perfection of Fleetwood Mac’s Rumours. Pulling these together, the episode highlights 1977 as a moment of tension and transition. And also a year when many of the big dogs stood on the sidelines.

There’s so much here and a whole lot more we left on the cutting room floor.

Click here to listen to the episode.