1978, a year that saw many big names release albums, including many solo albums, but given it was in the late 70's, a lot of those artists either were just starting out, or following up a few years before, some of their best work.
Rush and Styx oddly, put out 2 of the best albums that year.
Hemispheres, becoming my favorite Rush record among a catalog of 19 proper studio albums. Why that is? to me, it's their peak into doing progressive rock, and when they did it well, there's not many who did it better.
It came out in around Halloween, so it might have hit me like a ton of bricks after the rest of the year.
1978 was the age of Disco and Punk and even New Wave of British Heavy Metal I suppose was coming, so progressive rock and classic rock was fading a bit. A lot of good Jazz-Fusion as well, although not classics really, but still some decent stuff.
1. Rush - Hemispheres
2. Styx - Pieces of Eight
3. Alec R. Costandinos and The Syncophonic Orchestra - Romeo and Juliet
4. Jethro Tull - Heavy Horses
5. Kansas - Two for the Show
6. Renaissance - A Song for All Seasons
7. U.K. - U.K.
8. Bruce Springsteen - Darkness on the Edge of Town
9. Bruford - Feels Good to Me
10. Al Di Meola - Casino
11. Van Halen - Van Halen
12. The Who - Who Are You
13. Yes - Tormato
14. Happy the Man - Crafty Hands
15. The Police - Outlandos d'Amour
16. Genesis - ...And Then There Were Three...
17. Pat Metheny Group - Pat Metheny Group
18. Peter Gabriel - Peter Gabriel (Scratch)
19. Chic - C'est Chic
20. Queen - Jazz
21. Boston - Don't Look Back
22. Talking Heads - More Songs About Buildings and Food
23. Elvis Costello - This Year's Model
24. Alan Parsons Project - Pyramid
25. Steve Hackett - Please Don't Touch
26. Journey - Infinity
27. Dire Straits - Dire Straits
28. XTC - White Music
29. The Rutles - The Rutles
![Bill Bruford Feels Good To Me.jpg](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/8/87/Bill_Bruford_Feels_Good_To_Me.jpg)
Bruford - Feels Good to Me
rel January 6, 1978
![Related image](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/blogger_img_proxy/AEn0k_vDXsve_KnDJ0Fp2bXpSCYkUOHT6gxcbD6T85pOQx4G1GZVQWnq10GzKCz6rRyZvnORZj9ABwxbPJWnzjwwlJrRJ25FJNyFvMO7vAea0Q=s0-d)
Alec R. Costandinos and The Syncophonic Orchestra - Romeo and Juliet
rel January 16, 1978
![Journey Infinity.jpg](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/c/c8/Journey_Infinity.jpg/220px-Journey_Infinity.jpg)
Journey - Infinity
rel January 20, 1978
![XTC White Music.jpg](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/b/b0/XTC_White_Music.jpg/220px-XTC_White_Music.jpg)
XTC - White Music
rel January 20, 1978
![Van Halen album.jpg](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/0/0d/Van_Halen_album.jpg/220px-Van_Halen_album.jpg)
Van Halen - Van Halen
rel February 10, 1978
![Rutles1.jpg](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/8/83/Rutles1.jpg/220px-Rutles1.jpg)
The Rutles - The Rutles
rel February 24, 1978
![Al Di Meola-Casino.jpeg](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/8/87/Al_Di_Meola-Casino.jpeg/220px-Al_Di_Meola-Casino.jpeg)
Al Di Meola - Casino
rel February 25, 1978
![Genesis - And Then There Were Three.jpg](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/5/5c/Genesis_-_And_Then_There_Were_Three.jpg/220px-Genesis_-_And_Then_There_Were_Three.jpg)
Genesis - ...And Then There Were Three...
rel March 1, 1978
![Elvis-Costello-This-Years-Model.jpg](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/e/e1/Elvis-Costello-This-Years-Model.jpg/220px-Elvis-Costello-This-Years-Model.jpg)
Elvis Costello - This Year's Model
rel March 17, 1978
![Pmg - pmg.jpg](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/1/1a/Pmg_-_pmg.jpg/220px-Pmg_-_pmg.jpg)
Pat Metheny Group - Pat Metheny Group
rel March 1978
![RenSeason.jpg](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/5/5c/RenSeason.jpg/220px-RenSeason.jpg)
Renaissance - A Song for All Seasons
rel March 1978
![UK-UK.jpg](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/c/c2/UK-UK.jpg/220px-UK-UK.jpg)
U.K. - U.K.
rel March 1978
![JethroTull-albums-heavyhorses.jpg](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/7/75/JethroTull-albums-heavyhorses.jpg/220px-JethroTull-albums-heavyhorses.jpg)
Jethro Tull - Heavy Horses
rel April 10, 1978
![Mutiny Up My Sleeve (Max Webster album - cover art).jpg](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/a/ad/Mutiny_Up_My_Sleeve_%28Max_Webster_album_-_cover_art%29.jpg)
Max Webster - Mutiny Up My Sleeve
rel April 15, 1978
Steve Hackett - Please Don't Touch
rel May 1978
![Solo - Kaipa.jpg](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/1/15/Solo_-_Kaipa.jpg/220px-Solo_-_Kaipa.jpg)
Kaipa - Solo
rel May 1978
![Wisecover.jpg](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/b/b7/Wisecover.jpg/220px-Wisecover.jpg)
Anthony Phillips - Wise After the Event
rel May 1978
![The Alan Parsons Project - Pyramid.jpg](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/5/5a/The_Alan_Parsons_Project_-_Pyramid.jpg/220px-The_Alan_Parsons_Project_-_Pyramid.jpg)
Alan Parsons Project - Pyramid
rel June 1, 1978
![Peter Gabriel (self-titled album, 1978 - cover art).jpg](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/5/55/Peter_Gabriel_%28self-titled_album%2C_1978_-_cover_art%29.jpg/220px-Peter_Gabriel_%28self-titled_album%2C_1978_-_cover_art%29.jpg)
Peter Gabriel - Peter Gabriel (Scratch)
rel June 2, 1978
![BruceSpringsteenDarknessontheEdgeofTown.jpg](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/a/af/BruceSpringsteenDarknessontheEdgeofTown.jpg/220px-BruceSpringsteenDarknessontheEdgeofTown.jpg)
Bruce Springsteen - Darkness on the Edge of Town
rel June 2, 1978
![TalkingHeadsMoreSongsAboutBuildingsandFood.jpg](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/7/75/TalkingHeadsMoreSongsAboutBuildingsandFood.jpg/220px-TalkingHeadsMoreSongsAboutBuildingsandFood.jpg)
Talking Heads - More Songs About Buildings and Food
rel July 7, 1978
![Boston - Don't Look Back.jpg](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/3/3f/Boston_-_Don%27t_Look_Back.jpg/220px-Boston_-_Don%27t_Look_Back.jpg)
Boston - Don't Look Back
rel August 2, 1978
![C'est Chic cover.jpg](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/6/6f/C%27est_Chic_cover.jpg/220px-C%27est_Chic_cover.jpg)
Chic - C'est Chic
rel August 11, 1978
![Who Are You album cover.JPG](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/7/75/Who_Are_You_album_cover.JPG/220px-Who_Are_You_album_cover.JPG)
The Who - Who Are You
rel August 18, 1978
![Styx - Pieces of Eight.jpg](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/c/c4/Styx_-_Pieces_of_Eight.jpg/220px-Styx_-_Pieces_of_Eight.jpg)
Styx - Pieces of Eight
rel September 1, 1978
![Brand X Masques.jpg](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/0/0d/Brand_X_Masques.jpg/220px-Brand_X_Masques.jpg)
Brand X - Masques
rel September 8, 1978
![Untitled](https://lastfm-img2.akamaized.net/i/u/770x0/89d1967a1be9480b97ca8c5cc524d771.jpg)
Happy the Man - Crafty Hands
rel September 21, 1978
![Tormato.jpg](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/0/04/Tormato.jpg/220px-Tormato.jpg)
Yes - Tormato
rel September 22, 1978
![XTC Go 2.jpg](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/3/3a/XTC_Go_2.jpg/220px-XTC_Go_2.jpg)
XTC - Go 2
rel October 6, 1978
![DS Dire Straits.jpg](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/1/15/DS_Dire_Straits.jpg/220px-DS_Dire_Straits.jpg)
Dire Straits - Dire Straits
rel October 7, 1978
![Billy Joel 52nd Street album cover.JPG](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/9/94/Billy_Joel_52nd_Street_album_cover.JPG/220px-Billy_Joel_52nd_Street_album_cover.JPG)
Billy Joel - 52nd Street
rel October 13, 1978
![Rush Hemispheres.jpg](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/6/6c/Rush_Hemispheres.jpg/220px-Rush_Hemispheres.jpg)
Rush - Hemispheres
rel October 29, 1978
![Kansas - Two for the Show.jpg](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/8/80/Kansas_-_Two_for_the_Show.jpg/220px-Kansas_-_Two_for_the_Show.jpg)
Kansas - Two for the Show
rel October 1978
![Police-album-outlandosdamour.jpg](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/f/f3/Police-album-outlandosdamour.jpg/220px-Police-album-outlandosdamour.jpg)
The Police - Outlandos d'Amour
rel November 2, 1978
![Queen Jazz.png](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/0/06/Queen_Jazz.png/220px-Queen_Jazz.png)
Queen - Jazz
rel November 10, 1978
![Image result for anthony phillips - private parts & pieces album last.fm](https://lastfm-img2.akamaized.net/i/u/300x300/bac805ae3b72454da9b93f77ec4147bd.jpg)
Anthony Phillips - Private Parts and Pieces
rel November 30, 1978
![The Doobie Brothers - Minute by Minute.jpg](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/a/a4/The_Doobie_Brothers_-_Minute_by_Minute.jpg)
The Doobie Brothers - Minute by Minute
rel December 1, 1978
![CoreaFriends.jpg](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/2/2f/CoreaFriends.jpg/220px-CoreaFriends.jpg)
Chick Corea - Friends
rel 1978
![The upper neck of a guitar is depicted with a man's hand fretting a chord on it on a white background.](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/3/3c/Interpreta_a_Manuel_de_falla.jpg/220px-Interpreta_a_Manuel_de_falla.jpg)
Paco de Lucía - Paco de Lucía interpreta a Manuel de Falla
rel 1978
![Ericjohnson-sevenworlds.jpg](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/e/e4/Ericjohnson-sevenworlds.jpg/220px-Ericjohnson-sevenworlds.jpg)
Eric Johnson - Seven Worlds
rel 1978
![John McLaughlin - 1978 - Electric Guitarist.jpg](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/b/bc/John_McLaughlin_-_1978_-_Electric_Guitarist.jpg/220px-John_McLaughlin_-_1978_-_Electric_Guitarist.jpg)
John McLaughlin - Electric Guitarist
rel 1978
![X-Dreams.jpg](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/9/9e/X-Dreams.jpg)
Annette Peacock - X-Dreams
rel 1978