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50 Years Ago Today, Rock Music Was Changed Forever With Debut Album That Was Recorded in One Week

The Ramones’ reach went beyond NYC, shaping punk rock overseas as well.

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April 23, 2026, marks the 50th anniversary of the Ramones’ landmark self-titled debut album, released in 1976. The album was groundbreaking for the early New York punk scene, despite not finding much commercial success until later. But 50 years on, Ramones remains a crucial foundation of punk rock. To this day, it’s still considered one of the first albums in the genre.

The Ramones formed in 1974 and spent their time playing the New York City club scene. Barely a year later, they had a recording contract with Sire and were working on their debut album. This was the era when a music journalist could see a band play a gig (in this case, Lisa Robinson of Hit Parader), then get them a label and a manager with a few enthusiastic articles and some strong connections.

In January 1976, the Ramones holed up at Plaza Sound studios in New York to record their debut album. It was done........

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