The first volume in CMJ magazine's series documenting the roots of alternative rock is arguably the strongest of the bunch -- cuts like Elvis Costello & the Attractions' "Accidents Will Happen," Blondie's "Heart of Glass," the Buzzcocks' "Everybody's Happy Nowadays" and XTC's "Life Begins at the Hop" are all undeniable classics, and even if tracks like Lene Lovich's "Lucky Number" and the Boomtown Rats' "Rat Trap" don't hold up nearly as well, there's no denying the cumulative influence this music exerted throughout the decade to follow. ~ Jason Ankeny, All Music Guide
CMJ the Year in Alternative Music 1979
11/03/1998
All Music Guide Review
Track Listing
Credits
- Mark Miller Mundy
- Producer
- Martin Rushent
- Producer
- Dennis Weinreich
- Producer
- Alan Winstanley
- Producer
- Marty Scott
- Producer
- James Williamson
- Producer
- Elvis Costello & the Attractions
- Performer
- Patti Smith Group
- Performer
- Mike Chapman
- Producer
- Suha Gur
- Mastering
- Will Birch
- Producer
- Chris Blackwell
- Producer
- Robert John "Mutt" Lange
- Producer
- Bill Levenson
- Executive Producer
- Steve Lillywhite
- Producer
- Nick Lowe
- Producer
- The B-52's
- Performer
- Blondie
- Performer
- The Boomtown Rats
- Performer
- Buzzcocks
- Performer
- Marianne Faithfull
- Performer
- Lene Lovich
- Performer
- Iggy Pop
- Performer
- The Records
- Performer
- Todd Rundgren
- Producer
- The Stranglers
- Group, Producer, Performer
- XTC
- Performer










