105) Rocket to Russia : Rolling Stone

The Ramones wrote their third album on tour, as they took the gospel of three chords and ripped denim beyond New York's five boroughs. Rocket to Russia was also their first true studio triumph, an exuberant, polished bottling of the CBGB-stage napalm of Ramones and Leave Home. Honed arrangements and a dash of gloss bring out the Top Forty classicism in "Rockaway Beach" and "Sheena Is a Punk Rocker" and the lonely-boy poignancy of Joey Ramone's vocals in "I Don't Care" and "I Wanna Be Well." Rocket was also the last album made by the Ramones' founding four: Drummer Tommy Ramone left to be a full-time producer.

Total album sales: Under 500,000

Peak chart position: 49

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