The Jam burst onto the scene in late April 1977 with the single "In the City," following it up just weeks later in May with a blazing debut album of the same name.  Later that year, This is the Modern World arrived from the prolific three-piece featuring Paul Weller, Bruce Foxton, and Rick Buckler.  On October 20 of this year, UMe/Polydor will look back on one incendiary year with 1977, a new 4-CD/1-DVD box set comprising remastered editions of both albums as well as unreleased demos and live recordings.

In an all-too-short career encompassing six albums between 1977 and 1982, The Jam notched 18 consecutive Top 40 singles in the U.K. (including four No. 1s).  In the City, featured in remastered form on Disc 1 of the box set, introduced their signature sound, fusing punk attitude with a Motown-influenced vibe.  The album includes the hit title track as well as concert favorite "Art School" and one song which crystallized Paul Weller's musical ambitions, "Away from the Numbers."  Both sides of the non-LP single "All Around the World" and "Carnaby Street" have been appended here. The second disc of 1977 is entitled The Polydor Demos: February 1977 and features 11 demos (six previously unreleased) made as the band shaped In the City.

The third disc has the remastered edition of This is the Modern World, which yielded another hit single in "The Modern World" as well as "The Combine," which anticipated the style of the band's next album (and all-time classic) All Mod Cons.  The fourth disc, Live 1977 + John Peel Sessions, puts this busy period into further focus, with a previously unreleased concert of September 10, 1977 (containing songs from both In the City and This is the Modern World) and two John Peel radio sessions.  Finally, a DVD has television appearances from Top of the Pops (including the band's introductory performance of "In the City") and So It Goes, plus promotional videos from the year.

Five postcards and a lavish 144-page book round out the package, with the latter boasting new liner notes, period photos, and an array of memorabilia images.  Each disc is housed in its own CD wallet with a printed inner sleeve; In the City will feature the U.S. version of the inner sleeve, and This is the Modern World will have an alternate image by cover photographer Gered Mankowitz.

Look for The Jam's 1977 on October 20 from Polydor and UMe.

The Jam, 1977 (Polydor/UMe, 2017) (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada)

Disc 1: In the City (originally released as Polydor 2383 447, 1977) and bonus tracks

1. Art School
2. I've Changed My Address
3. Slow Down
4. I Got By In Time
5. Away from the Numbers
6. Batman Theme
7. In the City
8. Sounds from the Street
9. Non-Stop Dancing
10. Time for Truth
11. Takin' My Love
12. Bricks & Mortar
13. All Around the World (single A-side - Polydor 2058 903, 1977)
14. Carnaby Street (single B-side - Polydor 2058 903, 1977)

Disc 2: Demos (previously unreleased except where noted)

1. Art School (Demo) *
2. In the City (Demo)
3. I Got By In Time (Demo) *
4. I've Changed My Address (Demo) *
5. Time for Truth (Demo)
6. Sounds from the Street (Demo)
7. Non Stop Dancing (Demo) *
8. Bricks & Mortar (Demo) *
9. Takin' My Love (Demo)
10. So Sad About Us (Demo)
11. Slowdown (Demo) *

Tracks 2, 5-6 and 10 from Direction Reaction Creation (Polydor 537143-2, 1997)
Track 9 from About The Young Idea (Polydor/UMC 4735059, 2015)

Disc 3: This is the Modern World (originally released as Polydor 2383 475, 1977)

1. The Modern World
2. London Traffic
3. Standards
4. Life from a Window
5. The Combine
6. Don't Tell Them You're Sane
7. In the Street Today
8. London Girl
9. I Need You (for Someone)
10. Here Comes the Weekend
11. Tonight At Noon
12. In the Midnight Hour

Disc 4: Live 1977

1. In the City (John Peel Session - 4/26/1977)
2. Art School (John Peel Session - 4/26/1977)
3. I've Changed My Address (John Peel Session - 4/26/1977)
4. The Modern World (John Peel Session - 4/26/1977)
5. All Around the World (John Peel Session - 7/19/1977)
6. London Girl (John Peel Session - 7/19/1977)
7. Bricks & Mortar (John Peel Session - 7/19/1977)
8. Carnaby Street (John Peel Session - 7/19/1977)
9. Carnaby Street (Live @ The Nashville - 9/10/1977) *
10. The Modern World (Live @ The Nashville - 9/10/1977) *
11. Time for Truth (Live @ The Nashville - 9/10/1977) *
12. So Sad About Us (Live @ The Nashville - 9/10/1977) *
13. London Girl (Live @ The Nashville - 9/10/1977) *
14. In the Street Today (Live @ The Nashville - 9/10/1977) *
15. All Around The World (Live @ The Nashville - 9/10/1977) *
16. London Traffic (Live @ The Nashville - 9/10/1977) *
17. Sweet Soul Music (Live @ The Nashville - 9/10/1977) *
18. Bricks & Mortar (Live @ The Nashville - 9/10/1977) *
19. In the City (Live @ The Nashville - 9/10/1977) *
20. Art School (Live @ The Nashville - 9/10/1977) *
21. In the Midnight Hour (Live @ The Nashville - 9/10/1977) *
22. Sounds from the Street (Live @ The Nashville - 9/10/1977) *
23. Slowdown (Live @ The Nashville - 9/10/1977) *

Tracks 1-8 released on The Jam At The BBC (Polydor 5899382, 2002)

DVD

1. In the City (Polydor promo - 1977)
2. Art School (Polydor promo - 1977)
3. In the City (Top of The Pops - 5/19/1977)
4. All Around the World (Top of The Pops - 8/18/1977)
5. All Around the World (Marc - 8/24/1977)
6. The Modern World (Top of The Pops - 11/3/1977)
7. In the City (So It Goes - 11/20/1977)
8. Bricks & Mortar (So It Goes - 11/20/1977)
9. Carnaby Street (So It Goes - 11/20/1977)
10. Slowdown (So It Goes - 11/20/1977)
11. All Around The World (So It Goes - 11/20/1977)