Top 5 Essential Punk Rock Albums: CD's Every Punk Fan Should Have

Obviously, there are a lot more than 5 essential punk albums, but these are truly definitive works in the punk genre.

The following albums showcase some of the best punk music of all time, from mid-70's riot punk to the early 90's California punk scene.

Whether you are a die-hard punk music fan or a casual listener, the following albums are definitely worthy of a listen.

The Clash's self-titled debut album fit perfectly with the musical styling of the 1970's punk scene. A definitive album for any punk music fan, this album truly helped establish The Clash as one of the leading bands of the U.K. punk revolution.

People who have yet to pick up this CD should definitely purchase the U.K. version of the album to truly experience the mastery of The Clash. Joe Strummer's amazing vocals are evident on songs like "Career Opportunities" and "White Riot," as well as fan favorite "I Fought the Law."

There's no doubt that The Clash is an album any punk music fan should have, strictly for the raging vocals and awesome lyrics alone!

You can't have an essential punk album list without putting the Ramones right up there towards the top! The Ramones mid-70's debut has served as inspiration to countless punk bands, and that reason alone makes the Ramones self-titled debut album a must-have for your collection.

Not only were the Ramones one of the frontrunners of the early punk scene, they helped establish a new music revolution with their edgy lyrics and fast tempos. Don't miss "Blitzkrieg Bop" and "I Wanna Be Your Boyfriend."

An amazing album from start to finish, Static Age encompasses everything the punk music scene - and the Misfits - are all about. Frenzied, energetic tunes mixed with crushing vocals creates an album jam packed with punk rock fun.

From the title track to songs like "Hollywood Bablyon," "Spinal Remains" and "In the Doorway", Static Age offers untapped punk goodness in one neat little package. Don't be surprised if you throw this album on and can't take it off repeat for weeks - it's just that good.

As the mid-90's California punk scene was beginning to emerge, Rancid answered the call for new music and became legendary.

Inspired by early 70's punk bands the Ramones and The Clash, Rancid truly did have sound all their own. "...And Out Come The Wolves" spawned fan favorites "Time Bomb" and "Roots Radicals," delivering a completely fresh approach to the punk scene.

No matter how many times Rancid are compared to The Clash, it's undeniable that they took something great and reinvented it make their own sound, with melodies and lyrics you can't help but have stuck in your head all day long.

As relatively short-lived as their career may have been, there's no doubt that the Sex Pistols served a vital role in establishing the British punk scene during the 1970's.

"Never Mind the Bollocks Here's The Sex Pistols" is a defining album simply because of Johnny Rotten's crazy, growling vocals and loud, unapologetic, PURE punk rock.

"God Save The Queen" and "Anarchy in the U.K." are, to put it mildly, perfect examples of what punk rock is all about. GET THIS ALBUM if you don't already have it in your collection.

Conclusion

Undoubtedly, there are scores more than 5 great punk albums, but these are true masterpieces. They speak volumes about how punk has progressed from the U.K. scene in the '70's to the California punk revolution in the mid-90's.

Jun 11, 2007 10:42 AM

Denise Shively :

Some people might agree with my list - others may not.

What are your essential punk rock albums of all time? Do they differ in any way from this list? Do you agree/disagree with my choices? Why?

Let me know your favorite albums and why they should be included on an essential punk album list.

Jun 26, 2007 10:38 PM

Sean :

This list would probably change a little if I thought about it for a while, but off the top of my head:

5. Descendants, "Milo Goes to College" -- Great harmonies.
4. Minor Threat, "Minor Threat" -- Ian Mackaye was just so cool. He had the voice that every teen boy wanted to have.
3. Bad Brains, "Bad Brains" -- The build-up in the Big Takeover, the speed of Pay to Cum, the power and commanding presence of HR was awesome.
2. Social Distortion, "Mommy's Little Monster" -- Mike Ness was the first genuine punk rocker in my opinion. I love the Clash, but they mostly sang about politics on a global scale. I love the Ramones, but you can't take songs like the KKK Took My Baby Away seriously. And the Sex Pistols were legendary, but they practically admitted they were putting on an act. Social Distortion was very different in a very unique way at the time. They sang about the pain of being outcast, being lonely, being frustrated. Their music was layered and full of emotion, not just a burst of speed and adrenaline. For those who know the story of the Black Hole in Fullerton, you can understand how this band was able to tap into the very painful real experiences of kids growing up with no one to depend on but each other. This album has always made me feel that punk rock was real and not just a fashion statement.
1. The Clash, "The Clash" -- Miraculous union of four musicians that were meant to be together, much like the Beatles. Mick Jones and Joe Strummer's voices complemented each other perfectly. These guys were just unbelievable song writers.

Nothing too controversial, but after all these years these are the albums that really probably mean the most to me.
Some might say that I'm just old school and don't appreciate the newer stuff. Probably some truth to that, but I have kept up with the scene better than most. These albums just had the most staying power.

Denise, I looked at your list after filling out my own. I like all of your choices. For the sake of discussion, I would have put Operation Ivy before Rancid because they were much more unique. Rancid was a great band and "And Out Came the Wolves" is undoubtedly a great album, but the thing I liked about Operation Ivy was the way they kept it very loose and unrefined, even a little sloppy at times but in a very good way -- kind of like the Germs or Reagan Youth.

Jul 2, 2007 3:22 PM

Denise Shively :

Thank you for your comments. I plan to extend this article into a series of articles, because it was VERY difficult to narrow it down to the top 5 punk albums of all time.

I agree with your comments about Social Distortion. Originally I debated about including them in my list, but decided to forgo them for Rancid. Same with Operation Ivy. You can rest assured they were in my mind, and those are definitely two definitive punk albums that need to be included on a "best of" list.

The Ramones HAD to be included on the list. Even though a lot of their songs were "fluff and nonsense", I think they embody the true spirit of punk. They didn't give a damn if their songs were serious... they just did what they did, and I love that free spirited attitude that shows through in their music.

Oh, and by the way there's nothing wrong with being "old school" :P