Essential Punk Albums

Punk music history is marked by the release of some of the greatest punk music albums ever. Some of them are innovative, others are extremely influential. For example, one of the most iconic punk bands, the Ramones, has produced a first album that basically gave birth to the punk movement.

Their first album released in 1974 took all the pop songs of the ’50s and ‘60s and turned them into punk tunes by playing them faster and more aggressively. The Ramones first album took the music that influenced the members of the band and turned it into a sound that will shape the punk music scene. The first punk album released by the Ramones had songs that were no longer than 2 minutes, always started with '1-2-3-4!' and are best described as simple, with less chords and a few lines to the tune. Despite the easiness of the music, this sound has become typical for punk music although, in reality, it was caused by the band’s lack of musical talent and instrumental ability.

Another epic punk album is 'London Calling' by The Clash. The Clash was considered in the punk industry the only band that ever mattered, that is why their third album is considered one of the best albums ever produced in music history. All the songs on the album are true masterpieces, featuring modern reggae influences that are very popular today. The Clash’s experimentation style and raw power punk are what make 'London Calling' one of the best moments in punk history.

The list of punk essential albums couldn’t be complete without a creation from the Sex Pistols. Their debut album, 'Never Mind the Bollocks, Here’s the Sex Pistols', had 12 songs filled with punk energy. It is also the only album that matters when it comes to the Sex Pistols recording history.