10 Punk Albums You Need To Own

Punk rock has gone through many different iterations throughout its tenure. After coming as an answer to the bombastic prog and hard rock of the '70s, these short and to-the-point bands were reinventing what we knew to be rock from the inside out. Then again, how do you go about picking the best ones?

Normally it comes down to who had the most impact or who stayed true to the punk ethos, but the best in their field are the ones who went against the grain of what a rock album is supposed to be. Across each of these albums, these musicians were taking what they knew as rock and roll and filtering it through aggression and their own twisted view of the world.

Whether it be through tons of distortion or flirtations with other genres, these albums ended up sparking excitement in some listeners and absolute disdain in others. It might not have been the most popular moves to make, but when has punk ever been known as a genre that follows rules? There are bound to plenty more punk rock acts to come down the line, but if you want to know how to capture the punk ethos to a tee, these acts have you covered.

By the time punk rock reached the late '00s, the radio-friendly side of the genre was starting to wear out its welcome. Though the sounds of pop punk helped acquaint many young rockers with the genre, even bands like Green Day and Blink-182 were flirting with different sounds by the decade's midpoint. Amid all of the changing tides, Against Me! put out one of the most pointed punk rock record of their generation.

While still being rooted in the pop punk ethos, this album has one hell of a punch courtesy of Butch Vig, which makes the band sound more like a turbo charged punk band than a pop punk affair. However, the real star of the show is the lyrics, with Laura Jane Grace's lyrics tackling bold topics of war and discord on tracks like "White People for Peace" and "Americans Abroad."

This album also isn't afraid to take a few chances from time to time either, with songs like "Borne on the FM Waves of the Heart" featuring the mainstream vocals of Tegan Quin in an incredibly tasteful manner. Against Me! may have had even higher aspirations for albums like Transgender Dysphoria Blues, but this was the first time the punk world was treated to what this band could really do.