10 Punk Albums You Need To Own

For as much underground music was present in the '90s, the punk rock community didn't seem to have a clear face. While some of the celebrated grunge acts of the day like Nirvana and Pearl Jam were complimentary of their punk rock roots, many punk bands were never able to see the acclaim they rightly deserved. However, a funny thing happened once grunge was brought to its knees in 1994.

After the tragic passing of Kurt Cobain, Green Day swooped in and became the next cultural force in rock music, with songs that were as anarchic as they were catchy. From front to back, Dookie was the record that introduced the world to pop punk, with songs like "Basket Case" and "Longview" becoming staples of the genre. While the band never took themselves all that seriously at this period, songs like "Welcome to Paradise" are brilliant examples of the punk aesthetic that everyone tried to copy.

Though Green Day eventually moved on to greater soundscapes like American Idiot and Nimrod, Dookie will forever remain the one album that launched a thousand new bands into the punk rock world. Green Day may not have been looking for a record this big, but when the tunes are this good, the masses end up coming to you.