20 Punk Rock Albums You Must Hear Before You Die
4. Rocket To Russia - Ramones
The Ramones' first, eponymous studio album is the band's most iconic, to be sure. Their second release, Leave Home, was also an exceptional album in its own right. However, the band's original lineup of Joey, Johnny, Tommy, and Dee Dee didn't truly hit their creative stride until their third album, Rocket to Russia.
Rockaway Beach is arguably the band's single catchiest song, and Sheena Is a Punk Rocker isn't far behind in that regard. Plus, Teenage Lobotomy is one of the band's overall best tracks ever, and Cretin Hop and We're a Happy Family are incredibly iconic. And you really can't go wrong with a Ramones' cover of The Trashmen's Surfin' Bird.
It may not have Blitzkrieg Bop on it, but what Rocket to Russia does have is the quintessential essence of the band that revolutionized American punk rock in the late 1970s. And that's something it's hard to top.