I first heard punk rock in the late 1970’s and early 1980’s (Johnny Thunders and The Heartbreakers, Siouxsie and the Banshees, Blondie, Devo, Adam and The Ants, The Ramones), but it became a lifestyle when I was given a Negative Approach cassette tape by a random punk while walking through the local mall. My first records were purchased at a brick-and-mortar store (Harmony House) and included The Dead Kennedys, The Misfits, and The Sex Pistols. I soon moved on to more obscure bands through mail order (my first mail order record was The Dayglo Abortions “Out Of The Womb” 12” vinyl). I eventually got a mohawk, amassed one of the biggest punk 7” collections in the world, went to shows and wrote scene reports for MaximumRockNRoll Magazine, and started my own record label. Once CDs were commercially available, I replaced my vinyl with CDs (to save space, and because at the time I thought they would be less susceptible to damage). All these years later, here is my list of the 100 best punk rock CDs of all time. I’m excluding compilation CDs, as those belong on another list by themselves. I’m also excluding box sets and trying to avoid “Best Of” compilations as well (there will be a few exceptions). For some (but not all) bands with a lot of great CDs, I’ll try to pick their best CD to represent them in the list. When they are just too good, some bands may take up multiple spots.

Most of these are older releases, and that’s not because contemporary punk rock isn’t as good. It takes years (or decades) and hundreds (if not thousands) of listens for most releases to be considered classics. 10-20 years from now, I would expect that more of the releases from the past 5-10 years will move their way up.

100. The Wretched Ones “The Wretched Ones”

1993. There are tens of thousands of punk CDs in existence, and I went through over 2000 to make this list, so even at #100 The Wretched Ones CD is one of the best CDs that I have ever owned. This is the band that made me a lifelong fan of oi! music, and I still spin this on occasion all these years later. I first heard their 7” vinyls that came out starting in 1989 (“Old, Loud, and Snotty”, “America’s Most Wanted”, “Sideburns And Beer EP”, “Johnny Burnout EP”). I was a record collector back then, and they would release them on these crazy splatter vinyl variations. But the music was solid, and I was a fan. This CD combines the songs from those records, and is simply one of the best CDs ever made. If you don’t own this, unless you have all the vinyls, get it now.

99. REO Speedealer “REO Speedealer”

1998. More recently they are referred to as just Speedealer, after they were sued by REO Speedwagon. One of the premiere speed rock bands, the song “Pig Fucker” must have gotten a thousand plays in my car since this came out. There are plenty of other great songs on here, and they solidified my notion that speed rock is punk rock (and some of the best punk rock ever played). If you are into punk but have not heard Speedealer, start with this, and you will be hooked.

98. Diesel Boy “Cock Rock”

1996. “Saving The World,” “Titty Twister,” and “Punk Rock 101” are all classics and my favorite Diesel Boy songs. It’s hard to limit this list to just 100, so for some of the bands that have a lot of great songs spread over a bunch of different CDs, I’ll be picking my favorite to represent them on the list. This is my favorite Diesel Boy CD, but I’d recommend checking out their entire discography (look for the song “Stroking My Cat” and their cover of The Dead Milkmen’s “Punk Rock Girl”).

97. The Supersuckers “La Mano Cornuda”

1994. The Supersuckers second album. The title is Spanish for “the horned hand” (a heavy metal hand gesture, widely thought to have been started in rock music by Ronnie James Dio). I’m avoiding best of albums, but I think if I had one by The Supersuckers it would be here. This is the album that gave us their overall best song “She’s My Bitch” but their debut album from two years earlier “The Smoke Of Hell” (1992) had “Coattail Rider”, “Luck” and “I Say Fuck”. I could have also went with “The Sacrilegious Sounds of The Supersuckers” (1995) for “Born With A Tail” or “The Evil Powers of Rock-N-Roll” (1999) for “I Want The Drugs”. They are self-described as the greatest rock-n-roll band of all time, but the aforementioned songs also place them squarely in the top 100 punk rock bands of all time as well.

96. MDC “Millions Of Dead Cops/More Dead Cops”

1988. The original “Millions Of Dead Cops” LP came out in 1982, but in 1988 they re-released it on CD together with “More Dead Cops.”. I would guess that anyone truly into punk rock has heard MDC’s “John Wayne Was a Nazi,” “Dick For Brains,” “My Family Is A Little Weird,” and “Chicken Squawk” more than a few times.

95. Dirty Rotten Imbeciles “Dirty Rotten LP”

1988. This is essentially an early best of Dirty Rotten Imbeciles, with tracks from their 1983 “Dirty Rotten EP,” 1984 “Violent Pacification,” and 1985 “Dealing With It,” which are all thrash classics. When I think of the subgenre “thrash,” DRI is the first band that comes to mind. They also pioneered crossover, being one of the first bands to combine punk rock and metal. “I Don’t Need Society,” “Couch Slouch,” “Snap,” and “Violent Pacification” are all outstanding thrash tracks.

94. The Distillers "The Distillers”

2000. The Distillers also had a fantastic release in 2021, “Sing Sing Death House,” but this one is my favorite. “Girlfixer” and “The World Comes Tumblin’” are by far my favorite Distillers songs, and Brody’s name is still shown as “Brody Armstrong” on the cover (she was famously married to Tim Armstrong from Rancid at the time, and this came out on Hellcat Records, which is his label). Maybe not quite as good as Rancid, but more hardcore and definitely in my top 100.

93. Zeke “Dirty Sanchez”

2000. Zeke is another band that has a ton of releases, all good, and I had to pick one to represent them in this countdown. “Let’s Get Drugs” is my favorite Zeke song, so this is the one that I chose. They have a ton of others that are just as good, so check them all out. If you aren’t familiar with the term “Dirty Sanchez,” do yourself a favor and just let it go (do not look it up). Zeke is speed rock, in the same vein as REO Speedealer, and they absolutely rip. Insane speed.

92. Teenage Bottlerocket “Tales From Wyoming”

2015. Teenage Bottlerocket absolutely smokes, and they have so many albums with good songs. This is another band that I’m choosing one CD to represent them on the list, even though it feels like there should be more. They absolutely belong in a list of the best punk rock bands of all time, and “I Wanna Die” is my overall favorite TBR song. This one also has the classic “They Call Me Steve” about the video game Minecraft (which I have never played, but my grandkids were obsessed with). I was glad to see a TBR club show at Punk Rock Bowling this year. I’d see them live every year for the rest of my life if I could.

91. Pulley “Matters”

2004. If you aren’t familiar with Pulley (first of all, you should be), their singer Scott Radinsky was previously the lead singer for Ten Foot Pole and then a pitcher for the Los Angeles Dodgers before starting Pulley. What an amazing life, I was very lucky to catch them at a small club show in Las Vegas during Punk Rock Bowling a year or two back… and they were incredible (it didn’t hurt that they had Sean Sellers, who is also in Good Riddance and the best drummer on the planet, on drums at the time). This CD is propelled into the top 100 by the amazing song “A Bad Reputation”, but they have plenty of other classics as well.

90. PropagandHi “How To Clean Everything”

1993. Another classic CD that every self-respecting punk rocker should have in their collection. While “Back To The Motor League” is my overall favorite Propagandhi song, this one has “Middle Finger Response” and “Stick The Fucking Flag Up Your Goddamn Ass, You Sonofabitch” along with a few more that make it their overall best CD. Essential.

89. Millencolin “Life On A Plate”

1995. Swedish punk rockers Millencolin have a string of undeniable punk rock classics. “Mr. Clean,” “Boring Planet,” “Pain,” “Trendy Winds,” and “Lozin’ Must” are some of the songs on their other releases that are essential listening. But this is their best album, with their best song, “Friends ‘Till The End.” I’ve actually seen them live, at a Vans Warped Tour back in the day, but I didn’t pay enough attention. They are at the very top of my list of bands that I need to see again, if they ever come back to the states.

88. The Chats “High Risk Behavior”

2020. This may be the most recent release in my countdown, but ironically it sounds it came out in 1977. The Chats are most well-known for their song “Smoko”, and the hilarious video that went with it, which is not on this release. Their overall best songs are “6ltr GTR” and “Struck By Lightning,” which are also not on this release. But this one does have “Do What I Want,” “Pub Feed,” “Drunk and Disorderly,” “The Clap,” “Dine And Dash,” and “Identity Theft,” which are all modern classics (and most of which also have great videos to go with them), making it their overall best CD. Get this one and then get everything that they have ever done and ever will do.

87. Good Riddance: “A Comprehensive Guide To Moderne Rebellion”

1996. I knew Good Riddance would be on this list, given how many classic songs they had, but I didn’t really realize how many CDs there were to choose from until I got to them in my collection. I could just have easily had “Ballads From The Revolution” or “Operation Phoenix” in this slot, but I chose this one mainly for the songs “Weight Of The World” and “A Credit To His Gender,” that are two of my favorites. I’d also like to mention that their video (on YouTube) for “Dry Season” is one of my most watched punk rock videos ever. This is a great CD, but you really need to make a “Best Of” to get the full force of how great Good Riddance actually are.

86. Pour Habit “Suiticide”

2007. This is one of the more obscure releases on my list, but damn, do they rip. Pour Habit is a band that I discovered about 14 years ago when they released their second album on Fat Wreck Chords, but it’s their first one, “Suiticide,” that I still play regularly to this day. “Institution” and “Zion” are both classics in my book, and I place them easily in my top 100 CDs of all time.

85. Descendents “Liveage!”

1987. I almost put “Milo Goes To College” in this spot, but being honest, whenever I feel like jamming The Descendents, it’s “Liveage” that I pull out. This may end up being the only live album on my list, but it’s professionally recorded, sounds great, and they play the songs a little faster than on the studio albums. This is all early Descendents, of course, so it includes the classics “Silly Girl,” “I’m Not A Loser,” “Suburban Home,” “I Wanna Be A Bear,” “I Don’t Wanna Grow Up,” “Wendy,” and shoot, they are all classics.

84. Dayglo Abortions “Two Dogs Fucking”

1991. The third full-length from one of the top 5 best punk rock bands of all time. The Dayglo Abortions original “Out Of The Womb” 12” from 1981 was the first mail order record that I ever purchased (with thousands more to follow throughout the 80’s and 90’s). Almost every record that they have ever released has become a classic, and even their 2021 CD “Hate Speech” almost made this list. This one includes “Dream Date of the 90’s,” “Punker Bitches,” and “Sit On My Face And Bleed,” making it essential listening.

83. NOFX “Pump Up The Valuum”

2000. The eighth full-length from another of the top 5 best punk rock bands of all time. NOFX was on a roll by 2000, with their seven previous albums being almost flawless. The singer, Fat Mike, would later start one of the most prolific punk record labels (Fat Wreck Chords), but at this time they were still recording for Epitaph. They toured endlessly (my first time seeing them was in a parking lot during a Vans Warped Tour), but even with the massive amounts of alcohol and drugs, they would continue to put out some of the best records of all time. This won’t be the last time that you see them in this list. This one includes “Dinosaurs Must Die,” “Herojuana,” “Bottles To The Ground,” “Pharmacist’s Daughter,” and “Louise,” but every single song they were making at this time was great.

82. 30 Foot Fall “The Doppler Effect”

2002. 30 Foot Fall put out four amazing CDs in a row that included “Divided We Stand” (1995), “Acme-143” (1997), “Ever Revolving, Never Evolving” (1999) and then this one in 2002. This entry somewhat represents them all; they are all classics and all have great songs. On “The Doppler Effect” we get “Hooray”, “Breaking The Weather,” and “Two Wheels, One Dark Lord,” but you definitely need to check them all out. This is one of my bucket list bands to see live.

81. Tesco Vee’s Hate Police “Gonzo-Hate-Vibe”

1992. Tesco Vee had a few side projects outside of The Meatmen (including Tesco Vee and the Meat Krew, Tesco Vee and White Flag, and Blight), but none come close to Tesco Vee’s Hate Police “Gonzo Hate Vibe.” This could easily have just been a Meatmen release, with classics like “Fucking The Dough,” “Streetsweeper,” “Big Back Yard,” and “I Club Baby Seals.” I was lucky to catch them live at St. Andrew’s Hall, with Negative Approach and Hellmouth, and it was one of the top shows of my lifetime.

80. N.O.T.A. “None Of The Above”

1985. Maybe not quite as well known as some of the other CDs in this list, N.O.T.A. had a pair of classic 7” vinyls in 1984 (“Toy Soldiers” and “Moscow”). In 1985 they followed those up with this full length that gave us “Ultraviolent,” “I Should Kill You” and “War on Wankers.”. If you don’t know it, it would be well worth your while to track this down.

79. Lard, “The Last Temptation of Reid”

1990. After the Dead Kennedys broke up, most punk rockers were highly anticipating something in the hardcore/punk vein from Jello Biafra. We finally got it in 1989 when he released the 12” “The Power Of Lard” with his new band Lard on his own record label Alternative Tentacles. That was followed up with the classic LPs “The Last Temptation Of Reid” (1990), “Pure Chewing Satisfaction” (1997), and “70’s Rock Must Die” (2000). They are all great, but this one is my favorite with “Forkboy” and “Drugs Party at 4AM.” “Forkboy” was featured on the soundtrack to Quentin Tarantino’s movie “Natural Born Killers,” played over the infamous prison riot scene where they cut off Tommy Lee Jones’ head.

78. Ramones “Anthology”

1999. The Ramones were one of the first punk bands that I heard, along with Adam and The Ants, Siouxsie and the Banshees, Blondie, Devo, and Johnny Thunders and the Heartbreakers. I’m probably not as big of a fan of these bands as I should be, as I quickly moved on to hardcore and bands that we could get drunk and slam to. The Ramones definitely had a place in my early listening, and songs like “Blitzkrieg Bop” and “The KKK Took My Baby Away” got a lot of play and were covered by countless bands after them. This pick sort of covers all of the above-listed bands and that short-lived era in my life (I almost put Johnny Thunders and the Heartbreakers “L.A.M.F.” or Devo “Are We Not Men: We Are Devo” here instead, as they both also represent well). This is a perfect choice, though, being a 58-song 2xCD that covers almost everything that The Ramones did. It also includes a thick booklet of photos and anecdotes.

77. The Pricks “Singles & Unreleased 1997 - 2002”

2007. Another obscure pick, but if you listen to this, you will know why it’s here. The Pricks put out a bunch of singles and comps, and for a long time there was nothing that I could find. Fortunately, this was released, compiling a bunch of their rare tracks. I frequently mix them up with F.Y.P., as they have a very similar sound, but both bands smoke. “Superstar,” “555-Moron,” “Fuck You Too,” “Wrong Way,” “Piss On Me, I’m On Fire,” and even “Trick Eye” from a very early demo are just a couple of the many standout songs on this. I always turn up the volume and scream along to these until I lose my voice.

76. The Meatmen “War of The Superbikes / War Of The Superbikes II”

1996. The Meatmen's second album, “War of The Superbikes,” and arguably their overall best, was released in 1985, but this CD is even better in that it contains “War Of The Superbikes II” as well. The former is a solid classic all the way through,, giving us “War Of The Superbikes,” “Abba, God and Me,” and “Punkerama.”. But add in the latter with “Blowjob’s Ain’t Cheatin’,” “Evil In A League With Satan,” and “Fast Food Fist Fuck,” and this moves way up the list. More to come from The Meatmen and the legendary Tesco Vee.

75. AFI “Answer That And Stay Fashionable”

1995. I never thought another hardcore band could rival Minor Threat in my lifetime, and then along came AFI. This is their debut album, and while they would do better down the road, it’s still a classic in its own right. From the imagery on the cover (mimicking Quentin Tarantino’s “Reservoir Dogs” movie poster, which I have had hanging in my house since it came out) to the energetic hardcore songs, it’s nearly flawless. “I Wanna Get A Mohawk” is one of the more memorable songs, but all 16 are just as good. More to come from AFI as well.

74. Stormtroopers of Death “Speak English Or Die”

1985. Stormtroopers of Death, or S.O.D. were one of the first bands to play “crossover.” They were members of the metal band Anthrax with Billy Milano on vocals (who would later start Method Of Destruction, or M.O.D.). “Kill Yourself” and “Pussy Whipped” were always my favorites, but this is packed with short, fast blasts that absolutely belong on a hardcore punk playlist.

73. Rancid “…And Out Come The Wolves”

1995. Rancid is undeniably one of the best punk rock bands of all time, but in my opinion, this release is generally overrated. Don’t get me wrong, being in the top 75 best CDs of all time is high praise, but I think a lot of punk rockers would place it higher. “Maxwell Murder,” “Roots Radical,” “Timebomb,” “Ruby Soho,” and “Olympia, WA” are all classics, but none of them are as good as “Adina” from their first CD or from Tim’s prior band, Operation Ivy.

72. The Meatmen “Pope On A Rope”

1995. The Meatmen were over the top with the cover art and title of this one, and I’m sure it made a lot of people uncomfortable (including some of my friends, when I was blasting this in the car and singing along). “Pope On A Rope,” “Triple B,” and “Real Men (Hang To The Right)” were always my favorites, but it’s solid all the way through. They even do a cover of Gang Green’s “Alcohol,” which I got to see them perform together at Smalls Bar when they were on the same bill on a 2014 tour.

71. NOFX “Heavy Petting Zoo”

1996. NOFX’s sixth studio album, and the second one that made the list of the top 100 CDs of all time. This one isn’t quite as fast and crazy as their others (other than “Hobophobic”), but it showcases their talent and songwriting more than the others. Songs like “Philthy Phil Philantropist,” “Freedom Like A Shopping Cart,” and “Bleeding Heart Disease” changed the way I looked at punk rock and got many hundreds of plays (with more to come) in the decades that followed. The cover art is also some of the most disturbing to ever grace an album.

70. D.O.A. “Bloodied But Unbowed”

1983. This is a collection of everything that D.O.A. (Canada) did from 1978 to 1983, which was their heyday (but they are still playing shows in 2025, and they are still killing it). “The Prisoner,” “Fuck You,” and “Fucked Up Ronnie” are all classics, and many of their songs were covered by their peers over the coming years. They are one of the more influential bands that I can think of in the punk rock genre. During the NOFX final tour, Fat Mike brought Joey Shithead (singer for D.O.A.) on stage and did a tribute to their influence on NOFX.

69. Reagan Youth “A Collection Of Pop Classics”

2007. This is a collection of Reagan Youth’s releases going back to 1984, mostly very obscure at the time. I had mentioned that NOFX’s cover art for “Heavy Petting Zoo” was disturbing, but this one is a close second. This was a right-wing band, however, and the artwork is strictly political satire. “Reagan Youth,” “Degenerated,” “Go Nowhere,” “U.S.A.,.,” and “I Hate Hate” are all punk rock classics, but this is another band that just could do no wrong. Unfortunately, the lead singer’s (Dave Insurgent) life was more tragic than can be imagined (drug abuse, drug dealing, homelessness, prostitution) that ended with his girlfriend being killed by a serial killer, his mother dying after being accidentally ran over by his father, and his eventual suicide.

68. Circle Jerks “Group Sex / Wild In The Streets”

1988. This CD re-releases the Circle Jerks 1980 classic “Group Sex” along with their 1982 follow-up “Wild In The Streets.”. “Red Tape,” “Back Against The Wall,” and “I Just Want Some Skank” had famously been featured in the 1980 movie “The Decline of Western Civilization,” and “Paid Vacation” (arguably their best song) was on the seminal 1984 compilation “Let Them Eat Jellybeans.” The singer Keith Morris had previously been in Black Flag (playing with Greg Ginn as far back as 1976!) and Greg Hetson (lead guitar) would go on to Bad Religion. Through all that, the Circle Jerks still tour today (as well as Keith touring with Off! and Greg touring with Bad Religion).

67. Bigwig “An Invitation To Tragedy”

2001. This is the third Bigwig album, following “Unmerry Melodies” (1997) and “Stay Asleep” (1999). They are all great, as well as “Reclamation” (2006), which followed. Bigwig is one of the more underrated bands on this list, but they absolutely slay with many classic songs that include “Sore Losers” and “Sink or Swim.” I was lucky enough to catch them live just one time when I took a train to Chicago to the House of Blues to see them open for Screeching Weasel and The Queers.

66. The Suicide Machines “Revolution Spring”

2020. The Suicide Machines have an edge being that they are a local band, and I get to see them play frequently. Singer Jay Navarro is also in a slew of other bands and is a local legend. That being said, they have a ton of great songs and a long list of great records. I chose “Revolution Spring” to represent them in this list for several reasons, but you really need to check out all of their albums going all the way back to “Destruction By Definition” (1996) with the song “Break The Glass.” First off, they debuted these songs at a local show played at The Trumbleplex Anarchist Collective, and it was one of the best shows of my life (along with the only show that I saw that year, due to the Covid-19 outbreak that followed). It also moved the band towards hardcore (they are generally considered a ska band) and produced some of the best songs of their career, including my favorites “Detroit Is The New Miami” and “Bully In Blue.” A great band, and I hope to see them live many, many more times.

65. Guttermouth “The Whole Enchilada”

2017. From Discogs, it looks like this is Guttermouth’s tenth full-length album, with some live albums also thrown in. It was hard to choose the best ones since they are such a great band with so many classic songs. I generally think of songs like “1…2…3… Slam!” and “Lucky The Donkey” as being my favorites, but being honest, they are not my go-to songs. Both of my go-to Guttermouth songs come from this album and are arguably their best. I’ve seen them live several times over the past years, and for some reason they don’t play these, but “Saturday Truck Fever” and “A Tale Of Punk Rock Woe” always have me turning up the volume. My friends that don’t regularly listen to punk rock, after hearing “Saturday Truck Fever,” are always asking me to make them a copy of that one. This is actually a double CD and includes live tracks as well, so you can’t go wrong.

64. Angry Samoans “Back From Samoa”

1982. The Angry Samoans “Back From Samoa” is another early punk album that is basically flawless. “Gas Chamber,” “Lights Out,” and “Steak Knife” are my favorites, but every song is essential listening. “Lights Out” was covered by The Accused, an indication of just how influential this band was. I was lucky enough to catch them live just one time, out in San Diego when I was on a business trip, and a very young Anti-Flag was the support band. Ironically, the singer is known as Metal Mike, even though he put out one of the punkest records of all time.

63. Dwarves “Come Clean”

2000. The Dwarves sixth full-length album, and considering that they are one of the top 5 punk rock bands of all time, you can expect to see a few more later in the countdown. It’s hard to ignore this one, giving us the classics “I Want You To Die,” “River City,” and “Way Out.” I don’t know the whole story, but Nick Oliveri was previously in the band The River City Rapists, which did the original song “River City Rapist.”. When he moved on to The Dwarves, he brought that song with him, and they did it even better than the original. I’m not sure if that makes it a cover or not, if Nick wrote it, but it’s a classic.

62. The Accused “The Return of Martha Splatterhead”

1991. This is the CD version of The Accused’s 1986 LP that was originally on Subcore Records. The Subcore Records vinyl was really one of the few records that influenced my entire life. I worked at a restaurant, and one of the Runners had purchased that album and hated it. He knew I was a punk rocker, so he brought it to work and gave it to me. After the first spin, I was blown away. It was crazy and like nothing that I had ever heard before. I’ve been a fan ever since and even started my own record label to put out an Accused record myself (“Paint It Red” 7”). Because this is nowhere near their best record, you will see them in this countdown again. This one includes “Autopsy,” “Wrong Side Of The Grave,” “Martha Splatterhead,” “Fuckin’ For Bux,” and “Show No Mercy,” among others, and has forged its own place on this list.

61. Screeching Weasel “BoogadaBoogadaBoogada!”

1988. Screeching Weasel is yet another band that has put out quality music for more than three decades and has a ton of great songs and great albums. None are better than “BoogadaBoogadaBoogada!” though, giving us the classic songs “Ashtray,” “My Right,” and “I Believe In UFOs.”. I do consider “We Are The Generation X” from 2010’s “Television City Dream” to be their best song, but this is their overall best album. As mentioned previously, I was lucky enough to catch them live in Chicago at The House of Blues a few years back. Ben Weasel (lead singer) has caused all sorts of controversy throughout his career (Google it if you are interested), so they don’t tour much, but they have played a few sporadic shows lately in their home city of Chicago.

60. Lagwagon “Hoss”

1995. Lagwagon’s third full-length with the iconic songs “Violins” and “Razorburn.” I almost put their debut release in this spot, 1992’s “Duh!”, for the songs “Beer Goggles” and “Mr. Coffee.” It was very close, and they have so many other albums that are nearly as good. I was lucky enough to see them more than a few times, including one really small show at a local venue, The Loving Touch. Joey Cape is simply one of the best songwriters of our time, and both Chris Rest and Joe Raposo came from RKL (Rick Kids On LSD), which was an incredible band in their own right.

59. RKL “RockNRoll Nightmare”

1987. RKL (Rick Kids on LSD) second album, “RockNRoll Nightmare,” is another undeniable classic. The top “Nardcore” band, it would be hard to overstate the impact that this band had on every band that came after them, including my personal favorite band, NOFX. "Without RKL, there wouldn’t be an NOFX. Well, there might be a totally shitty NOFX... RKL was the band that we would always be in the shadow of. When they broke up, we kinda took their spot." - Fat Mike. They were incredibly talented, and even though the songs were much longer than I was used to and had way too many lead guitar solos, I just could not stop playing this. Both “Scab on My Brain” and “Blocked Out” were fixtures on every playlist that I made during that time. I’m sure that I’m preaching to the choir; if you are reading this, you are probably already heading over to your CD rack to spin this and crank it up. RKL guitarists Chris Rest and Joe Raposo went on to be the backbone of Lagwagon, but several of the other band members died over the years. Surprisingly though, Chris and Joe teamed up with Tony Foresta (Municipal Waste, Iron Reagan) in 2024 for some shows, reviving the band for what looks like continued touring throughout 2025. I caught them at the 2024 Punk Rock Bowling and Music Festival for a club show and would see them again in a heartbeat if I could.

58. The Queers “Love Songs For The Retarded”

1993. The Queers second album was released in 1993, although the band technically started in 1982. This is another band that has so many great albums; it was hard (ish) to pick just one for this countdown. “You’re Trippin’” and “Monster Zero” (their best songs) are both on this one, along with “I Hate Everything,” “I Can’t Stop Farting,” and “Granola Head,” so this one makes sense. I’ve seen them live many times over the years and have tickets to another show coming up soon. They either love Detroit, or they live on the road. I’m glad that they do.

57. Rancid “Rancid”

1993. I remember being at St. Andrew’s Hall in Detroit and seeing Rancid for the first time, just for the off chance that they might play some Operation Ivy songs. They didn’t, but I was impressed with Rancid, and “Adina” became my favorite song. Many would question why I have their debut album higher up than “…And Out Come The Wolves,” and that is the answer. “Adina.”.

56. Bad Religion “Suffer”

1988. Bad Religion’s third album, after “How Could Hell Be Any Worse?” (1982) and “Into The Unknown” (1983). They took a couple of extra years to make this one, apparently, but it paid off as it’s a masterpiece. This is the album, for me, that put them on the map and cemented their place in history. This isn’t the highest up in the list, as they had a long career and made many classic albums, but this one gave us “Suffer,” “You are (the government),” and “Delirium of Disorder.” It also started the decades-long process of improving all of our vocabularies immensely.

55. Poison Idea “Feel The Darkness”

1990. “Feel The Darkness” is Poison Idea’s third record, after “Kings Of Punk” (1986) and “War All The Time” (1987). “Kings Of Punk” has their best overall song “Lifestyles”, but “Feel The Darkness” just has something about it. When it first came out, I think we all knew it would be considered a classic one day. A local band, The Bump-N-Uglies, used to cover “Plastic Bomb” and “Taken By Surprise” was released as single in the ultra-popular Subpop Singles Club. A great album, but the song “Plastic Bomb” is a cut above and somewhat of the “Stairway to Heaven” of punk rock. The original album cover, edited on the CD, featured the gun pointed at Tiny Tim’s head.

54. The Clash “London Calling”

1979. The Clash’s third album, after their self-titled (1977) and “Give ‘Em Enough Rope” (1978), which are both classics in their own right. I’m sure there is no need to explain why this (double) album is in the list, but it was also hugely influential in my life. “White Riot” from their 1977 debut is my overall favorite song by The Clash, but this one has my second favorite, “Hateful,” along with their biggest hit at the time, “Train In Vain” (along with a ton of other great songs). If you don’t have this, you need it.

53. The Exploited / War Now/ Jesus Is Dead”

1987. The Exploited’s “Death Before Dishonour” is great, but probably wouldn’t have landed this high in the list without the “War Now” 12” (1988) and the “Jesus Is Dead” 12” (1986) that are also included on the CD version. “Death Before Dishonour” and “Police Informer” are both great, but “Jesus Is Dead” and “Politicians” from “Jesus Is Dead” put this over the top. I always loved the cover art from “Jesus Is Dead,” and back in high school I was able to meet the band at a local record store, and they all signed my copy on vinyl.

52. Pennywise “About Time”

1995. This is Pennywise’s third full-length album, following their self-titled (1991) and “Unknown Road” (1993). Another band with a long list of great albums, where I just wanted to choose one to represent them in this list. It was a very tough call, but this one contains “Waste of Time” and “Perfect People,” which are two of my favorites. They are probably most well known for the classic “Bro Hymn” and bringing half of the audience on stage during their encores while playing this song with all of the other bands on the bill joining in. I was a little late to the game with Pennywise, and this was the first album that I heard, so that also makes is special to me. Eventually, I had their entire discography on CD, and you should too.

51. The Meatmen “Stud Powercock: The Touch And Go Years 1981 - 1984”

1990. This Meatmen CD was released in 1990 but contains all of their early tracks from the 1980’s (compiling “We’re The Meatmen And You Suck!”, “Crippled Children Suck,” and “Dutch Hercules”). They are from Detroit, so I was lucky to catch them live many times over the years, and Tesco Vee also founded Touch & Go Records and personally sold me some of my first punk records. It’s hard to pick favorites, but I’m partial to “I Sin For A Living,” “Tooling For Anus,” “Mr. Tapeworm,” and “Meatmen Stomp.”. Prepare to be offended.

50. Charged G.B.H. “City Baby Attacked By Rats”

1982. This is Charged GBH’s (GBH) second full-length, after “Leather, Bristles, Studs and Acne” (1981). For a long time I thought that GBH stood for “Great Britain Hardcore” or “Great Bodily Harm,” but it’s actually “Grievous Bodily Harm.” They also have other albums that rank as classics, but this one contains “Sick Boy,” “Slut,” “City Baby Attacked By Rats,” and “Time Bomb,” ranking it up there with the best UK hardcore ever made. “Sick Boy” was later covered by The Accused.

49. Fear “The Record”

1982. Fear started in 1977, and this is their debut album that is now considered a punk rock classic. They were propelled to infamy by controversy when comedian John Belushi, a friend of frontman Lee Ving, got them a TV gig on Saturday Night Live. Fear caused a riot in the studio, resulting in the first time the live TV show ever had to cut out. But the album also stands on its own with tracks like “I Love Living In The City,” “Beef Bologna,” “I Don’t Care About You,” and “Let’s Have A War.”. In 2025, Lee is 74 years old and still touring with Fear (along with original drummer Spit Stix). I still go to see them whenever I can, and currently have tickets to an upcoming show in Detroit.

48. The Exploited “The Massacre”

1990. This was after a long string of UK82-style punk records by The Exploited, when they took a turn towards crossover. In retrospect, this is more hardcore punk than anything else, but with songs like “The Massacre,” “Porno Slut,” “Police Shit,” and “Sick Bastard,” this was bound to be a classic either way. These are some of their best songs, and they still play a few of them at live shows today (I saw them do “Porno Slut” at the 2024 Riot Fest).

47. Gang Green “Another Wasted Night”

1986. Although Gang Green technically had a “King Of Beers” cassette that came before this, “Another Wasted Night” is considered their debut. The song “Alcohol” was so much of an anthem that we could sing it in the car without the actual song playing. “Skate To Hell” (which was released as a skateboard-shaped picture disc) and “19th Hole” got a lot of play too, but this is honestly where it is because of “Alcohol.”. I got to sing it on stage with them at Blondies back in the 1980’s, and later when The Meatmen covered it, and they played a show together, I got to see a The Meatmen/Gang Green collaboration (at Smalls Bar). Basically the soundtrack to my childhood.

46. NOFX “Ribbed”

1991. NOFX’s third full-length, and also their third in this countdown. They eventually got even better, and you will see more of them coming up, but this one is incredibly good. “Green Corn,” “Shower Days,” “New Boobs,” “Just The Flu,” “The Moron Brothers,” and “Gonoherpasyphlaids” are all punk rock classics. El Hefe had joined the band for the prior album “S&M Airlines,” and they were hitting their stride. The rest would be history.

45. Direct Hit! “Brainless God”

2013. Direct Hit! is another band that I consider to be massively underrated. This is the first release where the pick isn’t just because of the music on the CD; this is somewhat of a (punk) rock opera with a series of videos that go along with it. Each song tells a story, and all of the songs together become basically a short film. The film is excellent, the songs are excellent, and the complete package is a masterpiece. Absolutely essential. I’m not going to play the entire thing right now (although it’s tempting), or I suspect not only would I be obsessed with it for the rest of the evening, but I would have to redo this list and move it up a bunch of spots. It’s that good. If you haven’t seen it, screw the rest of this list and go over to YouTube and start with Act One. They have other great releases as well; my overall favorite song is probably “Perfect Black,” which isn’t even on this one.

44. Motorhead “No Remorse”

1984. Motorhead’s “No Remorse” 2xCD compiles all of their early recordings (1977 - 1984, kicking off with their classic “Ace Of Spades.”. “Motorhead,” “Please Don’t Touch,” and “Emergency” were also personal favorites, but nearly every song is a banger. I was lucky to get to see them many times over the years. R.I.P. Lemmy, you were one of a kind.

43. NOFX “Self/Entitled”

2012. NOFX’s twelfth full-length album, fourth in this countdown, and most importantly, the one that gives us my overall favorite NOFX song, “72 Hookers” (with “The Decline” being a close second). “I Believe In Goddess,” “Cell Out,” “My Sycophant Others,” “This Machine Is 4,” “X-Mas Has Been X’ed,” and “She Didn’t Lose Her Baby” are all insanely good. Another of their albums that is packed with modern classics and nearly flawless. That’s why they are my favorite band of all time, no question. NOFX rules.

42. Turbonegro “Apocalypse Dudes”

1998. Turbonegro are in a league of their own. The theatrics were over the top; at a local show, Hank bent over and shot bottle rockets out of his ass during the show. There were always costumes, and blood, and all sorts of props as well. The songs were dark and captivating, but none more so for me than “Age Of Pamparius” (which I believe is about a pizza place in their hometown where they used to work), later covered by Nashville Pussy. “Apocalypse Dudes” also includes “Don’t Say Motherfucker, Motherfucker,” “Prince Of The Rodeo,” “Get It On,” and “Selfdestructo Bust,” making it essential listening. R.I.P. Hank Helvete. On another note, they are still playing (with a new singer), and while their newest post-Hank album didn’t rank in my top 100, it’s well worth a listen—and I’d go see them again if they came within 100 miles.

41. The Exploited “Punks Not Dead”

1981. This is The Exploited’s debut album and easily one of their best. They helped to pioneer the UK82 sound, and songs like “Punks Not Dead” and “Sex and Violence” are not just classics; they are anthems. Wattie Buchan, with the red mohawk that he maintained for 45+ years and counting, is a punk rock icon. The song “I Believe In Anarchy” wasn’t just a killer song; it was a way of life for them. No surprise that this album made the list; if you don’t have it, you need it.

40. The Casualties “Until Death (Studio Sessions)”

2019. At first it may seem odd for this, The Casualties’ most current release, to be this high up in my countdown. But it won’t after you hear the explanation and spin this disc. Street punk is my favorite sub-genre of punk rock, and The Casualties are the best to ever do it. They have 10 full lengths that came before their most recent two, which were all recorded with their old singer Jorge. Those albums are nearly all classics and produced a long list of the best street punk songs ever made. Unfortunately, at some point, Jorge did some things that got him ejected from the band. I was crushed and assumed they would never be the same—Jorge was one of a kind and irreplaceable. And then they found David Rodriguez, put out “Written In Blood,” and somehow got even better. “Written In Blood” is their single best CD, but then they came out with this one. It’s basically an anthology of their best songs, re-recorded with David Rodriguez on vocals. It sounds great; David is in his prime, and this legitimized him singing all of these on tour as if they were his own. We get the best possible versions of “Chaos Sound,” “Riot,” “Under Attack,” “Punk Rock Love”, “Tomorrow Belongs To Us”, and “My Blood, My Life, Always Forward” (among others). Other than “Written In Blood,” I may not need any others.

39. NOFX “Coaster”

2009. NOFX changed the name of this one based on the format, so the CD was called “Coaster” and the album was called “Frisbee.”. NOFX was on a roll, and this one produced “We Called It America,” “The Quitter,” and “Suits and Ladders.”. All of the songs are great; this is another nearly flawless NOFX album. They toured for 40 years, and I’m just glad for all of the times I was able to see them live (including 7 times on the final tour). I’m still holding out hope for a reunion show some day.

38. The Hookers “Satan’s Highway”

1997. The Hookers were one of the most intense live bands, and some of the best shows I have ever attended. Their “Kiss My Fucking Ass” 7” that came out a year prior to their debut album changed the way I looked at rock music (and is to this day one of my all-time favorite singles). This album is their debut, and “Satan’s Highway,” “Hometown Slut,,” and “12 Gauge Reaction” were always at full volume when they came up. An undeniably great album and one of my favorites.

37. The Accused “Martha Splatterhead’s Maddest Stories Ever Told”

1998. This is considered to be their third full-length, although they had a few minor other releases prior to the debut that appeared earlier in this countdown. I consider The Accused to be one of the top 10 best bands of all time, and many days they are in my top 5. This album is genius and attracted both metal and punk fans at the time. Jeff Gaither and R.K. Sloane contributed to the artwork, and I ended up working with both of them on projects for my own record label (after tracking them down based on this artwork). I also corresponded with the band for many years and got to see them live in 1986 on their “Panic In The Casket” tour with GBH. The GBH and Angry Samoans covers are so good that they rival the originals, and “Psychomania (She’s Dead),” “The Bag Lady Song,” and “Starved To Death (Eatin’ Your Buddies)” are just some of the standout songs. They still have one more to come in this countdown, their best CD, which slightly edges this one out.

36. The Dwarves “How To Win Friends And Influence People”

2001. Their seventh full-length, from another of the top 5 punk rock bands of all time. The Dwarves just kept getting better and better, while also single-handedly making punk rock dangerous again. In the early days, they would play naked, throw broken glass into the mosh pit, start fights, and smash all of their equipment (many times all during the first song). I’ve seen them more times live than any other band, and they were the first band that I started to travel to see live. This album in particular is special because it gives us debatably their best song, “The Dominator.” Similar to what The Casualties did, they also re-recorded a slew of their prior hits and somehow made them even better (for any of the songs on this album, these would be my go-to versions). Blag Dahlia is a certified genius.

35. NOFX “Wolves In Wolves Clothing”

2006. There is a reason that I consider NOFX to be the best band of all time, and you are seeing that in how many of their albums fall into the top 100 CDs of all time. This one is maybe a bit more mellow than some of the others, with songs like “The Man I Killed,” “Benny Got Blowed Up,” and “You Will Lose Faith.”. “Seeing Double At The Triple Rock” produced a killer video, maybe their best, and every other track was amazing as well (“Wolves In Wolves Clothing,” “March To The Beat Of Indifferent Drum,” “60%,” and “Leaving Jesusland” are other standouts).

34. The Vandals “Peace Through Vandalism/ When In Rome Do As The Vandals”

1989. This CD includes The Vandals’ debut EP “Peace Through Vandalism” (1982) and their debut full-length “When In Rome Do As The Vandals” (1984). Although technically they had a different singer in the very beginning, I think everyone accepts David Quackenbush as THE singer after all of these years. They never stopped touring or cranking out the hits, but these were always my favorites. “Urban Struggle”, “The Legend of Pat Brown”, “Anarchyburger” and “Mohawk Town” are all more than stand-out songs, they helped to forge the punk rock sound of a generation.

33. Bad Religion “Against The Grain”

1990. After seeing a few of their albums already in this countdown, we get to my overall favorite Bad Religion album, “Against The Grain.” “Modern Man,” “21st Century Digital Boy,” and “Anesthesia” are some of their most recognizable songs, but it was “Operation Rescue” that stood out to me. Undeniably one of the best bands ever to play punk rock, and with guitarist Brett Gurewitz also starting one of the biggest punk record labels (Epitaph Records), Bad Religion is the bedrock of punk. They also increased my vocabulary immensely over the years.

32. The Casualties “Written In Blood”

2018. The Casualties “Written In Blood”. Just when you think they couldn’t get better, they put out this masterpiece of street punk. “1312”, “Fucking Hate You”, “Borders”, “Ashes of my Enemies”, “Demolition”, and “Written In Blood” make this easily the best that they have ever done. With David Rodriguez on vocals (who is also in Starving Wolves and ex-Krum Bums), they have a new-found energy and continue to live on tour. Word is that there will be an all-new album in 2025. I’m sure you will find their new one at or near the top of my list of the best releases of 2025.

31. Guttermouth “Musical Monkey”

1997. I had to have a second Guttermouth release in this list, just to underscore how good they really are. This pick represents a few of their albums. I wanted to go with their 1991 self-titled debut album for “1…2…3… Slam!” but in the end I feel this is their overall best. “Lucky The Donkey” makes me laugh out loud every time, but we also get “Baker’s Dozen,” “Abort Mission,” “Lipstick,” and “What’s The Big Deal?”

30. NOFX “The War On Errorism”

2003. NOFX’s ninth full-length studio album, this one gives us “Separation of Church and Skate,” “Franco-Unamerican,” and of course “She's Nubs.”. For a long time I didn’t realize that Nubs was a real person. I eventually noticed her at a show and talked to her for a while (she’s awesome). How great would it be to have your favorite band write a song about you and then have it end up being one of their best songs? As always, the songwriting is amazing, and the songs tell stories about Mike’s life and experiences. At the same time they rip and make you want to sing/scream along. NOFX are talented; they have a sound that is unmistakable, they make you laugh, cry, love, and hate, and they bring both optimism and cynicism. There is no higher praise than I can give, other than to say that they are the best punk rock band of all time.

29. Suicidal Tendencies “Suicidal Tendencies”

1983. Suicidal Tendencies debut album was an instant classic and still holds up today. Almost anyone into punk rock can relate to Mike just wanting a Pepsi and can follow along with the entire rant in the song “Institutionalized.”. There is an iconic video to go along with the song as well. “Suicide’s An Alternative,” “I Shot The Devil,” “Subliminal,” and “I Saw Your Mommy” are all punk rock classics (with the latter rivaling The Dayglow Abortions in it’s vulgarity). I doubt that anyone would argue with this being in the top 30.

28. The Exploited “Let’s Star A War / Horror Epics”

1991. “Horror Epics” (1985) is my overall favorite Exploited album; if I could only choose one, that would be it. Mainly that’s because of the song “Maggie,” which is just so good. This CD, however, also gives us the “Let’s Start A War” (1983) EP, putting it over the top. “Treat You Like Shit,” “Horror Epics,” “Don’t Forget The Chaos,” and “Let’s Start A War (Said Maggie One Day)” are all in my list of their best songs.

27. Dwarves “Are Young And Good Looking”

1997. The Dwarves’ fifth studio album, fourth punk rock album, and not the first to push the boundaries (in this case, full frontal nudity and the skull/crossbones on the cover, again). Albums like this are why I consider them to be one of the top 5 best punk rock bands of all time. “Unrepentant” ended up being one of their marquee songs that they would open their live show with for years (after an intro that led you to believe they would be playing “Blag The Ripper”). “Demonica,” “The Crucifixion Is Now,” and “Everybodies Girl” have also become classics, and some of their best (from a long, long list).

26. F.Y.P. “My Man Grumpy”

1997. F.Y.P.’s “My Man Grumpy” is not as well-known as many of the picks in the top 30, but it deserves to be here. This album is nearly flawless; I love every song. “Pappy” is their best song, but “Shitheel,” “Motherfucker, Cheap Thumbsucker,” and “I Don’t Wanna See Tomorrow” from this one are all close. I was incredibly lucky to be able to catch them live both on tour with The Dwarves back in the 1990’s and again in 2024 at Punk Rock Bowling. The first time I saw them, they told me that F.Y.P. stood for “Fuck You People,” and I believed that for years (it’s actually “Five Year Plan”).

25. NOFX “So Long And Thanks For All The Shoes”

1997. NOFX again I know, but they have so many albums that are just that good. “So Long And Thanks For All The Shoes” gives us “It’s My Job To Keep Punk Rock Elite”, “Monosyllabic Girl”, “Murder The Government”, “I’m Telling Tim”, “Eat The Meek” and even more. It’s impossible not to have this one on the list.

24. Black Flag “Everything Went Black”

1983. Black Flag is one of the hardcore bands that found the most commercial success, practically becoming a household name. That makes sense, as they practically invented hardcore. Even people that are not into punk would recognize the name Black Flag, and in my mind, this is the album that defines them. Henry Rollins would later become their singer, and “Damaged” would become an iconic album, but I still go back to this one (pre-Rollins from 1978 - 1981). Songs like “Police Story,” “Depression,” “Gimme Gimme Gimme,” “Jealous Again,” “No Values,” and “White Minority” defined an era.

23. 7 Seconds “Walk Together, Rock Together”

1986. I was always surprised when talking about punk rock, where people knew 7 Seconds but didn’t realize how good this album really was. This is another album that I think of as being nearly flawless. It sounds great; the melodies are incredible, they have a positive message, and Pushead even did the cover art. The song “Walk Together, Rock Together” is another one that I feel even transcends being a classic to something more. It’s a lifestyle, and it defines a state of mind. Songs like “Regress No Way,” “We’re Gonna Fight,” and “Strength” put them in a league with bands like Minor Threat, The Dead Kennedys, and Black Flag.

22. Frenzal Rhomb “We Lived Like Kings”

2016. I was trying to stay away from “Best Of” albums, but this one is the exception. This is just so good, as is Frenzal Rhomb. I remember reading an interview once; after years of people trying to figure out what their name meant, they finally gave the answer. That only added more mystery when the answer was that they named it after a friend’s hamster (which was named Frenzal Rhomb, but it’s unknown why). “Never Had So Much Fun” is considered their marquee song, but this is packed with hits like “Mum Changed The Locks,” “Mummy Doesn’t Know You’re A Nazi,” “Urban Myth,” and “Genius.”. Essential listening, and one of the few bucket list bands for me to see live someday.

21. NOFX “White Trash, Two Heebs, and a Bean”

1992. NOFX’s fourth studio album, and the one that produced both of the songs widely considered their best (“Soul Doubt” and “Stickin In My Eye”). The video for “Stickin In My Eye” is great, and having other great songs like “Bob,” “Liza and Louise,” and “Johnny Appleseed” push this way past classic. And yet still, this isn’t their best album. More to come.

20. Dead Kennedys “Give Me Convenience Or Give Me Death”

1987. This was a compilation of songs from EP’s and singles, alternate versions, and rarities. It was released on Jello Biafra’s record label, Alternative Tentacles, and unfortunately would be the last album that he approved the release of. This is the first Dead Kennedys album in this countdown, but it won’t be the last. Without this one in the mix, we wouldn’t have classics like “Life Sentence,” “A Child and His Lawnmower,” and “Police Truck.”. It would be hard to call yourself a punk rocker if you didn’t like the Dead Kennedys.

19. Nashville Pussy “Let Them Eat Pussy”

1997. This one belongs in the top 100, but it may be questioned how high up in the list it lands. First, this is a great record that again is nearly flawless. But the energy that Nashville Pussy had live puts them over the top. I saw them several times on this tour, and it was mind-blowing. Corey Parks used to blow these huge fireballs over the audience and one time kicked me in the stomach and knocked me flat for at least a minute. Blaine would drink beer out of his hat, pour full bottles down Ruyter’s throat from 3 feet up, and smoke blunts with the audience. And all the while, the music was at full volume and breakneck speed. I was having the time of my life.

18. Sex Pistols “Never Mind The Bollocks”

1977. While many people consider punk to have started in the 1960’s, or with The Ramones, I’m in the camp that believes The Sex Pistols started punk rock. Anything before the Sex Pistols was just pop or rock music that would eventually inspire punk rock. The Sex Pistols had great punk rock songs, but they also brought the attitude and danger that drew me to punk rock and set them apart. This is the one that started it all, and even with tens of thousands of punk bands that came after them, this album still lands squarely in the top 20 of all time with songs like “God Save The Queen,” “Liar,” and “Anarchy In The U.K.”.

17. Sloppy Seconds “Destroyed”

1989. Sloppy Seconds’ debut full-length, after a couple of singles that already had made me a huge fan. This album is insanely good, one of the few that I can probably sing along to every word of every song. The cover is a parody of the Kiss “Destroyer” album, done extremely well. But it’s songs like “Janie Is A Nazi,” “Black Roses,” and “Veronica” that make this one of the best albums of all time. Every single song is not just good, but great.

16. S.N.F.U. “If You Swear, You’ll Catch No Fish”

1986. S.N.F.U.’s second album, and another one that is nearly flawless with every song great. I could sing along to almost every word of every song, and the lyrics did an amazing job of describing the chaos going on in their lives and minds (particularly Mr. Chi Pig). Mr. Chi Pig (Ken Chinn) was probably the single most high-energy frontman of any band I had ever, or would ever, see. He was always climbing onto the amplifiers and bass drum, doing flips, lying on his back, and getting more air with his jumps than you would think is humanly possible. The songs are great, the live shows were insane, and this album was their very best. It was sad to see that his later years were plagued with addiction and severe health issues, but he impacted the lives in so many others in a positive way (myself included) with his art and energy. Songs like “My Ceiling,” “Better Homes and Gardens,” “Mind Like A Door,” “Black Cloud,” and “Where’s My Legs” will forever be classics.

15. AFI “Very Proud Of Ya”

1996. Only a year after “Answer That And Stay Fashionable” (1995), AFI’s second album would end up being maybe the best hardcore album ever recorded. At the time I thought it would be impossible for any band to even come close to Minor Threat’s first LP, but AFI did it. Minor Threat and Negative Approach are higher up with CD’s that include multiple releases together on the CD, but if I was comparing just a single LP from all three bands, I think AFI would take it. It’s that good. “Consult My Lover,” “He Who Laughs Last,” and “Modern Epic” are just a few of the great songs on this one. I respect that AFI eventually wanted to depart from hardcore for a more mainstream/emo sound, but personally I think that this is the era that made them great. They still play at least one of these old hardcore songs at each of their shows, and I occasionally see them live for just that.

14. Dayglo Abortions “Here Today, Guano Tomorrow”

1988. I would eventually become obsessed with collecting records; however, The Dayglo Abortions “Out Of The Womb” 12” EP (1981) was the first record that I had ever bought mail order. Their 1986 LP (which we have yet to get to in the countdown) was already a classic, and then The Dayglo Abortions produced this masterpiece—“Here “Today, Guano Tomorrow.”. Needless to say, I was beyond excited, and I can still remember the moment I put it on my turntable, manually set that needle down on the first track, and played the first song. It was the same year I turned 21 (drinking age in Michigan), and I was working at a restaurant and heading to shows at Blondies after work on the weekends. It was just a magical time in my life, and also the year that I saw the single best punk rock concert of my lifetime (The Dayglo Abortions in 1988 at Blondies, touring this album). “Fuck My Shit Stinks,” “Hide The Hamster,” and “Kill Johnny Stiff” are all classics, as is the cover art.

13. Operation Ivy “Energy / Hectic”

1991. This CD compiles Operation Ivy’s “Hectic” 7” single (1988) and their “Energy” LP (1989), which are both true classics, put ska music on the map, and paved the way for decades of ska punk bands to come. I bought “Hectic” right when it came out, and if this CD was just that single, it would have still made it way up in this list. “Junkies Running Dry,” “Yellin’ In My Ear,” and “Hoboken” are on a short list of the greatest songs ever written. But then we got “Energy,” which added “Knowledge,” “Missionary,” and “Bombshell” to the list. Operation Ivy doesn’t have a single bad song; those are the highlights, but they are all great. Tim Armstrong would go on to start Rancid, and they would never reunite even with hundreds of thousands of fans begging. I still hold out hope.

12. Negative Approach “Total Recall”

1992. This CD compiles Negative Approach’s self-titled 7” EP from 1982 and their “Tied Down” LP from 1983 which are both 10/10. Negative Approach is the band that I credit with changing my life, going from a casual music fan to a lifelong punk rocker. I had on an Adam & The Ants (probably) T-shirt and was walking through a local mall when some older kid walked up (I like to think it was John Brannon himself) and handed me a cassette tape with a sticker of The Exorcist on it. He just walked away, and I played that thing until it was no longer playable (not even knowing what band it was). Later I tried to order The Misfits “Halloween” 7” through Touch & Go mailorder, and I got back a handwritten letter from Tesco Vee explaining that they were out of The Misfits single but that he substituted the Negative Approach EP instead (for $3 shipped!). “Can’t Tell No One” may be the best hardcore song ever written, and the entire 7” smokes. “Tied Down” gave us the song “Tied Down” along with “Hypocrite” and “Live Your Life,” putting this CD in the dozen best of all time.

11. Bad Brains “Bad Brains”

1996. This is the original 1982 ROIR cassette on CD, and on the back there is a quote from Adam Yauch (Beastie Boys): “The best punk/hardcore album of all time.”. It’s hard to disagree with that, and I probably don’t even need to explain how Bad Brains made it all the way to #11 on the countdown of the best CDs of all time. Bad Brains’ next release, “Rock For Light” (1983), would also end up being a classic, but this one edges it out with songs that include “Pay To Cum,” “Sailin’ On,” “Fearless Vampire Killers,” and “Banned In D.C.”.

10. Minor Threat “Complete Discograpy”

1989. Finally to the top 10, and Minor Threat is an obvious choice. This combines their classic 1981 self-titled and the follow-up “Out Of Step” (1983) along with their singles. The greatest straight edge band of all time, the band that coined the term and started an entire sub-genre of hardcore (if not hardcore itself). This CD is timeless, and I’m sure I’ll be playing it until the day I die. “I Don’t Wanna Hear It,” “Filler,” “Screaming At A Wall,” “12XU,” “Betray,” “Sob Story,” and even “Salad Days” are all 10/10 songs. Absolutely essential.

9. Dead Kennedys “Fresh Fruit For Rotting Vegetables”

1980. The Dead Kennedys also fall into that category of the top 5 best punk rock bands of all time. Many would have them at #1, and it would be hard to argue. Although this is not my favorite album by The Dead Kennedys, for many it would be, and that would also be hard to argue. This is their 1980 debut, but I’m actually using their 25th anniversary CD that comes with a bonus DVD containing live footage and a documentary on the making of the album. “Kill The Poor,” “Chemical Warfare,” “I Kill Children,” “Holiday In Cambodia,” and “California Uber Alles” all came from this seminal album.

8. The Misfits “Walk Among Us”

1981. The Misfits’ debut album after a string of singles that would garner a generation of fans and inspire hundreds of bands about to rock (including Metallica). As a teenager, I was a member of The Misfits Fiend Club and used to get stuff in the mail directly from Glenn Danzig. I wish I still had some of those hand-screened T-shirts and handwritten letters; they would be worth a small fortune. Glenn is a genius, and it shows on this album more than anything else he would ever do. “All Hell Breaks Loose,” “Hatebreeders,” “Skulls,” “Violent World,” “Astrozombies,” and “Night Of The Living Dead” are all sing-along horror punk classics. Even at #8 on this list though, it’s still not my favorite Misfits album. They would break up before I was able to see them live (Samhain was one of the first shows I went to as a kid, with a 29-year-old Danzig on vocals post-Misfits), and then do a “Shocking Return” tour in the 1990’s without Glenn Danzig. Eventually, The Original Misfits did reunite and played festivals and stadiums. I finally got to see them live (with Glenn Danzig) at Riot Fest. If you had this album at #1 on your list, I would not blame you at all.

7. The Accused “More Fun Than An Open Casket Funeral”

1987. I can’t think of a song that did more damage to my hearing over the years than “Bethany Home” from The Accused’s “More Fun Than An Open Casket Funeral.”. The Accused have always been in my top 10 all-time bands, many times in my top 5. This, in my opinion, is their best album and one of the best albums ever made. In addition to “Bethany Home,” songs like “Halo of Flies,” “Mechanized Death,” and “Septi-Child” were insanely fast and always had to be at full volume. This high up on the list, these albums don’t have any bad songs (and this one is no exception). As you can see from the CD photo above, I was at a Comicon in the Detroit area one year, where S. Clay Wilson had a booth (he did the cover art). I stopped in and had him sign my CD. I’ve also been able to see and meet The Accused a few times and even put out a single of theirs (“Paint It Red”) on my own label.

6. The Dwarves “Thank Heaven For Little Girls / Sugar Fix”

1991. At #6 in the countdown, and this is still not the best Dwarves album. “Thank Heaven For Little Girls” is one of the best punk records ever made, and we also get the following year’s “Sugarfix” on this CD. After being lucky enough to catch them in Detroit at St. Andrew’s Hall for the “Blood, Guts and Pussy” tour in 1990, I caught them again in Ann Arbor in 1992 at The Blind Pig for the “Thank Heaven For Little Girls” tour. Both amazing shows that I still talk about to this day. At The Blind Pig, we were backstage with them drinking Rolling Rock beer. At St. Andrew’s Hall, well, that story would take much too long to write out here. Suffice to say, two of the best shows I’ve been to in my lifetime. “Blag The Ripper,” “Lucky Tonight,” “Fuck Around,” “Speed Demon,” and “Anybody Out There” are all highlights (and big ones).

5. The Misfits “Earth A.D.”

1983. The Misfits moved more towards hardcore for this one, and it ended up being not only the best that they would ever do, but some of the best punk/hardcore songs ever written and performed. When I first bought this in 1983, it was a vinyl LP titled “Wolfsblood / Earth A.D.” with the “Wolfsblood” art on the front and the “Earth A.D.” art on the back. The artwork has since been reversed and this is now referred to as “Earth A.D.”. “Devillock” is my overall favorite Misfits track, which comes from this one. We also get “Green Hell” that was famously covered by Metallica on their “Garage Day Revisited” CD, along with “Earth A.D.” and “Death Comes Ripping”. The CD also adds “Mommy, Can I Go Out And Kill Tonight” and “Die, Die, My Darling” that weren’t on my original vinyl. This is the best of the best.

4. NOFX “Punk In Drublic”

1994. In the top 5 of all time, we finally get to NOFX’s best album, “Punk In Drublic.”. This was also a great time in my life, when I had just bought a house and had no furniture or appliances—but I did have a stereo and a NOFX album. Macaroni and cheese, and NOFX at full volume, those were the days. “Linoleum,” “Don’t Call Me White,” “Perfect Government,” “The Brews,” “Lori Meyers,” “Jeff Wears Birkenstocks,” and “Punk Guy” are all on this one.

3. The Dwarves “Blood, Guts and Pussy”

1990. The Dwarves’ first punk rock album, after previously trying a lo-fi garage sound with “Horror Stories” (1986). They had actually released a punk/hardcore 7” EP “Lucifer’s Crank” (1988) and a 12” EP “Toolin’ For A Warm Teabag” (1988) before this, so I was already a fan, but this immediately blew me away. It’s over-the-top vulgar, fast, and everything punk rock. “Back Seat Of My Car,” “Let’s Fuck,” and “Gash Wagon” are all 10/10. They have mellowed a bit in the years that followed but still continue to tour and continue to be the best at what they do. The singer, Blag Dahlia (a.k.a. Blag Jesus, Ralph Champagne), also has several side projects that are worth a listen.

2. Dayglo Abortions “Feed U.S.A. Fetus”

1986. Dayglo Abortions 21-song masterpiece, which is practically the definition of punk rock. It’s obnoxious, and infectious, and hilarious at the same time. ”Stupid Songs,” “Bedtime Story,” and “Suicide” are all classic Dayglos, but not a bad song on here. The best live band I have ever seen (#1 in my list of the best live shows of all time) and the second-best album ever made. Long live the Dayglos.

1. Dead Kennedys “Plastic Surgery Disasters / In God We Trust, Inc.”

1982. Hopefully no surprise, the best CD of all time is the Dead Kennedys “Plastic Surgery Disasters.”. Not only is that, on its own, the best punk album ever made, but we also get their classic “In God We Trust, Inc.” EP (I had the EP cover art on my T-shirt in my senior picture back in high school). It’s their second album, and it’s a masterpiece. “Government Flu,” “Forest Fire,” “Well-Paid Scientist,” “Buzzbomb,” “Halloween,” “Winnebago Warrior,” “Bleed For Me,” “Moon Over Marin” … every song is perfect. I did end up getting to see the Dead Kennedys live with Jello Biafra still on vocals, but it wasn’t until the “Frankenchrist” tour. Late in the game, but still a highlight of my life. If anyone actually reads this far, please leave a comment with anything you think I may have missed. I can always update this list next year.

The 100 Greatest Punk Rock CDs Of All Time.