The 20 best punk albums of all time, according to Henry Rollins
Henry Rollins, an uncompromising artist most commonly recognised as the frontman of Californian hardcore punk band Black Flag, has been a strong advocate of the punk genre ever since he procured a copy of the Ramones’ eponymous debut album in his youth. From there, he was grabbed by the scruff of the neck and hurled towards his passion in life.
A beacon of creativity and an unreserved advocate for complete artistic anarchy, Rollins is undeniably a pillar of punk, and, as a result, his word goes a long way. His view on what might be the greatest albums of the genre is one worth gazing into, and lucky, his penchant for voicing his opinion means we have quite the playlist to go with it.
Despite his initial steps into the punk scene, it wasn’t until 1980 that Henry Rollins secured his big break. Rollins, who had become a Black Flag fan, exchanged letters with bassist Chuck Dukowski and even invited the entire band to stay at his parent’s home while they toured the East Coast. At that time, vocalist Dez Cadena was eager to transition to playing guitar full-time, opening up the frontman spot. The chance Rollins had been waiting for had finally arrived.
After a partial audition for the role at Tu Casa Studio in New York City, Black Flag eventually asked Rollins to become the new face and vocals of the band. Shortly after, Rollins, who previously worked as the regional manager for an ice cream shop, quit his day job and became a rock star.
It was a crossroads moment for Rollins, as he once explained: “I looked at the ice cream scoop in my hand, my chocolate bespattered apron, and my future in the world of minimum-wage work. Or I could go up to New York and audition for this crazy band who is my favourite.” He didn’t care that the opportunity provided a chance of humiliation in front of his favourite band because “meh, I was used to it”. Now, he needed to take the leap toward stardom and finding his vocation in life and the meaning of living it at all.
“I took a train up there, I walked into this practice place in the East Village, I’m standing there with the band with a microphone in my hand and they said ‘pick the tune’,” he explained. “And I sang every song they had.” They went through the entire set twice before the band withdrew for a meeting. They came back “ten minutes later and said ‘you’re in!’”
Rollins later admits, “I won the lottery.”
From then on, Rollins never looked back. Fully immersing himself in the punk genre, the new Black Flag vocalist became obsessed with the music and, in later years, chose to write about it as a columnist for Rolling Stone and LA Weekly. He has rightly been cited as one of the most influential members of the punk scene.
In one of his aforementioned articles for LA Weekly, Rollins put together what he believes to be a comprehensive list of the best punk albums ever made. “This list is in no particular order,” Rollins said while fronting his piece. “Lists like these often get confusing because they beg the question, what is Punk?”
He added: “Could Wire, also be considered Post Punk? Where do you put bands like PIL, Joy Division, Television, Patti Smith, Suicide, and Killing Joke? What about Gang of Four, 999 and the Banshees?”.
Partially answering his own questions, Rollins continued: “For me, as a lean definition, I go by the classic UK 1977 graduating class, Pistols, Clash, etc., and go from there.” That’s what he has done, selecting some of the finest acts from the genre as he does.
Rollins does an excellent job of doffing his cap to the genre’s originators and their huge influence on everything that followed. The Clash and their seminal self-titled debut album, often forgotten alongside London Calling but certainly a more impactful entry into the world of punk, is given a spot. Another self-titled debut from Generation X is heralded as a true great, and the brilliance of Poly Styrene and X-Ray Spex on their record Germ Free Adolescents is also recognised.
The British punk influence shines through with bands like the Sex Pistols, The Damned, and Buzzcocks—all of whom produced some of the genre’s most influential records—earning their spots. But it’s not just UK groups; Rollins also pays tribute to homegrown influences, including The Germs, X, and The Minutemen, each securing a place on his list.
It makes for an essential listening list that will undoubtedly provide a welcomed education on the foundation of punk rock. However, as Rollins notes, in reality, this is just a small selection of what is out there: “So many great bands and great records in this genre and the surrounding/resulting genres. Best bet is just to get the music playing for as long as possible.”
Henry Rollins’ 20 favourite punk albums:
Never Miss A Beat
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