Henry RollinsEditor's note: This week we published our survey of the top 20 punk albums in history. In conjunction we asked our columnist Henry Rollins — who's on the number two album on the list, Black Flag's Damaged — to name his own top 20. They are below, preceded by a few of his notes.
Rollins: This list is in no particular order. Lists like these often get confusing because they beg the question, what is Punk? 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?
For me, as a lean definition, I go by the classic UK 1977 graduating class, Pistols, Clash, etc., and go from there. Beyond that, there were a lot of great Punk Rock bands who never made full albums. The Machines, The Killjoys, Some Chicken, and countless others. 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.
See also: L.A. Weekly's Top 20 Punk Albums in History
The Clash
The Clash (1977)
Generation X
Generation X (1977)
The Adverts
Crossing the Red Sea (1978)
X Ray Spex
Germ Free Adolescents (1978)
The Sex Pistols
Never Mind the Bullocks (1977)
The Ramones
The Ramones (1976)
Eater
The Album (1977)
The Damned
Damned Damned Damned (1977)
The Fall
Hex Enduction Hour (1982)
The Buzzcocks
Another Music In A Different Kitchen (1978)
The Saints
(I'm) Stranded (1977)
UK Subs
Another Kind of Blues (1979)
Wire
Pink Flag (1977)
The Lurkers
Fulham Fallout (1978)
Alternative TV
The Image Has Cracked (1978)
The Ruts
The Crack (1979)
The Germs
GI (1979)
X
Los Angeles (1980)
The Minutemen
The Punchline (1981)
Stiff Little Fingers
Inflammable Material (1979)
See also: L.A. Weekly's Top 20 Punk Albums in History
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