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Essential hardcore punk listening

The albums that define
hardcore punk.

Our picks for where to start with hardcore punk — with a one-line read on why each one matters.

All hardcore punk artists →

Top hardcore punk artists

Start with one of these.

NOFX

Beastie Boys

Misfits

Suicidal Tendencies

Suicidal Tendencies

A Day to Remember

A Day to Remember

Sick of It All

The Lemonheads

Refused

Alexisonfire

Bad Brains

The hardcore punk essentials

Twenty-four picks. Press play on any of them.

Licensed to Ill

Beastie Boys

Licensed to Ill

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Ribbed

NOFX

Ribbed

Start here

Liberal Animation

NOFX

Liberal Animation

Start here

Punk in Drublic

NOFX

Punk in Drublic

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To the 5 Boroughs

Beastie Boys

To the 5 Boroughs

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Aglio e Olio

Beastie Boys

Aglio e Olio

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The In Sound from Way Out!

Beastie Boys

The In Sound from Way Out!

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Some Old Bullshit

Beastie Boys

Some Old Bullshit

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Paul's Boutique

Beastie Boys

Paul's Boutique

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Check Your Head

Beastie Boys

Check Your Head

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Hello Nasty

Beastie Boys

Hello Nasty

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The Mix-Up

Beastie Boys

The Mix-Up

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Ill Communication

Beastie Boys

Ill Communication

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Root Down

Beastie Boys

Root Down

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A New Kind of Army

Anti-Flag

A New Kind of Army

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Damaged

Black Flag

Damaged

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Morbid Stuff

PUP

Morbid Stuff

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Who Will Look After the Dogs?

PUP

Who Will Look After the Dogs?

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Fresh Fruit for Rotting Vegetables

Dead Kennedys

Fresh Fruit for Rotting Vegetables

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We're Not in This Alone

Youth of Today

We're Not in This Alone

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Cokie the Clown

NOFX

Cokie the Clown

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The Longest Line

NOFX

The Longest Line

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S&M Airlines

NOFX

S&M Airlines

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The War on Errorism

NOFX

The War on Errorism

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The Longest EP

NOFX

The Longest EP

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Pump Up the Valuum

NOFX

Pump Up the Valuum

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I Heard They Suck Live!!

NOFX

I Heard They Suck Live!!

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Wolves in Wolves' Clothing

NOFX

Wolves in Wolves' Clothing

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Coaster

NOFX

Coaster

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So Long and Thanks for All the Shoes

NOFX

So Long and Thanks for All the Shoes

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The Future Is Here and Everything Needs to Be Destroyed

The Armed

The Future Is Here and Everything Needs to Be Destroyed

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Slip It In

Black Flag

Slip It In

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The People or the Gun

Anti-Flag

The People or the Gun

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For Blood and Empire

Anti-Flag

For Blood and Empire

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For Those Who Have Heart

A Day to Remember

For Those Who Have Heart

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Homesick

A Day to Remember

Homesick

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What Separates Me from You

A Day to Remember

What Separates Me from You

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The Terror State

Anti-Flag

The Terror State

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And Their Name Was Treason

A Day to Remember

And Their Name Was Treason

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Mobilize

Anti-Flag

Mobilize

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Static Age

Misfits

Static Age

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Walk Among Us

Misfits

Walk Among Us

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American Psycho

Misfits

American Psycho

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Project 1950

Misfits

Project 1950

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Everything Went Black

Black Flag

Everything Went Black

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Nervous Breakdown

Black Flag

Nervous Breakdown

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Family Man

Black Flag

Family Man

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Loose Nut

Black Flag

Loose Nut

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Six Pack

Black Flag

Six Pack

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My War

Black Flag

My War

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Adjacent sounds

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← All essentials