# The Essential Music Library: Punk/Post-Punk/New Wave **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [October 31, 2005, 3:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-essential-music-library-punk-post-punk-new-wave/328673 "2005-10-31T03:35:43Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![ultrafilter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/3d9bf3/32.png) [@ultrafilter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ultrafilter)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2005, 3:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-essential-music-library-punk-post-punk-new-wave/328673/1 "2005-10-31T03:35:43Z")
The Essential Music Library project is an attempt to get the many musical minds of the SDMB to sit down and discuss what works are absolutely necessary for a well-stocked musical library. There will be roughly 20 threads detailing a variety of genres so that we can get the depth that would be missing from a single-threaded discussion and the breadth necessary to cover what’s out there. This thread’s topic is punk and its immediate descendents, post-punk and new wave. Previous threads: [Project Planning](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=335665) | [Classical](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=336834) | [Rock](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=337956) | [Jazz](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=339051) | [Modern Rock](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=340081) | [The Blues](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=341203) ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d26b3c/32.png) [@Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Blue_Sky)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2005, 3:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-essential-music-library-punk-post-punk-new-wave/328673/2 "2005-10-31T03:45:37Z")
Punk: The Dead Kennedys - Fresh Fruit for Rotting Vegetables New Wave: Blondie - Blondie ---
**Author:** ![Dark\_Side\_of\_the\_Floyd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/bb73d2/32.png) [@Dark\_Side\_of\_the\_Floyd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dark_Side_of_the_Floyd)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2005, 3:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-essential-music-library-punk-post-punk-new-wave/328673/3 "2005-10-31T03:49:42Z")
> [@Mr. Blue Sky](#): > > New Wave: > Blondie - Blondie Came in here to say this. ---
**Author:** ![parthenokinesis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/cc9497/32.png) [@parthenokinesis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/parthenokinesis)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2005, 3:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-essential-music-library-punk-post-punk-new-wave/328673/4 "2005-10-31T03:55:42Z")
The Clash - London Calling; Combat Rock The Damned - Damned, Damned, Damned; Machine Gun Etiquette The Repo Man Sountrack ---
**Author:** ![ultrafilter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/3d9bf3/32.png) [@ultrafilter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ultrafilter)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2005, 3:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-essential-music-library-punk-post-punk-new-wave/328673/5 "2005-10-31T03:58:24Z")
My short punk list: Ramones, the anthology - titled Hey Ho Let’s Go, IIRC Sex Pistols, Never Mind the Bollocks Buzzcocks, Singles Going Steady Dead Kennedys, Fresh Fruit for Rotting Vegetables DRI, Dirty Rotten LP Operation Ivy, self-titled Green Day, Dookie Rancid, And Out Come The Wolves ---
**Author:** ![Waterman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/b2d939/32.png) [@Waterman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Waterman)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2005, 3:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-essential-music-library-punk-post-punk-new-wave/328673/6 "2005-10-31T03:59:09Z")
On the punk side - first and foremost would be the Clash and their albums _The Clash_ and _London Calling_. Second on the punk side would be the Sex Pistols and _Never Mind the Bullocks Here’s …_ In terms of new wave then first would be **Elvis** with his seminal albums of the late 70’s and 80’s like \*Armed Forces, My Aim Is True, This Year’s Model, Get Happy \* and \*King of America \*. For the distaff side how about starting with Joan Jett and the Blackhearts and \*I Love Rock & Roll \*, followed by the Pretenders and their self named album. Just touching the obvious ( 😃 ) ones but let’s see what others have to say. ---
**Author:** ![ultrafilter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/3d9bf3/32.png) [@ultrafilter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ultrafilter)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2005, 3:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-essential-music-library-punk-post-punk-new-wave/328673/7 "2005-10-31T03:59:34Z")
Never can get a list right the first time. A couple others: Husker Du, Zen Arcade Minor Threat, Complete Discography (one CD, for those of you who aren’t familiar) ---
**Author:** ![ultrafilter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/3d9bf3/32.png) [@ultrafilter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ultrafilter)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2005, 4:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-essential-music-library-punk-post-punk-new-wave/328673/8 "2005-10-31T04:05:01Z")
And of course, London Calling. Top of the post-punk list goes to the Talking Heads (not The Talking Heads, mind you). Essentials from them are Fear of Music, Remain in Light, and Stop Making Sense and its soundtrack, but you can’t go wrong by buying their entire catalog. ---
**Author:** ![myskepticsight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/cc9497/32.png) [@myskepticsight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/myskepticsight)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2005, 4:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-essential-music-library-punk-post-punk-new-wave/328673/9 "2005-10-31T04:07:00Z")
Punk: Bad Religion: the ‘How Could Hell Be Any Worse?’ collection of their early stuff is great. ---
**Author:** ![parthenokinesis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/cc9497/32.png) [@parthenokinesis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/parthenokinesis)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2005, 4:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-essential-music-library-punk-post-punk-new-wave/328673/10 "2005-10-31T04:18:15Z")
and more Generation X - Generation X Billy Idol - Rebel Yell Red Hot Chilli Peppers - Blood Sugar Sex Magic Violent Femmes - Violent Femmes The Great Rock & Roll Swindle Soundtrack ---
**Author:** ![saoirse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/5daacb/32.png) [@saoirse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/saoirse)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2005, 4:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-essential-music-library-punk-post-punk-new-wave/328673/11 "2005-10-31T04:24:31Z")
> [@ultrafilter](#): > > My short punk list: > > Ramones, the anthology - titled Hey Ho Let’s Go, IIRC > Sex Pistols, Never Mind the Bollocks > Buzzcocks, Singles Going Steady > Dead Kennedys, Fresh Fruit for Rotting Vegetables > DRI, Dirty Rotten LP > Operation Ivy, self-titled > Green Day, Dookie > Rancid, And Out Come The Wolves I would have gone with Another Music in a Different Kitchen for the Buzzcocks. . I don’t know if they get two albums. Add in: X, **Under the Big Black Sun, More Fun in the New World.** Lou Reed, **Rock’N’Roll Animal, Transformer** Lords of the New Church, **Is Nothing Sacred** The Pretenders, **The Pretenders** The Minutemen, **Double Nickels on the Dime** Th Cramps, **Bad Music for Bad People** Black Flag, **Damaged** Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds, **Kicking Against the Pricks** And also: Forgotten Rebels, **Surfin’ on Heroin** Yes, I know it’s way obscure, but you need one or two of those in any good library. ---
**Author:** ![ZebraShaSha](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/eada6e/32.png) [@ZebraShaSha](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZebraShaSha)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2005, 5:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-essential-music-library-punk-post-punk-new-wave/328673/12 "2005-10-31T05:01:48Z")
MC5 - Kick Out the Jams New York Dolls - NY Dolls Suicide - Suicide Dictators - Go Girl Crazy Patti Smith - Horses Damned - Damned, Damned, Damned Iggy and the Stooges - The Stooges The Velvet Underground -The VU and Nico Why yes, I am a fan of early New York/CBGB bands. ---
**Author:** ![party\_store](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f9ae1b/32.png) [@party\_store](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/party_store)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2005, 5:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-essential-music-library-punk-post-punk-new-wave/328673/13 "2005-10-31T05:37:38Z")
Subgenre time… Everybody Loves Emo! Jawbreaker - 24 Hour Revenge Therapy Sunny Day Real Estate - Diary The Get Up Kids - Something To Write Home About Jimmy Eat World - Clarity, Bleed American Fugazi - The Argument The Promise Ring - Nothing Feels Good Dashboard Confessional - The Swiss Army Romance Taking Back Sunday - Tell All Your Friends Brand New - Deja Entendu Cursive - The Ugly Organ Rites of Spring - Rites of Spring ---
**Author:** ![River\_Hippie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/river_hippie/32/26_2.png) [@River\_Hippie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/River_Hippie)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2005, 5:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-essential-music-library-punk-post-punk-new-wave/328673/14 "2005-10-31T05:46:03Z")
Television-Marquee Moon ---
**Author:** ![Junior\_Spaceman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/eb8c5e/32.png) [@Junior\_Spaceman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Junior_Spaceman)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2005, 6:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-essential-music-library-punk-post-punk-new-wave/328673/15 "2005-10-31T06:27:05Z")
With no commentary at all … Black Flag - First Four Years Electric Eels - Eyeball of Hell Pere Ubu - Modern Dance Wire - Pink Flag Angry Samoans - The Unboxed Set GG Allin - You Give Love a Bad Name Richard Hell - Blank Generation The Dwarves - Free Cocaine The Chosen Few - A Root and a Beer Radio Birdman - Radios Appear The Saints - I’m Stranded Iggy and the Stooges - Raw Power The Germs - GI The Slugfuckers - Cacophany The Birthday Party - Junkyard John Cale - Music For A New Society The Homosexuals - Astral Glamour The Modern Lovers - The Original Modern Lovers Simply Saucer - Cyborgs Revisited And because so much of punk came on 7"s, the endless compilations (Killed by Death/Bloodstains/Murder Punk/and on and on and on) also need to be considered. ---
**Author:** ![RetroVertigo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/b38774/32.png) [@RetroVertigo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RetroVertigo)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2005, 6:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-essential-music-library-punk-post-punk-new-wave/328673/16 "2005-10-31T06:46:41Z")
A few that have already been mentioned Dead Kennedy’s the Clash Bad Religion (The Gray Race is my personal favorite) Operation Ivy Rancid (Let’s go) Minor Threat Fugazi (The Argument, Thirteen Songs) A few that haven’t been NOFX Fishbone (The Reality of My Surroundings) Suicide Machines The Misfits The Cure (I guess i would call them post-punk) ---
**Author:** ![marky33](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e495f1/32.png) [@marky33](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/marky33)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2005, 8:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-essential-music-library-punk-post-punk-new-wave/328673/17 "2005-10-31T08:10:43Z")
Essential punk: Never Mind The Bollocks - **Sex Pistols** The Clash - **The Clash** Damned Damned Damned; Machine Gun Etiquette - **The Damned** Ramones - **Ramones** Inflammable Material - **Stiff Little Fingers** Fresh Fruit For Rotting Vegetables - **Dead Kennedys** The Scream - **Siouxsie & The Banshees** Rattus Norvegicus - **The Stranglers** The Crack - **The Ruts** Troops Of Tomorrow - **The Exploited** Post punk: Killing Joke; What’s This For - **Killing Joke** Entertainment - **Gang Of Four** Public Image - **Public Image Ltd** Pink Flag - **Wire** Cut - **The Slits** Unknown Pleasures - **Joy Division** Ju-Ju - \*\*Siouxsie & The Banshees \*\* New wave: Parallel Lines - **Blondie** Setting Sons - **The Jam** London Calling - **The Clash** Black & White - **The Stranglers** ---
**Author:** ![ultrafilter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/3d9bf3/32.png) [@ultrafilter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ultrafilter)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2005, 3:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-essential-music-library-punk-post-punk-new-wave/328673/18 "2005-10-31T15:36:18Z")
Not necessarily essential, but one of my favorite recent punk albums is Discount’s Half-Fiction. ---
**Author:** ![Nutty\_Bunny](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/d07c76/32.png) [@Nutty\_Bunny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nutty_Bunny)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2005, 5:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-essential-music-library-punk-post-punk-new-wave/328673/19 "2005-10-31T17:34:10Z")
My favorite must-have new wave albums: _Black Celebration, Music for the Masses_ - **Depeche Mode** _Disintegration_ - **The Cure** _Songs to Learn and Sing_ - **Echo & the Bunnymen** (yeah, I know it’s a compilation, but it’s a good one) Other definitive new wave artists (too hard to pick only one or two albums): The Smiths XTC Siouxsie & the Banshees Squeeze Split Enz Roxy Music ---
**Author:** ![phungi](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/phungi/32/395_2.png) [@phungi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/phungi)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2005, 5:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-essential-music-library-punk-post-punk-new-wave/328673/20 "2005-10-31T17:39:40Z")
Post-Punk/New Wave: **Human Sexual Response** : “In a Roman Mood,” and “Fig. 15.” [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-essential-music-library-punk-post-punk-new-wave/328673.md?page=2)