The PLAY Lists >> Punk

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Punk
Core Collection

2003 __ Volume 4

The PLAY Lists >> From Saftey Pins to Sandinista! — A Punk Core Collection

Naming the top three punk CDs was probably a fairly predictable call. A broader popular music perspective might have put London Calling in there rather than the raucous perfection of the Clash debut, but it's interesting that the dead heat was a result (A) of the disrespect shown by Q for the seminal Ramones disc, which managed only 4 stars, and (B) by Spin's failure to be charmed by the Sex Pistols, whose Never Mind the Bollocks Here's the Sex Pistols came in way down at No. 10 on that magazine's listing.

The Second Set is what makes this process so much fun—West coast groups, New Yorkers, second generation British punks, and Iggy figure so consistantly in the critics' rankings that I'm completely assured that we have uncovered the artists and CDs that deserve to be added to your collections next. Beyond this point things become fairly diffused, although my recommendation would be to skip down to the anthologies and grab a copy of Rhino's new punk box set. It's too new to have been included in any of the sources used here, but does a fine job of sampling the genre.

Happy thrashing.

	Define This! — The Only Three that Count
First Purchase	Ramones. Ramones. (Sire, 1976) [Source=Mojo, Q, Revolver, Spin* / Score=60] The Clash. The Clash. (CBS, 1979) [Source=Mojo, Q, Revolver, Spin / Score=60] Sex Pistols. Never Mind the Bollocks Here's the Sex Pistols. (Warner Bros., 1977) [Source=Mojo, Q, Revolver, Spin / Score=60]

The Further Decline of Western Civilization

Second Set

Black Flag. Damaged. (SST, 1981): [Source=Mojo, Q, Revolver, Spin / Score=32]
Wire. Pink Flag. (Harvest, 1977): [Source=Mojo, Q, Spin / Score=30]
Gang of Four. Entertainment!. (Warner Bros., 1979): [Source=Mojo, Q, Spin / Score=28]
The Slits. Cut. (Antilles, 1979): [Source=Mojo, Q, Spin / Score=28]
The Damned. Machine Gun Etiquette. (Chiswick, 1979): [Source=Mojo, Q, R / Score=28]
X-Ray Spex. Germfree Adolescents. (EMI, 1978): [Source=Mojo, Q, Spin / Score=24]
Buzzcocks. Singles Going Steady. (I.R.S., 1979): [Source=Q, Revolver, Spin / Score=24]
X. Los Angeles. (Slash; 1980): [Source=Q, Revolver, Spin / Score=22]
Richard Hell & the Voidoids. Blank Generation. (Warner Bros., 1977): [Source=Mojo, Q, Spin / Score=20]
Iggy & The Stooges. Raw Power. (Columbia, 1973): [Source=Mojo, R / Score=20]

Over the Edge

Next Set

Dead Kennedys. Fresh Fruit for Rotting Vegetables. (I.R.S., 1980): [Source=Mojo, Q, Spin / Score=18.5]
New York Dolls. New York Dolls. (Mercury, 1973): [Source=Mojo, Q / Score=18]
The Ruts. The Crack. (Virgin, 1979): [Source=Mojo, Q / Score=18]

Public Image, Ltd. Metal Box/Second Edition. (Virgin U.K., 1979; Island, 1980): [Source=Mojo, Q / Score=16]
The Saints. (I'm) Stranded. (Harvest, 1977): [Source=Mojo, Q / Score=16]
Stiff Little Fingers. Inflammable Material. (EMI, 1979): [Source=Mojo, Q / Score=16]
Buzzcocks. Another Music in a Different Kitchen. (EMI, 1978): [Source=Mojo, Q / Score=16]
Minor Threat. Minor Threat. (Dischord, 1984): [Source=Revolver / Score=14]
The Damned. Damned Damned Damned. (Edsel, 1977): [Source=Mojo, Q / Score=14]
The Clash. London Calling. (Columbia): [Source=Mojo, Q / Score=14]
The Undertones. The Undertones. (Sire, 1979): [Source=Mojo, Q / Score=14]
Bad Brains. Bad Brains. (ROIR, 1982): [Source=Revolver, Spin( / Score=12]
Rancid. ...And Out Come the Wolves. (Epitaph, 1995): [Source=Revolver, Spin / Score=12]
The Adverts. Crossing the Red Sea with the Adverts. (Fire/Devils Own Jukebox, 1978): [Source=Mojo, Q / Score=12]
Television. Marquee Moon. (Elektra): [Source=Mojo, Q / Score=12]
Siouxie and the Banshees. The Scream. (Polydor, 1978 ): [Source=Mojo, Q / Score=12]
Joy Division . Unknown Pleasures. (Factory, 1979): [Source=Mojo(, Spin / Score=11]
Husker Du. Zen Arcade. (SST, 1984): [Source=Mojo, Revolver / Score=11]
The Raincoats. The Raincoats. (Rough Trade, 1979): [Source=Mojo, Spin / Score=10.5]

Had Enough?

Breadth

Pere Ubu. The Modern Dance. (Blank, 1978): [Source=Mojo, Spin / Score=10]
Decendents. Milo Goes to College. (SST, 1982): [Source=Revolver, Spin / Score=10]
Bad Religion. No Control. (Epitaph, 1989): [Source=Revolver / Score=10]
Dag Nasty. Wig Out at Denkos. (Dischord, 1987): [Source=Revolver / Score=10]
Vic Goddard & Subway Sect. Twenty Odd Years. Reissued material. (Motion, 1999): [Source=Mojo, Q / Score=10]
Ramones. Rocket to Russia. (Warner Archives): [Source=Mojo, Q / Score=10]
The Jam. In the City. (Polydor, 1977): [Source=Mojo, Q / Score=9]
Nirvana. In Utero. (DGC/Sub Pop, 1993): [Source=Mojo, Spin / Score=9]
Alternative TV. The Image Has Cracked. (Anagram, 1978): [Source=Mojo, Q / Score=9]
Husker Du. New Day Rising. (SST, 1985): [Source=Spin / Score=8]
Social Distortion. Mommy's Little Monster. (Timebomb, 1983): [Source=Revolver / Score=8]
NOFX. White Trash, Two Heebs and a Bean. (Epitaph/ Fat Wreck Chords, 1992): [Source=Revolver / Score=8]
Refused. The Shape of Punk to Come. (Epitaph, 1998): [Source=Revolver / Score=8]
The Misfits. Walk Among Us. (Slash, 1982): [Source=Revolver / Score=8]
Blondie. Blondie. (EMI): [Source=Q / Score=8]
Blondie. Parallel Lines. (EMI): [Source=Q / Score=8]
Blondie. Plastic Letters. (EMI): [Source=Q / Score=8]
The Damned. Live Sheperton 1980. (Bib Beat): [Source=Q / Score=8]
Ian Drury and the Blockheads. New Boots and Panties!! (The Hit Label/Papillon): [Source=Q / Score=8]
Vic Goddard & Subway Sect. What's the Matter Boy? (Universal): [Source=Q / Score=8]
DJ Don Letts. Dread Meets The Punk Rockers Uptown. (Heavenly): [Source=Q / Score=8]
Professionals. I Didn't See It Coming. (EMI): [Source=Q / Score=8]
Ramones. It's Alive. (Sire): [Source=Q / Score=8]
The Saints. Eternally Yours. (Captain Oi! Ahoy): [Source=Q / Score=8]
Slaughter & The Dogs. The Punk Singles Collection. Reissued material. (Captain Oi! Ahoy): [Source=Q / Score=8]
Patti Smith. Horses. (Arista): [Source=Q / Score=8]
Television Personalities. Part Time Punks: The Very Best Of. Reissued material. (Cherry Red): [Source=Q / Score=8]
Wire. Chair Missing. (Enigma): [Source=Q / Score=8]
Wreckless Eric. Greatest Stiffs. Reissued material. (Metro): [Source=Q / Score=8]
Sham 69. Tell Us the Truth. (Polydor, 1978): [Source=Mojo, Q / Score=8]
Johnny Thunders and the Heartbreakers. LAMF: The Lost '77 Tapes. (Jungle Feud, 1977): [Source=Mojo, Q / Score=7]

Compilations and Anthologies

Variety

Various artists. No Thanks! The '70s Punk Rebellion. 4-CD box set. (Rhino, 2003): [Source=PLAY ]
Various artists. CBGB's and the Birth of US Punk. (Ocho): [Source=Q / Score=8]
Various artists. 1-2-3-4: Punk and New Wave 1976-1979. (Universal): [Source=Q / Score=8]
Various artists. No New York. (Antilles, 1978): [Source=Spin / Score=4]
Various artists. Oi! The Album. (EMI, 1980): [Source=Spin) / Score=0.5]
Repo Man (Original Soundtrack). (MCA, 1984): [Source=Spin) / Score=0.5]

Punk DVDs

	Not Pretty — Punk DVDs
Visuals	Sex Pistols. The Filth and the Fury: A Sex Pistols Film. (New Line, 2000) [Source=Tracks ] The Clash. Westway to the World. (Epic, 2000) [Source=Tracks ]

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Quantifying Critical Consensus: Methodology >>

Four sources—Mojo, Q, Revolver, and Spin—were consulted for this discography. All dealt exclusively with punk and each was weighted at 1.0. Mojo, Revolver, and Spin were ranked listings, so the standard scoring system (see Quantifying Critical Consensus details) applied. The Q magazine Special Punk edition assigned 1-5 stars to each of the 100 CDs on its listing. Eight CDs were of 5-star ("Indespensible") caliber and were awarded 10 points each. There were 31 4-star ("Excellent") CDs, which I awaded 8 points each. The 11 3-star ("Good") recordings got 6 points, and the singele 2-star CD ("Average") received 4 points.

I used the Tracks DVD list to come up with the two punk titles included here and added the new 4-CD compilation from Rhino on my own authority.

Sources >>

[Mojo] — "Top 50 Punk Albums." Mojo Issue 112 (March 2003): pp. 76-78.

[Q] — "The 100 Best Punk Albums." Q (Punk Special Edition, 2002): pp. 134-144.

[Revolver] — "Never Mind the Bollocks Here's The List: The 50 Greatest Punk Rock Albums of All Time." Revolver (November 2003): pp. 74-84.

[Spin] — "The 50 Most Essential Punk Records." Spin Vol. 17, No. 5 (May 2001): pp. 108-112.

[Tracks] — "Weisel, Al. "The 40 Best Music DVDs." Tracks Premiere Issue (2003): pp. 98-102.

Connections >>

Punk — All Music Guide

Punk Planet.com — online version of the magazine

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