The Basics of Punk Rock Music

DIY (2) Punktionary (8) Punk In The News (4)

20 Best Punk Albums of the Decade, 2000-2009

As the first decade of the new millennium draws to a close, I'm looking back at the soundtrack to the past 10 years. So many great and influential punk albums are now 20 or even 30 years old, but that never prevents the newest faces (or even many of the older ones) from continuing to make albums that will define and redefine the boundaries of punk music.

Are You Straight Edge?

Reasons why you became straight edge

Best Hardcore Albums

You've seen my picks for the best hardcore albums of all time, let's hear yours.

Essential Hardcore Albums

All too often, hardcore bands think that hardcore playing as loud and fast as they can, with little thought to style or musical construction at all. This isn't, and was never the case. Many hardcore bands have played with style and skill, and even some of the best that simply do seem to be trying to simply play really loud and really fast developed their own style of doing it. If you want to get …

FSU - Friends Stand United, What is FSU?

With the arrest of Elgin Nathan James, the leader of FSU, for extortion, FSU is making news again. You might be wondering who FSU is, what FSU stands for, or where FSU came from. Here is a brief profile of Friends Stand United.

Punk Rock Concept Albums

With American Idiot and 21st Century Breakdown, Green Day may have become one of the most famous punk bands to do a concept album (or two), but they are by no means the first (or even the best). In fact, many punk and hardcore bands have …

What are your favorite political punk bands and albums?

You've heard our picks for essential political punk albums, but there are so many great political punk bands, with new albums coming out all the time, there is definitely room for more.

What are your essential punk records?

You've heard our picks for the most essential punk albums of all time, now we'd like to hear yours.

Essential Influential Albums

Some punk albums are influential; some are innovative. Here, in no uncertain terms, are 25 of the albums that span that gap. If one of your favorite bands didn't the list, odds are it's because everything is derived from, learned from or directly ripped off from one of the bands who did. These records should be an integral part of the music collection of anyone who wants to be well-versed in punk.

A Profile Of The Vans Warped Tour

Since 1995, The Vans Warped Tour has been bringing punk rock and extreme sports to a parking lot near you.

Best Punk Albums of 2007

[p]With all of the news playing up the idea that punk turned 30 this year, it's easy to get the impression that it's getting old. But when you look at the great records that came out this year (from both old timers and newcomers), it's obvious that punk music is continuing to tear it up, and that this dog has a lot of new tricks it hasn't even thought up yet. [p]Here are this year's best of the b…

Best Things About SXSW 2007

While there were more cool things at SXSW than I can even think to count, some things stood out more than others, and not all of them happened on stage. Here are my 10 most memorable moments from my trip to Austin.

Best Punk Albums of 2006

There have been a lot of great albums this year, and it was tough to pick out the best. For my picks, I focused on some albums from a handful of subgenres. Some are heavy, some are simply fun, but all of them have maximum replay value. If you got any records this year, these should have been on your list.

Punk Rock Gift Ideas

Here's a list of great gift ideas for anyone on your list who's into punk rock, and also a great list of ideas of things to ask for.

Punk Rock Albums With A Touch of Horror

Whether you're putting together a soundtrack for a Halloween party or simply listening to music on your way to a horror flick, here are some great recommendations for those of us who like our punk rock with a dash of the horrific.

A Brief History of Punk

Due to its major players, punk is an interesting cultural movement that peaked once in the late '70s and early '80s, and appears to be peaking again. Now is an exciting time for punk music, and it's easiest to figure out what's going on when you know what's already happened.

Punk Music Changed the Face of Music, Whether or Not It Meant To

In the annals of punk history, there have been events, and then there have been EVENTS. Here's a brief timeline outlining some of the most important events - the kind that would shape the face of music.

The Subgenres of Punk Rock

Following its beginnings, punk rock quickly split into a multitude of subgenres. Each would have a strong following and distinctive sound.

Books On The History of Punk Music

Because punk music managed to develop a rich history in a relatively short period of time, there are many books devoted to the topic. Here are a few recommendations.

Essential Items to Take to the Warped Tour

If you've never been to the Warped Tour before, you may not have realized it won't be like any other concert you've been to. There's a definite list of essentials you'll want to take with you in order to have the most fun.

Essential Celtic Punk Bands

Whether it's St. Patrick's Day or any other day of the year, it's a good time to listen to the great Celtic Punk bands out there. Old favorites like the the Pogues as well as more recent bands like Flogging Molly are going strong, bringing Irish-influenced punk rock to the entire world.