Top 5 Thursday #5: Best 80’s HC Records

By Ryan Germ and Scott Danshaw

The 80’s were a fun time, right? Considering how we both weren’t alive for the 80’s we don’t know a damn thing about if that’s true! But we know one thing and that is that the hardcore scene that decade laid the foundation for everything that came after. Enough talk, here’s our top 5 80’s HC albums

Scotty D’s List:

1. Germ- G.I.: Arguably one of the first bands to be considered hardcore punk and although this record dropped in 79 it laid the foundation for everything to come after it. The songs are short, fast, & carry more aggression than most can even handle. The sloppy back to basics chaotic approach makes this a perfect pick for my top 5.
2. Youth Brigade (DC)- Possible EP: The better of the two youth brigade’s. Again another record that is short fast and just cool as fuck. From the first track “It’s about time that we had a change” and it’s fuzzed out bass intro to the pair of songs titled “No song” & “No Song pt. 2” this is proof they are the most underrated DC/Dischord band & the cooler of the two Youth Brigades.
3. Black Flag - Damaged: This entry only needs to be said in one sentence. Henry Rollins first recordings with Black Flag.
4. Judge- New York Crew EP: Another band I personally see as underrated for the 80’s. This record & Bringin It Down really capped off the 80s and gave us one of the bands that set the stage for what was to come in the 90’s. This record is a ripper the whole way through and they even cover “Warriors” by Blitz. 
5. RKL- Keep Laughing: Probably my favorite hardcore band of the 80’s and the purveyors of “nardcore”. I really really wanted to put the “It’s A Beautiful Feeling” EP down because it has my favorite RKL song “Adolescent Death” but I’ve already included 2 other EPs and I gotta give love to this record because it just has more tracks that capture the same spirit. It’s raw, fast, aggressive, and makes me wanna bomb a hill on my skateboard and slappy every curb in my way. 10/10 record.

Ryan Germ’s List:

(Honorable Mention: Germs - (GI))

1. Gorilla Biscuits - S/T: it was a toss up between this and Start Today, and despite Start Today objectively having wayyy more substance the hooks on this record are even better than even the best parts of Start Today. The 2 step part in High Hopes gets me pumped every time but if you look at the track listing it’s legendary hook after legendary hook. 
2. Cro-Mags - Age Of Quarrel: This is arguably the first metallic hardcore record. Not in the sense of chugging breakdowns, metallic vocals, and spinkicks. But in the sense of thrashy riffs and pummeling double bass. Listen to the 2 step part in World Peace if Cro-Mags haven’t clicked with you.
3. Minor Threat - Discography: Ok, ok. This is technically a compilation, but their discography is without hyperbole the most important hardcore music ever released. Plus it’s short enough that I consider it to be an album (45 minutes vs say, Forever War’s over 1 hour runtime). Out Of Step is a mythological record in the scene, and the song Straight Edge pioneered the SxE movement that has spread beyond the HC scene.
4. Bad Brains - S/T: Arguably a perfect record. It was fast, aggressive, and heavy for the time. It paved the way for the modern breakdown with the song Supertouch, Sailin’ On is one of the most uplifting anthems ever, and Banned In DC is a classic song. If you haven’t listened then are you really into hardcore?
5. Descendants - Milo Goes To College: The godfathers of melodic hardcore. They took the speed set by the precedent of bands like The Middle Class, Germs, and Black Flag and combined it with poppier choruses that hardcore didn’t see to the extent that they did it to. Bill Stevenson is obviously one of the greatest drummers of all time, no one is tighter.