Top 10 Hardcore Punk Bands
The Top Ten
Black Flag was an American punk rock band formed in 1976 in Hermosa Beach, California. Initially called Panic, the band was established by Greg Ginn, the guitarist, primary songwriter, and sole continuous member through multiple personnel changes in the band. They are widely considered to be one of ...read more. Most bands on this list aren't hardcore. Papa Roach aren't even a punk band.
Black flag were pioneers of Hardcore
This list is funny. Sex Pistols is good but it's NOT hardcore punk...
Black Flag #1!
Black flag are considered the staple hardcore band and for good reason. Their D.I.Y ethics inspired a generation. Their back catalog is the most interesting and varied of all the hardcore bands and their impact on punk and music in general can be still heard to this day. Artistically they were very integral and deep. Honestly calling black flag a hardcore band is undermining them.
Dead Kennedys are an American hardcore punk band formed in San Francisco, California in 1978. The band was one of the first American hardcore bands to make a significant impact in the United Kingdom. The combination of political satire and great Hardcore music + great vocals rightfully means DK is the best Hardcore Punk band.
One of the most influential punk bands ever combining sounds from a variety of genres. Political satire included and controversy surrounding made them one of the most punk bands around. They should definitely be top 5
Obvious top 1. Their "Fresh Fruit For Rotting Vegetables" (1980) shaped the hardcore punk and it's still the best hardcore punk album ever created.
What the hell? These guys should totally be #1... Or at least top 5
Misfits are an American Horror Punk band often recognized as the progenitors of the horror punk subgenre, blending punk rock and other musical influences with horror film themes and imagery. Okay I think I can come to the consensus that whoever makes these lists has no idea what punk rock and hardcore punk are. papa roach above black flag? Are you joking?
One of my all time favourite bands
My favorite band of all time.
Best band of all time
The Sex Pistols were an English punk rock band formed in London in 1975. Although they initially lasted just two and a half years and produced only four singles and one studio album, Never Mind the Bollocks, Here's the Sex Pistols, they are considered one of the most influential acts in the history ...read more. They aren't hardcore punk (but they are good).
Not hardcore punk!
The people who vote on this website and some of the thickest people on the internet!
Bodies begat hardcore.
I love Keith's work in black flag, but in circle jerks his vocals really are incredible.
Better live band than on Lp, 85' with Chuck Biscuits are at their best.
Minor Threat was an American hardcore punk band, formed in 1980 in Washington, D.C. by vocalist Ian MacKaye and drummer Jeff Nelson. 64? These guys should be in the top 5.
I love the Sex Pistols to bits, but they're about as hardcore as my left testicle. Play it faster!
What? 23? Um just no...
Do people not understand what hardcore punk is?
Bad Brains is an American hardcore punk band formed in Washington, D.C., in 1977. They are widely regarded as among the pioneers of hardcore punk, though the band's members have objected to this term to describe their music. The greatest hardcore band ever-hands down! One of the founding fathers of this style, there wide sphere of influence affects many bands. They're 1986 album I against I arguably invented post-hardcore as well. Equally adept at rock, reggae, funk and whatever else they feel like playing. Shameful they're not higher on this list.
The best punk band of all time I can't believe there at 11 who votes and puts them at 11 have you ever listen to their music come on give me a break the greatest punk band all times love dead kennedys circle jerks black flag but number 11 get real people to vote or listen to more than one song
What why is bad brains is all the way down here? They ARE hardcore punk. Not the only ones but if we're talking hardcore they need to be at least before the sex pistols I mean come on sex pistols? Who are these people? Bunch of posers really.
Should definitely be in the top three, I mean, the Sex Pistols are good and all, but they're not hardcore punk just hardcore. Top three should be, 1.Bad Brains 2. Black Flag 3. Dead Kennedys.
NOFX are an American punk rock band from Los Angeles, California. The band was formed in 1983 by vocalist/bassist Fat Mike and guitarist Eric Melvin. Drummer Erik Sandin joined NOFX shortly after. This is a pop band like blink 182, the entire list is a mess
Dudes, NOFX has been my life for awhile. They inspire me and they introduced me to the punk music.
Only one album to go off of. But it's a true punk classic.. Darby crash is/ was punk.
RIP Darby and Lorna
Germs deserve to be in the top 5!
The Descendents are a punk rock band formed in 1977 in Manhattan Beach, California by guitarist Frank Navetta, bassist Tony Lombardo and drummer Bill Stevenson. Guess this band is debatable for the list.
Pop Punk. Not hard core
Fat EP (1981) and Milo Goes to College (1982)... isn't that enough?
The Contenders
Bad Religion is an American punk rock band that formed in Los Angeles, California in 1979. The band makes extensive use of soaring three-part vocal harmonies, guitar solos and lyrics that often contain religious and political commentary. Great band, but they aren't hardcore punk
Best lyrics ever! Come on people intelligent songs no more to say
Doesn't get much better than suffer
I dunno if they're hardcore punk or punk rock but they are great awesome punk band
Hüsker Dü was an American rock band formed in Saint Paul, Minnesota in 1979. The band's continual members were guitarist/vocalist Bob Mould, bassist Greg Norton, and drummer/vocalist Grant Hart. Their late stuff was pop not hardcore
They were essentially the gateway to grunge and alt rock. Without Hüsker Dü there would be no Pixies, no Nirvana, and the landscape of rock music today would be much different.
The Ramones were an American punk rock band that formed in the New York City neighborhood of Forest Hills, Queens, in 1974. They are often cited as the first band to define the punk rock sound. Not a hardcore punk band so it does jot belong on this list! Still a great punk band though 10/10
Don't think they're Hardcore though.
They should be in a higher place!
You're always in my heart. stay on the roots
Agnostic Front is an American hardcore punk band, pioneer of the crossover thrash genre, formed in 1980. The band began playing hardcore punk similar to their contemporaries, and were thrust to the forefront of the burgeoning New York hardcore scene in the mid-1980s with their widely regarded 1984 classic ...read more. Simply the best
True punk. And anyone that hasnt heard them should they were amazing! THEY SHOULD BE IN TOP 3 at least
Suicidal Tendencies is an American crossover thrash band founded in 1980 in Venice, California by vocalist Mike Muir, who is the only remaining original member of the band. The band is often credited as one of "the fathers of crossover thrash". Debut album is the best hardcore punk record ever. no question. I shot reagan.
Discharge are a British musical group formed in 1977 by Terence "Tezz" Roberts and Royston "Rainy" Wainwright. While the band has had substantial line-up changes over its history, the classic line-up from the early 1980s featured bassist Wainwright, drummer Gary Maloney, Anthony "Bones" Roberts playing ...read more. The foremost and hardest of them all, live and learn!
Completely underrated band
Should be HIGHER!
Flipper is an American rock band formed in San Francisco, California in 1979, continuing in often erratic fashion until the mid-1990s, then reuniting in 2005. The band influenced a number of grunge, punk rock and noise rock bands. Fantastic heavy band. Essential listening.
Rise Against is an American hardcore punk band from Chicago, Illinois, formed in 1999. The band's current line-up comprises vocalist/rhythm guitarist Tim McIlrath, lead guitarist Zach Blair, bassist Joe Principe and drummer Brandon Barnes. They are known for popularizing punk. While they did go a bit alt rock(kinda) between 2010-2014, their latest album, wolves, is a reminder these guys made hardcore. All there albums are bangers, black market being the weakest, there earlier stuff are hardcore and then around 2004 - 2008 becoming a lot more melodic, these guys are still a great hardcore band in my opinion. Compared to some of the punk imposers that are big right now, these guys are amazing.
Rise Against is great band but they aren't punk at all let alone hardcore punk. They're alternative rock
Their early stuff is melodic hardcore punk. Their later stuff is punk rock in the alternative category, like offspring I guess. - Oliwally
Best Melodic Hardcore band.
For me they should be at least in top three.
Best new/classic hardcore band around! Keith Morris still the man!
Best punk band of the world
Operation Ivy, sometimes called "Op Ivy," was an American Ska punk band, from Berkeley, California formed in May 1987. The band was stylistically important as one of the first bands to mix the elements of hardcore punk and ska into a new amalgam called ska punk and was critical to the emergence of Lookout ...read more.Underrated band. One of the best modern Hardcore bands.
Their early work could be considered hardcore.
Surprised to see them at 34 considering that their sound is the definition of Hardcore Punk.I prefer Dead Kennedys and Rise Against but Anti Flag need to be in the top tens.-DarkBoi-X
Surprised to see them at 34 considering that their sound is the definition of Hardcore Punk.I prefer Dead Kennedys a d Rise Against but Anti Flag need to be in the top tens.-DarkBoi-X
Sum 41 is a Canadian rock band from Ajax, Ontario, Canada. Originally called Kaspir, the band was formed in 1996 and, as of 2015, consists of lead vocalist/rhythm guitarist Deryck Whibley, lead guitarist/backing vocalist Dave Baksh, co-lead guitarist/backing vocalist Tom Thacker, bassist/backing vocalist ...read more. Ok... I love Sum 41, but hardcore punk? Not really... The closest they come is in Does This Look Infected, but that's more melodic hardcore. Chuck is alt metal, and Screaming Bloody Murder is mainstream rock. All of their other work is pop punk (Half Hour of Power, All Killer No Filler, and Underclass Hero) Like I said, I love Sum 41, but I don't think they should have a spot on this list... Even though to comment I voted for them... Whoops.
Ok... I love Sum 41 as much as the next guy, but lets be honest. Sum 41 is not hardcore punk. The closest they get is in Does This Look Infected? But that's more melodic hardcore. Chuck is alternative metal, and Screaming Bloody Murder is mainstream rock. Everything else is pop punk (Half Hour of Power, All Killer No Filler, and Underclass Hero) Like I said, I love Sum 41, but hardcore punk? No...
D.R.I. is an American crossover thrash band that formed in Houston, Texas in 1982. As of 2015, the band comprises two of its founding members, vocalist Kurt Brecht and guitarist Spike Cassidy, as well as drummer Walter "Monsta" Ryan and bassist Harald Oimoen. D.R.I. is amazing thrash-punk. There's nothing else to describe it as.
Has no one ever heard the Dirty Rotten LP?
Dealing With It,enough said!
Agent Orange is an American punk rock band formed in Placentia, California in 1979. The band was one of the first to mix punk rock with surf music. Again another debatable one.
The Offspring is an American punk rock band from Huntington Beach, California, formed in 1984. Formed under the name Manic Subsidal, the band consists of lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist Dexter Holland, bassist Greg K., lead guitarist Kevin "Noodles" Wasserman and drummer Pete Parada. One of the best bands in the world, but I don't view their music as hardcore punk.
Technically, their first album was a horrorcore album, which is literally just hardcore punk with horror themes. For example, there's the song beheaded. Also, Session from their second album Ignition (among others from that album) is debatable as hardcore punk. However, their stuff now is a lot "poppier", and it should not be considered hardcore punk.
System of a Down formed in 1994 as an Armenian-American Alternative Metal group from Glendale, California. The band name is sometimes shortened to System or SOAD. ...read more.
How the hell Papa Roach made this list before The Exploited is beyond me. This also goes for Minor Threat, D.R. I, The Casualties, Bad Brains, Black Flag, Ramones, or even Pennywise for that matter. Why these bands did not find place on this list I will never understand. The only thing I can think of is a person who knew absolutely nothing about punk what-so-ever posted their sudden thoughts on what their idea of punk was. Whoever you are, you have a whole lot more evaluating to do.
Should be higher! Punk's not dead and Troops of Tomorrow are nothing but classic.
18? Are you kidding me?
Hatebreed is an American metalcore band from Connecticut, formed in 1994. They have released 7 studio albums to date, most recently The Concrete Confessional on May 13, 2016. Their musical style blends influences from hardcore punk and heavy metal; a prominent band within the hardcore scene, they have ...read more. One of the Greatest Hardcore bands ever, Six Pistols are Punk Rock not Hardcore, I love Sex Pistols but they are not harcore
Billy Talent is a Canadian rock band from Mississauga, Ontario. They formed in 1993 with Benjamin Kowalewicz as the lead vocalist, Ian D'Sa on guitar, bassist Jon Gallant and drummer Aaron Solowoniuk. Because they aren't hardcore punk
How are they not number 1
Terror is by far the most hardcore band I've ever heard! How they're not within the top 10 on this list beats me. People should listen to more punk before they run out and vote for papa roach as a hardcore punk band like what?!
True hardcore. Solid release after solid release. Few bands stay true to what they're doing (especially in this genre) and still churn out the goods.
Terror's albums Keepers Of The Faith and Live By The Code are the most outstanding hardcorereleases I've ever heard
Gorilla Biscuits is a New York-based hardcore punk band originally formed in 1987. The band currently consists of Anthony Civarelli, Walter Schreifels, Arthur Smilios, Alex Brown and Luke Abbey, and is signed to Revelation Records. My favorite hardcore band. Hands down!
Simply the most inspirational modern HC-band. The "Diamond" record is a milestone in hardcore history.
Hardcore at its finest. They capture inspiration with insane breakdowns, and force the listener to break stuff nearby.
We Are The Crew!
Godfathers
Beautiful lyrics, epic instrumentals, and deafening but sick vox
Papa Roach is an American rock band from Vacaville, California. Formed in 1993, their first major-label release was the triple-platinum album Infest. Not quite sure how one would confuse nu-metal (without punk influences...) for hardcore punk. With some of Slipknot's early stuff like Eeyore, that's kind of punky, but I can't say the same for Papa Roach.
Wasted youth crew!
KILLERS
D.O.A. is a Canadian punk rock band from Vancouver, British Columbia. They are often referred to as the "founders" of hardcore punk along with Black Flag, Bad Brains, Angry Samoans, the Germs, Negative Trend, and Middle Class.