Punk grew up a lot in 1987. It shed its simplistic three-chord roots for something more adventurous. Bands tried new things across the board, expanding their sound with melody, introspection, and experimental textures previously foreign to the genre’s raw aesthetic.
These landmark records document punk’s pivotal transformation beyond mere shock value. They captured authentic teenage rebellion while adding musical sophistication. This new approach would influence alternative music for decades. Each album reveals a different facet of how rebellion found its voice that year.
14. Big Black – Songs About F-
Steve Albini’s notorious noise-punk outfit Big Black prioritized sonic assault over accessibility on their final studio album. Guitarist Santiago Durango recorded these abrasive tracks shortly before departing for law school, giving the album a sense of imminent dissolution that perfectly matched its confrontational tone.
Metallic, serrated guitars slice through the mix like factory machinery gone haywire while drum machines provide mechanically precise beats that emphasize the band’s inhuman aesthetic. Disturbing lyrical themes explore society’s underbelly without flinching, creating an intentionally challenging listening experience. Their uncompromising approach influenced countless noise rock bands that followed in their wake.
13. Union Carbide Productions – In the Air Tonight
This Swedish outfit brought Stooges-inspired chaos to European audiences with Union Carbide Productions’ intensity genuinely unhinged. Guitarists Björn Olsen and Patrick Keganus created deliberately chaotic noise while vocalist Abbott Lundberg channeled raw, improvised lyrics with manic energy that made each performance feel dangerous.
Primal rock energy drives every track with the same wild abandon that characterized their American influences. The Stooges’ “Fun House” era provides clear inspiration for their approach, filtered through European sensibilities that give their music distinctive character. This underrated band’s controlled chaos demonstrates surprising musical discipline beneath the surface noise, creating tension between structure and freedom throughout.
12. Husker Du – Warehouse: Songs and Stories
Internal tensions nearly destroyed Hüsker Dü during this album’s creation, yet they channeled that conflict into creative gold. The Minneapolis melodic punk pioneers expanded their sonic palette across two full discs, giving space for both Bob Mold and Grant Hart’s competing songwriting visions.
Personal animosity between Mold and Hart reached breaking point during recording sessions with the two barely communicating directly. Yet somehow they produced great tracks like “Could You Be the One” and “Ice Cold Ice” that transformed their fractious energy into compelling art. The album stands as their final masterpiece before the band imploded under the weight of their differences.
11. The Lemonheads – Hate Your Friends
Teen spirit and raw potential burst from every groove of this debut album, years before alternative rock fame would find The Lemonheads. High school friends Evan Dando and Ben Deily captured youthful urgency and creative possibility when musical instinct still outweighed technical limitations.
The album’s unusual structure reflects their experimental approach, with side A featuring all four members working together cohesively. Side B finds Dando and Deily trading instruments throughout, showcasing their versatility. “Second Chance” demonstrates their early skill at crafting memorable melodies beneath the noise, hinting at the more polished songwriting that would later bring mainstream success.
10. Hard-Ons – Pardons
Hard-Ons managed to break through internationally from Australia when most of their countrymen remained local phenomena. As pioneers of the nation’s skate punk scene, they helped reshape Australia’s alternative music landscape with their genre-blending approach that refused to follow established formulas.
The band masterfully combines seemingly disparate styles throughout this release, merging Ramones-style punk, metal-influenced riffage, and surf-pop melodies into something uniquely their own. Fast, aggressive rhythms underpin surprisingly catchy tunes throughout the album. Compiled tracks from their debut “Smell My Finger” appear alongside crowd favorites like “The Wonderful Girl” in the Sweater.
9. Sonic Youth – Sister
Sonic Youth consistently demolished musical boundaries, and Sister captures them operating at peak creative powers. The album balances their experimental tendencies with more focused songwriting, with Steve Shelley’s dynamic percussion anchoring their sonic explorations in more accessible ways.
Literary references and intellectual concepts inform their music without becoming pretentious. Old tape gear gives their recordings warm analog texture despite the dissonant guitar tunings. The band referenced proto-cyberpunk author Philip K. Dick throughout the album, naming it after his stillborn twin. Their inventive cover of Crime’s “Hot Wire My Heart” shows how they transformed outside material into something distinctively their own.
8. The Replacements – Pleased to Meet Me
The Replacements received a lifetime Saturday Night Live ban in January 1986 for their profanity-laden performance that sealed their rebellious reputation. They later headed to Memphis’s legendary Ardent Studios to record this pivotal album. With guitarist Bob Stinson fired, Paul Westerberg handled all guitar duties himself, bringing more focused songwriting to their formerly chaotic approach.
Producer Jim Dickinson helped shape these songs into their most cohesive collection yet, with “Alex Chilton” becoming an immediate fan favorite that paid tribute to the former Big Star frontman. The album skillfully blends punk energy with Memphis soul influences, creating a perfect document of a band operating at creative peak despite personal turmoil.
7. Pussy Galore – Right Now!
No one captured New York’s chaotic underground energy better than Pussy Galore with their deliberate and uncompromising sonic assault. They ran damaged turntables through overdriven amplifiers, creating walls of feedback that defied musical convention. Bob Bert used car parts as percussion instruments, including an automobile gas tank that added industrial clang to their primitive beats.
Traditional music rules got thoroughly discarded in favor of pure noise and aggression. Guitar distortion carries anti-establishment fury through every track while shouted lyrics rail against everything safe and sanitized. Their confrontational performances challenged audience comfort levels, collapsing distinctions between art installation and rock band in thrilling ways.
6. Fastbacks – And His Orchestra
Hair metal dominated mainstream radio in 1987 while Seattle’s underground scene fostered bands like Fastbacks who kept punk’s flame burning throughout the 1980s. High school friends Kurt Bloch, Kim Warnick, and Lulu Gargiulo created music that reflected punk’s original spirit with their own distinctive Pacific Northwest flavor.
Local audiences and critics alike praised Fastbacks’ “catchy tunes” that married punk energy with surprising melody. Bloch’s glam-rock guitar flourishes differentiated them from more straightforward punk acts of the era. Their contributions helped build Seattle’s vibrant music community that would later gain worldwide attention through grunge, though Fastbacks remained true to their roots throughout their career.
5. Celibate Rifles – Roman Beach Party
Australian music press championed Celibate Rifles throughout 1987, recognizing how effectively they fused punk’s aggression with surf rock’s reverb-drenched energy. This innovative combination created powerful sonic waves that expanded what punk could accomplish when embracing outside influences rather than rejecting them.
Guitarists Morris and Steedman deliver fierce, complementary riffs that create a wall of distortion without becoming muddy or unfocused. Moribito’s punchy bass and Larson’s thunderous drums provide the perfect rhythm foundation. “Jesus on TV” showcases Steedman’s wah pedal skills, highlighting their technical abilities that set them apart from more primitive contemporaries.
4. The Soup Dragons – Hang 10
Trouser Press appropriately labeled The Soup Dragons as “junior Buzzcocks” for their knack at injecting infectious pop hooks into punk’s raw framework. Their melodic sensibility caught Sire Records’ attention, who compiled this release specifically for American listeners in 1987, introducing them to a wider audience.
Each track delivers great hooks while maintaining punk’s essential energy, proving these genres weren’t mutually exclusive. “Girl in the World” exemplifies how they balanced accessibility with attitude, creating something that worked both in clubs and on mixtapes. Their approach influenced countless pop-punk bands that would emerge in the decades that followed.
3. Ramones – Halfway to Sanity
These punk pioneers delivered a solid mid-career album in 1987 that demonstrated Ramones’ consistency as songwriters and performers. Though some critics focus primarily on their groundbreaking early work, this release offers quality material throughout while balancing their signature sound with subtle musical evolution.
“I Wanna Live” showcases their ability to craft songs with big rock energy that broadened their appeal beyond punk’s typical boundaries. Debbie Harry’s guest vocals on “Go Lil’ Camaro Go” add welcome variety to the familiar formula. The band manages a difficult task here, evolving their sound while maintaining the essential characteristics that made them legendary.
2. Descendents – All
“All” represents Descendents at their most creatively revitalized with a title reflecting their philosophy of perfection. The album benefits enormously from the fresh energy brought by new members. Guitarist Stephen Egerton and bassist Karl Alvarez had joined in 1986, helping refine the band’s melodic hardcore approach.
Drummer/songwriter Bill Stevenson crafted crisp sounds throughout this production, establishing a template for how punk could maintain its energy while sounding professional. Unusually positive lyrics replaced punk’s typical doom and gloom, creating uplifting anthems for overcoming personal struggles. Songs like “Coolidge” and “Clean Sheets” showcase their evolving songcraft.
1. The Lazy Cowgirls – Tapping the Source
The Lazy Cowgirls gave us high-octane punk with this explosive 1987 release that captured the city’s gritty energy perfectly. The guitar sounds hit you like a sledgehammer from the first note. Pat Todd sings with a gravelly, bluesy howl that conveys genuine emotion without ever feeling forced.
The rhythm section of Tiligman and Clark provides a foundation that’s simultaneously tight and loose, creating the perfect backdrop for these songs of raw sentiment. “Goddamn Bottle” delivers an emotional gut-punch that exemplifies their honest approach. The sound still carries the same visceral impact today as when it first crashed into record stores.
