'80s Hardcore Punk

The height of hardcore punk was unequivocally the '80s, when the outright hedonism of the Sex Pistols gave way to the socially conscious screaming of bands like Minor Threat. Their "In My Eyes" single is a staple of sheer frustration over the human condition, as is the speedy rambling of Bad Brains and utter brilliance of L.A.'s X.

Hardcore doesn't always have to be, well, so hardcore. As Black Flag's most recognized frontman, Henry Rollins shouted about the finer things in life, like crushing beer cans and appreciating junk TV. And then there was Descendents, who put a defiant, prickled spin on pop punk.

Before metal-core was a mallrat-approved genre, Void was slapping hardcore and heavy metal together in a manner so haphazard it sounded preordained. Our Deep Cuts reveal other important instances of unrecognized hardcore heroism, such as the deceivingly simple political podium of Bad Religion and drug-damaged dissonance of the Butthole Surfers.

So, you just lost your job or planned promotion, a now former loved one shared some variation of "see you some other lifetime," and the country seems to be in shambles? The pleasantries of pop music won't soothe your soul in this case — we suggest heading straight for the compartmentalized catharsis of hardcore punk. Our playlist is like a rogue's gallery photographed at CBGB's circa 1984, focusing on such insubordinate originators as 7 Seconds, Youth Brigade, and Reagan Youth.