Punk is an interesting genre of music because there is no one way of describing it. One might say that bands playing with untrained musicians and screaming vocalists or trying to agitate is true punk. But there is more to the genre; an attitude.
Sure, there's some type of veracity to each punk album. Patti Smith's Horses is a classic album of the genre but Smith sounds completely different from Black Flag. Both are punk, however.
What follows is just a sampling. If you are truly ready to dive into the genre's excellence, you will find loads of other albums to love. But I promise, you will not be disappointed by the next five records.
Five perfect punk albums
Dead Kennedy - Frankenchrist (1985)
Some might argue that there are better Dead Kennedys albums. Maybe there are and maybe that argument is not valid. On Frankenchrist, which caused the band to be sued (more on that in just a minute), the band appears to tune their guitars to the key of the Munsters and it works excellently. But what makes this record really go is Jello Biafra's lyrics. This is also the first record that Biafra kind of sings instead of yodel-blurts (not that that was bad either).
No conservative group or money-making entity is safe on this album. Biafra takes down redneck bullies on "Goons of Hazzard," destroys MTV (when MTV still mattered) on "M.T.V. - Get off the Air," and punishes the entire right-wing establishment on "Stars and Stripes of Corruption." Even if one is a conservative they might find the logic in Biafra's arguments even if not fully agreeing with them. The words are just so brilliant.
About the lawsuit. As part of the original vinyl was an H.R. Giger painting called Landscape #XX. The painting was sexually elaborate. Due to that, the band was sued by a conservation group for distributing harmful matter to minors but there was no conviction. However, the record label Alternative Tentacles was also bankrupt by the suit and stayed alive from the support of fans.
The Clash - The Clash (1977)
I could, of course, have gone with possibly the Clash's most well-known album, London Calling, and that would not have been wrong. But that record has some punk sounds but is a wonderful mish-mash of lots of different influences. London Calling is more of a rock record than a punk one, and that is OK. It is well-respected because of its greatness, not because of its punkness.
But the band's debut album is terrific from start to finish even though the group recorded the songs in just a little over two weeks and the album was released about two months later. The first four tracks alone - "Janie Jones," "Remote Control," "I'm So Bored with the USA", and "White Riot" - are still staples of punk but listing them does a disservice to the rest of this must-have record.
Sex Pistols - Never Mind the Bollocks, Here's the Sex Pistols (1977)
This is probably the most obvious album in this article. I almost decided against adding it simply because I only have five slots and literally anyone interested in punk knows this record (and likely owns it) which has almost in a way turned the Sex Pistols only studio album more poppy. The argument can be made that if something is so well-received by the general public that thing stops having punk motifs.
Still, at the time the record and the band were groundbreaking in their fearlessness to be disruptive and a complete mess. This album actually came out after the Clash's debut album, but that just goes to prove what a special year 1977 was. Somehow songs such as "God Save the Queen," "Anarchy in the U.K." and "Pretty Vacant" still sound fresh today even with a low-end recording process. Just goes to show great music will overcome anything.
Bad Brains - I Against I (1986)
This might not be the album Bad Brains is best known for as that is likely their self-titled debut which is also excellent. But this record fleshes out the band's sound as well and Bad Brains could do just about anything. They were a punk band that was heavily influenced by reggae and funk but with a heavy dose of metal. The group also eschews the shorter punk style for several tracks that last nearly four minutes.
But none of those minutes are wasted especially on the riveting "Re-Ignition," somewhat unsettling "Sacred Love," and the bombastic "House of Suffering." The final song in that listing is incredible live as well. But the album is tight, somewhat sprawling, and completely enjoyable. I Against I also became an influential album for many future ska artists, which is not a bad subgenre to love.
The Stooges - Raw Power (1973)
One of the aspects that makes this record work is the production of David Bowie. Bowie wanted a, well...raw sound on the tracks to make it seem more chaotic, and that worked to perfection. The sonic ping of the guitars makes Iggy Pop's vocals have to fight through and that turns the record into a gruff and feisty group of songs.
This record came out a bit ahead of the big punk year of 1977, but the pure aggression and confidence of almost every track screams punk motifs. The first three tunes - "Search and Destroy," "Gimme Danger," and "Your Pretty Face is Going to Hell" - are a pure adrenaline rush. There are zero bad songs on the record and even if you are not starting your journey into punk, this is a must-have album.