The punk rock era of the late 70's and early 80's was a unique and exciting time. Music was breaking through with  an edge that scared the hell out of almost everyone. The small
minority that got-it had the privilege of being part of something special. Punk allowed you to express your individuality and creativity, and
introduced powerful and diverse music that would change the scene forever. The sounds and attitude that shocked the majority then hung on
to influence the bands of later years. The "alternative" music genre that is mainstream today has its roots firmly in the punk era of twenty years ago.  The Punk Imperative site is a retrospective look at the punk era. I have
listed the bands and albums that I feel best define the music scene of the time. The Imperative lists are my suggestions for the CD's you can pick
up to best experience the music of the punk era.
I have categorized the bands into four loose categories. |
