The 1990s era of punk presents a problem for me as far as including a list of punk songs. There was a revival of sorts going on but a lot of the pieces that were classified as "the new punk" don’t seem to be much like what we knew before. At the time, perhaps these groups and these songs were the logical successors of the Sex Pistols, Dead Kennedys, and the Jam. However, songs by Green Day and Blink-182 sound to my ear more like pop than punk.
Part of what happened during the 1990s was not only a revival but a musical fusion, too. Instead of just one, moderately-cohesive collection of music, the genre branched out into ska punk, afro-punk, glam, oi!, riot grrl, queercore, folk punk, skate punk, and probably more that I don't know about. In response, some bands classified themselves as hardcore, meaning that they felt they were closer to the original wave of punk.
I’m including pop punk in my list - they are the songs that people know, after all - but I am downgrading some of them a little. Maybe the problem is that the musicians seemed to have learned to play their instruments.
Best Second Wave Punk
- Self Esteem - the Offspring
- My Own Worst Enemy - Lit
- The Decline - NOFX
- New Noise - Refused
- Responsibility - MxPx
- What's My Age Again - Blink-182
- Under Lock and Key - MxPx
- Get Off This - Cracker
- Pretty Fly (for a White Guy) - the Offspring
- Santeria - Sublime
- Father of Mine - Everclear
- Basket Case - Green Day
- I Will Buy You a New Life - Everclear
- Lump - Presidents of the USA
- Come Out and Play (Keep 'Em Separated) - the Offspring
- Brain Stew - Green Day
- San Dimas High School Football Rules - MxPX
- Well Adjusted - MxPx
- Incomplete - Bad Religion
- Cokie the Clown - NOFX
- Creep - Radiohead
- Santa Monica - Everclear
- Progress - Bad Religion
- Eurotrash Girl - Cracker
As far as I'm concerned, the stuff that comes after the 1990s is 'modern.' It's also better than the 1990s, generally speaking. If you haven't listened to songs on this new list, you should.
Like the 1990s list, I'm including the pop punk but with slight downgrades for not being shouty enough or funny enough.
Yeah, this era looks like it could all be Distillers and NOFX. That's probably my fault for not listening more.
Best Third Wave Punk
- Bandages - Hot Hot Heat
- Drain The Blood - The Distillers
- You're Wrong - NOFX
- The Separation of Church and Skate - NOFX
- Take Me Out - Franz Ferdinand
- Teenagers - My Chemical Romance
- Oxy Moronic - NOFX
- Last Nite - The Strokes
- Take Her Back - The Pigeon Detectives
- Hard to Explain - The Strokes
- Steady, As She Goes - The Raconteurs
- Deadbeat Mom - NOFX
- Sleigh Bells - Infinity Guitars
- The Young Crazed Peeling - The Distillers
- Heads Will Roll - Yeah Yeah Yeahs
- Prayer of the Refugees - Rise Against
- The Final Slowdance - MxPx
- Dismantle Me - The Distillers
- Idiots Are Taking Over - NOFX
- Young Girl - The Distillers
- My Little Brother - Art Brut
- Satellite - Rise Against
- Lori Meyers - NOFX
- Bob - NOFX
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