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Best hardcore punk songs of the 1980s

Cheap drum machines and the first affordable samplers changed who was allowed to make a record. Hip-hop moved from a party you had to be at to a 12-inch you could buy, and MTV made how a song looked part of the argument.

Songs from the hardcore punk albums of the 1980s, ordered by their own ratings rather than the record's.

Two Things at Once cover№ 1Ride the WildDescendents · Two Things at Once1 rating
  1. 2Frankenchrist coverHellnationDead Kennedys · Frankenchrist1 rating
  2. 3Milo Goes to College coverHopeDescendents · Milo Goes to College1 rating
  3. 4Thrash Zone coverBeneath the WheelD.R.I. · Thrash Zone
  4. 5The Day the Country Died coverNo More GigsSubhumans · The Day the Country Died
  5. 6Wild in the Streets coverPut a Little Love in Your Heart (Remastered)Circle Jerks · Wild in the Streets
  6. 7Wild in the Streets coverJust Like Me (Remastered)Circle Jerks · Wild in the Streets
  7. 8Wild in the Streets coverPolitical Stu (Remastered)Circle Jerks · Wild in the Streets
  8. 9Wild in the Streets coverForced Labor (Remastered)Circle Jerks · Wild in the Streets
  9. 10Wild in the Streets coverMoral Majority (Remastered)Circle Jerks · Wild in the Streets
  10. 11Wild in the Streets coverDefamation Innuendo (Remastered)Circle Jerks · Wild in the Streets
  11. 12Wild in the Streets coverQuestion Authority (Remastered)Circle Jerks · Wild in the Streets
  12. 13Wild in the Streets coverLetter Bomb (Remastered)Circle Jerks · Wild in the Streets
  13. 14Wild in the Streets coverMurder the Disturbed (Remastered)Circle Jerks · Wild in the Streets
  14. 15Wild in the Streets coverTrapped (Remastered)Circle Jerks · Wild in the Streets
  15. 16Wild in the Streets coverMeet the Press (Remastered)Circle Jerks · Wild in the Streets
  16. 17Wild in the Streets cover86'd (Good as Gone) [Remastered]Circle Jerks · Wild in the Streets
  17. 18Wild in the Streets coverStars and Stripes (Remastered)Circle Jerks · Wild in the Streets
  18. 19Wild in the Streets coverLeave Me Alone (Remastered)Circle Jerks · Wild in the Streets
  19. 20Wild in the Streets coverWild in the Streets (Remastered)Circle Jerks · Wild in the Streets
  20. 21Rembrandt Pussyhorse coverTornadoesButthole Surfers · Rembrandt Pussyhorse
  21. 22Rembrandt Pussyhorse coverTo ParterButthole Surfers · Rembrandt Pussyhorse
  22. 23Rembrandt Pussyhorse coverCombButthole Surfers · Rembrandt Pussyhorse
  23. 24Rembrandt Pussyhorse coverMoving To FloridaButthole Surfers · Rembrandt Pussyhorse
  24. 25Why coverTomorrow Belongs to UsDischarge · Why
  25. 26Why coverIt's No TV SketchDischarge · Why
  26. 27Why coverDecontrolDischarge · Why
  27. 28Why coverReligion InstigatesDischarge · Why
  28. 29Why coverYou Take Part in Creating the SystemDischarge · Why
  29. 30Why coverAlways RestrictionsDischarge · Why
  30. 31Why coverWar's No FairytaleDischarge · Why
  31. 32Why coverFight BackDischarge · Why
  32. 33Why coverSociety's VictimDischarge · Why
  33. 34Why coverBut After the GigDischarge · Why
  34. 35Why coverThey Declare ItDischarge · Why
  35. 36Why coverRealities of WarDischarge · Why
  36. 37Why coverWhy (Reprise)Discharge · Why
  37. 38Why coverWhy (Explicit)Discharge · Why
  38. 39Dealing With It coverThe Explorer (Rough Mix)D.R.I. · Dealing With It
  39. 40Dealing With It coverReaganomics (Rough Mix)D.R.I. · Dealing With It
  40. 41Dealing With It coverNursing Home Blues (Rough Mix)D.R.I. · Dealing With It
  41. 42Dealing With It coverI Don't Need Society (Rough Mix)D.R.I. · Dealing With It
  42. 43Dealing With It coverI'd Rather Be Sleeping (Rough Mix)D.R.I. · Dealing With It
  43. 44Dealing With It coverHow to Act (Rough Mix)D.R.I. · Dealing With It
  44. 45Dealing With It coverSad to Be (Unused Songs for the Violent Pacification)D.R.I. · Dealing With It
  45. 46Dealing With It coverMad Man (Unused Songs for the Violent Pacification)D.R.I. · Dealing With It
  46. 47Dealing With It coverStupid, Stupid War (The Unknown Demo)D.R.I. · Dealing With It
  47. 48Dealing With It coverSnap (The Unknown Demo)D.R.I. · Dealing With It
  48. 49Dealing With It coverRunning Around (Texas Compliation)D.R.I. · Dealing With It
  49. 50Dealing With It coverCouch Slouch (Texas Compliation)D.R.I. · Dealing With It

One great song, one bad album

Tracks carry their own ratings here, so a record you would never play front to back can still have a song worth defending.

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