bad brains

17 rising Black alternative bands who are leading the next generation

Black musicians are at the heart of alternative music’s history. Whether it’s punk, emo, metal or pop punk, Black people have played an integral role in creating what the music scene is today. However, they’re consistently looked over in favor of white musicians, who have a long history of commodifying off the creativity of Black […]

The contributions of these 10 hardcore bands will be felt for decades

Believe it or not, there was a time when hardcore was considered a fad. It was angry, unfocused, violent, testosterone-driven and a bunch of other adjectives that nobody wanted to be saddled with. Rock critics and commercial radio stations wanted no parts of it. Hardcore bands in the early ’80s were a tough bunch. They […]

Here are the 10 most influential bands of hardcore

Hardcore has gone through countless stylistic changes since its inception and has inspired a variety of movements within music. Whether it’s the early veterans of the genre such as Black Flag or later acts who spawned metalcore and heavier subgenres by branching off hardcore such as Converge, these pioneers have been repeatedly used as an […]

These 15 punk albums from 1983 will still floor you decades later

In the ’80s, many a cloth-eared critic and social dullard thought punk was just a mindless fad. Here in 2020, we know better than our parents ever did. But there’s still time for them to catch up. Because these punk albums of 1983 haven’t lost any of their potency. This APTV video rundown shows exactly […]

These 15 punk albums from 1982 paved the way for so much that followed

We’re pretty sure you’ve heard the old aphorism: “Those who do not know history are doomed to repeat it.” It’s a statement that’s always been universally prescient. However, it might not apply to these choice punk albums from 1982. This APTV video revisits that awesome year for some groundbreaking releases. If anybody really wants to […]

11 POC-fronted punk bands who deserve to be heard

Keeping politics out of punk is impossible, and the idea of wiping the anti-establishment undertones would defeat the purpose of the genre completely. People of colors’ impact reaches far past what bands such as Bad Brains set the foundation for, creating a flourishing scene that’s developing faster than ever.  The main intent of this list […]

These 16 early Afro-Punk artists made huge contributions to alt-rock

The 2003 documentary Afro-Punk lifted the lid on how many black musicians and fans were part of punk culture. Yet even today, there persists the idea that black participation in rock music is some sort of novelty or anomaly. That disregards, of course, mountains of evidence to the contrary, going back all the way to […]

These groundbreaking black artists helped move the underground forward

Don’t kid yourselves for a fraction of a nanosecond. When it comes to the continued evolution of underground/alternative rock, black lives have always mattered. When FEVER 333 coined the hashtag #rockmusicisblackmusic, it was a burning, sweating truth. And if you don’t believe us, well, we’ve got an APTV video for that. Diehard music fans know […]

These black artists built the foundation of rock music as we know it

It cannot be denied that some of the most enduring and exciting music and culture created in the punk and alternative-rock scenes were made by people of color. From the early days of Rock Against Racism in the U.K. to the game-changing awareness of the Washington, D.C. hardcore scene, these black artists were there all […]

DED want you to take a closer look at the things you support

Ferocious metal outfit DED were ready and willing to bring their neck-snapping riffage and calls to action to the world at large. But Mother Nature had other plans. Fortunately, the band and director Marc Klasfeld were able to finish the video for a new single, “A Mannequin Idol (Lullaby).” It’s the first of two new […]

The 15 best punk albums of 1983 include eternal hardcore classics

1983: Hardcore rules, OK—at least if it comes from America. England was mired in the nü  pop of Culture Club and Duran Duran as its punk scene further slipped into shitty versions of what Motörhead did brilliantly. Not to say a similarly boneheaded ethic wasn’t starting to slip into U.S. hardcore. But the best of […]

QUIZ: How well do you know your punk-rock history?

Punk rock has evolved so much since its beginnings over five decades ago. While modern bands enjoy the freedom of singing about whatever they please, it wouldn’t have been that way without the pioneering artists who rebelled against the mainstream back in the ’70s and ’80s. From veterans such as Black Flag, Descendents, the Sex […]

30 classic discographies to immerse yourself in while at home

While everyone is self-isolating, we’re all looking for ways to fill our time. Why not spend it digging into some of the classic bands you’ve always been meaning to learn about but haven’t been able to? With the amount of spare time everyone has, sitting down and listening to an iconic band’s entire discography is […]

These 15 punk albums from 1982 continue to bring the fire to this day

Welcome to the top punk albums of 1982. Ronald Reagan‘s been president for a year. His distaff British stunt double Margaret Thatcher‘s been prime minister a few years longer. Between the two of them cutting the legs out of their respective nation’s economies and eroding freedoms, punk had plenty of grist for the songwriting mill. […]

10 Vans collabs from some of your favorite bands

The presence Vans has brought to punk, rock and metal over the years is undeniable, not only through 25 years of Warped Tour but also its constant support of the scene in sponsorships, promotions and collaborations. The company has made some incredible styles over the years, but creating custom shoes with bands is one of […]

The 50 best albums of 2019 in alternative, punk, alt-pop and beyond

The time has come for the collective internet to narrow down their favorite albums of 2019. With more releases than we can count dropping in any given year, from DIY garage bands to the biggest of pop artists, the task is large. This year kept our attention with a slew of choices, so here’s what […]

Minor Threat, Bad Brains and the D.C. hardcore scene examined in new documentary

The recent announcement of the 2020 nominees for induction into the Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame came out yesterday. While the Hall’s list is truly a well-rounded roll call of sonic and cultural bastions, it does make this particular grampire wonder when the genre and culture of hardcore will get its due as sonic […]

10 bands whose debut albums contain their most iconic material

Sometimes in the music industry a new band come along and completely shake everything up by writing an album that blows people away right out of the gate. Living up to the hype of writing a great album is difficult enough. However, some bands created their most classic songs on their first go with their […]

The Cars founder Ric Ocasek was more than just your parents' nostalgia

In his roles as vocalist/guitarist/chief songwriter of iconic American new-wave group the Cars, Ric Ocasek brought pop hooks, futuristic sheen and firepower to an American rock scene whose entire goal seemed to be based on celebrating the mediocre. Ocasek passed away yesterday in his Manhattan home at the age of 75, leaving seven albums with […]

10 self-help, positive mental attitude albums to get you through today

Yeah, we’ve got problems: Paxil ’scripts are rising faster than Dr. Phil’s ratings, and the positive-thinking selections on the shelves at Barnes & Noble are almost crushing the YA section. But when you’ve blown your rent check on Lexapro and depression’s still got you wishing you could go to sleep forever, music’s the one cure […]
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