Hardcore is the raw, confrontational evolution of punk rock that emerged in the late 1970s and early 1980s, defined by its blistering speed, aggressive brevity, and uncompromising DIY ethos. Born from the frustration of bands like Black Flag and Agnostic Front who found punk too tame, hardcore strips music down to its most visceral elements: breakneck tempos, shouted vocals, and songs that rarely exceed two minutes. Unlike the melody-conscious approach of post-hardcore or the metal-infused precision of metalcore, hardcore prioritizes intensity and immediacy over technical flourish, channeling anger and social disillusionment into explosive, cathartic performances that blur the line between audience and performer.
The genre thrives on its underground culture—DIY venues, all-ages shows, and a fiercely independent spirit that rejects mainstream commercialism. From the straight-edge philosophy championed by bands like Have Heart and Bane to the mosh-pit brotherhood of Terror and Madball, hardcore cultivates a sense of community built on authenticity and confrontation. While it shares punk's rebellious DNA and occasionally flirts with metal's heaviness (as heard in crossover acts like Biohazard and Hatebreed), hardcore remains distinct through its unrelenting pace, stripped-down production, and refusal to compromise its raw edge for accessibility.
Hardcore demands your attention through sheer force—it's music that doesn't ask permission but commands a response. Whether you're drawn to its political fury, its unfiltered emotion, or the kinetic energy of its live shows, hardcore offers an unvarnished snapshot of defiance that remains as urgent today as it was four decades ago.
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List updated:
| #84 | ByBlack Flag | Released:1978-01-01 | |||
| #22 | ByBlack Flag | Released:1981-11-16 | |||
| #66 | ByDescendents | Released:1982-11-15 | |||
| #35 | ByBad Brains | Released:1982 | |||
| #57 | ByBlack Flag | Released:1984-03 | |||
| #59 | ByBlack Flag | Released:1984-12 | |||
| #74 | ByHelmet | Released:1992-06-23 | |||
| #58 | ByDeftones | Released:1995-10-02 | |||
| #94 | ByHatebreed | Released:1997-11-11 | |||
| #51 | BySnot | Released:1997 | |||
| #56 | ByRefused | Released:1998-10-27 | |||
| #44 | ByLos Hermanos | Released:1999-01-01 | |||
| #9 | ByRaimundos | Released:1999 | |||
| #55 | ByAvenged Sevenfold | Released:2001-07-24 | |||
| #38 | ByConverge | Released:2001-09-04 | |||
| #48 | ByHatebreed | Released:2002-03-26 | |||
| #82 | ByKillswitch Engage | Released:2002-05-13 | |||
| #69 | ByAtreyu | Released:2002-06-04 | |||
| #73 | ByComeback Kid | Released:2003-03-04 | |||
| #63 | ByHatebreed | Released:2003-03-11 | |||
| #29 | ByRise Against | Released:2003-04-08 | |||
| #95 | BySilverstein | Released:2003-05-20 | |||
| #45 | ByAs I Lay Dying | Released:2003-07-01 | |||
| #81 | ByEvery Time I Die | Released:2003-07-01 | |||
| #28 | ByAvenged Sevenfold | Released:2003-08-26 | |||
| #53 | ByFrom Autumn to Ashes | Released:2003-09-09 | |||
| #67 | ByFrom Autumn To Ashes | Released:2003-09-09 | |||
| #92 | ByKillswitch Engage | Released:2004-05-10 | |||
| #47 | ByUnderoath | Released:2004-06-15 | |||
| #26 | ByAtreyu | Released:2004-06-28 | |||
| #49 | ByAlexisonfire | Released:2004-06-29 | |||
| #13 | ByRise Against | Released:2004-08-10 | |||
| #42 | ByHave Heart | Released:2004-10-15 | hardcoremelodic hardcore | ||
| #36 | ByComeback Kid | Released:2005-02-28 | |||
| #70 | ByBullet for My Valentine | Released:2005-04-25 | |||
| #54 | ByAvenged Sevenfold | Released:2005-06-06 | |||
| #32 | ByAs I Lay Dying | Released:2005-06-14 | |||
| #93 | ByModern Life Is War | Released:2005-06-21 | |||
| #80 | ByChiodos | Released:2005-07-26 | |||
| #76 | ByEvery Time I Die | Released:2005-08-23 | |||
| #19 | ByParkway Drive | Released:2005-09-12 | |||
| #4 | ByBullet for My Valentine | Released:2005-09-30 | |||
| #52 | ByAll That Remains | Released:2006-01-01 | |||
| #62 | ByKillswitch Engage | Released:2006-01-21 | |||
| #100 | ByAtreyu | Released:2006-03-28 | |||
| #34 | ByUnderoath | Released:2006-06-20 | |||
| #7 | ByRise Against | Released:2006-07-03 | |||
| #41 | ByHatebreed | Released:2006-07-27 | |||
| #90 | ByCeremony | Released:2006-07 | |||
| #30 | ByHave Heart | Released:2006-08-08 | |||
| #5 | ByEscape The Fate | Released:2006-09-26 | |||
| #17 | ByEscape the Fate | Released:2006-09-26 | |||
| #37 | BySaosin | Released:2006-09-26 | |||
| #12 | ByBring Me the Horizon | Released:2006-10-30 | |||
| #14 | ByA Day to Remember | Released:2007-01-23 | |||
| #98 | ByJustice | Released:2007-06-06 | |||
| #68 | ByAugust Burns Red | Released:2007-06-19 | |||
| #27 | ByAs I Lay Dying | Released:2007-08-21 | |||
| #23 | ByThe Devil Wears Prada | Released:2007-08-21 | |||
| #33 | ByParkway Drive | Released:2007-10-06 | |||
| #96 | ByArchitects | Released:2007 | |||
| #1 | ByParamore | Released:2008-04-11 | |||
| #87 | ByH2O | Released:2008-05-27 | |||
| #18 | ByHave Heart | Released:2008-07-08 | |||
| #16 | ByBring Me the Horizon | Released:2008-09-29 | |||
| #3 | ByRise Against | Released:2008-10-02 | |||
| #2 | ByEscape The Fate | Released:2008-10-21 | |||
| #8 | ByA Day to Remember | Released:2009-02-03 | |||
| #77 | ByThe Devil Wears Prada | Released:2009-05-04 | |||
| #46 | ByAugust Burns Red | Released:2009-07-14 | |||
| #20 | ByAsking Alexandria | Released:2009-09-15 | |||
| #97 | ByConverge | Released:2009-10-20 | |||
| #71 | ByWe Came As Romans | Released:2009-11-03 | |||
| #72 | ByOf Mice & Men | Released:2010-03-09 | |||
| #43 | ByParkway Drive | Released:2010-06-05 | |||
| #85 | ByThe Devil Wears Prada | Released:2010-08-23 | |||
| #25 | ByA Day to Remember | Released:2010-11-16 | |||
| #15 | ByTitle Fight | Released:2011-05-03 | |||
| #61 | ByFalling in Reverse | Released:2011-06-28 | |||
| #89 | ByParkway Drive | Released:2012-10-26 | |||
| #88 | ByBullet for My Valentine | Released:2013-02-06 | |||
| #83 | ByFalling in Reverse | Released:2013-06-14 | |||
| #86 | ByBring Me the Horizon | Released:2014-11-03 | |||
| #40 | ByTurnstile | Released:2015-01-13 | |||
| #78 | ByFalling in Reverse | Released:2015-02-24 | |||
| #10 | BySuperheaven | Released:2015-05-04 | |||
| #39 | ByOmi | Released:2015-10-16 | |||
| #50 | ByKnocked Loose | Released:2016-09-16 | |||
| #24 | ByThe Word Alive | Released:2017-03-10 | |||
| #79 | ByArchitects | Released:2017-09-07 | |||
| #31 | Byxxxtentacion | Released:2017 | |||
| #60 | BySlander | Released:2018-08-09 | |||
| #11 | Byxxxtentacion | Released:2018-12-07 | |||
| #6 | ByBring Me the Horizon | Released:2019-01-25 | |||
| #99 | ByNails | Released:2019-06-07 | |||
| #75 | ByKublai Khan TX | Released:2019-10-04 | |||
| #21 | ByCity Morgue | Released:2020-07-31 | |||
| #64 | ByCity Morgue | Released:2022-10-12 | |||
| #65 | ByArchitects | Released:2022-10-21 | |||
| #91 | ByArchitects | Released:2024-04-09 |