Niggaz With Attitude. The name says everything. Shamelessly self-promoting and utterly megalomaniacal, N.W.A forged an image of ghetto life that would come to define the entire hip hop scene in LA. They exploited America's most deep-seated fears of (and fascination with) race and violence. They said

In-your-face, Profane, Rough, Slangy, Violent

The Sex Pistols may have provided the shock-value dynamite for the punk explosion in 1970s Britain, but it was the Clash who channeled the energy of that explosion into a discrete form of music. Or rather, they channeled it into several forms simultaneously; they diversified the space of punk. The Cl

Bombast, Pioneering, Political, Punk, Slangy

With lyrics that range from musings on the Eiffel Tower to thoughts on the nature of space, The Pixies clearly transcend the categories of pop, punk, and rock 'n' roll. Their songs, which vacillate between light, almost airy pop tunes and grinding, sci-fi punk, might as well have come from another pl

Absurd, Alternative rock, Intense, Pop, Post-punk, Slangy, Smarty arty pop, Visceral

The Ramones formed in 1974 and revolutionized the sound of punk with their speedy, solo-less songs and vacant lyrics. The original lineup featured Joey on the drums, Dee Dee sharing guitar with Johnny, and Tommy as their manager. They left high school in Forest Hills, New York, and moved to Manhattan

Bubblicious, Clever, Manic, Pop, Punk, Rebel, Slangy, Wise assy