The Clash - The Clash Album

The Clash album stands out as a beacon in punk rock history. This album was absolutely shocking when it came out. Before it, punk bands were thought of as crude and inept on instruments and lacking in any political vision other than anarchism. The Clash changed all that. They were the punk antithesis of punk. They weren't calling for lawlessness; they were calling for a revolution. They were politically outraged, but they were outraged on behalf of people who were politically powerless and on the margins of society. Musically, they were way ahead of all other punk bands, playing tight, structured and incredibly breathtaking songs. They were the first punk band that could be favorably compared with any other band in rock history, which makes listening to their debut a must.