Back in the mid-’70s, Los Angeles was a hotbed for punk, and later the beginnings of hardcore, becoming a haven for disillusioned youth. Angered by the Reagan era, shows were a place for release — where DIY-minded rebellion collided with a harder, faster attitude. That period of LA ultimately encompassed a specific time, place, and sound throughout the ’70s and ’80s — one that generations of bands would continue to reference. Today’s current landscape comprises groups like Death Lens, Surfbort, and Reckling, but they wouldn’t have gotten there without their elders leading the way. That being said, we asked our readers to vote on the best LA punk bands, and they fired back with some interesting opinions. Find the top fan picks ranked below.
Read more: 15 bands that defined LA punk in the ’80s, from Black Flag to the Go-Go’s
5. The Germs
Forming in the mid-’70s, the Germs were a core part of the LA punk scene, taking cues from Iggy Pop and Ramones to shape their explosive style and attitude. Beyond grainy footage of their live shows, that’s best documented on 1979’s GI — the band’s only studio album, produced by Joan Jett — which translates their messy stage urgency into 10 songs about death, self-destruction, and alienation. It’s essential listening, immortalizing the legacy of vocalist Darby Crash, who died by suicide at 22 years old, and many consider it to be one of the first hardcore records.
4. Social Distortion
Though Social Distortion are more heavily associated with the Orange County scene, our readers still consider them a key LA punk band. Unlike the speed and aggression of the bands they toured with, Social Distortion brought a lighter sensibility to the fore. They mixed punk with rockabilly, blues, and outlaw country, couched in frontman Mike Ness’ vivid storytelling. That kind of emotional honesty, populated with stories of addiction, love, and regret, made them stand out from their peers and carry on to the modern day, where they’re releasing their first album in 15 years. Their influence can be heard all over the place, especially in Rancid, the Gaslight Anthem, and Against Me!
3. Black Flag
Without Black Flag, the LA hardcore scene looks wildly different. They took the speed and fury of early punk and stripped it back even further, becoming faster and angrier — essentially laying down the roots of hardcore. However, the band weren’t afraid to mess with their sound, indulging in slower, sludgier experiments — namely 1984’s My War — that alienated many of their fans, much to their delight. Through their own SST Records and self-booked tours, Black Flag showed bands how to operate on their own terms, rather than being reliant on music industry insiders. That mentality loomed large over Descendents, Hüsker Dü, and Nirvana, to name a few. Their reach spans much more than LA, and we’re all the better for it.
2. Bad Religion
Compared to other punk bands bouncing around LA, Bad Religion set themselves apart through a positive attitude, tight musicianship, and Greg Graffin’s melodic vocals. Set against fast tempos, their lyrics encompassed philosophy, politics, and science, proving that punk could be brainy as well as intensely cathartic. “One of the great things about Bad Religion is that it’s always given us a place to write about topical things that are timeless,” Gaffin told AP in 2020. Their classic trilogy — 1988’s Suffer, 1989’s No Control, and 1990’s Against the Grain — basically reshaped melodic hardcore, creating a blueprint for dozens of other bands to follow. NOFX, Pennywise, Rise Against, and countless others owe a lot to Bad Religion.
1. Radioactive Chicken Heads
Radioactive Chicken Heads have left a huge mark on the LA punk scene through bona fide weirdness. Since 1993, the long-running virtual band have collected a cultish fanbase through their elaborate shows, where punk, aburdist comedy, and stage theatrics blur into a one-of-a-kind experience. It’s somewhere between the Specials and “Weird Al” Yankovic, the latter of whom has been suspected as a member. RCH have only continued to build on their mythology through the years, as well. They’ve created concept albums, a 16-bit style RPG, and independently produced their own TV pilot in 2017. No matter what they cook up next, our readers think their “genetically modified” punk makes them one of LA’s finest.
