1977 Hit Ranked Among 'Greatest Punk Albums of All Time' is Still Relevant Today

On April 8, 1977, British rock group The Clash released their self-titled debut record, and with it, changed the state of punk music forever.

The album included hits such as "White Riot" and "London's Burning", which became undeniable staples of the genre and influenced countless other punk acts throughout the '70s and '80s.

Surprisingly, The Clash was refused a United States release due to the label deeming the songs unsuitable for radio. American audiences wouldn't be introduced to The Clash until their next record, London Calling, which is widely considered one of the greatest punk rock albums ever recorded.

Following the success of London Calling, The Clash's self-titled debut was finally released in the United States and received even more recognition.

The Clash peaked at No. 12 on the U.K. charts and catapulted the British rock outfit onto a national stage. Since then, the album has been widely recognized among the greatest and most influential records ever recorded; it was ranked No. 2 on Rolling Stone's list of the 40 Greatest Punk Albums of All Time. They dubbed it "the sound of a riot being born."

The album was written and composed by guitarists Joe Strummer and Mike Jones, with Paul Simonon on bass and Terry Chimes on drums. The band's lineup would change several times over the years; this marked Chimes' only studio recording with The Clash, while co-founder Jones would later be dismissed from the group by Strummer due to personal and creative conflicts.

The Clash have since been praised as pioneers of the punk rock movement, with groups like Sex Pistols and The Damned developing a similar sound throughout the '70s and '80s.

It's rare that an entire musical subgenre can be traced down to a few forward-thinking bands several decades ago, but it's fair to say that many of today's most popular post-punk and pop-punk bands wouldn't exist without the success of The Clash. Groups like Green Day, IDLES, and even Fontaines D.C. would sound very different without the precedent that Strummer and Jones set with this revolutionary record.