Minor Threat

Imitated by many, paralleled by none, Minor Threat was known for their furious passion with which they played. They blew up the D.C. scene, creating the mold for Hardcore punk around the world. MT raised the bar for punk rock with their fiery sound borne of a genuine burn: Fast and loud, but never at the expense of not playing their instruments properly. As the band grew, MT's sound slowed just a bit, allowing them to squeeze a few hooks between the crushing guitar riffs. Their message was as important, if not more so, than the music. Just as they were screaming the loudest, MT went supernova only four years after their inception. Sure, the members went on to different bands (Fugazi, Dag Nasty, Government Issue, the Meatmen), but none -- save for possibly Fugazi -- have come close to MT's impact.