VMP Magazine

Rock music was having a crisis in the late ‘90s. Grunge had faded out like the jeans and flannel it was known for, Nu Metal was having a disproportionately huge moment, and attempts to resurrect indie rock were siloed off into cities and local scenes inaccessible to the alt-music starved masses.

But then, as if punk rock and new wave bands of the ‘70s and ‘80s à la Joy Division and the Ramones had strategically skipped rocks in a river decades in advance, the ripples finally made their way to the shore, and by the early 2000s, the post-punk revival pushed unknown bands to mainstream success. The sounds were retro, punctuated by melodic basslines, and the talent was touting guitars and playing synthesizers. Much like their punk rock forefathers, they had an eye for aesthetics, donning skinny ties and shag haircuts that exemplified a generation of stylish youth.

Here, in all its glory, is a “painstakingly hard to limit to just 10” list of the post-punk revival albums you should own on vinyl.