Rockpedia

Compare

Two genres, side by side. The ratings are editorial judgements on a ten-point scale, not measurements. Where they come out level, the difference is in the prose underneath them.

First genre

Hardcore punk1980

Second genre

Punk rock1974

Head to headHardcore punk vs Punk rock
Hardcore punk: heaviness 6, melody 4, speed 9. Punk rock: heaviness 4, melody 7, speed 8.Heaviness6 / 4Melody4 / 7Speed9 / 8
Each corner is a ten-point rating. The further out, the higher.

The difference, by ear

Punk at half this tempo, with a chorus and a tune. If it is over in ninety seconds and had no chorus, it was hardcore.

Both are shouted, but punk rock is slower: 160 to 200 bpm against 190 to 250. Songs run longer in punk rock: usually 2 to 3 minutes, against under a minute to 2 minutes in hardcore punk. To hear the difference, play Black Flag next to Ramones. Hardcore punk grew out of punk rock, six years later.

Put together from each genre's vocals, tempo, song length, key acts and place in the tree.

In figures

Heaviness
Hardcore punk6
Punk rock4
−2
Speed
Hardcore punk9
Punk rock8
−1
Melody
Hardcore punk4
Punk rock7
+3

Hardcore punk

1980 · California / Washington DC · 13 subgenres

Where it sits

Rock › Punk rock › Hardcore punk

In short

Punk accelerated to 200 bpm, songs of one minute and shouted vocals. Without it there is no thrash, no grindcore, no metalcore.

How it sounds

  • Tempos of 180 to 250 bpm with galloping or skank drum patterns.
  • Songs under a minute, with whole albums running twenty minutes.
  • Shouted rather than sung vocals, and direct political or personal lyrics.

Key acts

  • Black Flag
  • Minor Threat
  • Bad Brains
  • Discharge

Start here

The pickBad Brains - Bad Brains (the ROIR cassette). The fastest band of the decade.

Full page →

Punk rock

1974 · New York / London · 31 subgenres

Where it sits

Rock › Punk rock

In short

Three chords, two minutes and zero patience for solos. A full reset of rock, and the second major source of extreme metal.

How it sounds

  • Three or four chords, open position or power chords, strummed in eighths.
  • Songs of ninety seconds to two and a half minutes, with no long intro and no guitar solo.
  • Fast, cheap production with the vocals up front and simple drums on two and four.

Key acts

  • Ramones
  • Sex Pistols
  • The Clash
  • Buzzcocks

Start here

The pickRamones - Ramones. Fourteen songs in twenty-nine minutes, not a wasted note.

Full page →