The Clash's double album sold at a single's price remains punk's greatest leap outward, swallowing rockabilly, reggae, and Stax-style soul without losing its snarl. Joe Strummer howls about nuclear meltdown and imperial decline while Mick Jones sweetens the blow with pop hooks sharp enough to crack America.

Paul Simonon's shattered Fender on Pennie Smith's cover tells you everything: this is controlled demolition, not chaos. Guy Stevens' ragged production captures a band discovering that rage works better when it learns to swing, shuffle, and seduce.