Subcultural artifacts

Emo
The Promise Ring - Nothing Feels Good (Jade Tree, 1997)
There are two eras and camps of emo. In the '90s, the term meant screamy post-hardcore. Of course, then it just turned into mall punk with bad hair. The Promise Ring was the catalyst for the transformation, realizing there were more chicks to be had in Weezer riffs than loud-quiet shoegazing.

Jungle/drum ’n’ bass
Goldie - Inner City Life (FFRR, 1996)
Sure, Goldie didn't create drum 'n' bass, but he certainly came to define it. Thanks to friendship's with pioneering breaks producers like 4Hero and DJ Kemistry, Goldie went on to production in his own right, scoring the first d 'n' b record to make it onto the charts, fueled in large part by this single, which reached No. 7 in the U.K.

Dubstep
Skream - Midnight Request Line (Tempa, 2005)
Hailing from Croydon—the U.K. mecca that's produced many of dubstep's guiding lights—21-year-old young gun Skream takes the prize for garnering the genre international recognition. Deviating from dubstep's close ties to two-step and garage, "Midnight Request Line" was the first record that garnered crossover appeal, especially here in the U.S. Its half-time break, dubby synths and atmospherics have become the archetype for the overwhelming majority of producers following in his footsteps.

House
Mr. Fingers - Can You Feel It (Trax, 1986)
A true milestone in house music, it maintains all its potency and relevance more than 20 years later, and cats are still trying to re-create this sound in 2009. As testament to its staying power, when you talk to producers and DJs from other countries, they are all quick to reference Chicago, Trax records and Mr. Fingers as key influences for them, long after the scene here has gone the way of the dinosaurs.

Rockabilly
Gene Vincent and his Blue Caps - Blue Jean Bop (Capitol, 1957)
Virginia rocker Vincent released the essence of the sexy, rebellious, individualistic rocker on this debut album, which set the template for many a bad boy to come. Leather jacket, big guitar plus greasy hair equals uptight parent’s nightmare.

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