When I first got into punkier music, aka Blink-182 and Good Charlotte, my sister was quick to introduce me to some of the other punky stuff out there. She made me a mix CD of a few important bands, and one of them was Rancid. I was 10 and thought that Rancid was good, but really a little too rough for me.

Fast forward 5 years, and I can certainly say that I listen to Rancid more than Good Charlotte (although I still listen to Blink-182 more than both of them combined). This song, 1998, is my all-time favorite Rancid song. To me, it is quintessential Rancid, rude and rocking. Filled with expletives and punk rock snarl married to a chorus just made for sing-alongs, 1998 raged itself into my head and heart and never really left.

I admire Rancid. Although they’ve had a bumpy ride, they have (in my opinion) put out consistently good music. Not all of it is great, but there’s almost nothing in their catalog that I would refuse to listen to. They are a fun band, and I’m excited for their next album. This post is shorter than my others, because quite simply, how do you introduce a Rancid song? Just listen.