I'm slowly revisiting my teenage years by expanding my collection of early punk.

I've got

Black Flag - Damaged
The Clash - London Calling
The Sex Pistols - Never Mind the Bollocks, Here's the Sex Pistols
Social Distortion - Social Distortion
X - See How We Are

There are a few more essentials that I know I want to get:
The Ramones - The Ramones, Rocket to Russia
X - Los Angeles
The Clash - The Clash

Any other suggestions?

The irst 4 X albums are all good.

See if you can track down this. I'm pretty sure it's OOP, but well worth finding:

Also, if you want to venture to a little more hardcore side of things, try Husker Du, particularly Zen Arcade, Flip Your Wig, and New Day Rising.

Wire — Pink Flag

and any Fugazi albums, although it's a looser definition of punk.

Dag Nasty - Wig out at Denko's
Circle Jerks - Group Sex

The Misfits - Legacy of Brutality
The Descendents - Two Things At Once
Buzzcocks - Love Bites, Singles Gone Steady
Dead Kennedy's - Plastic Surgery Disasters
Ramones - Pleasant Dreams
Bad Brains - Rock For Light
The Damned - Damned, Damned, Damned
Poison Idea - Feel The Darkness
Meatmen - War of the Superbikes, Rock 'n' Roll Juggernaut
Fear - The Record
Suicidal Tendencies - How Will I Laugh Tomorrow When I Can't Even Smile Today
Minor Threat - Complete Discography
Rites of Spring - End on End

I'm assuming by "early" punk you mean nothing after 1985. Here's a few I haven't seen mentioned:
The Stooges - Raw Power
Bad Brains - S/T
Dead Kennedys - Fresh Fruit...
Minor Threat - whatever the discography album was called
Cro-Mags - Age of Quarrel

Dead Kennedys - Fresh Fruit for Rotting Vegetables
The Vibrators - Pure Mania
The Stooges - The Stooges, Raw Power or Fun House. I can't possibly pick just one.
The Cramps - Bad Music for Bad People

I also endorse just about everything already mentioned in this thread.

While I wouldn't recommend it as a purchase (it's way overpriced for what it is) No Thanks! The 70s Punk Rebellion is a surprisingly good compilation set.

Although they are not together anymore, the best "newer" punk band (with that classic sound) was The Explosion. Saw them on Fuse one night, blew me away. Got the album and it did not disappoint.

I've seen a couple of their albums mentioned, but definitely get Bad Brains - Black Dots.

Gorilla Biscuits- Start Today!
Dead Boys - Young Loud and Snotty
Sick of it All - Blood, Sweat and No Tears
Bad Religion - Against the Grain
MDC - Millions of Dead Cops
Rites of Spring - S/T
Voidoids - Blank Generation
X-Ray Spex- Germ Free Adolescents

Man, listening to some of that stuff again made me realize just how self-righteous some straight-edge bands were...

Lots of good suggestions.

But no love for Television or Reagan Youth?

And although not pre-1985, I think these are punk classics as well

Operation Ivy - Energy
Son Of Sam - Songs From The Earth
Rancid - And Out Come The Wolves
Rancid - Indestructible
Bouncing Souls - Bouncing Souls
Bouncing Souls - Anchors Aweigh

TSOL - Dance With Me
Dag Nasty - Can I Say
Effigies - Firever Grounded
The Adolescents - The Adolescents
Youth of Today - We're Not In This Alone
Discharge - Hear Nothing, See Nothing, Say Nothing
Conflict - The Ungovernable Force
Stiff Little Fingers - Inflammable Material
Crass - The Feeding of the 5,000
Avengers - Avengers
Sham 69 - That's Life
Dwarves - Blood Guts & Pussy
Subhumans - The Day the Country Died
G.B.H. - City Baby's Revenge
The Germs - MIA
999 - 999
Generation X - Generation X
X - Los Angeles
Bad Religion - 80-83
Agnostic Front - United Blood/Victim In Pain
The Damned - Machine Gun Etiquette
The Exploited - Punks Not Dead

Never thought of Television as a punk band.

I'd second the Husker Du recommendation.

Zen Arcade is what broke me out of the punk scene and into actual music.

I kid. I LOVE everything considered "punk" up until and including Black Flag. After My War, the whole scene went to shit for the most part.

The best of actual "punk?" The Damned. The Buzzcocks. The Clash.

Punk can have a very broad definition, but based on the assumption that it fits, I'd add this album to your list:

Gang of Four - Entertainment!

Also, personally I would make the Clash's self-titled album first on your to-buy list. I know everyone talks up London Calling (which is a brilliant album in its own right), but there's just something about their first album that is so raw and jaw-clocking. I really think it's one of the best rock 'n roll albums of all time.

I'll toss in The Saints "I'm Stranded"

What everyone else said.

And I'll add (off the top of my head):

The Zero Boys
The Victims (Australian band)
Scream: "Still Screaming"
The F.U.s/Straw Dogs
The Pagans
The Replacements ("Sorry Ma..." & "Stink")
7 Seconds
The Dickies ("Incredible Shrinking...")
DYS
The Dictators
New York Dolls
Johnny Thunders ("L.A.M.F.")
DRI
early C.O.C.
Dr. Know
The Germs
Radio Birdman


As for anything post 1985, I'd say Dillinger Four's whole catalog.

Another suggestion: go on ebay and try and find some old Flipsides.

Also pick up some classic compilations like "This Is Boston, Not LA" and the early Flipside comps.

Very, very nice.

The Descendants

Good call on both albums.

Marquee Moon is, at the very least, one of the punk records.

I wouldn't call Husker Du hardcore, but New Day Rising is nonetheless essential.

Wig Out at Denko's is good, but Can I Say is AMAZING. Dag Nasty with Dave Smalley can't be beat.

I'd like to add Golden Shower of Hits to the Circle Jerks suggestions.

These are all good, I'll add Misfits "Walk Among Us", anything by the Descendents (Everything Sucks is excellent), the first 5 Ramones records up to and including End of the Century, The Damned "Machine Gun Etiquette"