Rage Against The Machine – self-titled debut

Sure, prior to 1992 there had been combinations of rap and rock. But they were mostly of the novelty variety – a way to offer a safe crossover of different genres and audiences. When Rage Against the Machine unloaded their debut album in 1992, they kicked the crap out of the novelty and drew a line in the sand that told the world that playtime was over. This wasn’t “Walk this Way” or “I’m the Man.” Tom Morello, Brad Wilk and Tim Commerford laid down some of the heaviest, grooviest music around — which was perfect for Zack de la Rocha’s growls, screams and diatribes against oppression, racism, authority — and anything else on his mind. “Bombtrack,” “Killing in the Name,” “Take the Power Back”  and the rest take the spirit of 1960s protest songs with the added element of a world where everyone can see that the revolution was televised. Rage provided the uncensored and unfettered soundtrack.