American hardcore band formed in Washington, D.C. in 1980. Lineup: Ian MacKaye (vocals), Lyle Preslar (guitar), Brian Baker (bass, later guitar), and Jeff Nelson (drums). Foundational to hardcore punk and the originators of straightedge as a cultural movement (the 1981 song "Straight Edge" coined the term).
One studio album and three EPs in the band's 1980-1983 run, all collected on the posthumous Complete Discography (1989). Best-known releases: the Minor Threat (1981) and In My Eyes (1981) EPs, and the LP Out of Step (1983). MacKaye and Nelson co-founded Dischord Records, one of the most influential American independent labels. MacKaye later formed Embrace and Fugazi.
