The Clash

English rock band formed in London in 1976. Classic lineup: Joe Strummer (vocals/rhythm guitar), Mick Jones (lead guitar/vocals), Paul Simonon (bass), and Topper Headon (drums, 1977-1982). Among the most acclaimed bands of the original British punk era; their fusion of punk, reggae, dub, ska, and rockabilly broadened the genre's musical palette.

Six studio albums in eight years: The Clash (1977), Give 'Em Enough Rope (1978), the double London Calling (1979), the triple Sandinista! (1980), Combat Rock (1982), and Cut the Crap (1985). Internal conflicts and lineup changes — Headon out in 1982, Jones out in 1983 — fractured the band. Strummer died in 2002. Inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2003.