Hailing from St. Paul, Minnesota, these three men blazed through the 1980s, changing style with each subsequent release. Founded in 1979 as a proto-punk and punk rock band, the trio — singer/guitarist Bob Mould, drummer/vocalist Grant Hart and bassist Greg Norton — morphed into pioneers of hardcore punk and noise punk before evolving once more into one of the first alternative rock groups. Despite their huge fan base and widespread influence, they didn’t last that long as a band. Before 1987 was over, with five full-length albums released, the three men went their separate ways due to creative and personal differences, but they left a lasting impact on rock as songwriters and creators.

Hüsker Dü has influenced a diverse group of artists including The Pixies, Nirvana, The Smashing Pumpkins and Metallica. They were one of the first second wave American punk bands to be signed to a major record label, which would lead to the mainstream explosion of underground rock in the 1990s.