Also called: hardcore (Show more) Key People: Henry Rollins (Show more) hardcore punk, a genre of punk music defined by its speed and intensity, aggressive sound, and DIY (do-it-yourself) ethics. Hardcore came to the fore in a number of American cities during the late 1970s and early ’80s and spread to many other countries. It spawned several subcultures that subscribe to a variety of ideologies, most of them antiestablishment in some form. Hardcore emerged as a reaction to what was regarded as stagnancy in punk and its associated genres, particularly new wave. By the late 1970s some young music fans had come to feel that traditional punk—such as that of the ...(100 of 920 words) Access the full article Help support true facts by becoming a member. Subscribe today!