The Beastie Boys transformed from New York punk kids into hip-hop pioneers and alternative rock icons. Over nearly three decades, Mike D (Michael Diamond), MCA (Adam Yauch), and Ad-Rock (Adam Horovitz) redefined the boundaries of genre-blending music. This comprehensive guide covers their complete studio album discography from their 1986 debut to their final 2012 release, tracking the sonic evolution that cemented their legacy. 1. Licensed to Ill (1986)

If you want the , buy the 2009 CD remasters (dual-disc or standard) and rip with EAC (Exact Audio Copy) using LAME encoder -b 320 . That yields perfect, gapless, true 320 kbps MP3s – better than any store download.

Now, press play on Check Your Head , skip to So What’cha Want , and listen to that bass drop the way MCA intended. At 320, it hits like a cinderblock.