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- The Clash. 16,289 votes. Emerging from the British punk scene in the late 1970s, The Clash swiftly gained recognition for their fiery fusion of punk rock, reggae, and politically-charged lyrics.
- Ramones. 15,878 votes. Originating from New York City in the mid-1970s, the Ramones single-handedly defined the punk aesthetic with their blistering three-chord songs, leather jackets, and ripped jeans.
- Sex Pistols. 15,136 votes. Revolutionary and unapologetic, the Sex Pistols embodied the spirit of punk rock in its purest form. Bursting onto the scene with their inimitable single "Anarchy in the U.K.," they became the voice of a discontented generation.
- Dead Kennedys. 12,823 votes. Dead Kennedys were instrumental in the development of American punk, providing a crucial voice for the hardcore scene. With biting sarcasm and acerbic wit, they tackled political and social issues head-on, inciting a fervent following enamored with their incendiary style and unyielding principles.
- Black Flag
- Sex Pistols
- The Clash
- Ramones
- The Cramps
- Dead Kennedys
- Bad Brains
- Generation X
- The Exploited
- 7 Seconds
One of the original punk bands to come out of the thriving hardcore scene, Black Flag, and seminal singer, Henry Rollins, spent years touring and producing ground-breaking music, with lyrics running the gamut from celebrations of pop-culture minutiae (“TV Party,” anyone?) to political protests. Next: The greatest punk songs ever recorded (our picks...
Often credited with creating the British punk movement, or at least the ones to term the coin “punk,” the Sex Pistols managed to create a cultural shift with their loud sound and brash, system-bashing lyrics. Next: Most iconic and best bands of all time
Headed by the legendary Joe Strummer, The Clash spent the better part of two decades creating undeniably great music. While many of their older standards never made it to the mainstream, they did enjoy chart successwith their 1983 release, “Combat Rock.” Next: Top 1980s rock bands list (our picks)
Three chords and a guitar were all the Ramones needed to revolutionize the NYC music scene. These CBGB regularsplayed fast and hard, with short songs and simple, catchy lyrics about the insanity of everyday life in America.
The Cramps created an entirely new sound, mixing genres from exotica to punk and rockabilly into a stew of dark tunes. Known for their hedonistic lifestyle, they toured for three decades before disbanding after the death of their singer, Lux Interior.
Dead Kennedys were one of the top US bands to come from the early punk movement and are known for their heavily political songs and singer Jello Biafra’s later career in spoken word. While the band’s legacy may not expand to chart-topping hits, their hard-hitting lyrics have left an indelible impression on the history of punk rock.
Bad Brains, originally known as Mind Power, were one of the first all-black punk rock bands to gain national fame in the late 70s. With undeniably loud music and compelling lyrics, they continue to influence the genre to this day, extending even beyond punk, as evidenced by their long-standing collaborative relationship with hip hop stars, Beastie ...
English punk rock mavericks, Generation X, are well known for launching frontman Billy Idol’s career. But they were a force in their own right, making it into the UK singles chart 6 times—an impressive feat for any band but particularly unusual in the earliest days of punk rock.
A truly grass-roots punk band, The Exploited made music that was fast, dirty, and hard. Their shows inspired both rabid fandom and multiple injuries, but they maintain a strong fanbase to this day.
Reno-born punk and hardcore band 7 Secondscame together in 1980 and has been going strong ever since. Originally formed by two sets of brothers, the band has undergone numerous personnel changes through the years, but two of the members remain.
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Aug 18, 2021 · We're ranking the top 30 best punk bands of all time -- the ones who truly defined the genre. See the full list here.
- Green Day. Even the members of Green Day would probably object to being ranked higher than the Ramones and the Clash on this list, but the Internet has spoken and we have to honor that.
- The Clash. The Clash only lasted seven years, but during that time they produced one of the strongest catalogs in rock history. The Beatles are the only other band with such a claim.
- The Ramones. In many ways, the Ramones seem like a cursed band. During their 20-year run they never had a single go higher on the charts than Number 66.
- The Sex Pistols. The Sex Pistols generated so much attention for their obscenity-laden TV appearances, clothing, arrests, hairstyles, constant infighting and drug habits that people often overlooked their music.
- Bryan Kerwin
- Ramones. Forget excess, pageantry or even practice—the threadbare efficiency of the Ramones’ songwriting defined the punk spirit while they perfected a deftly ragged, inspirationally goofy and prodigiously catchy sound that few could equal, no matter how little they tried.
- Sex Pistols. The vaunted brats of cynicism, nihilism and anarchy, there seemed to be nothing they cared about, no one they respected and no amount of controversy that could satisfy their hunger to shock and offend.
- The Clash. Whether through the cavernous wallop of “London Calling” or the facile groove of “Rock the Casbah,” the Clash’s revolutionary rock gave us the most musically adventurous punks ever, and even their most ramshackle compositions overflowed with political passion and unencumbered romanticism.
- Black Flag. Black Flag were both minimalist and extreme, cramming entire sermons into two-minute gauntlets and swinging from low comedy to high drama like a tattooed, bipolar wrecking ball.
Aug 18, 2021 · We're ranking the top 30 best punk bands of all time -- the ones who truly defined the genre. See the full list here.
Apr 6, 2016 · 40 Greatest Punk Albums of All Time. The riot-starters and two-chord wonders that blew rock wide open. By. Jon Dolan, Jason Fine, David Fricke, Elisabeth Garber-Paul, Andy Greene, Will Hermes,...
