by Cai Trefor | Photos by Press / WENN
40 years of Punk: The 51 greatest punk bands of all time
From Ramones to The Saints, and beyond - you need these bands in your life
Ramones: The most definitive punk band of all time. The CBGB kings inspired the likes of The Clash and The Sex Pistols to get their shit together, after they tore the roof off Dingwalls, Camden in 1976. Their debut album was out 40 years this week and it's still an absolute gem with 'Judy Is A Punk' and 'Blitzkrieg Pop' standing out as some of the finest punk songs of all time, setting the blueprint for all that followed.
The Sex Pistols: One of the most important bands of all time and half the reason London has such a booming tourism industry. Punk is far more influential and important to our culture than our Royals. The Sex Pistols, who are the godfathers of the first wave of British punk, are the reason why.
New York Dolls: One of the early innovators of punk and it's hard to imagine The Ramones sounding anything like they do without them. The Ramones took their frantic energy and traded in the NYD glam and blues in place of Beach Boys and Phil Spector-esque songwriting.
Manic Street Preachers: From their early work where The Clash met Guns N' Roses, through to the twisted post-punk nightmare of The Holy Bible and their latter chart-topping arena anthemics, the Manics have seen through triumph and tragedy with a fearless punk attitude, working class ethics and unflinching Situationist vision. God bless the Manics.
The Clash: Equally as enthralling as The Sex Pistols yet more diverse. The band incorporated elements of ska, reggae, and rockabilly into their attitudinal punk sound. Lyrically, they sang about the gritty, murky, and mundane lives of UK poverty caused by Thatchers brutal neoliberal policies that helped engage millions of youths into being more politically active and rebellious. Every generation needs a band like this.
Blink-182: Pop-punk done right should three things: sound like eternal youth, make teens lose their shit, and inspire countless kids to pick up an instrument and try it themselves. There's no denying that Blink continue to that - and with dick jokes to boot.
Rancid: If you cut into Rancid veins, pure punk rebellion will come gushing out. Rock meets ska and a whole lot of fearless street smarts, all wrapped up in a beautiful mess of leather, mohawks and one hell of a good time.
NOFX: Pure, awesome, carnage.
The Stooges: Although Punk wasn't a defined subculture until 1975 in the US and 1976 in the UK, Iggy Pop and The Stooges had the sound nailed in 1969. Unrivalled displays of anarchy on stage, a loud, naturally valve-driven overdrive on the guitar, and direct hard hitting rhythms were the necessary minerals. This would have been a shock to the system at the time when most people were chilling listening to The Beatles and The Monkees.
MC5: Formed in 1965 and album debutants in 1969, they were innovators of the punk movement thanks to their Marxist ideology, anti establishment lyrics, and garage punk music played with speed, energy and a rebellious attitude. 'Kick Out The Jams' is their most famous tune and Rage Against The Machine do the best cover of it.
Bad Brains: One of Dave Grohl's favourite bands of all time, their debut album released on ROIR was put out on cassette since it came out in 1982, the same year as the Sony Walkman. The album is full of adrenalised catchy punk tracks that come in at under two minutes. No wonder Dave Grohl got so good at drumming after listening to this immense band.
The Dead Kennedys: For anyone on the fence of whether they're a punk or not, The Dead Kennedys should sway you into the yes camp. They're unbelievably good. One really special line from their oeuvre is, "You'll work harder with a gun in your back for a bowl of rice a day," from their single 'Holiday In Cambodia'. It's lines like this that portray how nobly stirred they were by injustice. Fair play to them.
Black Flag: Their debut EP, Nervous Breakdown was released in 1979, and the 1980 Jealous Again EP is very much in the vein of The Sex Pistols and Ramones and is essential listening to any serious punk collector. Upon the release of, Damaged - their debut LP - a more distinct hardcore sound entered proceedings. It was largely an impact Henry Rollins, who was in hardcore band S.O.A, had when he joined as frontman. Black Flag are also famed for leading the way with the punk DIY aesthetic and attitude, which spread across America during the 80s.
The Damned: The Damned played their debut live show in 1976 in support of The Sex Pistols at The 100 Club in Soho. On 22 October 1976 they became the first UK punk band to put a single out, beating the Pistols by five weeks.
The Buzzcocks: Another band who made their debut supporting The Sex Pistols in 1976. They didn't release their first material until the beginning of '77 and their earliest stuff is charmingly rough around the edges. The band became better known once they embraced more of a pop feel and they had a hit with the timeless 'Ever Fallen In Love'.
The Adverts: Their single 'Gary Gilmore's Eyes' is another reason why 1977 was such a great year for punk. The cut is up there with The Undertones' best and The Buzzcocks' best. Their debut album Crossing The Red Sea With The Adverts also comes highly recommended.
Killing Joke: They emerged from the West London squat scene of the late 70s and were the first punk band who would mix in influences of both metal, dub & disco which amazingly worked without losing and edge or credibility. They released their first 10", Turn To Red, on their own label, Malicious Damage in 79 and their first self titled album (1980) was an instant classic. They're totally unique and still powerful today.
Television: An early fixture in the CBGB scene, who specialised more in clean guitars, and technical proficiency that drew on avant-garde, jazz, and 60s rock. The group's debut album, Marquee Moon, is often considered one of the defining releases of the punk era.
The Cramps: One of the most essential bands to emerge form the CBGB's scene that started in 1975. Their attitude is fully punk even in their steepest meandering into the rockabilly sound they're most well known for - it's so original they received their own genre description, Gothabilly. Their first EP, Greatest Hits, produced by Alex Chilton from Big Star was the start of something really great that will be treasured for generations.
Crime: Their debut, the self-financed double A-side, 'Hot Wire My Heart' and 'Baby You're So Repulsive', appeared at the end of 1976, and is the first single released by a U.S. punk act from the West Coast. The band are famed for playing hospital loud.
Swell Maps: An experimental DIY punk group that foreshadowed the birth of post-punk. Thurston Moore is a massive fan and said this about them: "As soon as that Nikki Sudden guitar comes slicing slabbing and all out fuzzifying off that crackling vinyl groove you know you're gonna rock. It's the best of both whirls: fist-in-the-heart guitar burnin' rock and ahead-of-its-time songsmith awareness ... The Swell Maps had a lot to do with my upbringing."
The Only Ones: Peter Perrett's band The Only Ones are responsible for a banger in 'Another Girl, Another Planet'. It didn't chart on its initial release but in retrospect it's become a cult classic. The band are a massive source of inspiration for The Libertines so we have that to thank them for too.
The Saints: Lo-fi DIY punk that sounds like a precuror to early Primal Scream. They became known as the first punk band outside of the US to release a punk record beating The Sex Pistols and The Clash to the chase. Their 70s stuff is also a great source of inspiration for newer bands like the The Fat White Family.
The Slits: The first all girl punk band who held their own next to the likes of The Clash and The Sex Pistols. They were righteous trailblazers politically as they unsettled the status quo surrounding Britain's patriarchal society which subordinates women in their lyrics. Their John Peel session is the rawest punk release they've got, as they became much more polished when their debut album which was put out through a major label.
The Undertones: They made the perfect debut single in 1978's 'Teenage Kicks' and the rebellious lyrics still and raw guitars still inspire kids to rip their denims and shove a pin in their face to this day. John Peel once gave the song 28 stars and played the song twice in a row on the radio stating 'it doesn't get much better than this'. It's hard to argue otherwise.
Wire: Inspired by the Ramones but much grimmer. Their 1977 debut album, Pink Flag, is praised for being the most original LP to come out of the first wave of British punk. This level of respect for it came years later, though, as it didn't do too well on its initial release - it was just so far ahead of its time, setting the template for what post-punk would become, and inspiring generation after generation of imitators.
999: The Londoners are one of the longest standing groups from the heyday of punk - they're still going. But their best moments came early in their career in the form of the headrush inducing debut single in 1977 called 'I'm Alive', and the track 'Emergency' from their self titled 19878 debut album.
Adam & The Ants: Adam Ant played bass in band called Bazooka Joe who headlined while Sex Pistols supported. After witnessing their power Adam quit and formed the B-Sides before suffering from ill health then recovering and forming Adam and The Ants which channeled the raw punk attitude with camp and overtly sexualised stage performances and songs.
The Deadbeats: The LA band's total discography is one 7" called the Kill The Hippies 7, which was put out by Dangerhouse Records. Despite their uniquely minimal output, the track is so good it keeps popping up as a favourite among a lot of influential musicians.
The Distillers Brody Dalle : Brody Dalle's band are one of few newer bands on this list because they capture the essence of the first wave of punk to a T - a brutal explosion of noise and attitude about the twisted side of youth, with no fucks given. Her accomplished grunge-driven solo work carries that same spirit.
The Jam: Their 1977 album In The City featured fast, loud, and pointed songs like The Sex Pistols and The Clash. Although their style was different in that they wore suits and kicked off the Mod subculture, their sound was fully punk at this time. It progressed into a more polished style to match their suits over time.
Fear: This seminal Californian punk group, who formed in 1977, are credited for helping to shape the sound and style of Californian hardcore punk. At one point Flea from Red Hot Chilli Peppers played with them.
Generation X: A first-wave punk band, led by future solo star Billy Idol. They're not as widely cited as The Clash, The Damned and The Sex Pistols but they were about at the same time and were a premiere league punk band with chugging guitars, hard hitting drums and chaotic showmanship like the rest of them.
Green Day: The first two albums 39/Smooth and Kerplunk were very punk- full of blistering Ramones-esque energy. It was before they embraced a more polished pop sound which has made them global superstars, but their punk spirit remains - taking on the establishment, but still with a reckless abandon.
Killjoys: This is Kevin Roland pre Dexys. They only released one single while they were still together called 'Johnny Won't Get To Heaven'. It was moderate success , selling 18,000 copies. However, since Dexys rose to fame, retrospective interest in the band caused them to release recordings they withheld whilst they were together. These include a studio album called Naive.
Magazine: Frontman Howard Devoto started his career as frontman of The Buzzcocks and then went on to form the less commercially successful Magazine. Despite their lack of sales, the band were a potent source of inspiration for post-punk.
Germs: Paul Beahm who performed as frontman of Germs under the name Darby Crash lived the live fast die young philosophy. He would form a band with his mates, spend a couple of years making it a cultish, outrageous live act, release one great album and then commit suicide to secure his legend. He stayed true to his word but John Lennon died the next day which overshadowed his death. Beahm started this band with Pat Smear who would go on to play in Nirvana. They're one of the true greats even if they aren't as well known as they should be.
Richard Hell and the Voidoids: He was one of the first to spike his hair and wear torn, cut and drawn-on shirts, often held together with safety pins. The Sex Pistols manager, Malcolm McLaren, has credited Hell as the godfather of the Sex Pistols' look and attitude. Their 1977 album Blank Generation influenced many other punk bands as along with Ramones, and Television they came to define the early New York punk scene.
Ruts: The London-based band got their break from touring with The Damned and upon signing to Virgin Records ended up on Top of the Pops a couple of times. Like The Clash they synthesised punk with Reggae but were tougher yet just as powerfully melodic. Sadly frontman Malcolm Owen overdosed in 1980 and hasn't been as celebrated in punk folklore as much as is perhaps deserved.
Siouxsie & the Banshees: Siouxsie Sioux was one of the first people visibly affected by the wave of energy emanating from punk because of her part in the Bromley Contingent of Sex Pistols followers. Her band weren't immediately signed upon their formation in 1976 and released their debut in 1978. Their time on the sidelines may have been a blessing in disguise though as what was released is now praised as one of the stone tablets of post-punk.
Stiff Little Fingers: Ridiculously powerful Northern Irish punk band who Tom De Longe listens to before going on stage. Their debut album Inflammable Material was put out by Rough Trade in 1979 and was the first album on an independent record label to enter the UK Top 20.
Cortinas: The 'Fascist Dictator' single from 1977 is one of the best punk rock singles of all time. Remarkably the band had an average age of 16 at the time of its release and it earned them a decent following and they supported The Stranglers and did a great John Peel session. Their second single 'Defiant Pose' is also a classic.
The Dickies: The Dickies formed after seeing The Damned perform in LA. They made their debut in one of Lemmy's favourite hagnouts, Whisky a Go Go in 1977 and were the first California punk band to be signed by a major label.
The Homosexuals: They're described as punk visionaries, because upon their formation in 1978 they became a precursor to post punk. Angular guitars, complex melodies and experimental leanings distanced them somewhat from the The Pistols, The Clash et al. Nevertheless, frontman Bruno Wizard is one of the most enigmatic and insane performers of the era and is on the same page as the greats in that respect but is far less commercially accessible, which is appealing to anarchic punk fans.
The Mekons: Their 1978 Peel session is like a musical slap in the face, in a good way. The Mekons had everything it means to be a great punk band. They were shambolic, loud, angry non-muso art collective whose enthusiasm and spirit shines brighter than any traditional sense of what it mean to be good at an instrument.
Rezillos: This Edinburgh-formed band released their debut album Can't Stand the Rezillos in 1978 and it's a classic of the first wave of British punk.
UK Subs: Part of the original punk movement in the UK in 1976 they were the hardest-gigging punk band of them all typically playing between 150 and 200 (usually very rowdy) shows each year. Their sound is very fitting with The Sex Pistols and is the archetypal punk sound done with impeccable finesse.
Users: They only lasted less than three years and released two singles. The pick of the bunch is 'Sick of You' which was one of the best singles of '77 full stop. The Dead Kennedys were fans and used their recordings as a reference for their classic album Fresh Fruit And Rotting Vegetables.
Wasps: Another band to file under short lived, yet highly influential. 'She Made Magic/"Teenage Treats' is generally rated as a classic one-off single of the first wave punk era.
X: First wave American punk whose debut album, Los Angeles, produced by ex-Doors keyboard player Ray Manzarek, has gone on to become one of the most influential punk albums of all time.
X-Ray Spex: Their single 'Oh Bondage! Up Yours!' is one of the greatest punk songs of all time and it was released in the absolute hey day of the movement, 1977.
40 years ago, youth culture in Britain was turned on its head with the arrival of punk. The Ramones debut album 40 years ago this week was a key benefactor, as was their subsequent gigs at The Roundhouse, and in Dingwalls, Camden in July 1976. UK punk bands had to raise their game after witnessing their show and boy did they do just that.
The Sex Pistols, The Clash, The Damned all led the way in providing a counter cultural soundtrack to the most influential sub culture in the UK's history - where ripped jeans, safety pins, and a nobly aggressive attitude toward the status quo was part of the deal. Given the influence of the godfathers of punk this article looks at the bands that came before them such as MC5 and The Stooges, and those who were around at the same time and didn't have quite as much commercial success.
It aims to provide a useful reference point for anyone looking to get the best of old, and some newer punk in their lives.
It may have been 40 years but the legacy still lives strong and guitar music will forever owe itself to the tidal wave of amazing bands who emerged in 1976.