Punk rock (or simply punk) is a music genre that emerged in the
mid-1970s. Rooted in 1960s garage rock, punk bands rejected the
perceived excesses of mainstream 1970s rock. They typically produced
short, fast-paced songs with hard-edged melodies and singing styles,
stripped-down instrumentation, and often political, anti-establishment
lyrics. Punk embraces a DIY ethic; many bands self-produce recordings
and distribute them through independent record labels.The term "punk
rock" was first used by American rock critics in the early 1970s to
describe 1960s garage bands and certain subsequent acts. When the
movement now bearing the name developed from 1974 to 1976, acts such
as Television, Patti Smith, and the Ramones in New York City; the Sex
Pistols, the Clash, and the Damned in London; The Runaways in Los
Angeles; and the Saints in Brisbane formed its vanguard. Punk became a
major cultural phenomenon in the UK late in 1976. It led to a punk
subculture expressing youthful rebellion through distinctive styles of
clothing and adornment (such as deliberately offensive T-shirts,
leather jackets, studded or spiked bands and jewellery, safety pins,
and bondage and S&M clothes) and a variety of anti-authoritarian
ideologies.In 1977, the influence of the music and subculture spread
worldwide, especially in England. It took root in a wide range of
local scenes that often rejected affiliation with the mainstream. In
the late 1970s, punk experienced a second wave as new acts that were
not active during its formative years adopted the style. By the early
1980s, faster and more aggressive subgenres such as hardcore punk
(e.g. Minor Threat), street punk (e.g. the Exploited), and
anarcho-punk (e.g. Crass) became the predominant modes of punk rock.
Musicians identifying with or inspired by punk also pursued other
musical directions, giving rise to spinoffs such as post-punk, new
wave, and later indie pop, alternative rock, and noise rock. By the
1990s, punk re-emerged into the mainstream with the success of punk
rock and pop punk bands such as Green Day, Rancid, The Offspring, and
Blink-182.
mid-1970s. Rooted in 1960s garage rock, punk bands rejected the
perceived excesses of mainstream 1970s rock. They typically produced
short, fast-paced songs with hard-edged melodies and singing styles,
stripped-down instrumentation, and often political, anti-establishment
lyrics. Punk embraces a DIY ethic; many bands self-produce recordings
and distribute them through independent record labels.The term "punk
rock" was first used by American rock critics in the early 1970s to
describe 1960s garage bands and certain subsequent acts. When the
movement now bearing the name developed from 1974 to 1976, acts such
as Television, Patti Smith, and the Ramones in New York City; the Sex
Pistols, the Clash, and the Damned in London; The Runaways in Los
Angeles; and the Saints in Brisbane formed its vanguard. Punk became a
major cultural phenomenon in the UK late in 1976. It led to a punk
subculture expressing youthful rebellion through distinctive styles of
clothing and adornment (such as deliberately offensive T-shirts,
leather jackets, studded or spiked bands and jewellery, safety pins,
and bondage and S&M clothes) and a variety of anti-authoritarian
ideologies.In 1977, the influence of the music and subculture spread
worldwide, especially in England. It took root in a wide range of
local scenes that often rejected affiliation with the mainstream. In
the late 1970s, punk experienced a second wave as new acts that were
not active during its formative years adopted the style. By the early
1980s, faster and more aggressive subgenres such as hardcore punk
(e.g. Minor Threat), street punk (e.g. the Exploited), and
anarcho-punk (e.g. Crass) became the predominant modes of punk rock.
Musicians identifying with or inspired by punk also pursued other
musical directions, giving rise to spinoffs such as post-punk, new
wave, and later indie pop, alternative rock, and noise rock. By the
1990s, punk re-emerged into the mainstream with the success of punk
rock and pop punk bands such as Green Day, Rancid, The Offspring, and
Blink-182.
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