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submitted 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago) by maya_the_good_apple@sh.itjust.works to c/music@lemmy.world

Howdy, my Lemming fellas!

I want to research on the Punk Movement. What do you think are the songs that represent the anti-establishment themes of Punk the most?

Thanks!

EDIT: Please remove the source identifiers if you share the links!

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[-] squirrel@cake.kobel.fyi 10 points 1 week ago

NOFX - The Decline has to be one of the greatest punk songs. At 18 minutes, it doesn't represent the average length of punk songs though.

If you want to dig deeper, watch this video where a YouTube bassist analyzes the whole thing.

Okay, I'll be watching that one at the end.

[-] fiendishplan@lemmy.world 9 points 1 week ago

Bad Religion is pretty good.

But what about Good Religion?

[-] mrmaplebar@fedia.io 9 points 1 week ago

Honorable Mention: The Kinks - All Day and All of the Night (1964)

70s: the origins of the "punk" movement

Ramones - Do You Remember Rock 'N' Roll Radio?

The Clash - I'm So Bored of the U.S.A.

The Sex Pistols - God Save the Queen

The Stooges - Search and Destroy

Buzzcocks - What do I get?

Sham69 - Borstal Breakout

Stiff Little Fingers - Alternative Ulster

80s: independent punk emerges

Misfits - Last Caress

Adolescents - Kids of the Black Hole

Black Flag - Rise Above

Circle Jerks - Wild in the Streets

Dead Kennedys - Police Truck

Youth Brigade - Blown Away

Cock Sparrer - Take 'em All

Operation Ivy - Knowledge

The Pogues - The Sick Bed of Cuchulainn

90s: punk evolves and goes mainstream

NOFX - Linoleum

Rancid - Journey to the End of the East Bay

Green Day - Longview

Tilt - Libel

Swingin' Utters - Strongman

Strung Out - Exhumation of Virginia Madison

Face To Face - Disconnected

Dropkick Murphys - Barroom Hero

The Mighty Mighty Bosstones - The Impression That I Get

Social Distortion - Ball and Chain

U.S. Bombs - Jaks

The Offspring - The Kids Aren't Alright

Pulley - Cashed In

Tiger Army - Nocturnal

Anyway, there you go!

I tried to pick out what I think are some pretty quintessential examples of punk music across 3 decades, reflecting the style and subject matter of the bands and the context of that time period. But punk is much more stylistically and thematically diverse scene than people might think, so consider this list just a starting point.

Also, even though this list ends with the 90s, I should also say that punk continued to evolve and go pretty strong from the 2000s on, a lot of the bands listed continued to make great music and new bands continues to pop up too.

So there's a lot more to dig into.

[-] RaoulDuke25@lemmy.dbzer0.com 2 points 1 week ago

I like your style

[-] naeap@sopuli.xyz 6 points 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago)

German recommendations as well?

Check out Ton Steine Scherben
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL-HwQr1uP2DcO7VkO0xeqjrCeoGWmm9OQ

Edit: although their sound often isn't typical pogo punk

Else maybe look into WIZO
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C1JNS2t4_G4

Or some current stuff from Austria: Anda Morts
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zIF10b5e7Mg

Edit 2: and how could I forget Slime?!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nRDfDkVRA70

Edit 3: and obviously Aufbruch
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BR7Wb13bXEg

[-] BruisedMoose@piefed.social 6 points 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago)

Kind of vague request, but this playlist looks decent enough as a starting point.

https://music.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLP7TMnGLfbgY

[-] SlurpingPus@lemmy.world 2 points 1 week ago

Links to YouTube Music, when opened on a phone, redirect to the store page for their app (at least on Android). Here's the playlist on YouTube itself..

[-] BruisedMoose@piefed.social 1 points 1 week ago

Thank you for the tip, internet stranger! I'd just assumed they'd open the site if the app wasn't installed.

[-] SlurpingPus@lemmy.world 1 points 1 week ago

They did that in the past, iirc, but apparently at some point Google decided to peddle the app.

[-] A_Union_of_Kobolds@lemmy.world 1 points 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago)

Honestly yeah thats not bad

I'm trying to learn about the Punk Movement, because the Government kinda sucks ass, so yeah. Thanks for that.

[-] Goforce5@lemmy.world 1 points 1 week ago

Hell yeah, great way to get into it, but be prepared to learn that "punk" is not really one thing. Id highly suggest checking out Reagan Youth, NOFX, Against All Authority, Blanks 77, Black Flag, Minor Threat, and Bad Brains for a decent sampler. Im seeing a lot of suggestions on here that I'm personally into, but I would consider to be more mainstream/indie.

[-] BruisedMoose@piefed.social 1 points 1 week ago

Ah okay, so it's more the political leaning that you're interested in? Like others have mentioned, Dead Kennedys and Bad Religion, NOFX, Anti-Flag, Minor Threat/Fugazi, Operation Ivy... Rancid 2000 and a smattering if tracks from their other albums.

Lots that I'm sure I don't know. And because your original post triggered a single lyric in my head, here's the song it led to.

https://youtu.be/kbKcL7q8RJU

[-] gh0stb4tz@lemmy.world 5 points 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago)

I'll look into that one!

[-] brunogron@feddit.nu 4 points 1 week ago

NOFX - The decline has already been mentioned, so I’ll add social distortion- don’t drag me down.

https://open.spotify.com/track/7hCCDlbm88EatIw9FMUAaC

[-] Madzielle@lemmy.dbzer0.com 3 points 1 week ago

Local band no one might know. These guys are fantastic, seen more Cry Havoc! shows than any other punk band. This is my favorite song of thiers

https://youtu.be/ce4V-6bYQd0

[-] SpruceBringsteen@lemmy.world 3 points 1 week ago

Check this post for some more modern suggestions.

[-] zout@fedia.io 3 points 1 week ago

Lot's of US answers here, so some UK to counter it: Sex Pistols - Anarchy in the UK, Tenpole Tudor - Swords of a thousand men, Sham 69 - If the kids are united, Dickies - Banana splits, The Exploited - Maggie. One US band that no one ever mentions as a punk band: Beastie Boys, the whole album was released as a single.

Thanks for all the recommendations! Also, please remove the source identifiers, don't want to get our accounts linked!

[-] pr06lefs@lemmy.ml 3 points 1 week ago

pre punk: the stooges. search and destroy also the MC5: kick out the jams

dead kennedys: holiday in cambodia

fear: i love living in the city

minor threat: minor threat

bad brains: sailin on

butthole surfers: sweat loaf

sex pistols: god save the queen

[-] gh0stb4tz@lemmy.world 3 points 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago)

Thanks! Also, you may have to remove your source identifier.

[-] PoopSpiderman@lemmy.world 3 points 1 week ago

Stiff Little Fingers - Alternative Ulster The Clash - London Calling FEAR - Let’s Have a War Misfits - Hybrid Moments Circle Jerks - The Crowd Rancid - The Way I Feel

There is so much good punk rock out there.

[-] Mynameisallen@lemmy.zip 2 points 1 week ago

I'd say that an excellent starting point is no fun by the stooges, a song which some (mostly me) would credit for intriguing artists to create the punk scene in the UK

[-] Peasley@lemmy.world 2 points 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago)

13 Stitches - NOFX

John Wayne Was a Nazi - M.D.C. (Millions of Dead Cops)

Kill the Poor - Dead Kennedys

It's My Job to Keep Punk Rock Elite - NOFX

Wolves in Wolves Clothing - NOFX

Dinosaurs Will Die - NOFX

Holiday in Cambodia - Dead Kennedys

Linoleum - NOFX

Those capture the vibe for me

[-] flameleaf@lemmy.world 3 points 1 week ago

NOFX is a favorite of mine too. So many great songs.

Is there a lore reason John Wayne's a Nazi?

[-] Peasley@lemmy.world 3 points 1 week ago

He wasn't actually a Nazi, but he was openly a white supremacist and he defended the institution of American slavery and the genocide of American Indians.

MDC were being a little hyperbolic but it's not completely out of nowhere.

That's what being a Nazi's called!

[-] gh0stb4tz@lemmy.world 2 points 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago)

Thanks for the recommendation. Also, there's a source identifier in your comment. Please take it off. I know I can DIY the ?si=(source_identifier) out of the link but, eh.

[-] gh0stb4tz@lemmy.world 1 points 1 week ago

Thank you! Source identifier removed!

[-] BigPotato@lemmy.world 2 points 1 week ago

I'm just going to choose a few bands and albums

The Chats - Fuck Off

Ausmuteants - World In Handcuffs

STIFF RICHARDS - State Of Mind

Private Function - Six Smokin Songs

Mini Skirt - Casino

Dennis Cometti - Suburban Condition

CIVIC - New Vietnam

Motormark - Chrome Tape

The Stubs - The Famous Fairy Tale

Obliviously, punk can get really into the weeds of "what is punk?" with Jeffrey Lewis, Defiance Ohio, or DEVO but I played it safe with those reqs since I didn't see them elsewhere in the list.

It's hard to distill Punk down since at its core it was anti-establishment and anti-conformist, and that could be expressed in various ways. But as others have mentioned, the Dead Kennedys really were the flag bearers for an evolved, purposeful, and thoughtful punk movement you may be looking for. Frontman Jello Biafra famously did not bend to pressure from state and fed on obscenity laws both in court and public debates and is an interesting story on its own.

Their obvious songs being Holiday in Cambodia and Kill the Poor.

[-] Dearth@lemmy.world 2 points 1 week ago

The Damned - Machine Gun Etiquette

Fugazi - 13 songs

Sublime - 40oz to freedom

[-] SlurpingPus@lemmy.world 1 points 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago)

On the music and image side, check out Iggy Pop and The Stooges, and of course The Ramones, for where punk started. Ramones are a bit odd here, because they wanted to recreate the energy of 50s-60s rock'n'roll, and as a result nobody else sounds quite like them, except bands that emulate them deliberately — but their songs work splendidly in the rock'n'roll style (can't find proper rock'n'roll covers, because they have a couple songs with that word in the title).

For where punk ended up, see Napalm Death — they married hardcore-punk to death metal, adding blast beats and inventing grindcore.

[-] daggermoon@piefed.world 1 points 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago)
[-] AzuranAurora@piefed.ca 1 points 1 week ago

Jeff Rosenstock's No Dream album is peak, as is its ska punk counterpart Ska Dream.

[-] Mycatiskai@lemmy.ca 1 points 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago)

I'll be your Johnny on the spot by Ween.

Where is my mind by The Pixies

Look for a show on the radio that you can likely find online called "the ongoing history of new music" by Alan Cross it is fantastic for going in depth on new music starting with punk and new wave. There is some like 900 episodes.

[-] cybervegan@lemmy.world 1 points 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago)

Less known UK bands:

Inner Terrestrials - Tales of Terror https://innerterrestrials.bandcamp.com/track/tales-of-terror

Radical Dance Faction - Surplus People https://music.youtube.com/watch?v=xhKsBHRpcvE

Autonomads - Breadline Britain https://autonomads.org/videos/breadline-britain/

Chumbawamba - The Day The Nazi Died https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OLkPwxcIji0

AOS3 - Politics https://aos3.bandcamp.com/album/diversionary-tactics (track 4)

Sporadics - Tear Down the Law https://thesporadics.bandcamp.com/track/tear-down-the-law

[-] RaoulDuke25@lemmy.dbzer0.com 1 points 1 week ago

When I want political aggro punk it's dead Kennedys, clash, mc5, atari teenage riot, black flag, bad brains.

For more of a rap alternative style would of course be RATM, Public enemy and for more of a nihilistic approach Death Grips.

[-] rindo25@lemmy.world 1 points 1 week ago

Crass - Big A little A

[-] SolarPunker@slrpnk.net 1 points 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago)

Listen to albums if you want to really go into something musically: I suggest you first two Ramones, first Clash and a taste of early garage rock like Who, Sonics, Stooges, MC5. (Then you'll have the ear to understand the many Post-Punk masterpieces.)

[-] teawrecks@sopuli.xyz 1 points 1 week ago

I'm quite fond of Desaparecidos (side project of Conor Oberst of Bright Eyes fame. Very different style.)

Their first album from over 20y ago is still sadly very relevant.

this post was submitted on 30 Sep 2026
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