Where Did It Originate?

“Punk is musical freedom. It’s saying, doing and playing what you want. In Webster’s terms, ‘nirvana’ means freedom from pain, suffering and the external world, and that’s pretty close to my definition of Punk Rock.”

– Kurt Cobain

Punk rock rose simultaneously in New York City and London in the mid-1970s as a raw revolt against mainstream music and social discomfort. In New York, the punk scene was centered around CBGB, where bands like the Ramones, Patti Smith, and Television helped jump start the movement and laid the foundation for the genre’s identity. The American punk scene emphasized an artists expression and musical innovation, and an alternative sense of Americanness, rooted in a do-it-yourself (DIY) ethos and a desire to return to the basic, unfiltered roots of rock music.

On the contrary, the British punk scene was centered around bands like the Sex Pistols, the Clash, The Damned, Buzzcocks, and X-ray who used their music as a way to address political anger against social inequalities, economic hardship, and government policies. The Sex Pistols’ songs like “Anarchy in the UK” and ” God Save the Queen” became symbols of punks rejection of conformity and a sense of national pride.

Punk was less a musical genre and more a cultural moment, in which artists and fans aimed to make both society and the music more real. Overall the punk culture in both countries had significant affects on the genre, making its impact versatile and deeply influential.