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Punk Rock Music

Punk Rock Music

Punk rock music (or simply punk) is a music genre that developed in the 1970s music era between 1974 and 1976 in the United States, United Kingdom, and Australia. Rooted in garage rock and other forms of what is now known as proto-punk music, punk rock bands rejected the perceived excesses of mainstream 1970s rock music. Punk bands typically use short or 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 punk rock music artists self-produced recordings and distributed them through informal channels.

The term "punk" was first used in relation to rock music by some American critics in the early 1970s music scene, to describe garage bands and their devotees. By late 1976, punk rock bands such as Television and the Ramones in New York City, and the Sex Pistols, The Clash, and the Damned in London were recognised as the vanguard of a new musical movement. The following year saw punk rock spreading around the world, and it became a major cultural phenomenon in the United Kingdom.

For the most part, punk rock music took root in local scenes that tended to reject association with the mainstream and a variety of anti-authoritarian ideologies. Punk rockers, as they were known, had a unique fashion style. Distressed clothes, ripped jeans, and safety pins were core elements of punk fashion, influenced by designer Vivienne Westwood. John Lydon, Siouxsie Sioux, Joe Strummer, and Sid Vicious became style icons for the genre.

By the beginning of the 1980s, faster, more aggressive styles such as hardcore (e.g. Black Flag) and street punk (e.g. the Exploited) had become the predominant mode of punk rock. Musicians identifying with or inspired by punk also pursued a broad range of other variations, giving rise to post-punk and the alternative rock movement. Bands such as The Cramps, The Jam, The Police, and Adam and the Ants were heavily influenced by the punk genre.

At the end of the 20th century, punk rock had been adopted by the mainstream, as pop punk and punk rock bands such as Green Day, the Offspring, and Blink-182 brought the genre widespread popularity. Punk rock music lives on and its influence on culture and fashion endures with street artists such as The Postman regarding their work as having a ‘colourful punk twist’.

We are delighted to be able to offer a unique collection of punk rock prints that feature iconic images of The Clash, Sex Pistols, Ramones, Siouxsie & The Banshees, Iggy Pop, Buzzcocks, and The Stranglers including work by acclaimed punk photographers Ray Stevenson, Jill Furmanovsky, Sheila Rock and Michael Grecco.

Browse our unique collection of punk rock music prints below.

Blondie (BL001MAGO)

Blondie

Photo shoot for Telegraph Sunday Magazine used on Parallel Lines picture disc, taken in New York in 1978.

Prices from £395.00
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Debbie Harry reclining on a chair in her New York apartment in 1988

Blondie

Debbie Harry reclining on a chair in her New York apartment in 1988. Her portrait by Andy Warhol is resting on a radiator in the background.

Prices from £625.00
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Clash, The (CL001SH)

The Clash

The Clash, Joe Strummer, Mick Jones, Topper Headon & Paul Simonon, photographed by Sheila Rock in Camden in 1976.

Prices from £525.00
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Iggy Pop (IG001ALBY)

Iggy Pop

Iggy Pop performing onstage with The Stooges during their legendary performance at Scala (Kings Cross Cinema), London in July 1972

Prices from £1,095.00
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Iggy Pop onstage at the Rainbow Theatre, London in 1979 photographed by Jill Furmanovsky

Iggy Pop

Iggy Pop onstage at the Rainbow Theatre, London in July 1979.

Prices from £1,200.00
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Jam, The (JA003MAGO)

The Jam

Cover artwork for The Jam's debut album 'In The City' released in 1977

Prices from £395.00
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Jam, The (JA010JF)

The Jam

Paul Weller onstage with The Jam at the Rainbow Theatre, London in 1979

Prices from £375.00
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Joy Division (JD001JF)

Joy Division

Joy Division backstage before a gig at the YMCA London (supported by Monochrome Set) in August 1979.

Prices from £2,500.00
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Joy Division (JD002KC)

Joy Division

Classic early shot of Joy Division rehearsing at the TJ Davidson's Rehearsal Rooms in August 1979

Prices from £1,800.00
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Joy Division (JD005KC)

Joy Division

Joy Division on the Princess Parkway in Hulme, Manchester in January 1979 taken by Kevin Cummins.

Prices from £1,800.00
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Patti Smith (PS001GOLD)

Patti Smith

Patti Smith relaxing at the Portobello Hotel, London shortly before her first London gig at the Roundhouse in 1976

Prices from £166.67
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Paul Weller (JA015JF)

Paul Weller

Paul Weller photographed for The Face magazine (April 1983 - Issue 36), not long after he formed The Style Council with Mick Talbot.

Prices from £375.00
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Paul Weller (PW001KW)

Paul Weller

Kevin Westenberg photograph taken during a Paul Weller N.M.E. cover shoot in London in June 1997.

Prices from £1,600.00
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Ramones, The (RA001DC)

The Ramones

Johnny Ramone with his super-fast ‘buzzsaw’ guitar at the Hammersmith Odeon, London in 1980

Prices from £295.00
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Sex Pistols (SP001JA)

Sex Pistols

Johnny Rotten at Daddy's Dance Hall, Copenhagen, Denmark in July 1977, the first show of what allegedly was a secret Scandinavian tour.

Prices from £375.00
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Siouxsie and The Banshees (SS001SH)

Siouxsie and The Banshees

Sheila Rock photographed this iconic image of Siouxsie Sioux for the Face Magazine in February 1982.

Prices from £445.00
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Siouxsie and the Banshees (SS005JF)

Siouxsie and the Banshees

Siouxsie Sioux captured in Sweden in 1982 during Siouxsie & The Banshees Summer Tour

Prices from £295.00
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Siouxsie Sioux and the Banshees (SS001MR)

Siouxsie Sioux

Siouxsie Sioux photographed by Mick Rock at his New York Studio in 1980.

Prices from £1,125.00
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The Stranglers giant pin badge designed by artist Tony Dennis AKA Tape Deck Art

The Stranglers

Limited edition giant vintage pin badge featuring artwork of The Stranglers album Rattus Norvegicus by artist Tony Dennis AKA Tape Deck Art

Prices from £450.00
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Blondie, Debbie Harry in New York, 1978 by Mick Rock

Blondie

Debbie Harry, Blondie, at a photoshoot by Mick Rcko in New York, 1978 to accompany an interview to promote the release of Parallel Lines

Prices from £1,125.00
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Blondie, Debbie Harry in London, 1977 Photo | Fine Art Print by Sheila Rock

Blondie

Blondie were in London for just one day on their second British Tour playing at The Rainbow Theatre, Finsbury Park.

Prices from £525.00
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Blondie, Debbie Harry in London, 1978 Photo | Fine Art Print by Allan Ballard

Blondie

Studio shoot with Debbie Harry, Blondie, who were regarded as an underground band in the US until the release of 'Parallel Lines' in 1978.

Prices from £250.00
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Blondie, Debbie Harry in London, 1977 Photo | Fine Art Print by Sheila Rock

Blondie

Debbie Harry from Blondie captured at photographer Sheila Rock's flat in Holland Park, London in 1977. Her dress matched with the curtains.

Prices from £525.00
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The Clash 'Rock the Casbah' by artist Horace Panter | Buy limited edition fine art prints

The Clash

Signed limited edition fine art cassette print by Horace Panter of The Clash's 'Rock The Casbah'

Prices from £166.67
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