The Best Punk Songs Of All Time Ranked

The early punk bands emulated the minimal musical arrangements of 1960s garage rock. Typical punk rock instrumentation is stripped down to one or two guitars, bass, drums and vocals. Songs tend to be shorter than those of other rock genres, and played at fast tempos. Most early punk rock songs retained a traditional rock ‘n’ roll verse-chorus form and 4/4 time signature. However, later bands often broke from this format. The vocals are sometimes nasal, and the lyrics often shouted in an “arrogant snarl”, rather than conventionally sung. Complicated guitar solos were considered self-indulgent, although basic guitar breaks were common. Guitar parts tend to include highly distorted power chords or barre chords, creating a characteristic sound described by Christgau as a “buzzsaw drone”. Some punk rock bands take a surf rock approach with a lighter, twangier guitar tone. Others, such as Robert Quine, lead guitarist of the Voidoids, have employed a wild, “gonzo” attack, a style that stretches back through the Velvet Underground to the 1950s’ recordings of Ike Turner. Bass guitar lines are often uncomplicated; the quintessential approach is a relentless, repetitive “forced rhythm”, although some punk rock bass players—such as Mike Watt of the Minutemen and Firehose—emphasize more technical bass lines. Bassists often use a pick due to the rapid succession of notes, making fingerpicking impractical. Drums typically sound heavy and dry, and often have a minimal set-up. Compared to other forms of rock, syncopation is much less the rule. Hardcore drumming tends to be especially fast. Production tends to be minimalistic, with tracks sometimes laid down on home tape recorders or four-track portastudios. Here are all of the best Punk songs of all time.

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15. Complete Control – The Clash

“By 1977 in England, punk was perceived as something to be tamed — and that didn’t sit right by The Clash. “Complete Control” was released shortly after the band had participated in the widely-cancelled Anarchy Tour alongside the Sex Pistols, which conjured up a hefty amount of scaremongering about punk in the media. The track is The Clash’s response to the leash subsequently being tightened over everything from their music to their behavior, and it expertly taps into the feeling of being a cog in the wheel — a feeling that drives many to turn to punk as a catharsis”

14. Rise Above – Black Flag

““Rise Above” could essentially act as the liner notes of punk as a genre. The universalism of the lyrics — which, per the title, are about “rising above” an oppressive person or system — meant that anyone could apply them to their own life. That said, the track’s 1981 release caused the flames of punk to be fanned by underscoring that the genre’s sentiments were something that everyone, even those who may not have associated with the punk scene prior, could find a connection to.”

13. All the Small Things – Blink 182

“A song of defining punk act in modern era… Its an all around punk song with its music up-beat, vocals, guitar-riffs and the facts goes-on and on… Simply the best. Possibly the best song ever made. NO other punk song can match this songs beat, vocals, or just plain awesomeness.”

12. I Wanna Be Your Dog – The Stooges

“Released as the debut single from the band’s 1969 self-titled debut album, “I Wanna Be Your Dog” is one of the Stooges’ biggest hits. The distortion-heavy guitar intro, single-note piano riff, and steady, driving beat was the cutting edge of the early heavy metal and punk sound.”

11. I Wanna Be Sedated – The Ramones

“Written over a Christmas layover in London where everything was closed was this curiously poppy lament about the grind of touring. The cheerful tune and bouncy melody hide a ground-down worldview of Joey Ramone’s depression at the monotony of flying all over the world to play the same songs repeatedly.”

10. American Idiot – Green Day

“Written in the wake of the invasion of Iraq and Afghanistan and growing more relevant as time wears on, this song assures the listener that it’s okay to not be okay with the continual coarsening and stupefaction of America. As propagandists develop ever more aggressive ways to control people’s minds, “American Idiot” reminds the listener that they are not insane and the way things are isn’t okay.”

9. Last Caress – The Misfits

“The demented mind of Misfits frontman Glenn Danzig brought a new subgenre called horror punk into the world, and the song “Last Caress” contains some of the most infamous lyrics in rock history. Hearing Danzig sing “I got something to say/ I killed your baby today” on top of an upbeat, ’50s-inspired rock instrumental is one of punk’s most disconcerting moments, but, hot damn, it’s catchy as hell — so much so that Metallica famously covered it, as did a bevy of other bands.”

8. Welcome to Paradise – Green Day

“Originally recorded for 1991’s Kerplunk and re-released for the band’s 1994 national debut, Dookie, “Welcome To Paradise” is a punk reflection on the paradox of adolescence and of wanting to be cared for and also wanting to be tough enough to stand on your own. Billie Joe Armstrong’s cutting lyrics and searing guitar make this song stand out even above Dookie’s lead single, “Basket Case.”

7. Holiday in Cambodia – Dead Kennedys

“This has to be the ultimate punk record. It is Punk music, in everyway possible. Group artists with real punk attitude. Lyrics which capture the punk spirit. Music with the same intensity and menace that goes with the Lyrics.”

6. God Save the Queen – Sex Pistols

““God Save the Queen” is a controversial song by the English punk rock band the Sex Pistols. The song was released during (the late) Queen Elizabeth II’s Silver Jubilee in 1977. Due to the controversial nature of the cover, content, and lyrics, both the BBC refused to play the song, implementing a total ban of its airing. The lyrics themselves are a general expression of the band’s view of the monarchy.”

5. Basket Case – Green Day

“This anthemic statement of the malaise and isolation of modern life was Green Day’s explosion onto the national scene in 1994. The lead single of Dookie demonstrates Billie Joe Armstrong’s combination of self-doubt and killer hooks in a radio single that grabbed pop radio by the ears.”

4. Longview – Green Day

“Green Day’s “Longview” continues in the punk tradition of analyzing base instincts in a rather raucous way. Built atop an iconic bassline from Mike Dirnt — who famously constructed it high on LSD — “Longview” explores isolation and boredom with a sense of apathy so supreme, you can almost feel the stick of the humidity and the lack of sunlight in the room when you hear it. It’s a stoner anthem that’s insular in its nature, and yet, as we all know from being in lockdown over the past year or so, it’s more relevant than ever. “

3. London Calling – The Clash

“The Clash billed themselves as “The Only Band That Matters,” and for a moment, they could back up that swagger with substance. This indictment of the escalating nuclear tensions of the early 1980s begins with an invocation of the legendary “This is London calling…” preface of BBC broadcasts to occupied Europe during World War II. It was recorded as the world hung as close as it ever has to nuclear annihilation. The dark, minor-key tune and the “SOS” played on a guitar pickup in the outro remain as an unsettling reminder of danger in the world.”

2. Anarchy in the U.K. – Sex Pistols

“Anarchy in the U.K.” is one of the best punk songs out there! By punk rock band the Sex Pistols, the hit was their debut single in 1976 and was featured on their album Never Mind the Bollocks, Here’s the Sex Pistols. It’s ranked at number 56 on Rolling Stone’s 500 Greatest Songs of All Time and is included in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame’s 500 Songs that Shaped Rock and Roll.”

1. Blitzkrieg Bop – Ramones

“This song about working-class kids going to a concert and losing their minds was one of the first Ramones songs ever recorded. With incomprehensible, shouted lyrics and a mix that sounds like it was recorded in a single mass in a club, this song established the Ramones’ sound for the band’s whole twenty years of existence. It’s been a cover staple for countless other punk bands throughout the genre’s history.”