Proto-punk

Proto-punk is a raw, energetic, and often rebellious music genre that emerged in the late 1960s and early 1970s, laying the groundwork for the punk rock explosion. It is characterized by its gritty, garage rock sound, stripped-down instrumentation, and a defiant, anti-establishment attitude. Bands like The Lewd and Feederz infused aggressive guitar riffs with politically charged lyrics, while others like Willie Alexander and the Boom Boom Band injected a sense of spontaneity and experimentation into their performances. Proto-punk embodies a blend of rockabilly energy, psychedelia influences, and a DIY ethos, pushing musical boundaries and setting the stage for punk's later evolution.

Latest Proto-punk Release
undefined album image
Pearl Harbor & The Explosions
Album - 16 Tracks - Released April 25, 2025

RecentMusic users are tracking 205 Proto-punk artists for new releases, and have access to the full timeline of 1,253 releases .

Join them and feed your new music addiction, and add the Proto-punk artists you love!

Get Started Browse Releases
? & The Mysterians
Angel Face
Bad Brains
Bad Idols
Biscuit Mouth
Black Magic Six
Bowels
Browntooth
CARTHIEFSCHOOL
Charm
Chris Smith
Cloak/Dagger
Coward
Dead Moon
Death
Diet Blood
Doggy
Drugs Dragons
Feederz
Flamin' Groovies
GFL
Geza X
Gudibrallan
Hard Meat
Haunted Horses
Jack Starr
James Williamson
Jonnata Doll e os Garotos Solventes
Leather Jacuzzi
Los Sedantes
Los Walrus
Lou Reed
Lou's
Mac The Knife
Marc Bolan
Material
Mick Ronson
NEU!
Nanaki
Oscar & The Majestics
Passive
Patti Smith
Pearl Harbor and the Explosions
Protex
Q65
Ramones
Real Sickies
Rockin' Ramrods
Rumours Follow
SUCK
Saüc
Secnd Best
Serqet
Shakin' Street
Slag Queens
Slumberland
Snotty Cheekbones
Stiff Little Fingers
Swamp City Rockers
Swift Beatz
T. Rex
TOUTS
The Adicts
The Barbians
The Benders
The Cheifs
The Cramps
The Damned
The Deviants
The Estranged
The Fifth Estate
The Hallingtons
The Hip Priests
The Kinks
The Len Price 3
The Litter
The Liverbirds
The MFA
The Moles
The Outcasts
The Painkillers
The Phantom
The Pink Fairies
The Quests
The Rationals
The Rats
The Real Kids
The Smirks
The Steve Adamyk Band
The Troggs
The Ugly Ducklings
The Undertones
The Urges
The Zeros
Thee Ludds
Tony Visconti
Vee Dee
Wayne Kramer
Wipers
Wolf X Piss
Ramones
Lou Reed
The Kinks
T. Rex
Patti Smith
The Cramps
The Damned
The Troggs
Bad Brains
The Undertones
X-Ray Spex
Stiff Little Fingers
Skyhooks
The Adicts
Wipers
Death
? & The Mysterians
NEU!
Dead Moon
Flamin' Groovies
Ralph Carney
Marc Bolan
The Amboy Dukes
The Zeros
The Nerves
The Wailers
The Dirtbombs
The Litter
Q65
Mick Ronson
Hasil Adkins
Chris Smith
The Pink Fairies
James Williamson
The Real Kids
Haunted Horses
The Third Bardo
Flat Duo Jets
SUCK
Tony Visconti
Mac The Knife
Real Sickies
Rudi
The Ugly Ducklings
Syndicate Of Sound
Wayne Kramer
The Moles
The Barbarians
Bags
Protex
Bunker Hill
The Deviants
The Outcasts
The Rationals
Pierced Arrows
Aut'Chose
The Liverbirds
Teenage Jesus & The Jerks
Larry & The Blue Notes
The Len Price 3
Feederz
The Lewd
The Benders
The Haunted
The Estranged
Criminal Damage
Thee Ludds
Rockin' Ramrods
The Quests
Jonnata Doll e os Garotos Solventes
Métal Urbain
Geza X
Stinky Toys
The Riffs
The Steve Adamyk Band
The Hip Priests
Michael Yonkers Band
The Fifth Estate
Jack Starr
The Radiators From Space
Hawkwind Zoo
Miracle Workers
It's All Meat
The Pagans
Browntooth
Oscar & The Majestics
Legal Weapon
The Stoics
Los Walrus
Little Bob Story
The Phantom
CARTHIEFSCHOOL
Dow Jones And The Industrials
Really Red
Black Magic Six
TOUTS
Shakin' Street
The Palace Guards
Debris'
The Urges