Punk's Impact on Today's Music

A New Genre is Born

Sex Pistols - Holidays in the Sun

Recorded at Wessex Sound Studios

Punk Rock beginnings go back as early as the 1960's, however it did appear in the US until the mid 70's. The Sex Pistols generally rank among the most popular Punk bands and the band is certainly still listened to today. While music videos were much simpler over 3 decades ago, this video successfully captures the essence of punk rock, even with the simplistic video progression.
We open with a lovely scene of the lead guitarist Steve Jones spitting directly on the camera lens. Setting the mood perfectly for the atmosphere of punk rock.

Punk rock concerts are not for the faint of heart. Personal space is non existent and elbows, hands, especially are flying. Much of this video is comprised of live performances, which may seem unimpressive at first, but there is most likely no other way to best show what pun rock is at it's core.

Several shots of the band messing around outside of the Berlin Wall, blatantly mocking the structure and what it represented (since most of the song is about the wall).

And finally a look into some of the earliest forms of the new teenage concert scene. Punk along with  rock & roll music truly revolutionized live concerts as they pioneered the "louder is better", head-banging, lose your mind, go nuts movement. The beginning of a generation to generation wave of teenagers doing anything they can just to rebel.

The 90's

While punk has always represented a love of strange behavior, there were still many punk rock songs promoting peace and love. The 90's brought an even more intensified version of grunge and rage. This is due to the fact that punk music largely fell off the radar after nearly turning into a parody of itself by the end of the 80's. 90's punk rock left the most deeply rooted, hardcore punk souls left to rise to the top of their genre.
Since I already discussed the grunge roots of punk, I wont harp on that too much- besides, the 90's brought us Greenday. Who doesn't like Greenday?

Greenday - Basketcase (Reprise Records)

Directed by Mark Kohr

The video is appropriately filmed in an actual clinic, Agnews Developmental Center. Unlike Holidays in the Sun, we begin to see a lot more special effects and overall diversity throughout the music video. Cameras panning, different scenes, and skits within the video such as one of the members being wheeled to take a shot of medicine. 

Billy Joe Armstrong is handed a guitar and seemingly observed almost as if it's some sort of experiment to see how this "basket case" will respond. Once he catches fire, they push in the two remaining members. As the video progresses and the song continues to use mental illness references, more and more scenes of stereotypical hallucinations are cut in and out of scene, I chose the most terrifying of which below:

The Up/Down Hill Spiral

Today's rap music is unquestionably influenced by punk culture. This has led to the birth and beginning of another new genre. With technology today, it is easier than ever for anyone to acquire professional grade equipment and record/produce their own music- fantastic right? Of course. Unfortunately this has paved the way for much, much less talented individuals to climb their way up charts which has caused an understandable outrage among the rap hip/hop community. There are a number of examples to give in regards to truly pathetic "punk rap", but I'm choosing to focus on the good. Lil Uzi Vert is often seen as a figure head for this emerging style, beginning a colored dreadlocks mop with face tatoos and, well, punk attire.

Lil Uzi Vert - XO Tour Llif3

Directed by Virgil Abloh


First of all I want to address the Japanese captions that come standard in the video. I assume this adds to the sort of creepy, uncomfortable mood Abloh and Uzi were going for. 

This is quite a horrifying production. Lil Uzi has insisted in interview that this is a song about money and partying; having a good time. This music video convinces me otherwise. 

In the beginning it makes sense: the camera pans over a floor full of unconscious bodies, apparently still passed out from the night before (aka the dead friends he's referring to).

But as we've become accustomed to, the video continues on to some of the more gruesome shots one could imagine.

Unbelievably horrific scenes of gore and classic religious horror references such as crosses and statues. Further justifying early punk's influence on not only Uzi's voicing and fashion style, but also the aesthetic boundaries he sets for his visuals. It's all about embracing whatever makes people uncomfortable and pushing that particular aspect to the forefront of your attention, then bathing in the old heads' disapproval.