Rock Soundscapes & Royalty Free Punk Music For Creators

“A guy walks up to me and asks ‘What’s punk?’ So I kick over a garbage can and say ‘That’s punk!’ So he kicks over a garbage can and says ‘That’s punk?’ and I say ‘No, that’s trendy!’” — Billie Joe Armstrong, Green Day lead vocalist

Punk is all about making a statement. Kicking over a garbage can, so to speak. 

The early punk artists of the mid-1970s wrote and performed music that was subversive, political, and aspirational. They pioneered a new wave of music that extended into the 80s and inspired the pop and indie rock styles that followed.  

In this post, we’ll spotlight four artists who are forever linked to the genre’s legacy and share some royalty free punk music that you can license from our music library for your projects. 

But, before we do that, let’s cover the basics and breakdown exactly how punk got its start. 

The Mid-70s Punk Scene: The US & UK 

Punk was born out of the political, economic, and social unrest of the 1960s and 70s. So it makes sense that the genre was influenced thematically and sonically by disco, reggae, and other music styles that emerged during this same time. 

The punk artists of the mid-70s didn’t want to get caught up in mainstream culture in the same way that their rock and roll predecessors had. They wanted to produce music that had a distinctly underground and self-made feel. 

While this genre got its start in the U.S. — specifically in New York City’s music scene — the punk culture was almost immediately adopted in the U.K. as well.

In fact, it was there that some of the most well-known punk groups like the Clash and the Sex Pistols formed. 

From the 1980s on, new subgenres emerged and began to surpass original punk music in popularity (i.e., hardcore, new wave, alternative rock, etc.). But before that happened, there were four artists/groups that really left a mark on the genre. 

4 artists who revolutionized punk

Ramones

It’d be strange to write about punk music and leave out the Ramones, especially since this band had a major part in the genre’s American origins. 

The Ramones formed in New York City in 1974 and went on to produce songs like “Blitzkrieg Bop,” “Judy Is A Punk,” and “I Wanna Be Sedated” (as shown above). 

You might already know that each of the four original members used pseudonyms with the surname “Ramone,” but you might not know why. 

The idea for this name came from stories of Paul McCartney using the name Paul Ramon to remain anonymous. 

To this day, the Ramones rank No. 26 on the Rolling Stone’s 100 Greatest Artists list.

Want royalty free punk music with a similar feel? Check out these tracks.

• Wastelands Cast by Baum
• It's Not You It's Me by Major Label Interest
• Arrival by City Rat

The Clash

The Clash is and will always be one of the most well-known punk groups to come out of the U.K. — or anywhere for that matter. 

In true punk fashion, the group’s music was heavily influenced by the cultural and political events at the time. The Clash sang about everything from rioting to unemployment, and this all started with their debut single “White Riot.”

“White Riot” was released the year after the Notting Hill riots of 1976, when black citizens of the U.K. protested against unfair police treatment.

The song was political, direct, and set an important precedent for the group. From that point on, it was evident that the Clash would create music that challenged the status quo and didn’t shrink away from taboo topics. 

Want royalty free punk music with a similar feel? Check out these tracks.

• Acid by Andrew Stanton
• Vernier by Shane Becker
• Full Blast by Fantoms

Sex Pistols

In the mid-70s, another British band was also producing punk music with a clear anti-establishment and political angle: the Sex Pistols.

While the song featured above — “Holidays In The Sun” — is still one of the group’s well-known singles, the track that left the most jarring impression on U.K. citizens was “God Save The Queen.”

This song was an attack on social conformity, specifically toward the monarchy. This messaging alone immediately landed the track on the ban lists of independent radio stations and the BBC. 

Even still, the select few retailers that carried the single reported selling up to 150,000 copies every day around the same time of the ban. 

Want royalty free punk music with a similar feel? Check out these tracks.

• Just What I Need by SOLO
• Elephant In The Room by Tiger Gang
• Hooligans by Hunter Parks

New York Dolls

Back in the U.S., a band by the name of the New York Dolls had a noteworthy but short-lived presence in the punk rock scene. 

In 1971, the original members came together from different New York bands to form the New York Dolls. Fast forward to six years later and several new members had replaced old members, and the group permanently disbanded.

Though this band didn’t have the same success or longevity as the Ramones, the Clash, and the Sex Pistols, their music style and presence had a significant impact on the punk genre and fellow musicians at the time.  

Want royalty free punk music with a similar feel? Check out these tracks.

• Gran Carrera by Kristian Leo
• What You Want by Ghost
• Jackalope by Fillmore

Where to license royalty free punk music

It hasn’t always been easy to find quality royalty free music, which is why we suggest taking a more “punk” approach to music licensing, i.e., less red tape, more action.  

You don’t want or need any added complications when searching for the right music to license for your video, film, podcast, or other project. And with a stock music library like Soundstripe, you can bypass these complications altogether. 

If you’re interested in any of the punk rock tunes featured in this post, head over to our music library and use the search filter functions to narrow your song search even more.  

With a monthly or yearly plan, you can license any song without having to select “License” every single time. Simply find the songs you like, download them, and you’re all set.