Punk The Best Punk Bands Of All Time  

Ranker Community
Originally by Ranker Community
581.6k votes 30.1k voters 426.5k views 296 items

List Rules The definition of "punk" is nebulous - if you don't consider a band punk, feel free to vote em down

The subject of who is the greatest punk band has fueled argument and debate for decades. Punk and punk inspired musical acts are more common than ever but the underground punk acts of the 70s and 80s will always be remembered for creating a culture for rebellion. From 80s punk to today's top punk bands, which are the best punk rock bands of all time and the best punk bands ever? These punk rocks are also making some of the best rock songs of 2018.

Good punk bands aren't hard to find, there's plenty of great punk music out there, thanks to the many punk groups on this list. Don't see your favorite punk rockers below? Click Rerank to add your list of your favorite punk bands here or vote up the punk acts you love and help create the definitive list of the greatest famous punk bands of all time.

Ranker may collect a commission from links on this page. Prices & inventory are accurate as of publish date.
list ordered by

1
7,519 4,037
Ramones is listed (or ranked) 1 on the list The Best Punk Bands Of All Time
Ramones, Rocket to Russia, End of the Century

2
8,349 3,511
The Clash is listed (or ranked) 2 on the list The Best Punk Bands Of All Time
London Calling, The Clash, Black Market Clash

3
7,663 3,455
Sex Pistols is listed (or ranked) 3 on the list The Best Punk Bands Of All Time
Never Mind the Bollocks, Here's the Sex Pistols, The Great Rock ’n’ Roll Swindle

4
6,755 2,539
Dead Kennedys is listed (or ranked) 4 on the list The Best Punk Bands Of All Time
Fresh Fruit for Rotting Vegetables, Nazi Punks Fuck Off, Bleed for Me

5
4,304 3,104
The Stooges is listed (or ranked) 5 on the list The Best Punk Bands Of All Time
Raw Power, Fun House, The Stooges

6
4,808 3,168
Black Flag is listed (or ranked) 6 on the list The Best Punk Bands Of All Time
Damaged, In My Head, My War

7
5,222 3,375
Misfits is listed (or ranked) 7 on the list The Best Punk Bands Of All Time
Legacy of Brutality, Famous Monsters, Walk Among Us

8
4,789 3,259
Bad Religion is listed (or ranked) 8 on the list The Best Punk Bands Of All Time
Recipe for Hate, The Empire Strikes First, Stranger Than Fiction

9
4,136 2,257
Buzzcocks is listed (or ranked) 9 on the list The Best Punk Bands Of All Time
Singles Going Steady, Buzzcocks, Product

10
4,316 2,318
The Damned is listed (or ranked) 10 on the list The Best Punk Bands Of All Time
Phantasmagoria, The Black Album, Not of This Earth

11
3,821 2,675
Minor Threat is listed (or ranked) 11 on the list The Best Punk Bands Of All Time
Complete Discography, Minor Threat, First Demo Tape

12
3,721 2,605
Bad Brains is listed (or ranked) 12 on the list The Best Punk Bands Of All Time
God of Love, I Against I, Bad Brains

13
4,145 3,318
Rancid is listed (or ranked) 13 on the list The Best Punk Bands Of All Time
…and Out Come the Wolves, Let's Go, Indestructible

14
6,292 6,377
Green Day is listed (or ranked) 14 on the list The Best Punk Bands Of All Time
American Idiot, Dookie, 21st Century Breakdown

15
3,745 2,817
Social Distortion is listed (or ranked) 15 on the list The Best Punk Bands Of All Time
Social Distortion, White Light White Heat White Trash, Somewhere Between Heaven and Hell

16
3,623 2,089
Descendents is listed (or ranked) 16 on the list The Best Punk Bands Of All Time
Everything Sucks, Milo Goes to College, I Don't Want to Grow Up

17
5,516 2,650
Stiff Little Fingers is listed (or ranked) 17 on the list The Best Punk Bands Of All Time
Inflammable Material, Now Then…, Nobody's Heroes

18
5,011 4,302
The Offspring is listed (or ranked) 18 on the list The Best Punk Bands Of All Time
Smash, Americana, The Offspring

19
4,372 3,200
NOFX is listed (or ranked) 19 on the list The Best Punk Bands Of All Time
Punk in Drublic, Pump Up the Valuum, The War on Errorism

20
2,952 2,058
Circle Jerks is listed (or ranked) 20 on the list The Best Punk Bands Of All Time
Group Sex, Golden Shower of Hits, Oddities

21
3,316 2,575
Joy Division is listed (or ranked) 21 on the list The Best Punk Bands Of All Time
Unknown Pleasures, Closer, Substance

22
2,337 2,336
Hüsker Dü is listed (or ranked) 22 on the list The Best Punk Bands Of All Time
Zen Arcade, Flip Your Wig, Warehouse: Songs and Stories

23
2,570 1,930
New York Dolls is listed (or ranked) 23 on the list The Best Punk Bands Of All Time
New York Dolls, One Day It Will Please Us to Remember Even This, Cause I Sez So

24
2,637 1,295
The Cramps is listed (or ranked) 24 on the list The Best Punk Bands Of All Time
pigonthewing added Stay Sick!, Smell of Female, Flamejob

25
2,701 1,957
Fugazi is listed (or ranked) 25 on the list The Best Punk Bands Of All Time
The Argument, Repeater, 13 Songs