10 Greatest Punk Bands Of All Time

10. The Velvet Underground

When people typically think of the punk explosion, most lines point to New York City. Whether it was the straight-ahead punk movement with bands like the Ramones or the more art-rock direction of bands like Talking Heads, you could find any kind of off-the-wall artist bubbling up from clubs like CBGB's. For as much as people heap praise on those glory years past 1977, The Velvet Underground were pioneering the punk ethos as far back as the mid-'60s.

Starting as a typical rock and roll band, singer and lead songwriter Lou Reed formed the Velvets as a way to push the sonic limitations of mainstream music. From that came feedback, spoken word passages, and some of the harshest guitar sounds this side of Jimi Hendrix. Once the band paired with visionary artist Andy Warhol, they started to craft some of the most underrated gems of the era, with songs like "Waiting for the Man" influencing not only the punk movement but also glam rock artists like David Bowie.

The Velvets might not be the first candidate for a punk band, but when talking about everything that a punk band should be at its core, these guys pretty much check every box.