10 Crucial Punk Rock Bands Currently Active
6. Political Punk - Bad Religion
The Mt. Rushmore of punk has a special place reserved for Bad Religion, alongside the likes of the Sex Pistols, The Clash and The Ramones.
Considered one of the last guard of active old school punks, Bad Religion has been a mainstay of this genre of misguided delinquents for well over 40 years. Politics and societal growth drive the very core of this band, with lead singer Greg Graffin understanding most how evolution is vital in society and life. After all, this is a man who is a certified lecturer at Cornell University regarding natural sciences.
Never outwardly assigning themselves to the left or the right wings of the American political scale, Bad Religion instead choose to describe the landscape as they see it. Imperfect, full of hypocrites and ill to its centre.
Away from the microphone, Bad Religion's guitarist Brett Gurewitz owns well known label Epitaph Records, a brand that has helped to launch the careers of many punk bands from the early 90s onwards, such as Green Day and The Offspring. The investment in the future being built on the success of the past.
Seventeen studio albums deep, and showing no signs of slowing down, Bad Religion are still as relevant to current issues and the scene as they were back in 1980, truly one of the titans of punk.