10 Greatest Punk Bands Of All Time
2. The Ramones
There's often a debate as to where the feral sounds of punk rock originated. For many, the Sex Pistols were the first to lay claim to the punk throne with their debut record and infamous interviews, but the music was still more in line with hard rock than overt punk. No, if you wanted to find the real origin of punk, you'd have to venture into the bowels of New York City.
Coming from the punk squat CBGB's, the Ramones were everything that the punk ethos stood for, from their slacker attitude to their insanely fast tempos. The song construction would commonly be just straight pop songs, but the delivery was so venomous that it caused a frenzy in every listener. The Pistols may have started the initial punk sound, but the Ramones got it down to a science: fast tempos, chugging guitars, throw solos out the window, and get on with it. Though some songs blended together sometimes, you don't mess with the formula when it is this infectious.
There are far more competent bands that came after the Ramones' peak, but as far punk goes, it's more about the statement you make rather than how musically gifted you are. Though the band didn't have any shared bloodline between them, the Ramones truly formed a brotherhood and were the true pioneers of the punk explosion.