10 Punk Rock Bands That Never Sold Out

The idea of being anti sellout is not the easiest of tightropes to walk, punk rock or otherwise. You have to always be watching for how big you get and making sure you never do anything too commercial that will alienate your hardcore fanbase. Where most bands just give up and make the poppiest music they can, Ian MacKaye may be one of the few people in rock history who almost intentionally sabotaged his career.

After the days of Minor Threat, Fugazi looked like Ian's second chance at becoming a legend, with songs that fit somewhere in the post hardcore vein. As much as they seemed like they were on the verge of a new style of music, Ian decided to cut things off before it got too over the top, never straying from playing the usual DIY gigs that he loved so much and protesting when he thought the time was right.

In the meantime, you had other bands like Refused and At the Drive In popping up years later, making the same kind of ramshackle post hardcore and soaking up the acclaim that Fugazi had laying at their feet. It's not like Ian is bitter by any stretch either, being pretty content with where he is and not looking to get any bigger than his current status. That came in handy too, with some grunge rockers like Dave Grohl and Eddie Vedder becoming friends with him after asking him advice about their own personal struggles with fame. Stopping like that might not have been the best financial decision at the time, but it's better for your integrity. You never have to disappoint your fans and they're left with a pure memory of you at your most authentic.