10 Punk Rock Bands That Never Sold Out

Just because you don't sell out doesn't mean you can't change your sound from time to time. Ever since their start in the '80s, Social Distortion did find a pretty unique lane for themselves, going from their hardcore roots to eventually having melodic tunes that felt like they were more on the country side of rock and roll than anything else. They never were ones for the mainstream though, so the mainstream came to them.

As far back as the early '80s, the hookiness of Mike Ness' songs were enough to hook in the average music fan, with songs like Story of My Life and Ball and Chain getting a lot more airplay on MTV than your usual underground punk act at the time. Once the money started coming in though, Ness never really bothered to go with the pop makeover at all, keeping his leather jacket firmly on his back and making no apologies about it as the years went on.

For most of the dyed in the wool Social Distortion fans, the real punk attitude comes in the deep cuts, with songs like Sick Boys being just as good as their more celebrated material as well as the hardcore stuff that they made back in the day. They may have grown up from their more savage days, but these guys are still Mommy's Little Monster in whatever club they find themselves in.