Sex Pistols and the Trajectory of Punk Rock

In the 1970s, sappy love songs and prog rock had sucked the life out of people-the Sex Pistols acted to put it back. Their raucous stage performances both engaged their mass of followers and stirred their media detractors into a frenzy.

This collection of essays analyzes the Sex Pistols as a major contributor to the creation of punk rock as a subgenre of rock and roll that soon became its own genre. Much has been said about England's most influential punk band, but the essays in this collection each provide a distinct philosophical insight. Written by leading writers in punk music and its culture, these essays argue that the Sex Pistols created a profound and singular vision of punk rock, one paired with a social activism that was designed to shock and cause people to think.