The Art of Punk: The Illustrated History of Punk Rock Design

The story begins with the godfathers of punk—the Velvet Undergound, MC5, the Ramones, New York Dolls, and Patti Smith—and the distinctive aesthetic these bands launched thanks to impresarios like Andy Warhol. Punk broke big in 1976 and 1977 with American and British groups such as the Sex Pistols, the Damned, the Clash, the Germs, and more, and continues today with bands like Green Day and Rancid. The bands created a reactionary, do-it-yourself art designed to shock, amaze, and stand out from the blandness of the 1970s. This groundbreaking style continues to impact design, music, and fashion today.

This collection of more than 900 images is a rare look at punk design since so much of it was made as throwaway art and few originals have survived. The authors have collected an incredible gallery of images, plus interviews with the artists, poster designers, and musicians who were there on the frontlines of punk rock.