I have always been intrigued by how the definition of punk rock has begun to change , as I delve deeper into the culture. In today’s generation, band such as Fall Out Boy, Panic! at the Disco, Bring Me the Horizon, My Chemical Romance etc are considered to punk rock. If you fall back to the 80s and 90s, the punk bands were Green day, Blink 182,The Ramones, Talking Heads or The Sex Pistols . However, as a music enthusiast, I have found absolutely nothing in common between these bands and therefore decided to dig deeper into the idea of how the definition of punk has evolved into something exceedingly divergent.

I believe this change in definition arose with the commercial success of ounk bands such as Green day or Blink 182, who signed up with major record labels and had sold out concerts in huge stadiums. This commercial success caused a lot of old age bands and punk lovers to feel betrayed because the whole essence of punk was being independent and performing low-key shows and having a sense of freedom. The punk rock movement developed in the UK and Australia yet one of the first bands to ever break through were the Ramones. Punk bands in that time had this do-it-yourself way of recording music and enjoyed the raw lyrics with fast paced guitar riffs. However, as the 90’s approached, punk rock soon became  mainstream, due to it’s nature of being truthful and acting as a method for people to let go of frustrations that were arising, politically and socially. However it still remained quite individualistic and influential.

Until the 2000’s, when the definition of punk took a complete side turn. It became more about the emo/goth aspect, songs about social dissatisfaction and lack of romance, the music becoming exceedingly polished and losing it’s inherent DIY nature. This led to the formation of a phrase ‘pop punk’, which has caused IMMENSE distress among all punk rockers. I mean, the whole idea of punk was that it was not popular, it’s subversive and an acquired taste. It was a cry against the mediocrity we were all being pushed into and a fight against authority that wanted us to be the same.

It’s quite evident why this change has occurred.

The 80s and 90s was a time for a lot of dissatisfaction among the baby boomer generation, who were slowly being pulled into a world of pragmatism. Their anger led to the formation of a genre that caused them all to accept their individulaity and not allow anyone to crush their dreams. However, now people are less worried about leaving a mark on the world and are quite contended with their ordinary lifestyles. The economy is going through an inflation, everyone is doing well so how will anyone relate to the angst in the punk songs? So, these bands are now aiming towards the adolescents and a different kind of rage-societal. We have people with eyeliner on and their hir colored,just to establish their individuality.

I believe this change in definition of punk has to do hugely with the change in expectations and mindset of people. Although, it might be hard to pin point an exact event or group that caused this change in thought, I have managed to narrow it to the early 2000s. I am quite cynical of the phrase ‘pop punk’ and of the new age bands that label themselves as punk because, as Mark Hoppus rightly said, “Real punk bleeds on the inside.”; it’s not only about the crazy hair and liner. It’s about having the freedom to be who you want,