Guide Note

Pop punk is a fusion of Punk and Pop Music. The Ramones are considered pioneers of punk in general, but the influence of 1960s pop in their music lent them a sound that has been called pop punk, retrospectively. It wasn't until Green Day released their 1993 album, Dookie, that the genre was accepted by the mainstream.

Fast Facts

1. Subgenre of punk, became mass phenomenon in 1990s
2. Genre has adopted by commercial pop acts, including Avril Lavigne
3. Ramones arguably first pop-punks

Key Bands

1. The Ramones—New York City's punk godfathers had an undeniable pop streak, courtesy of singer Joey Ramone's love for 1960s pop, especially The Beach Boys and The Ronettes.
2. The Buzzcocks—Emerging in Manchester, England, from the immediate wake of London's The Sex Pistols, The Buzzcocks wrote tuneful, frantic songs, most of which dealt with pop's #1 subject: love.
3. The Dickies—One of the first California punk bands, The Dickies complimented their speedy guitar anthems with keyboards and a large dose of pop, especially 1960s bubblegum, and even cartoon theme music.
4. The Descendants—Often identified as a major influence on Green Day and The Queers, the Descendants were a remarkably precise punk band with a playful Beach Boys influence.
5. Green Day—Drawing on many of the bands listed above, Green Day introduced bright melodies to the East Bay punk scene, eventually popularizing the style far beyond rock's margins.

For more pop-punk bands, see Mahalo's Pop-Punk Category

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