Top 20 Best Punk Bands of All Time

Honorable Mention: The Living End

This band is okay but this song is really, really good. When I think punk song I think of this exact sound, so it had to at least make it on the list as an honorable mention.

20. Social Distortion

This is a solid punk band that has been around for a long time. You can't go wrong with Social Distortion.

19. Bowling For Soup

I know some of you hardcore punkers will be pissed that bands like this are on the list but face it, this music is good.

18. Anti-Flag

Anti-Flag is awesome because they really don't like the government at all and their lyrics are great.

17. Descendents

The Descendents are a classic punk band with some great jams.

16. Pulley

Pulley pulls it off when it comes to punk music.

15. Lagwagon

Lagwagon is another good punk band with a lot of good songs.

14. Unwritten Law

Another good band.

13. Millencolin

More good music.

12. Ten Foot Pole

I really like the sound of Ten Foot Pole. They're really good at coming up with catchy and addicting choruses.

11. Blink 182

Okay here we go with some more pop punk. Say what you want about the band but they have some great jams.

10. Rancid

When I think of the epitome of punk rock I always think of Rancid. They have the classic look and the classic sound. Tim Armstrong has a really unique voice that goes well to punk music.

9. Goldfinger

I think Goldfinger is a highly underrated punk band with really good songs. Every song on the Goldfinger album is awesome.

8. Sum 41

Sum 41 deserves to be on the list because they write some really great music. Their newer stuff is also really good.

7. Green Day

Of course, Green Day has been producing great music for decades and you can't go wrong with some Billie Joe Armstrong.

6. The Offspring

No introduction is needed for The Offspring. They produce really high quality music and I have great respect for Dexter Holland. The guy puts a lot of work into making sure each album is quality.

5. Pennywise

Now we're getting into the top 5 punk bands that I've always been a big fan of. These 5 bands have always been my favorite punk bands. Pennywise is an interesting group because I think out of any band they have the most similar sounding songs, but at the same time they are all really good. Pennywise songs are always catchy and high quality.

4. AFI

I'm a bigger fan of older AFI songs but the new stuff is still really cool. In the old days Davey Havok and Jade Puget just freaking killed it. You know that these guys are talented when they go on to create another band in another genre they like (Blaqk Audio) and kill it in that genre also. Great respect for these guys.

3. The Vandals

To me the Vandals are the most fun punk group. Every time I hear them it just makes me happy and want to have a good time. Their music is always super sarcastic and playful. I think they are fairly underrated and deserve much more attention than they get, but it's probably because they don't release many albums these days.

2. Bad Religion

Now we're getting into one of the 2 punk bands that just towers far above other bands when it comes to this genre. Bad Religion is not only better than all the other punk bands I have mentioned so far, but they are leaps and bounds better. Greg Graffin and Brett Gurewitz are incredible artists. I love how Brett Gurewitz has a very radio friendly sound to his music while Greg Graffin has a more emotional and unique sound. When you combine the two you get some very sophisticated, philosophical and intelligent music. These guys are masters at their craft.

1. NOFX

And of course the undisputed champions of the punk genre, standing tall with Bad Religion, are NOFX. These guys have been crushing it for a long, long time and they continue to stay strong. NOFX, more than any other punk band, is able to switch up their musical sound and switch between a more ska sound, a more classic sound, a more Mexican sound or any other type of sound. They're very creative with using different instruments and they incorporate them perfectly.

On top of all this their lyrics and the messages behind their songs are stellar. These guys write very clever and fun lyrics that are witty and distinct. They know how to incorporate the actual words of their lyrics into the sounds of their music and they even know how to invent words to make it fit in songs. Fat Mike is a really sharp guy and one of the kings of puck rock. Hats off to NOFX and another 20 years of vexed, inflammatory and provocative music!