Best Punk and New Wave Songs of All Time

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   London Calling

   The Clash · from London Calling (1979)

   An apocalyptic call-to-arms.

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   Anarchy in the U.K.

   Sex Pistols · from Never Mind the Bollocks, Here's the Sex Pistols (1977)

   The snarl that detonated UK punk.

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   Blitzkrieg Bop

   Ramones · from Ramones (1976)

   Two minutes, all hook, year zero for punk.

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   Search and Destroy

   The Stooges · from Raw Power (1973)

   Proto-punk at its most dangerous.

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   Marquee Moon

   Television · from Marquee Moon (1977)

   Ten minutes of twin-guitar art-punk.

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   Heart of Glass

   Blondie · from Parallel Lines (1978)

   New wave meets the dancefloor.

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   Psycho Killer

   Talking Heads · from Talking Heads: 77 (1977)

   Nervy, arty and unforgettable.

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   Gloria

   Patti Smith · from Horses (1975)

   Poetry and punk collide.

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   Holiday in Cambodia

   Dead Kennedys · from Fresh Fruit for Rotting Vegetables (1980)

   Savage satire at breakneck speed.

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    New Rose

    The Damned · from Damned Damned Damned (1977)

    Often called the first UK punk single.

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    Spellbound

    Siouxsie and the Banshees · from Juju (1981)

    Swirling, influential proto-goth.

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    A Message to You, Rudy

    The Specials · from The Specials (1979)

    2-tone ska with a social conscience.

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    Should I Stay or Should I Go

    The Clash · from Combat Rock (1982)

    The pop song The Clash apologised for and everyone loved them for.

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    Ever Fallen in Love

    Buzzcocks · from Love Bites (1978)

    The most perfect two-minute punk-pop song.

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    Heart of Glass

    Blondie · from Parallel Lines (1978)

    The disco crossover that punk was supposed to hate and couldn't resist.

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    Psycho Killer

    Talking Heads · from Talking Heads: 77 (1977)

    Bass guitar, French lyrics, and the most creepy chorus in new wave.

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    Marquee Moon

    Television · from Marquee Moon (1977)

    Ten minutes of interlocking guitars that invented art-rock.

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    Alison

    Elvis Costello · from My Aim Is True (1977)

    The debut's centrepiece — new wave that was really just a great song.

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    Roxanne

    The Police · from Outlandos d'Amour (1978)

    Reggae tension under Sting's most unglamorous love story.

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    Making Plans for Nigel

    XTC · from Drums and Wires (1979)

    The English eccentricity and the bass line that drove it.

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    Damaged Goods

    Gang of Four · from Entertainment! (1979)

    The funk guitar and the Marxist lyric: post-punk at its most confrontational.

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    Three Girl Rhumba

    Wire · from Pink Flag (1977)

    Two minutes of distilled post-punk intelligence.

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