‘I knew it was over for us’: the bands who got left behind when punk exploded In 1976, the British music scene was dominated by established stars, a nascent rock’n’roll revival, and diverse but fading genres like glam and prog rock. Amidst a backdrop of political and economic unrest, music critics lamented the state of music, unaware that a revolution was brewing. The arrival of punk bands like the Sex Pistols, The Clash, and The Damned in Manchester and London that summer quickly overshadowed existing acts and genres, altering the course of pop culture. Despite the eventual massive impact of punk, its initial reception in the music press was often dismissive, with many critics failing to recognize its revolutionary potential or its lasting influence on artists poised for stardom.

• In 1976, before punk’s explosion, the music scene was characterized by established artists, a revival of 1940s music and rock’n’roll, and the decline of glam and prog rock.
• Music journalists of the time expressed dissatisfaction with the current state of music, describing it as stagnant and irrelevant, even as influential albums were being released.
• The Sex Pistols’ first Manchester gig in January 1976 marked the beginning of a summer that saw the live debuts of other key punk bands and the emergence of fanzines.
• The term ‘punk’ was used inconsistently in the press, often applied to unrelated bands, while the burgeoning punk scene itself was largely ignored or misunderstood.
• The rise of punk had little immediate impact on established rock stars but significantly affected the careers of many emerging artists who were tipped for success in early 1976.
• Many bands and artists prominent before punk’s arrival, such as Doctors of Madness, Heavy Metal Kids, and pub rock refugees, were quickly forgotten or saw their careers curtailed.
• Even artists who later achieved mainstream success, like Jay Strongman who pivoted to DJing after seeing the Sex Pistols, were profoundly influenced by punk’s arrival.