By Antone Hempstock – Punk Rock Press
Let’s just get right to it: has punk rock lost its fangs?
You go to a “punk” show in 2025 and see kids sipping $9 kombucha in a VIP section while a pop-punk band sings about heartbreak in front of a giant LED screen. Meanwhile, merch booths are charging $60 for hoodies made in the same factories as Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour gear.
So yeah… something feels off.
Punk used to be messy. Loud. Dangerous. You didn’t need perfect production or a branding consultant—just a broken mic stand, a garage, and a chip on your shoulder. Now? Everyone’s got a booking agent, a TikTok strategy, and an ironic mustache.
Where did the grit go?
✊ The Spirit’s Still Alive—But You Gotta Dig for It
Don’t get me wrong—there are still bands out there bleeding for it. You’ll find them in basements, art spaces, and busted vans crammed with gear. They’re pressing their own vinyl, printing their own shirts, booking their own tours. They’re not chasing brand deals—they’re chasing purpose.
But the spotlight isn’t on them. It’s on the safe stuff. The Warped Tour revivals. The polished nostalgia acts. The social media darlings playing punk dress-up.
There’s nothing wrong with growth, and yeah, we all get older. But punk isn’t supposed to be comfortable. It’s supposed to make you feel something—and maybe piss you off while it’s at it.
💸 Punk’s Got a Branding Problem
You can’t sell rebellion, but god knows people keep trying. From Hot Topic to Hulu documentaries, punk’s been packaged and resold so many times it barely resembles what it started as. What used to be an anti-authority movement is now a marketing aesthetic.
Here’s the truth: just because something has a distorted guitar doesn’t make it punk. Punk is action. Punk is pushing back. Punk is refusing to play the game even when you’re losing because you know the game’s rigged.
And yeah, that’s uncomfortable. It should be.
🧷 So What Now?
If punk’s gotten soft, it’s up to us to sharpen it again. Support the DIY bands. Go to the grimy shows. Share the underground records. Start your own thing if nothing around you speaks the truth anymore.
Punk isn’t a genre—it’s a mindset. A resistance. A fire that burns through bullshit.
So ask yourself: are you still punk? Or just playing dress-up?
