Sex Pistols

The Sex Pistols are an English punk rock band formed in London in 1975. The classic line-up is associated with vocalist John Lydon (Johnny Rotten), guitarist Steve Jones, drummer Paul Cook and bassist Glen Matlock, with Sid Vicious joining later as bassist. They are widely regarded as a central catalyst of the UK punk movement of the late 1970s. 

The group emerged from the mid-1970s London scene and attracted attention through confrontational performances and early singles including “Anarchy in the U.K.” (1976). Their notoriety intensified during 1977 with high-profile controversies around releases and media appearances, coinciding with rapid changes in the group’s membership and management. 

The Sex Pistols’ most commercially significant release was their only studio album, Never Mind the Bollocks, Here’s the Sex Pistols (1977), which became one of the defining albums of punk rock. Singles from this period, including “God Save the Queen” and “Pretty Vacant”, became emblematic of punk’s cultural and political provocation in late-1970s Britain.

The band’s initial run ended in 1978, followed by intermittent reunions beginning in the mid-1990s. Archival releases, documentaries and periodic tours have continued to renew interest in their brief original career, and the group’s catalogue remains central to histories of punk and British popular music. 

Although their studio output was limited, the Sex Pistols’ influence on music, fashion and youth culture has been enduring, with the band frequently credited as a key force in establishing punk as a mass cultural phenomenon. In 2006, they were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (an honour the band publicly rejected).