Proto-punk

Proto-punk (or protopunk) is the music from the early 1960s to mid-1970s that influenced punk rock. Typically, proto-punk artists are not always themselves classified as punk, and proto-punk is not a distinct music genre as it includes a wide range of musical backgrounds and styles, including much garage rock.

Numerous artists are commonly cited as some of the most noteworthy that would ultimately influence punk. American examples include: Death (protopunk band) The Stooges, MC5, The Bobby Fuller Four, Dick Dale, The Seeds, David Peel, Blue Cheer, Count Five, The Sonics, Shadows of Knight, The Velvet Underground, The Doors, Alice Cooper, The Trashmen, Suicide, ? and the Mysterians, The Standells, Eddie Cochran, The Kingsmen, The Modern Lovers, New York Dolls, The Dictators, Lou Reed, Big Star, The Fugs, Television, Captain Beefheart, Patti Smith, Richard Hell, Rocket from the Tombs, Syndicate of Sound, The Music Machine and Love. Also included are German acts such as Ton Steine Scherben, Neu! and Can; Australian band Radio Birdman; and performers from the United Kingdom including The Who, The Kinks, The Troggs, The Animals, The Move, Johnny Kidd & The Pirates, David Bowie, T. Rex, Downliners Sect, Mott the Hoople, Roxy Music, Pretty Things, Eddie and The Hot Rods and Hawkwind.