5 Proto-Punk Classics Every Rock Fan Should Know

Proto-punk usually blends the ethos and spirit of punk rock with the musical stylings of classic or hard rock. But it can occasionally be the other way around, with melodies and rhythms hinting at the future punk music genre. Either way, proto-punk came before the punk genre first coalesced. These pre-punk songs led to the evolution of many different hard rock subgenres and deserve your ears.

These are classics that aren't quite punk enough for punk rock, but they still have some of the genre's signature sensibilities, so they suit a variety of tastes. You'll probably recognize a few of them since we include groups and artists all the way from The Who to Patti Smith. You might find others more obscure, like the New York Dolls, even though they were more influential on the eventual creation of punk rock and, therefore, proto-punk. But whether you're a punk rocker who wants to hear some of the songs that helped inspire your favorite genre or just an everyday rock fan who's looking for a handful of fantastic songs, we've got you covered.

You can feel the rebellious energy wafting off the speakers when "My Generation" by The Who gets its turn on the playlist. This has been an anthem for teenagers who feel like outcasts since its release in 1965 and pure nostalgia for those of us in adulthood. It's a hard rock time machine that takes everyone back to a point when we just couldn't care less (for better or worse). It's also quintessential to proto-punk.

"My Generation" is angsty, but it's also deeper than that. It's a fight for changing times when those in older social circles try to tell the new wave how to look and act and dress, as if societal values don't change from one generation to the next. Talk about the essence of punk rock. The music also points towards punk music to come. The genre has a drive to it that hits hard on the 4/4 time signature, and so does "My Generation," though the instrumental is more complex than most early punk songs. As far as attitude goes, you're unlikely to find a proto-punk song with more of it than this one. Plus, it comes with added bonuses — like riffs from one of the best bassists of all time.

We can't have a list of proto-punk songs without including the Kinks. This is one of, if not the, earliest bands to incorporate the proto-punk sound, and their 1964 hit "All Day and All of the Night" is a prime example of the band creating the type of music that would influence genres like punk and hard rock later on. It's also a song that deserves appreciation regardless of which genre holds that special place in your heart, because this catchy, playful tune will echo in your mind for hours after hearing it.

The power chord-forward drive of the song, the 4/4 drums, and the rhythmic vocals are about as proto-punk as you can get in terms of sound. Dave Davies whips out one of the most epic guitar solos in classic rock mid-song. And, the hook — oh boy — the hook is so hooky that it just sticks in your head. All around, it's a fantastic jam that fits into the British Invasion while somehow feeling a bit harder. You can dance to it or lightly bang your head and it would feel equally relevant.

We can't say that this song single handedly laid the blueprint for punk and other forms of hard rock, but it definitely helped. If only for that reason, rock fans should be familiar with this song.

At the time they released "Search and Destroy" on their 1973 album "Raw Power," the Stooges were going by Iggy and the Stooges. This name would change over the years, but one thing remained: They were the epitome of proto-punk.

"Search and Destroy" specifically is often cited as one of the major influences that helped lead to the formation of punk rock music, and for good reason. This jam has it all. James Williamson's guitar style bleeds into the song fast and heavy. The chord forward drive is complemented by hard rock style lead. Both Iggy's vocals and Scott Asheton's drums follow a simple, rhythmic cadence through much of the song that lends itself to the chromatic head nod you find yourself subconsciously doing while you listen. Every element plays off each other in a musical masterpiece that can be appreciated across rock genres.

This song isn't a protest song in the traditional sense, but it intentionally points out the brutality of war through its lyrics while providing a chaotic energy that wasn't exactly common in early '70s. This is part of that "spirit of punk rock" thing we mentioned earlier. Yet still, you don't have to be a fan of punk music to enjoy it. As long as you're into hard rock, it's a song worth adding to your playlist.

Even though Patti Smith is often called the "godmother of punk," many of her songs fall firmly into the realm of proto-punk. It's simply a line that helps distinguish genres. A lot of her early discography has the raw, confrontational ethos of punk with a less brash, more complex sound that may be preferred by general rock music fans. "Free Money" is a good example of Smith's blended, proto-punk style.

Smith released the song on her 1975 debut album "Horses" right before the punk music genre took off, and it honestly sounds almost more punk than some of the punk hits that came out in the following few years. "Free Money," at its core, is a working class anthem, which was a theme at the heart of the '70s punk rock revolution. And, while Patti Smith recorded several cover songs through her discography, this one's an original.

The lyrics are a daydream about a less fortunate person coming into the kind of money that would change their life. It's a dream many can relate to and what makes "Free Money" a working class song. The instrumental and vocal beats are fast, simple, and driving after you've passed the initial, more artistically brooding intro, which is a big part of what gives it the almost-punk rock sound. Granted, "Free Money" has a lot more complexity and technical artistry than a lot of punk music, and it makes it a better listen for those who enjoy the classic hard rock style.

The proto-punk sound of the New York Dolls is as necessary to punk music as punk music is to punk rockers. In fact, many credit them with the invention of the punk rock genre, and while that's highly debated — with punk's beginning often tracing to later mid-'70s with iconic bands like the Ramones — the Dolls were clearly on the right track. They took elements of glam rock, blended them with driving, simplified power cords, and smashed it with the raw grit and spirit common in the soon-to-come punk rock genre. Songs like "Personality Crisis" from the band's 1973 debut album really encapsulate their place in the progression.

"Personality Crisis" is honestly one of the New York Dolls' tamer songs when it comes to subject matter, discussing how mental health issues can make navigating the world and social situations difficult. When you're familiar with punk rock music, hearing this song for the first time sounds familiar in a strange yet satisfying way — an echo of a near musical future.

There's a simplified groove that fits well with something out of The Who's playbook and piano that brings Jerry Lee Lewis to mind. The vocals, however, are harsher, like the hard rock that had started growing in the mid-'60s, but more raw. And, it all comes together to produce a sound that is easily confused with early punk even though it was a few years before the genre was solidified.