3 Modern Punk Rock Songs That Prove the Genre Never Died

Punk‘s not dead, but it has evolved. Most notably, it’s evolved to include more women in the scene. This opens the door for those who write from a unique perspective that men just can’t capture. Here are three modern punk songs specifically including women that prove the genre never died.

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“Company Culture” － Lambrini Girls

Brighton, England-based punk duo Lambrini Girls have an explosive style with raw, angry lyrics. Much of their music reflects parts of the modern female experience. Things like eating disorders and self-image, romantic entanglements, and, in “Company Culture,” getting harassed at work.

“Company Culture” depicts workplace harassment with Lambrini Girls’ signature snide, satirical attitude. They’re pissed. Also, they’re going to let you know about it with far more teeth than filing a complaint with HR. This track essentially satirizes what women are often subjected to in the workplace: “Day on the job looking hot playing dumb / When will I learn that men just do it better?”

“Bale of Hay” － The Pill

The Pill is a chaotic duo from the Isle of Wight that takes punk to a more humorous level while also making important statements. They’ve released several singles about bribing your boyfriend to shave his mullet, being an uninsured woman driver, and being blonde.

“Bale of Hay” takes a hilarious approach to identity and self-confidence, with the lyrics describing an intensely blonde woman. There’s a sense that the speaker is teased for her blondness. It’s described in the lines “I’m a pale-faced secret ginger / Noodles on my head like a wet rag / Burnt in the sun, I’m an Ibiza dad.” However, she is as intensely confident as she is intensely blonde. This occurs in the line, “You expect me to be a sex icon? / Oh wait, I am.”

“You Hear Yes” － Destroy Boys, Mannequin Pussy, Scowl

“You Hear Yes” appears on Destroy Boys’ fourth album, Funeral Soundtrack #4. It features fellow punk bands Mannequin Pussy and Scowl, both fronted by women. This is an intense track that depicts the various social issues women deal with daily.

The song opens on a strong line. “All I ask for is respect / I don’t get it from the state and I don’t get it from men.” This sets the tone right off the bat. The issues are pressed further in the chorus. “I’m sick of being sad when I’m alone / I’m sick of being scared on my walk home / I’m sick of being trapped by what you impose / You hear ‘yes’ when I say ‘no.’”

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