art punk
what it is
Art punk, or artcore, is a subgenre of punk rock in which artists go beyond the genre's rudimentary garage rock and are considered more sophisticated than their peers. These groups still generated punk's aesthetic of being simple, offensive, and free-spirited, but essentially attracted audiences other than the angry, working-class ones that surrounded pub rock. History In the rock music of the 1970s, the "art" descriptor was generally understood to mean either "aggressively avant-garde" or "pretentiously progressive".
✦ start here: albums
✦ who's making it, level by level
level 3 · one step out
cult favorites and indie darlings
level 4 · further
art pop, hyperpop, and the underground
level 5 · all the way
deep experimental
✦ make art punk a playlist
turn these 28 artists into something you can press play on.
✦ nearby genres
questions
What is art punk?
Art punk, or artcore, is a subgenre of punk rock in which artists go beyond the genre's rudimentary garage rock and are considered more sophisticated than their peers. These groups still generated punk's aesthetic of being simple, offensive, and free-spirited, but essentially attracted audiences other than the angry, working-class ones that surrounded pub rock. History In the rock music of the 1970s, the "art" descriptor was generally understood to mean either "aggressively avant-garde" or "pretentiously progressive".
What are good art punk albums to start with?
Try あらためまして、はじめまして、ミドリです。 by ミドリ, Talking Heads '77 by Talking Heads, Enola Gay by asia menor, and Horseshit on Route 66 by The Garden.
Who are some women making art punk?
musicisforgirls.com/genres/art-punk/girls lists women, non-binary artists, and bands with women making art punk, from mainstream to underground.
genre notes from last.fm listeners · artists and albums from last.fm, updated 2026-10-20