2MCE FM Alt.Eighties: Three Shades of Postpunk
Alt.Eighties 15 July, 2026
Post-punk is one of the most divisive and arguably diverse sub-genres in rock music. It’s often lumped in with alternative and indie rock, but it has undeniable punk roots. A significant amount of modern day music owes its roots to post-punk.
So much of the guitar-centric music that can’t be classified into a clear genre, is some sort of creative offshoot of post-punk influences.
It’s a genre that acknowledges its punk roots but embraces greater ambition in terms of harmony, melody, rhythm, and lyrical content while retaining punk energy and urgency. Most post-punk honour lists feature bands such as Gang of Four, Wire, Joy Division, The Smiths, Echo & the Bunnymen, Sonic Youth, to name but a few.
This week on Alt.Eighties three bands that might not be on all of those lists but were undeniable influencers of the early post-punk sound and approached the genre from different perspectives.
