Did the Beatles help start Punk Rock?

While the Beatles were certainly a major influence on the development of rock music as a whole, they are not widely considered to be a direct influence on the origins of punk rock. Punk rock emerged in the mid-1970s as a reaction to the perceived excesses and commercialism of mainstream rock music. The Beatles, on the other hand, are generally seen as a part of the classic rock genre that preceded punk.

Punk rock was more influenced by earlier genres such as garage rock, proto-punk, and the DIY ethos of the 1960s counterculture. Bands like the Velvet Underground, The Stooges, and the New York Dolls are often cited as more direct influences on punk rock than the Beatles.