Motor City 5 (MC5) was formed in Detroit in 1965, and is one of the innovators of punk music. From 1969 to 1971, they released a few recordings that influenced the punk music scene. They essentially became a platform for the White Panther Movement or the white supporters of the Black Panther Movement; they wanted to stir up society and induce change. The music featuring screaming guitars, controlled aggression and high energy helped to start the punk music revolution.
The Ramones began in Queens in the early 1970s, and are the first band to popularly embody what punk is known for today. The early members were John Cummings, Thomas Erdelyi, Doug Colvin and Jeffrey Hyman. Their image was dirty, with leather jackets and torn T-shirts. Their music was simple, with high energy and short song length, and they quickly gained popularity because they were unique. Their debut album titled "Ramones" debuted in 1976, and wasn't a major success, but encompassed musical simplicity. They did not gain noteriety until their 1976 tour in England, where they met the members of the Sex Pistols and The Clash, helping fuel the British punk movement.
The Sex Pistols were the first British punk band and they were founded in 1975. They were dropped from three labels for their public antics before signing with Virgin Records in 1977, when they made their only full album, "Never Mind the Bullocks, Here's the Sex Pistols." Their satirical version of "God Save the Queen" became a huge success in Britain. The lyrics were vulgar and band members would often hurt themselves, and fans while on stage. They were denounced throughout England by public figures, but thrived on their underground popularity. Lead singer Johnny Rotten never sang before joining the band, but the point of their music was to offend and shock, in which they succeeded.
The Clash is another major British punk band that was a definite improvement of sound in comparison to the riotous Sex Pistols, and was less violent. The music was simple, repetitive and featured a lot of distortion and screaming. The songs were politically charged and protested many societal woes related to the police, America and racism.