Post-punk is a broad genre of music that originated in the late 70s. The emergence of this direction is associated with a departure from traditional punk rock, which was distinguished by its rigidity and prim lyrics. Funk, dub, disco were often used to create melodies. To some extent post-punk correlates with new wave, neo-psychedelia, gothic-rock. The early post-punk avant-garde scene is represented by Talking Heads, The Slits, Joy Division, Pere Ubu, Gang of Four, Wire, Devo.

The origin and general characteristics of post-punk

Post-punk is a collective genre that includes many styles and sub-styles. Initially, there was no distinction between new wave and post-punk, the first time they began to be distinguished only towards the end of the 70s. Some sources note that Paul Morley of NME is believed to have created this definition. The definition of art-punk was sometimes used, which implied going beyond the usual punk rock with lyrics or music. Music historian Clinton Heylin places the starting point of English post-punk between August 1977 and May 1978. A lot of interesting bands emerge that fit some framework. During this period, the post-punk doctrine was born. If we consider AllMusic, then here the definition means any songs in the punk genre, but with more adventurous and cunning performance, complex lyrics.

Formation of the genre: 1977 - 1979

In the UK, some bands preceded post-punk, where Throbbing Gristle and Cabaret Voltaire stand out. The guys experimented with electronic instruments, often used a tape recorder. Over time, the scene evolved, so the band's Joy Division, Scritti Politti, Gang of Four appeared. Paul Morley, Ian Penman played in the formation of the new trend. The guys paid attention punk to philosophy, radical politics. In the States, Talking Heads are considered the most famous. They have gone mainstream. Later, Devo and Pere Ubu joined the post-punk movement, drawing inspiration and taking conceptual ideas from the industrial environment. In San Francisco, celebrated bands include Tuxedomoon, Chrome, MX-80, and Residents, who spread their own experiments.

Further development of post-punk in the 80s

By the early 1980s, British post-punk had reached a critical milestone in popularity. Some critics have noted that contemporary music has entered a new era, which has allowed to combine pop culture and punk rock sound. John Peel praised Joy Division, PiL. And the number of specialized studios was amazing: Industrial, Mute, 4AD. The young scene centred in London and Manchester. Widespread adoption and commercialization have caused some performers to resent popular culture. This includes Scritti Politti, Paul Haig, Josef K and other avant-garde lovers. During this period, the development of new pop and new romantic begins, which are represented by such groups as ABC, Bow Wow Wow,  The Associates, and so on. These performers focused on fashion, glamour,

The decline in interest and the revival of the musical direction of post-punk

In fact, interest in the post-punk movement disappeared after the commercialization of the sound began. The performers moved to related streams, including new-pop. Several bands from the USA were influential in the emergence of the second wave of the new wave. Other artists have moved into alternative rock, which includes REM. In the 2000s, the style regained popularity and was in demand. Several labels have revived post-punk with reworked compilations. New bands appear, including The Strokes, The Rapture, and others. Critics point out that this is not a revival, but a temporary lapse since the mid-1980s.