Although their life as a punk band lasted just a few years in the late 1970s, the Sex Pistols had a lasting impact on both punk (see entry under 1970s—Music in volume 4) music and music in general. As a leading group in the British punk scene, the Sex Pistols combined the raw sound of loud guitars, bass, drums, and snarling vocals with an aggressive attitude that challenged conventional society and bordered on anarchy (denial of the authority of a government or an established society).

Formed in late 1975 by boutique owner Malcolm McLaren (1946–), the band consisted of guitarist Steve Jones (1955–), bassist Glen Matlock (1956–), drummer Paul Cook (1956–), and singer John Lydon (1956–), who went by the name Johnny Rotten. Matlock was later replaced on bass by Sid Vicious (John Simon Richie, 1957–1979). In November 1976, they released their first single, "Anarchy in the U.K." Their sound was abrasive. When...