An American Songwriter feature picks out four tracks from the 1970s that the author argues could win over listeners who are sceptical of punk rock. The piece frames the subgenre as an acquired taste and offers these songs as an accessible entry point, drawing on bands that helped define and later influence the punk and glam-punk sound.

The selections include The Ramones' "Teenage Lobotomy" from Rocket to Russia, blending surf-rock and pop-punk with an offbeat storyline about DDT exposure; the Sex Pistols' "Pretty Vacant", which bassist Glen Matlock has linked to the unease of 1970s London amid IRA bombings; the Dead Boys' "Down In Flames", noted for its chant-like intro and rowdy reputation as a Cleveland-formed act; and a track by the New York Dolls, whose glam-punk hybrid sound is credited with influencing later acts including the Sex Pistols, Mötley Crüe and Kiss.

– The Ramones' "Teenage Lobotomy" mixes surf-pop with punk on Rocket to Russia
– The Sex Pistols' "Pretty Vacant" reflected unrest in 1970s London
– The Dead Boys' "Down In Flames" showcases their rowdy Cleveland punk style
– The New York Dolls' glam-punk sound shaped later rock and punk acts