Oi/Street Punk

As arty pretension became the norm rather than the exception in the Punk world of the late '70s, certain English bands decided to return Punk to the streets. Building on Punk's existing slapdash, chaotic foundations, Street Punk neatened the former's sound with hook-laden melodies, catchy choruses, and chanting, sing-along song structures derived from soccer chants. British Street Punk pioneers Sham '69, as well as followers Cock Sparrer, the Business, and Cockney Rejects (whose song "Oi! Oi! Oi!" gave the genre its name) encouraged their listeners to rally under the banner of youth and working class culture -- not to mention shared pints of lager -- while dismissing the political baiting of right-wing groups such as the National Front. Skrewdriver, a nationalist English band who used their music to clearly outline their racist beliefs, created a clear political divide amongst Oi!/Street Punk bands. The early '80s saw Oi!'s arrival on American soil in the form of catchy Hardcore from Atlanta's Anti-Heros and New York's Cro-Mags. In the '90s, America's Templars and Britain's Boisterous resurrected the aggression of first- generation Oi! with a return to its brawl-ready roots.