Punk and Moral Panic: How Media Turned Rebels Into Threats

This episode explores how mainstream newspapers, TV networks, police departments, and political groups turned punk’s raw energy into a national moral panic, using case studies from the UK, US, and beyond. It looks at specific incidents—like the Daily Mail’s “death squad” headline for the Ramones, the BBC ban on Sex Pistols’ ‘God Save the Queen’, police crackdowns on Dead Kennedys shows, and the 2000s Parents Music Resource Center campaigns—and how these narratives shaped public perception and policy. Through a balanced view of contemporary reporting, fan reactions, and subsequent fallout, we uncover the complex dynamics between punk’s DIY ethos and institutional power.

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