The Sex Pistols' Debut Record, Ranked Among 'Best Punk Albums of All Time', Became A No. 1 Hit
In 1977, British punk band The Sex Pistols changed rock music forever with the release of their first (and last) studio album, Never Mind The Bollocks, Here's The Sex Pistols.
Long before the album's release, the Sex Pistols had become extremely controversial figures in the press due to their loud, brash, carefree attitude and politically charged music. They were the epitome of '70s punk: looking to make as much mess as possible and unafraid of who they'd disturb in the process.
The group had already been fired by two record labels, banned from certain venues in the United Kingdom, and made headlines for swearing on live television before their album was released. They were considered impossible to work with-but of course, that just made their fans love them even more.
By 1977, Virgin Records agreed to release their album, despite many record shops refusing to stock it due to their offence at the profanity in the title. Some record charts even refused to recognize it, holding just a blank space where the Sex Pistols should have been named.
Even when they'd finally found a record label daring enough to release their album, the Sex Pistols struggled to keep themselves together long enough to record it. The band went through several different lineups during the recording sessions, with original bassist Glen Matlock leaving the band halfway through.
He was replaced by Sid Vicious, but the band quickly became unhappy with Vicious' bass playing and decided to have lead guitarist Steve Jones play the instrument instead. This means three different bass players are featured on the record-a testament to just how unstable and unpredictable the Sex Pistols were.
Despite getting banned from certain stores and barely appearing on the chart listings, the Sex Pistols' debut album was a massive commercial success. It sold over 125,000 copies in its first week of release and debuted at No. 1 in the United Kingdom. It stayed on the charts for almost a year, essentially launching the punk rock movement that would become so prevalent over the next few years. The album was recently ranked No. 7 on Rolling Stone's list of the 100 Greatest Punk Albums of All Time.
This story was originally published by Men's Journal on May 23, 2026, where it first appeared in the News section. Add Men's Journal as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
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This story was originally published May 23, 2026 at 5:27 AM.