The Groove

The greatest art punk artists of all time

17 artists ranked by the Groove — music.nw’s own measure of renown. Not an opinion, a fact computed from the record. Why?

No. 1

Wire

United Kingdom · 1976– · post-punk

4.955

Why this number?

The full board

2 IDLES

United Kingdom · 2009– · post-punk 3.066

3 Television

United States of America · 1973–2023 · rock 2.640

4 Pere Ubu

United States of America · 1975– · post-punk 2.592

Talking Heads

United States of America · 1974–1991 · new wave 2.253

6 Cardiacs

United Kingdom · 1977–2020 · art rock 1.716

7 Patti Smith

United States of America · 1946– · art rock 0.895

8 DEVO

United States of America · 1972– · new wave 0.726

9 Patti Smith Group

United States of America · rock 0.600

10 Magazine

United Kingdom · 1977– · post-punk 0.563

11 Viagra Boys

Sweden · 2015– · post-punk 0.518

12 Minutemen

United States of America · 1980–1985 · post-punk 0.460

Sonic Youth

United States of America · 1981–2011 · alternative rock 0.436

14 Gang of Four

United Kingdom · 1977– · post-punk 0.386

15 Black Country, New Road

United Kingdom · 2018– · post-rock 0.291

16 Suicide

United States of America · 1975–2016 · no wave 0.277

17 Oingo Boingo

United States of America · 1972–1995 · new wave 0.267