Post-punk was a popular musical movement beginning at the end of the 1970s, following on the heels of the initial punk rock explosion of the mid 1970s. The genre retains its roots in the punk movement but is more introverted, complex and experimental.

Classic examples of post-punk outfits include The Psychedelic Furs, Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds, The Fall, Gang of Four, Siouxsie and the Banshees, Orange Juice, Joy Division/New Order, Killing Joke, Echo & the Bunnymen, The Cure, Depeche Mode, Wire and Tubeway Army. Bands such as Crass and Throbbing Gristle also came within the scope of post-punk, as with several outfits formed in the wake of traditionally punk rock groups: Magazine from Buzzcocks, for instance, or Public Image Ltd. from the Sex Pistols. A list of predecessors to the post-punk genre of music might include Television, whose album Marquee Moon, although released in 1977 at the height of the punk movement, is considered definitively post-punk in style.

Championed by late night BBC disc jockey John Peel and record label/shop Rough Trade (amongst others, including Postcard Records, Factory Records, Axis/4AD, Falling A Records, Industrial Records, Fast Product, and Mute Records), "post-punk" could arguably be said to encompass many diverse groups and musicians. The original post-punk movement took place largely in the United Kingdom, with significant scenes throughout the world, though North American and other non-British bands weren't often recognized worldwide. Some notable exceptions include North Americans Pere Ubu, Suicide, early Hüsker Dü, Boston's Mission of Burma, Australia's The Birthday Party, The Church, Brazil's Legião Urbana and Ireland's U2 and The Virgin Prunes.