Lydon considered the Stones an anti-punk band.

The Sex Pistols frontman did not dispute their musical importance, but believed that money had distanced them from the spirit of rock and roll.

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Photo: Shutterstock
Photo: Shutterstock
Disclaimer: The translations are mostly done through AI translator and might not be 100% accurate.

Punk emerged in the late 1970s as a kind of rebellion against the musical establishment and the increasing commercialization of rock and roll. For its protagonists, authenticity and freedom of expression were more important than market success. In this context, the Rolling Stones represented almost the opposite side of rock and roll for John Lydon.

The band, which was already one of the world's biggest attractions in the early 1970s, turned its popularity into a huge business. During a 32-date North American tour in 1972, the Stones earned a then-record four million dollars, which would be worth more than $30 million today.

It was precisely this attitude towards money that bothered Lydon. The Sex Pistols frontman, one of the most recognizable symbols of British punk, believed that the Rolling Stones no longer had much in common with the rebellious spirit that his movement was trying to bring back to rock and roll.

Speaking about the band, Lydon didn't argue that they should stop doing what they were doing, but he openly questioned their motives.

"Good luck to them. If they enjoy what they do, I'd say - well and good. But I'm not sure that's the reason they exist. I think it's much more about making money," said Lydon.

This attitude was close to the basic idea of ​​punk - resistance to the commercialization of rock and roll and the music industry. The Stones, on the other hand, were already one of the most successful bands in the world and were just showing how big business rock and roll could become.

Keith Richards was not beholden to the punk movement. Criticizing punks, he argued that its most famous representatives did not actually bring much new musically. However, regardless of the mutual name-calling, it is difficult to look at the history of rock and roll without both bands.

The Rolling Stones helped make rock and roll a global phenomenon, while the Sex Pistols and other punk bands tried to, at least symbolically, break it away from the industry, money, and rules that had built up around it.

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