Buzzcocks are an English punk rock band whose fast, melodic songwriting helped define the first wave of British punk while laying groundwork for power pop and later pop-punk. Formed in 1976 by Pete Shelley and Howard Devoto, the band emerged from the Greater Manchester punk scene with the independently released Spiral Scratch EP before Shelley and guitarist Steve Diggle became central to classics including “Ever Fallen in Love (With Someone You Shouldn’t’ve),” “What Do I Get?,” “Promises,” “Everybody’s Happy Nowadays,” “Harmony in My Head” and “Why Can’t I Touch It?” Albums such as Another Music in a Different Kitchen, Love Bites and A Different Kind of Tension established their combination of punk speed, pop hooks and emotionally direct songwriting. Following Shelley’s death in 2018, Diggle continued Buzzcocks as the band’s frontman and principal songwriter, with the 2026 album Attitude Adjustment marking their 50th anniversary.
