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The Morning Show - With Jill Riley

Coffee Break: Top British punk songs

Promotional portrait of British punk rock group The Clash, 1983. Left to right, Paul Simonon, Mick Jones, Pete Howard, and Joe Strummer (1952 - 2002).
Promotional portrait of British punk rock group The Clash, 1983. Left to right, Paul Simonon, Mick Jones, Pete Howard, and Joe Strummer (1952 - 2002). Epic Records/Hulton Archive/Getty Images

by Jill Riley

June 26, 2023

The mighty Mick Jones, a cofounder of the Clash, was born today in 1955. On the occasion of Jones’ 68th birthday, it’s a great day to cue up some of the music that he and his contemporaries made famous. For this Coffee Break, let’s find some of the rowdiest sounds and the most-cutting commentary that ever came out of the U.K.

For today’s 9:30 Coffee Break, which British punk songs should we play?


Respond with your song ideas in the comments below.

Have an idea for a Coffee Break topic? Submit your idea for a future theme and browse past Coffee Breaks in our archive.

Songs Played
The Clash - Pressure Drop
The Adverts - Gary Gilmore’s Eyes
The Damned - New Rose
The Jam - Going Underground
X-Ray Spex - Oh Bondage, Up Yours!
The Slits - Instant Hit
Siouxsie and the Banshees - Love In a Void
Buzzcocks - Why Can’t I Touch It?
Sham 69 - If The Kids Are United (bonus)