I can sum this up pretty easily. You guys all know me, how much I love my punk rock. But when you really break it down, inasmuch as there were a few pivotal years of punk genius, punk also opened the gates to (quoting Jon Spencer) a asspocket of shitty bands insulated by a scene that embraced shitty bands like none other. This whole Ian McKaye van-touring, DIY punk culture made it almost impossible to dislodge a dedicated band, whether good or bad. And let's face it, a lot of punks have awful taste in music. I don't know, maybe I'm just feeling cynical, but when you think about: is the good stuff about punk worth it, even when compared to the reality of dealing with today's punk residue?

I think punk was definitley a plus, for the fact that I think your idea could occur to any type of music. Popular music in general these days is bad, its not just the punk influenced.

Besides whats going on now is just a fad, real punk is timeless to me.

Without Minor Threat, Fear, the Clash and bands that came from punk and went someone else, like the Cure and Joy Division, high school would have been a lot more difficult to get through. Even though I went to high school after most of those bands had broken up, the music fit with my frustration.

I'm sure there are good punk bands out there today, but I've moved on musically and don't really know anymore. Are you talking about radio-friendly pop-punk, or more underground-type stuff. Trying to find a good punk song on the radio seems like an exercise in pure futility to me...

I think punk was a 'plus'. Without punk there'd be no Billy Idol.

I think scene kids evolved from punks, so I'm going to have to say a minus. Nothing depresses me more than that "hXc scrEaMO" shit.

Punk is an obvious plus. Bad music like the emo scene and most pop-punk is an inevitability. There's no real discussion here.

You might as well be asking if rock music is a plus.

I've never been into anything punk-related though, so for me it's definately a minus. I listen to the Misfits, but I'm not even sure if they've ever been considered punk. And even if they were, I could easily live without them.

uhm...yea

No punk means no Dead Kennedys. I'll take a million Rancids and Green Days to ensure that I have my copy of Fresh Fruit For Rotting Vegetables...

And that's only an isolated example. Some things should be obvious instead of merely true.

I always thought the Misfits were goth...

Who the heck is Rancid BTW?