Is Punk Dead? Not a Chance! Amyl and the Sniffers Prove Rock Still Has Teeth

Every few years somebody announces that punk is dead. Apparently, somebody forgot to tell the bands still playing it. Not me, anyway. Punk never died in my book. It simply moved around, changed its clothes, picked up a few new influences and found its way into all sorts of music. Sometimes it comes roaring back when you least expect it. That’s exactly what happened when I discovered Amyl and the Sniffers.

To me, raw rock is punk. It doesn’t necessarily need a mohawk, a leather jacket, safety pins or somebody shouting about the establishment. Those things are part of its history, but the real ingredient is attitude. It’s a guitar turned up, a singer who doesn’t need permission and a group that would rather make a glorious racket than polish every rough edge away. This Australian four-piece has that spirit running through its veins.

Amyl and the Sniffers began in Melbourne, with Amy Taylor, guitarist Declan Martens and drummer Bryce Wilson at the heart of the early lineup. They were friends and housemates, making music without some elaborate career strategy. Bassist Gus Romer became part of the familiar four-piece lineup. They wanted to play gigs, have some fun and make a little noise.

Their first EP, Giddy Up, is one of those stories that makes you wonder what everyone else is doing with their time. The band wrote and recorded it in their shared house in about twelve hours. It runs for roughly five minutes. They even discovered after an early performance that their short set wasn’t long enough for the bookers. Nobody had told them they needed fifteen minutes of music. Their solution was to write more songs. Problem solved, eventually!

Then there’s the name. Amyl refers to amyl nitrite, commonly known as poppers in Australia. The name was inspired by the substance’s short-lived rush, and Amy has joked that the band is much the same: a quick hit followed by a headache. That’s one way to introduce yourself to the music business. You won’t find many corporate branding consultants recommending it.

Taylor is a huge part of the attraction. Her unmistakable Australian accent, fearless stage presence and no-nonsense delivery make her difficult to ignore. Before the band took off, she worked at an IGA supermarket. She later referenced that job in “Snakes”, from their second album, Comfort to Me. There’s something satisfying about turning your old day job into a rock lyric. Somewhere, an old supervisor is probably still recovering.

The band’s sound has roots in Australian pub rock, garage rock and punk. You can hear the influence of AC/DC and local favourites Cosmic Psychos, but Amyl and the Sniffers have developed a personality of their own. Their songs can be funny, confrontational and completely uninterested in behaving themselves.

Their self-titled debut album arrived in 2019, followed by Comfort to Me in 2021 and Cartoon Darkness in 2024. The audiences grew, the tours got bigger and the awards started arriving. In 2025, they won four ARIA Awards, including Album of the Year and Best Group. Their song “U Should Not Be Doing That” earned a nomination for Best Rock Performance at the 2026 Grammy Awards. In April 2026, they collected three APRA Music Awards, including Song of the Year for “Jerkin’”.

So, where should you start listening? Spotify’s lifetime streaming rankings offer one way to see which songs have found the biggest audience. “Hertz” leads the band’s most-streamed tracks, with “U Should Not Be Doing That” close behind. You can listen to Amyl and the Sniffers on Spotify and explore their albums for yourself.

1. Hertz
2. U Should Not Be Doing That
3. Security
4. you’re a star
5. Guided by Angels
6. Jerkin’
7. Got You
8. Big Dreams
9. Chewing Gum
10. GFY

Here’s a look at ten of their most popular songs, ranked by lifetime Spotify streams:

But I have two personal favourites: “Big Dreams” and “U Should Not Be Doing That”. Just these two songs give you a sense of what the group is about and where it might be heading. “Big Dreams” reveals another side, with ambition and emotion beneath the guitars. Then “U Should Not Be Doing That” comes charging through with Amy Taylor’s fearless delivery and an attitude that refuses to sit quietly in the corner.

And that’s what really gets me. Their music is in your face, punching at you with a fury. Before you have a chance to figure out what just happened, you’re already reaching for the volume button to hear it all over again. Taylor doesn’t ease you into anything. She grabs you by the collar and throws you straight into the action. It’s the sort of musical assault that leaves you catching your breath and wanting another round.

What makes the group so appealing is that it doesn’t feel manufactured. There’s a cheeky defiance and an honesty that remind me why I fell for rock music in the first place. You can smile, wince, laugh and get your ears ringing, sometimes all within the same song. That’s a pretty good combination.

Their story began with friends making music in a Melbourne share house, not some carefully manufactured plan to become international rock stars. They plugged in, played hard and let the audience find them. That’s a pretty good way to start a rock band, if you ask me.

So, is punk dead? Not a chance. It might be hiding in a Melbourne share house, wearing a mullet, making a five-minute EP and preparing to give the neighbours a very long evening.

I think I’ve found my answer. Turn it up, Amyl!