Punk and New Wave Record Ads

This first book in the Sounds of the Printed Page seriescaptures punk and new wave's rebellious energy and graphic ingenuity that defined an era when underground became mainstream.

From the snarling urgency of the Sex Pistols, the Clash, and Ramones to the art-school cool of Talking Heads, Blondie, and Devo, each ad reveals how music, design, and attitude collided in print.

This book showcases rare promotional art for bands like Joy Division, the Cure, Siouxsie and the Banshees, the Jam, Elvis Costello, Buzzcocks, the Damned, the Police, XTC, and Roxy Music—each page a time capsule of bold typography, raw imagery, and DIY spirit.

More than nostalgia, it’s a visual history of sound and subculture, chronicling how punk and new wave reshaped both rock and visual communication forever.