What type of music did London's The Damned play?

London’s The Damned played punk music.

Formed in London in 1976, The Damned became one of the earliest and most influential English punk bands. The original lineup included vocalist Dave Vanian, guitarist Brian James, bassist Captain Sensible, and drummer Rat Scabies. Their first single, “New Rose,” was released in October 1976 and is widely regarded as the first single by a British punk band.

The group’s debut album, Damned Damned Damned, followed in 1977. It was produced by Nick Lowe and helped establish the band’s fast, aggressive, and irreverent sound. The Damned were part of the first wave of British punk alongside the Sex Pistols and The Clash, and they toured with both groups.

The band later explored gothic rock, psychedelic rock, and garage rock, especially through Dave Vanian’s theatrical style and dark imagery. That later experimentation sometimes causes confusion about their classification, but their original identity and historical importance are firmly rooted in punk rock.