What was the title of the Sex Pistols’ first single, released in 1976?

The Sex Pistols’ first single, released in 1976, was “Anarchy in the U.K.”

The single was released by EMI on 26 November 1976, with “I Wanna Be Me” on the B-side. It was the band’s debut release and introduced Johnny Rotten’s confrontational vocal style, Steve Jones’s guitar, Glen Matlock’s bass, and Paul Cook’s drums. The song was written by the four members of that original recording lineup.

“Anarchy in the U.K.” became a defining statement of British punk because of its aggressive sound, politically charged title, and refusal to follow conventional pop presentation. The band’s television appearance on the Today programme soon afterward intensified public controversy around them.

EMI dropped the Sex Pistols after the band’s behavior and publicity created a national scandal. The group later re-recorded the song for the soundtrack project The Great Rock ’n’ Roll Swindle, but the original 1976 EMI version remains the canonical first single.