The punk band fronted by Joey Ramone that released End of the Century in 1980 was the Ramones. Formed in Queens, New York, in 1974, the Ramones helped establish the stripped-down template of American punk with short songs, rapid tempos, simple chord structures, and an instantly recognizable band identity.
End of the Century was released on 4 February 1980 through Sire Records as the group’s fifth studio album. It was produced by Phil Spector, whose dense “Wall of Sound” techniques made the record more polished and expansive than the Ramones’ earlier recordings. The album included “Do You Remember Rock ’n’ Roll Radio?,” “Chinese Rock,” “Rock ’n’ Roll High School,” and a cover of the Ronettes’ “Baby, I Love You.”
The album is often remembered for the tension between Spector’s slow, elaborate recording methods and the Ramones’ preference for fast, direct sessions. It became the band’s highest-charting album in the United States, reaching number 44 on the Billboard 200. The Damned, Sex Pistols, and The Clash were separate punk groups.