X-Ray Spex

British musical group

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July 21, 2026

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X-Ray Spex was a British punk rock band known for their energetic music and socially conscious lyrics. They emerged in the late 1970s, a period when punk was solidifying as a significant international movement. The band's music, characterized by a critique of the music industry and consumerism, contributed to a resurgence of interest in rock music in Britain. Their song "Identity" is cited as an example of their work that addressed the expectations of 1970s teens. X-Ray Spex played a role in punk's broader impact, which influenced various aspects of society, including media tactics and the rise of independent record labels.1

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punk
…the Sex Pistols’ “EMI” and X-Ray Spex’s “Identity”—early British punk spawned a resurgence of interest in rock. Mirroring social upheaval with a series of visionary songs couched in black humour, groups such as the Buzzcocks (“Orgasm Addict”), the Clash (“Complete Control”), and Siouxsie and the Banshees (“Hong Kong Garden”) scored…
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…the Sex Pistols’ “EMI” and X-Ray Spex’s “Identity”—early British punk spawned a resurgence of interest in rock. Mirroring social upheaval with a series of visionary songs couched in black humour, groups such as the Buzzcocks (“Orgasm Addict”), the Clash (“Complete Control”), and Siouxsie and the Banshees (“Hong Kong Garden”) scored…
Read More