Ramones

The Ramones were an American punk rock band formed in 1974 in the Forest Hills neighborhood of Queens, New York City. Widely credited as pioneers who defined the punk rock sound, the original lineup adopted matching stage surnames — Joey, Johnny, Dee Dee and Tommy Ramone — despite having no actual family relation. Their stripped-down, high-speed, three-chord songwriting on tracks like «Blitzkrieg Bop», «Judy Is a Punk» and «Sheena Is a Punk Rocker» became a blueprint for punk bands worldwide.

The group toured relentlessly, playing an estimated 2,263 concerts over 22 years of near-constant touring, before disbanding after a farewell show following a 1996 Lollapalooza run. Their catalog also includes fan favorites such as «I Wanna Be Sedated», «Pet Sematary» and «Teenage Lobotomy», tracks that blended dark humor with pop-punk hooks.

All four original members — Joey (d. 2001), Johnny (d. 2004), Dee Dee (d. 2002) and Tommy (d. 2014) — passed away by 2014, but the band's influence only grew over time. In 2002 the original members plus later drummer Marky Ramone were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, and in 2011 the group received a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award.