Proto-punk (or protopunk) is the music from the early 1960s to mid-1970s that influenced punk rock. Typically, proto-punk artists are not always themselves classified as punk, and proto-punk is not a distinct music genre as it includes a wide range of musical backgrounds and styles, including much garage rock.

Proto-punk (or protopunk) is the music from the early 1960s to mid-1970s that influenced punk rock. Typically, proto-punk artists are not always themselves classified as punk, and proto-punk is not a distinct music genre as it includes a wide range of musical backgrounds and styles, including much garage rock.