For much of its history, punk music has been focused on energetic live shows and local music scenes, due to the non-marketability of most punk music and to the anti-corporate politics of many punk bands. As such, certain cities throughout the world have been important centers of the development of punk. The most significant are London and New York City, the birthplaces of the genre, though other scenes have brought regional variations to the core sound.

For each city, significant local events, bands, record companies and venues are listed in alphabetical order.

• Brazil
  • Curitiba, Paraná (92 Graus )
  • São Paulo, São Paulo (Ratos de Porão)
• Canada
  • Oakville, Ontario (Zeroption)
  • Toronto, Ontario (Crash and Burn , The Diodes, Fifth Column)
  • Vancouver, British Columbia (D.O.A., Nomeansno, Subhumans, SNFU)
  • Victoria, British Columbia (Dayglo Abortions)
  • Winnipeg, Manitoba (Propagandhi)
• Czech Republic
  • Prague (Destyl)
• Germany
  • Berlin (Die Ärzte, Beatsteaks, Terrorgruppe)
• Indonesia
  • Bandung (Runtah , Keparat )
  • Jakarta (7 Deadly Sins , Tengkorak )
• Malaysia
  • Terengganu (Joe Kidd , Mallaria, The Pilgrims , Rator )
• South Africa
  • Durban (Wild Youth , Power Age )
• Sweden
  • Klippan (Kriminella Gitarrer )
  • Örebro (59 Times the Pain , Liberator, Millencolin, No Fun At All)
  • Stockholm (Ebba Grön)
• United Kingdom
  • Belfast (Good Vibrations Records , Stiff Little Fingers, The Undertones)
  • Brighton (Peter and the Test Tube Babies, The Piranhas)
  • London (The Clash, The Roxy Club , Sex Pistols, Crass, The Bromley Contingent, 100 Club Punk Festival, The Damned, The Adverts, Sham 69, Siouxsie and The Banshees)
  • Leeds (Fast Product, Gang of Four, The Mekons)
  • Manchester (Buzzcocks, The Fall, Factory Records, Joy Division)
• USA
  • Akron, Ohio (Devo, Tin Huey , The Cramps (1973 - 1975), The Waitresses)
  • Austin, Texas (Big Boys, The Dicks, Lower Class Brats)
  • Berkeley, California (Beserkley Records , Berkeley Square, Gilman Street Project, Green Day, Lookout! Records, Rancid, AFI)
  • Bloomington, Indiana (Ghost Mice, Operation Cliff Calvin , Plan-It-X )
  • Boston (Bastard Squad , DMZ, Dropkick Murphys, Mighty Mighty Bosstones, Mission of Burma)
  • Cleveland (Disastrodrome , The Pagans , Pere Ubu, Rockets from the Tomb , The Dead Boys)
  • Chicago (Big Black, Screeching Weasel, The Effigies )
  • Columbia (In/humanity , Antischism, Guyana Punch Line , Stretch Arm Strong)
  • Detroit (MC5, Don't-Ask , The Sillies, The Stooges, Bookie's Club 870 , Nebula Records )
  • Gainesville, Florida (Less Than Jake, Hot Water Music, Discount, Against Me!, No Idea Records)
  • Long Beach, California (The Middle Class , SST Records, Sublime, Suburban Lawns )
  • Los Angeles, California (Bad Religion, Black Flag, Circle Jerks, The Germs, The Bags, The Weirdos, DI, TSOL-Orange County, Skulls, The Dils, The Screamers, Nervous Gender, The Vandals, NOFX, X, The Masque, Cathay de Grande, Raji's)
  • Milwaukee (Death, Violent Femmes)
  • Minneapolis (Babes in Toyland, Dillinger Four, Hüsker Dü, The Suicide Commandos, The Replacements, Twin Tone Records )
  • Minot, North Dakota (the Liberty, the AMP)
  • New Haven, Connecticut (The Anthrax , 76% Uncertain , Youth of Today, Incas Records , The Tune Inn , Broken, The Pist, Das Fuors , The Reducers )
  • New York City (CBGB, Agnostic Front, The New York Dolls, Ramones, The Misfits¹, Patti Smith, Teenage Jesus and the Jerks, The Velvet Underground, Max's Kansas City, Television, Talking Heads)
  • Olympia, Washington (Beat Happening, Bikini Kill, K Records, Kill Rock Stars, Mukilteo Fairies, Nirvana, Riot grrl, Sleater-Kinney, Team Dresch)
  • Philadelphia (The Dead Milkmen)
  • Pittsburgh (Anti-Flag, Aus-Rotten, The Five, Ground Zero)
  • Portland, Oregon (The Wipers, Poison Idea)
  • Richmond, Virginia (Avail, Hoi Polloi , Sixer )
  • San Francisco (Alternative Tentacles, The Avengers, Dead Kennedys, Flipper, Mabuhay Gardens, Negative Trend , Tribe 8)
  • San Pedro, California (The Minutemen)
  • Seattle (The Berserkers , The Gits , Sunny Day Real Estate)
  • Washington DC (Bad Brains, Dischord Records, Fugazi, Minor Threat, straight edge punk)

¹ Technically from New Jersey but often played in New York City.