What Is The Best Song By Sex Pistols

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Fox Reviews Rock

13th Feb 2026

From the ashes of the weekly song poll rises “What Is The Best Song By”. A very similar segment where I want to know what your favourite song(s) by the selected artist is! You can let us know in the comments!

The best thing is that if you don’t know the artist then you can see both our recommendations as well as those by other people.

Fox’s Recommendations

From the moment the song starts Johnny Rotten’s vocals just ooze attitude. It’s in your face and had that ferocious energy that changed the UK almost overnight. That opening line is amazing too!

Sex Pistols – Anarchy In The UK (All Rights Are Retained By Sex Pistols)

Punk is always at it’s best when it is political! This is not only that but also really clever, with a melodic hook that gets you listening. It sparked massive amounts of controversy when it was released, I don’t want to hear a remastered version of this, the roughness is what makes this special.

Sex Pistols – God Save The Queen (All Rights Are Retained By Sex Pistols)

Fox’s Wildcard

A song I have always thought deserved better from the listening public. Who doesn’t like political messages dressed up as travel satire? It’s darker than the hits above it in this post but I would argue technically this might have been the bands best song.

Sex Pistols – Holidays In The Sun (All Rights Are Retained By Sex Pistols)

All rights for the songs used in this post are retained by the recording artist. This site claims no rights over them.

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13 responses to “What Is The Best Song By Sex Pistols”

theharlequinheart

13th Feb 2026

It’s got to be Anarchy in the UK – perhaps it affects me more because of the current political climate we live in that this song just kicks arse.

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1. Fox Reviews Rock
  
  13th Feb 2026
  
  It’s a cracker that is for sure! And as you say relevant today too!
  
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Kit

13th Feb 2026

God save the Queen

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1. Fox Reviews Rock
  
  13th Feb 2026
  
  I do love that song! 🙂
  
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Mike

13th Feb 2026

I grew up listening to the Sex Pistols. Okay dating myself a bit here—that raw, snotty energy hits different when you’ve lived with it since the days of ripped shirts and safety pins. Your picks are spot-on, Fox. Let’s dive in:

Anarchy in the UK — Absolute monster opener. That “I am the Antichrist, I am an anarchist” line still feels like a slap in the face every time. Johnny Rotten’s sneer, Steve Jones’ wall-of-guitar chaos… it’s the ultimate “fuck you” anthem that basically invented punk attitude overnight.

God Save the Queen — No question, this one’s the cultural Molotov cocktail. Dropping “no future” and calling the monarchy a fascist regime right during the Queen’s Silver Jubilee? Genius-level provocation. The melody hooks you in before the venom really lands, and that rough, unpolished production is exactly why it still snarls today. Remasters kill the spirit—keep it filthy.

Holiday in the Sun — Totally agree on the wildcard. Underrated gem. The marching boots intro, the darker vibe, that biting sarcasm about Berlin and holidays as escape… it’s got more musical sophistication than people give it credit for (those riffs and the way it builds). Technically sharp, lyrically savage. Should’ve been massive.

If I had to throw in my personal favorite to round out the list, it’d be Pretty Vacant—that bassline is hypnotic, the chorus is pure earworm rebellion, and it’s got that perfect mix of catchy and contemptuous. “We’re so pretty, oh so pretty… vacant” just nails the bored, nihilistic youth thing perfectly.

But honestly, the whole Never Mind the Bollocks album is a short, sharp shock with almost no filler. Bodies is creepy as hell, EMI is hilariously spiteful, Problems rips along… hard to pick just one “best.”

The Sex Pistols didn’t flood the market with material, so their non-album B-sides are limited but still pack a punch—raw, snarling stuff that didn’t make the cut for Never Mind the Bollocks (which already cherry-picked the cream). These are the standout studio ones from their classic singles era (pre-Sid Vicious chaos and the Great Rock ‘n’ Roll Swindle mess).

Here are the great ones worth hunting down:

Satellite (B-side to “Holidays in the Sun”, 1977) — This one’s a proper hidden gem. Faster and punchier than a lot of the album tracks, with that classic Pistols sneer and a killer riff. Lyrics about being a “satellite” drifting in space—nihilistic and catchy. Many fans reckon it’s as good as anything on Bollocks, and it deserved more love. If you like the darker edge of “Holiday in the Sun” (which you mentioned as a wildcard), this pairs perfectly.

Did You No Wrong (B-side to Virgin “God Save the Queen”, 1977) — Solid, driving punk rocker with Glen Matlock’s basslines shining through. It’s got that early Pistols energy—simple, aggressive, and full of attitude. Not as explosive as the A-sides, but it rips along nicely and feels like a natural extension of the album’s sound.

No Fun (B-side to “Pretty Vacant”, 1977) — Their blistering cover of The Stooges’ classic. Johnny Rotten owns it with that drawn-out, bored-to-death delivery turning into full venom. It’s longer and more sprawling than their usual stuff (over 6 minutes), but the chaos and sneer make it essential. Proto-punk roots showing through—pure attitude.

No Feeling (B-side to the withdrawn A&M “God Save the Queen”, 1977) — This one’s rarer (the single got pulled after like 25 copies), but it’s a snarling early take. Aggressive and unpolished, with that classic Pistols fury. It’s basically an alternate vibe on what became “No Feelings” on the album, but the rawness hits hard.

I Wanna Be Me (B-side to “Anarchy in the UK”, 1976) — Their very first single B-side. Short, sharp, and snotty—classic early Pistols with Glen on bass. It’s got that “we’re here to destroy” vibe in spades.

These are all from the 1976-77 prime era with Rotten, so they fit right in with the Bollocks spirit—unlike later post-Rotten stuff. Most compilations (like the 40th anniversary deluxe or The Original Recordings) bundle them up, so they’re easy to grab if you’re streaming or digging vinyl.

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1. Fox Reviews Rock
  
  13th Feb 2026
  
  You know I do also love pretty vacant, and I love all these B side recommendations! 🙂
  
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bredemarket

13th Feb 2026

I need to confirm its veracity, but the story about “Sub-Mission” is amusing. Malcolm McLaren ordered up a song about bondage, and Lydon (perhaps with Matlock) wrote about submarines instead (“I can’t figure out your watery love”).

In a similar vein, a record executive supposedly wished that Public Image Ltd. would write a nice “love song.” Lydon’s response to that request could be predicted by a child of three.

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1. bredemarket
  
  13th Feb 2026
  
  https://www.songfacts.com/facts/sex-pistols/submission
  
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2. bredemarket
  
  13th Feb 2026
  
  https://www.songfacts.com/facts/public-image-ltd/this-is-not-a-love-song
  
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3. Fox Reviews Rock
  
  13th Feb 2026
  
  Haha love it! 🙂
  
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zootsims1

13th Feb 2026

Anarchy in the UK

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1. Fox Reviews Rock
  
  13th Feb 2026
  
  Great choice! 🙂
  
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lyndhurstlaura

13th Feb 2026

‘God Save the Queen’; I’m patriotic. 🙂

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