Pub rock (Australia)

Pub rock is a style of Australian rock and roll that peaked in popularity throughout the 1970s and 1980s, and that continues to influence Australian music into the 21st century. It is named after the live music circuit in which most associated bands developed their sound: inner-city and suburban pubs. These often noisy, hot, small and crowded venues favoured loud, riff-based heavy rock.

Australian pub rock incorporates hard rock and blues rock, and occasionally elements of progressive rock and psychedelic rock. It emerged in the early 1970s, with bands such as Buffalo, Blackfeather, and Billy Thorpe & The Aztecs pioneering the sound. Later acts such as Rose Tattoo, AC/DC and Hunters & Collectors expanded the genre further and achieved mainstream success.

In a few Australian cities, particularly Melbourne, pub rock was associated with the Sharpies youth subculture.