Straight edge (sometimes abbreviated as sXe or signified by XXX or simply X) is a subculture of hardcore punk whose adherents refrain from using alcohol, tobacco, and other recreational drugs in reaction to the punk subculture's perceived excesses.[1][2][3] Some adherents refrain from engaging in promiscuous or casual sex, follow a vegetarian or vegan diet and do not consume caffeine or prescription drugs.[2] The term "straight edge" was adopted from the 1981 song "Straight Edge" by the hardcore punk band Minor Threat.[4]

The straight-edge subculture emerged amid the early-1980s hardcore punk scene. Since then, a wide variety of beliefs and ideas have been associated with the movement, including vegetarianism and animal rights.[5][6] While the commonly expressed aspects of the straight edge subculture have been abstinence from alcohol, nicotine, and illegal drugs, there have been considerable variations. Disagreements often arise as to the primary reasons for living straight edge. Straight edge politics vary, from explicitly revolutionary to conservative. Some activists have approached Straight Edge with skepticism, ridicule or even outright hostility in part due to what they perceived as the straight edge movement's self-righteous militancy.[7]

In 1999, William Tsitsos wrote that Straight Edge had gone through three eras since its founding in the early 1980s.[8] Bent edge began as a counter-movement to straight edge by members of the Washington, D.C., hardcore scene who were frustrated by the rigidity and intolerance in the scene.[9] During the youth crew era, which started in the mid-1980s, the influence of music on the straight edge scene was at an all-time high. By the early 1990s, militant straight edge was a well-known part of the wider punk scene. In the early to mid-1990s, straight edge spread from the United States to Northern Europe,[10] Eastern Europe,[11] the Middle East,[12] and South America.[13] By the beginning of the 2000s, militant straight-edge punks had largely left the broader straight-edge culture and movement.
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1970s and early 1980s

Straight edge grew out of hardcore punk in the late 1970s and early 1980s and was partly characterized by shouted rather than sung vocals.[15] Straight-edge individuals of this early era often associated with the original punk ideals such as individualism, disdain for work and school, and live-for-the-moment attitudes.[8] The movement was influenced by the political and social climate of its origin, around the time of the "Just Say No" campaign and a rise in conservative viewpoints. The discipline of the subculture came from a mix of leftist radicalism and conservative influences.[16]

Straight edge sentiments can be found in songs by the early 1980s band Minor Threat.[17] This anti-inebriation movement had been developing in punk before Minor Threat, but their song "Straight Edge" was influential in giving the scene a name, and something of a (somewhat unwilling) figurehead.[18] Minor Threat frontman Ian MacKaye is often credited with birthing the straight edge name and movement and in later years has often spoken out about how he never intended it to be a movement.[19]

Straight edge sentiments can also be found in the song "Keep it Clean" by English punk band The Vibrators, and the Modern Lovers song "I'm Straight", recorded in 1973, which rejected drug use.[20] Ted Nugent was a key influence on the straight edge ideology as one of the few prominent 1970s hard rock icons to eschew alcohol and other drug use explicitly.[21]

Straight edge started in Washington, D.C., and quickly spread throughout the United States and Canada.[22] By the 1980s, bands on the West Coast, such as America's Hardcore, Stalag 13, Justice League, and Uniform Choice, were gaining popularity. In the early stages of this subculture's history, concerts often consisted of both punk bands and straight edge bands. Circumstances soon changed, and the early 1980s eventually was viewed as the time "before the two scenes separated".[15] Other early straight edge bands include State of Alert, Government Issue, Teen Idles, The Faith, 7 Seconds, SSD, DYS, and Negative FX.[4][23][24]

Youth crew (mid-1980s)

During the youth crew era, which started in the mid-1980s, the influence of music on the straight-edge scene seemed to be at an all-time high. The branches of straight edge that came about during this era seemed to originate from ideas presented in songs, and many youth crew bands had a strong heavy metal influence.[27] Notable youth crew bands included: Youth of Today,[27] Gorilla Biscuits,[27] Judge, Bold, Chain of Strength, Turning Point, Uniform Choice, and Slapshot.[28]

In the mid-1980s, the band Youth of Today became associated with the straight-edge movement, and their song "Youth Crew" expressed a desire to unite the scene into a movement.[29] Vegetarianism became an important theme in straight edge during this era,[30] starting with Youth of Today's 1988 song "No More", which contained lyrics condemning the consumption of meat.[31] This trend toward animal rights and veganism within the straight edge movement reached its peak in the 1990s.[30]

1990s

By the early 1990s, straight edge became a well-known part of the wider punk and DIY scene and underwent musical and political shifts. In the early part of the decade, several straight-edge punks and their bands picked up on the vegetarian and other social justice politics of the mid-1980s and began comprehensively advocating for social justice, animal liberation, veganism, and straight edge. During this period, the straight edge scene birthed two major offshoots: the more conservative hardline[32] and the Krishna Consciousness influenced, retrospectively known as Krishnacore.[33] While the majority of straight edge punks and Hare Krishna converts were pacifists, those influenced by hardline showed a willingness to resort to violence to promote their subculture.[34] Musically, the straight edge scene increasingly was drawing from heavy metal and was a founding influence on metalcore.[35][36]

2000s

By the beginning of the 2000s, only small groups of militant straight edge individuals remained.[14] Contrary to news reports that portrayed straight edge as a gang,[37][38] several studies have shown that straight edge individuals as a whole are mostly peaceful people.[39] In the 2000s, there was a growing amount of tolerance of people who do not follow the straight edge lifestyle by straight edge individuals.[40] In this incarnation of straight edge, the musical styles of the bands involved are more varied, ranging from a youth crew revival style to metalcore to posicore.[14] Straight edge bands from the 2000s include Allegiance, Champion, Down to Nothing, Embrace Today, Have Heart, and Throwdown.[41]