Anger and anarchy take a backseat to boredom on “Pretty Vacant,” the Sex Pistols’ glorification of apathy. A generation of lost, alienated teenagers identified with the British punk band’s third single, which hit #6 on the charts in 1977. Guitarist Glen Matlock was inspired to write the tune’s melody after hearing ABBA’s “S.O.S.” on the radio. The band played “Pretty Vacant” on the British music show "Top of the Pops" and consequently was not invited back. The song became infamous for Johnny Rotten’s sneering, intentional mispronunciation of the second syllable of “vacant,” making it sound like an unprintable obscenity.

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