The idea of anti-consumerism is a major aspect of the Punk subculture. Members of the subculture believe that in order to truly withhold the art within the music, within the words, artists must not worry about profit or consumption.

John Lydon said, "Don't be told what you want/ don't be told what you need."

(Savage)

Mainstream music meant people would consume it, it was what they wanted, and to the larger corporations, this meant money. At the same time, Punks protested the media because they promoted for the large corporations.