The Pogues sound features traditional Irish folk with influences from the English punk rock movement. They share a background of English and Irish culture. They achieved international prominence in the 1980s and 1990s. After they disbanded in 1996, appeared performing together again in 2001. They blended traditional Irish music with the power of contemporary punk, of which Celtic punk came as a byproduct. They were also highly acclaimed on the larger Celtic Fusion scene. The music press described their style as "Punk Céilidh" due to the artistry of the front man and the innovation of pogo dancing the gigs of their career.

The Pogues were formed in King's Cross, in 1982. The band was perfectionists at Irish folk music, often playing with the energy of the punk rock scene from which several of the members had their origins.

Their politically tinged music showed resonance with The Clash, whom they accompanied on shows. While performing they employed traditional Irish instruments, including the tin whistle, banjo, cittern, mandolin, accordion, and more. After a few line up changes, the departure of Shane MacGowan, a change in style was seen with the band, rock instruments such as the electric guitar became more prominent in their music. The first of The Pogues' albums, Red Roses for Me, shows much influences of the punk tradition, of MacGowan's previous band The Nipple Erectors.

The original line up included Shane MacGowan (vocals), James Fearnley (accordion) and Spider Stacy (tin whistle). They were actually formed when Shane MacGowan, inspired by the Hounslow band JEEP's version of the "Wild Rover" when he came across them at the "Anglers Retreat", a pub located in West Drayton.

In February 2006, the band was honored with the lifetime achievement award at the annual Meteor Ireland Music Awards. 2006 also brought them their first U.S. dates with Shane in over 15 years. This tour was followed by a series of sold-out concerts in Washington D.C., Atlantic City, Boston, and New York. They also performed a series of widely popular and sold out gigs during mid-October 2006 in San Francisco, Las Vegas, and Los Angeles, and the band then traveled all over Glasgow, Manchester, Birmingham, London, Dublin, and Nottingham in mid-December 2006. They embarked for a second US tour in March of 2007, once more to entertain and enthrall at the Roseland Ballroom New York City show on Saint Patrick's Day. They would be playing The Way Out Festival In Gothenburg, Sweden On 10 August and you just can’t afford to miss it. Discography • Red Roses for Me (1984) • Rum, Sodomy, and the Lash (1985) • If I Should Fall from Grace with God (1988) • Peace and Love (1989) • Yeah Yeah Yeah Yeah Yeah (1990) • Hell's Ditch (1990) • Waiting for Herb (1993) • Pogue Mahone (1996) • The Best of The Pogues (1991) • The Rest of The Best (1992) • The Very Best Of The Pogues (2001) • Streams of Whiskey: Live in Leysin, Switzerland 1991 (2002) • The Ultimate Collection including Live at the Brixton Academy 2001 (2005) • Dirty Old Town: The Platinum Collection (Budget CD) (2005)