Circle Jerks (stylized as Ciʀcle JƎʀᴋs) were an American hardcore punk band, formed in 1979 in Los Angeles, California. The group was founded by former Black Flag vocalist Keith Morris and Redd Kross guitarist Greg Hetson. Their debut album, Group Sex, is considered a landmark of the hardcore genre.
The band broke up and re-formed three times, sometimes with different bassists and/or drummers. They disbanded for the first time after the release of their fifth album, 1987's VI, as Hetson decided to continue touring and releasing albums with Bad Religion. They reunited around 1994 and recorded a reunion album, Oddities, Abnormalities and Curiosities, the following year, followed by a tour. After that, the Circle Jerks once again parted ways as Hetson was still involved in Bad Religion. They reunited again circa 2001, but as of 2010, went on indefinite hiatus.
To date, Circle Jerks have released six studio albums, one compilation, a live album and a live DVD.
Many groups and artists have cited Circle Jerks as an influence, including Flea, Anti-Flag, Dropkick Murphys, the Offspring and Pennywise.