CBGB was a New York City music nightclub. The letters "CBGB" stand for "country, bluegrass, blues". The club was opened in 1973 by Hilly Kristal. CBGB, soon afterward, became a place where new wave and punk rock bands played. These included Patti Smith Group, Blondie and Talking Heads. From the early 1980s onward, CBGB was known for hardcore punk.