The Ruts (later known as The Ruts D.C.) are an English reggae-influenced punk rock band, notable for the 1979 UK top 10 hit single "Babylon's Burning", and an earlier single "In a Rut", which was not a hit but was highly regarded and regularly played by BBC Radio 1 disc jockey John Peel. The band's newfound success was cut short by the death of lead singer Malcolm Owen from a heroin overdose in 1980. Despite this, the band continued under a different musical style as Ruts D.C. until 1983, when they disbanded.

The band reformed in 2007, shortly before their original guitarist Paul Fox died of cancer the same year. The Ruts D.C. currently consists of the band's original bassist and drummer, John "Segs" Jennings and David Ruffy, with a new guitarist, Leigh Heggarty.

Paul Fox met and befriended Malcolm Owen and Paul Mattocks during his schooling days in Hayes; the three originally formed Aslan, a progressive rock band, and resided in an intentional community until the community's disbandment in 1975, at which point Fox joined a ten-piece funk band called Hit & Run alongside Dave Ruffy and eight other members total.

The Ruts officially formed in Hayes in August 1977 when Fox reunited with Ruffy and Owen. The band's "classic" lineup consisted of singer Malcolm Owen, guitarist Paul Fox, bassist John "Segs" Jennings, and drummer Dave Ruffy. The band played their first live performance in Northolt Middlesex on 16 September 1977; the band they performed with, Mr. Softy, was another group in which Paul Fox was a member.

The Ruts soon became involved in political and anti-racist musical initiatives partially as a response to the band members witnessing the National Front, a Neo-Nazi movement, recruiting youths. Early in the band's career, The Ruts became involved in the Rock Against Racism campaign. At a show for the campaign, The Ruts met members of a British roots reggae band called Misty in Roots, who invited The Ruts to record a single for their label/collective, People Unite. In late 1978, on the People Unite label, The Ruts released their debut single "In a Rut"/"H-Eyes," which sold 20,000 copies.

In a 24 March 1979 interview, Malcolm Owen would suggest that the band's involvement with Rock Against Racism had more to do with the fact that the movement offered The Ruts performing opportunities they otherwise would not have had, and less because of the band's own personal or political stances: "We gigged solidly in the [Rock Against Racism] clubs with bands like [Misty in Roots]. . . . We played gigs like that for a year with virtually nothing else. . . . they were giving us gigs when no one else was." In another interview in February 2009, Ruffy concurred that The Ruts "were not particularly political," but the bandmates were friends with the members of Misty in Roots, and "music really does break down barriers. It was great to play gigs together and present a united front. I feel it was a good thing to present to the crowd, as there was a lot of hatred about what with the rise of the National Front, and the seemingly very racist SPG (Special Patrol Group)... a kind of riot police." Jennings recalled in the same interview that Malcolm Owen met the members of Misty in Roots through connections in the town in which he lived. In a 2013 interview, Jennings stated that the band "didn't set out" to be political and that their lyrics were "just about what we saw was going on at the time," also being inspired by the band members' working class roots and their experiences watching black friends and acquaintances being racially profiled by Southall police: "The messages were, of course, political, but they were very much coming out of the experiences of us and our friends rather than us going 'Let's study politics'." Jennings also said that the members of Misty in Roots introduced members of The Ruts to reggae music during casual hangouts.

"In a Rut" piqued the interest of BBC Radio 1 DJ John Peel. Months after the release of the single, Peel invited the band to perform in one of his radio show's Peel Sessions. The band did not perform "In a Rut" during their set, but their set led to a second session for the BBC, this time at the invitation of DJ David Jensen, in February 1979; Peel invited the band to a second Peel Session in May 1979. Following the band's BBC sessions, Virgin Records executives offered The Ruts a record deal in spring 1979.

Following their signing to Virgin Records, the band recorded and released the 1979 single "Babylon's Burning," which had a B-side of "Society." The song is stylistically rooted in punk rock with reggae influences, with lyrics addressing strife and protest in the UK's urban centres. The single's initial success also led to the band making an appearance on Top of the Pops on 21 June as the song barely reached the top 40 of the UK singles chart, and the band's appearance on Top of the Pops helped propel the song to further chart success. "Babylons' Burning" proved to be The Ruts' highest-charting single, peaking at number 7 on the UK singles chart, remaining on the chart for 11 cumulative weeks, and becoming the fifth most successful punk rock song in UK chart history, behind four songs by the Sex Pistols. It sold 230,000 copies to Jennings' recollection, just 20,000 sales short of achieving silver certification. Their follow-up single, "Something That I Said," peaked in the top 30 of the UK singles chart.