Joan Jett (born September 22, 1958) is an American singer and musician whose raucous, three-chord guitar-playing and rebellious image made her a trailblazer in the male-dominated genre of rock music. She was a member of the all-female, teenage punk-rock band the Runaways in the 1970s before becoming a successful solo artist in the 1980s.
After the breakup of her previous band, The Runaways, Jett embarked on a solo career. In 1980, with producer and manager Kenny Laguna, she formed Joan Jett and the Blackhearts. The original lineup included Gary Ryan on bass, Lee Crystal on drums, and Ricky Byrd on guitar, who would later be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame alongside Jett and Laguna.
Jett’s self-titled solo album, released in 1980, was initially rejected by 23 major record labels. Undeterred, she and Laguna founded their own label, Blackheart Records, and sold the album independently. Its success eventually led to a deal with Boardwalk Records, which re-released the album in 1981 under the new title, Bad Reputation.
Her 1981 album, I Love Rock ‘n Roll, was a massive success. The title track, a cover of a 1975 song by the Arrows, became a number-one hit on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1982 and remains her most iconic song. The album also featured another Top 10 hit, “Crimson and Clover,” a cover of the Tommy James & the Shondells song.
Throughout the 1980s, Joan Jett became a powerful force in rock music, touring extensively with major acts like The Police, Queen, and Aerosmith. Her no-nonsense attitude, signature shag haircut, and leather-clad style made her a symbol of empowerment for women in rock. She defied industry norms by founding her own record label and proved that a woman could be a frontwoman and a creative force in a male-dominated genre. Her music, a fusion of hard rock and punk, influenced countless artists and cemented her status as a rock and roll legend.
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