Joan Jett
American rock musician, co-founder of the Runaways and Blackhearts.
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Joan Jett (born Joan Marie Larkin; September 22, 1958) is an American singer, songwriter, guitarist, businesswoman, and actress. Often called the "Godmother of Punk" and "Queen of Rock and Roll," she is widely regarded as a rock icon and a highly influential figure in popular music. Jett first gained prominence as a co-founder and member of the pioneering all-female rock band the Runaways, with whom she performed from 1975 until their breakup in 1979, releasing four studio albums during that time. Following the group's dissolution, Jett recorded her debut solo studio album.
She and record producer Kenny Laguna brought the album to numerous record labels, all of which rejected it. In response, they founded their own independent label, Blackheart Records, in 1980. That self-titled debut album (later reissued as Bad Reputation) became her first entry on the U.S. Billboard 200, driven largely by the attention its title track received.
Building on this success, Jett formed her backing band, Joan Jett and the Blackhearts. Their first studio album, I Love Rock 'n Roll (1981), peaked at No. 2 on the U.S. Billboard 200. Its lead single, a cover of the Arrows' song "I Love Rock 'n Roll," topped the Billboard Hot 100 and many international charts, becoming Jett's signature song and earning induction into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 2016. The album also produced her second top ten single, a cover of Tommy James and the Shondells' "Crimson and Clover." Over her career, Jett released eleven more studio albums; Album (1983) and Up Your Alley (1988) achieved gold and platinum certifications, respectively.
1980s
Her 1988 single "I Hate Myself for Loving You" became her third top ten Hot 100 hit and earned her first Grammy nomination for Best Rock Performance. Other notable Hot 100 singles include "Fake Friends," "Good Music," "Light of Day," "Little Liar," and covers of Gary Glitter's "Do You Wanna Touch Me (Oh Yeah)," AC/DC's "Dirty Deeds," and Sly and the Family Stone's "Everyday People." Jett was named to Rolling Stone's lists of the greatest guitarists of all time in both 2003 and 2023. In 2015, she and the Blackhearts were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Beyond music, she starred alongside Michael J. Fox in the musical drama film Light of Day (1987) and has appeared in various television series.
Background
Joan Jett met songwriter and producer Kenny Laguna in 1979 while fulfilling an obligation of the Runaways to complete a film based on the band's career. They became friends and decided to work together, and Jett relocated to Long Beach, New York, where Laguna was based. After collaborating on Jett's self-titled solo debut, which was released independently on Blackheart Records after being rejected by 23 major labels, Jett formed the Blackhearts with Laguna's assistance. She placed an ad in the LA Weekly stating that she was 'looking for three good men'.
Gary Ryan, born Gary Moss, adopted his stage name upon joining the Blackhearts in 1979, in part to cover up that he was only 15 at the time. The original Blackhearts lineup played several gigs at the Golden Bear in Huntington Beach, California, and the Whisky a Go Go in Hollywood before embarking on their first European tour. Laguna fired drummer Danny 'Furious' O'Brien at the end of the tour, and Lee Crystal became the new drummer.
A spring 1981 concert at the Palladium in New York City was described by music journalists as a career-defining performance. The first single from the album I Love Rock 'n Roll was the title track, a cover of Arrows' 1975 single, which was number one on the Billboard Hot 100 for seven weeks in a row. Jett released Album (1983) and Glorious Results of a Misspent Youth (1984).
A string of Top 40 hits followed, as well as sellout tours with the Police, Queen, and Aerosmith. In 1987, Ryan and Crystal left the Blackhearts and were soon replaced by Thommy Price and Kasim Sulton. Jett's release Up Your Alley went multi-platinum and contains the single 'I Hate Myself for Loving You', which peaked at No. 8 on the Billboard Hot 100. In 2015, Joan Jett and the Blackhearts were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Joan Jett?
Joan Jett, born Joan Marie Larkin in 1958 in Wynnewood, Pennsylvania, is an American singer-songwriter, guitarist, and actress widely celebrated as a rock icon. She is commonly called the "Godmother of Punk" and the "Queen of Rock and Roll" for her decades-long influence on the genre.
What is Joan Jett's signature song?
"I Love Rock 'n Roll" is the track most closely associated with her name, released in 1982 with her band the Blackhearts. It became a defining anthem of the rock-revival era and remains her most recognizable recording.
What were the Runaways?
The Runaways were an all-female rock band that Joan Jett co-founded in 1975, featuring members such as Cherie Currie and Lita Ford. The group was active through 1979 and is remembered as one of the first high-profile female rock bands of the punk and new-wave era.
What is Blackheart Records?
Blackheart Records is the independent label Joan Jett launched to manage her own music career outside the major-label system. Through it, she released Joan Jett and the Blackhearts material and kept creative control over her work for decades.
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Sources
Compiled from Wikipedia and the sources listed below. Text from Wikipedia is available under CC BY-SA 4.0; this entry is adapted from it.
- Wikipedia: Joan Jett (CC BY-SA 4.0).
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