In the world of rock and roll, we have many icons to inspire us to be more rebellious, to embrace who we truly are, to fight for the causes we believe in, and all of this, of course, accompanied by an impeccable soundtrack. One of these icons, one of the most important among them, is Joan Jett.
Born in 1958 in the suburbs of Philadelphia, USA, Joan Marie Larkin achieved success alongside other incredible women with the band The Runaways . In the 1970s, the group, formed by Sandy West, Lita Ford, Cherie Currie , and Jackie Fox – with Micki Steele, Peggy Foster, Vicki Blue , and Laurie McAllistar also having been part of the lineup – transformed rock for us women. The Runaways released four studio albums: the self-titled one in 1976, Queens of Noise (1977), Waitin' for the Night (1977), and And Now… The Runaways (1978). All were very successful.
When it came to an end in '79, its members pursued solo careers, such as Joan Jett. She continued her work in rock on her own (with the albums Joan Jett, from 1980, and The Hit List, from 1990) and with the project The Blackhearts , with whom she released ten albums and is still active today.
Considered the Queen of Rock and Godmother of Punk , the singer, guitarist, bassist, producer, and actress is the owner of major hits such as “Bad Reputation”, “I Hate Myself For Loving You”, “Crimson and Clover”, “Little Liar”, “Do You Wanna Touch Me”, “Light of Day”, and “Everyday People”, among others. In addition to contributing to rock with her great classics, the mezzo-soprano also lends her voice and riffs to feminism, fighting for rights, pride, and female representation worldwide, and especially in rock, a space predominantly occupied by men.
Joan Jett, also an icon in the fashion world, presented a range of new possibilities for women: dressing as they pleased, pushing the boundaries of what was considered feminine, speaking their minds, facing adversity, and achieving independence.
She released her last album of original material in 2013, Unvamished , but since then she has worked on live albums, remasters of her older works, a documentary titled Bad Reputation with an incredible soundtrack, and a cover of T. Rex . Her work is extensive and featured here on Wikimetal . Below you will find a curated playlist with the best and greatest songs from the Queen of Rock's repertoire, to celebrate the artist and her importance in the genre we admire so much. Turn up the volume and enjoy some great and incredible rock and roll with Joan Jett! (The playlist is also available on Deezer )
