Joan Jett with members of Nirvana perform “Smells Like Teen Spirit” (Uploaded to YouTube by Rock & Roll Hall of Fame) Fox’s sister and fellow musician in Light of Day, performing the title track written by Bruce Springsteen, and co-wrote Alice Cooper’s hit “House of Fire.” 5. During this period, Jett also played Michael J. And, of course, it was adapted into “Waiting All Day for Sunday Night,” the opening theme for NBC’s long-running Sunday Night Football (that is, of course, Jett on guitar). Though the song peaked at #8, it stayed in the Hot 100 six weeks longer than “I Love Rock ‘n Roll” did. In 1988, Jett co-wrote her other biggest song, “I Hate Myself for Loving You” with Desmond Child, known for his work with everyone from Bon Jovi to Kelly Clarkson. Jett has continued to write, record, and tour for more than four decades. “I Hate Myself for Loving You” (Uploaded to YouTube by Joan Jett and the Blackhearts) The single has been heaped with critical acclaim, including places on both Billboard’s and Rolling Stones’ lists of the Greatest Songs of All Time and enshrinement in the Grammy Hall of Fame. The album managed to hit #2 on its own chart. and remains on Billboard’s all-time Hot 100. in the spring of 1982 and reach #1 in ten other countries it was the #3 song of the year for 1982 in the U.S. It would hold the #1 spot for seven straight weeks in the U.S. The video hit heavy rotation on fledgling MTV as the song rocketed up the charts.

The title single hit stores and radio a couple of weeks later and exploded. Recorded through of the summer of 1981, I Love Rock ‘n Roll released 40 years ago this week. This line-up would last through a good chunk of the 1980s and, along with Laguna and Jett, would be the members officially inducted in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2015. It included guitarist Ricky Byrd, bassist Gary Ryan, and drummer Lee Crystal. “I Love Rock ‘n Roll” (Uploaded to YouTube by Joan Jett and the Blackhearts)įor her second album, Jett assembled the first version of her ongoing backing band, The Blackhearts. As for Blackheart Records, it’s still rocking today Jett’s albums have always been released via the label (occasionally in partnership with other distributors) and they’ve carried acts like L7, rapper Big Daddy Kane, and Metal Church. The album got decent reviews and would be primed for chart success after Jett’s ascent the following year it hit the Top 100 chart in the wake of I Love Rock ‘n Roll. Though the duo initially only sold the album at Jett’s shows, it made enough of an impact that Boardwalk Records picked up distribution. Frustrated but empowered by punk’s DIY aesthetic, Jett and Laguna founded their own label, Blackheart Records, and put the album out themselves. The record got released in Europe that May, but Jett and Laguna got turned down by a whopping 23 labels as they shopped it in the States. In 1980, Jett recorded her solo debut, Joan Jett, which would later be retitled Bad Reputation. “Bad Reputation” (Uploaded to YouTube by blackheartrec)Īfter The Runaways, Jett teamed up with producer Kenny Laguna. A 2010 feature film, The Runaways, told the story of the group Jett was an executive producer and was played by Kristen Stewart.

Nevertheless, the band would be remembered as a huge influence on the female-fronted bands that followed, including The Go-Gos and L7. With rotating membership and battles over music direction within the band, The Runaways had stopped running by 1979 after four albums and a live release. However, they gravitated more toward the punk movement of the time, becoming friends with both American and U.K. Their self-titled 1976 debut scored them opening gigs with acts like Van Halen and Cheap Trick, putting them right in the center of that decade’s boom of new rock bands. In 1975, she co-founded The Runaways, an all-female rock band that would include fellow future solo star Lita Ford and future Bangle Michael (Micki) Steele. County, she began to find a musical scene that suited her, and adopted her stage name. Born Joan Marie Larkin, Jett started playing guitar at 13.

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