Joan Jett is one of the most successful U.S. female singers to emerge from the rock scene of the ’70s. She started her career at the tender age of 15 as a member of The Runaways. They recorded three punk-tinged hard rock albums that were hits in Japan, where they recorded a live album. After the dissolution of The Runaways, Jett moved to New York and released her first solo album, Bad Reputation. With her band The Blackhearts, Jett recorded “I Love Rock-N-Roll” in late 1981. The title track became a major hit and spent seven weeks at number 1. The follow-up single, a cover version of Tommy James And The Shondells’ “Crimson And Clover,” was itself a U.S. Top 10 hit, reaching number 7. Up Your Alley brought another U.S. Top 10 hit with “I Hate Myself For Loving You,” before 1990’s The Hit List, an album of cover versions, which included a duet with Ray Davies on “Celluloid Heroes.” Notorious saw her collaborate with Paul Westerberg of the Replacements on the co-written “Backlash.” Not long after, Jett recorded a live album with the Seattle punk band The Gits. She revived The Blackhearts name for 1999’s Fetish, a collection of previously released material, new songs and live tracks. In 2006, Sinner arrived, a return to her punk roots. In 2013, Jett released Unvarnished. Joan Jett continues to rock all over the world.
