Joan Jett & The Blackhearts

Co-founding The Runaways in 1975, Joan Jett established her early career as a trailblazing force in rock music, releasing four albums with the influential group before its dissolution in 1979. Following this, Jett and producer Kenny Laguna formed Blackheart Records in 1980, after facing numerous label rejections for Jett’s debut solo work. Her self-titled debut, later reissued as ‘Bad Reputation’ in 1980, marked her first entry onto the Billboard 200 chart. Jett then formed her iconic backing band, Joan Jett and the Blackhearts, the same year.

Their 1988 album, ‘Up Your Alley’, earned platinum certification, following a gold certification for ‘Album’, and featured the hit single ‘I Hate Myself for Loving You’, which garnered Jett her first Grammy Award nomination for Best Rock Performance. Beyond her musical releases, Jett expanded her career into acting and production. She starred in the 1987 film ‘Light of Day’ and appeared in the Broadway production of ‘The Rocky Horror Show’ in 2000. Jett also hosted Maryland Public Television’s ‘Independent Eye’ from 2000 to 2003.

Her prolific career continued with the album ‘Unvarnished’ in 2013 and a music distribution deal with Sony Music’s Legacy Recordings in 2018. In 2019, she performed with Carrie Underwood for the Sunday Night Football opener. Recent musical endeavors include the album ‘Changeup’ (2022) and the ‘Mindsets’ EP (2023). Most recently, in 2024, Jett contributed to Mark Knopfler’s ‘Going Home’ charity single, showcasing her enduring relevance.