Pop quiz: How many of you were aware that Joan Jett & the Blackhearts’ 1981 single, “I Love Rock ‘n Roll,” is a cover? Anyone? Bueller? That’s probably because even though a British rock group called The Arrows originally recorded it in 1975, Jett’s brutal, immortal version absolutely buried it in a cascade of husky vocals, strong guitar licks and an attitude that keeps her and her group a force in music to this day.
Had Jett recorded only that song, odds are she would have been able to have a career based on it alone—in addition to hitting No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 for seven weeks in a row, it was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 2016, and is listed as Billboard’s No. 56 song of all time! But Jett produced so many more classics, and again, some of them were covers. As much as fans love the original versions of AC/DC’s “Dirty Deeds,” Sly and the Family Stone’s “Everyday People” and Tommy James and The Shondells’ “Crimson and Clover,” Jett’s versions more than stand on their own, and her fans often respond more to these over her own brilliant originals when she performs live.
But expect to hear plenty of Jett’s original classics as part of her House of Blues shows. It’s not just the nostalgia of some of the songs; it’s the images they convey. Fans of Freaks and Geeks, the much-loved NBC drama from 1999, cannot hear “Bad Reputation” without thinking of that show’s now-classic credit sequence. And fans of the Michael J. Fox movie Light of Day will be hard-pressed not to time-travel directly to 1987 upon hearing the song of the same name Jett and Fox recorded for the film.
Though the lineup of the group has changed throughout the decades, Jett has always remained a constant force, pumping out new material with a vigor and originality that keeps the band in demand with its rabid fan base.
From the early ’80s, when she toured with bands like The Police, Queen and Aerosmith, releasing several albums and garnering a large lineup of top 40 hits, to 2023, when her group released the EP Mindsets, Jett has been a tireless collaborator with some of the industry’s top talent, from The Beach Boys and The Sugarhill Gang to Darlene Love, Bruce Springsteen and Paul Westerberg.
In 2015, the group’s lineup of Jett, bassist Gary Ryan, drummer Lee Crystal and guitarist Ricky Byrd was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. And while Jett no doubt appreciated the honor, she is far from hanging up her Gibson Melody Maker. Yes, she will deliver the classic goods to fans this week, including “Fake Friends,” “Good Music,” “Little Liar” and “I Hate Myself for Loving You,” but don’t be surprised to hear a few new ones thrown in. And don’t be surprised if they absolutely rock. Because that’s what she loves.
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