Joan Jett's Five Acts of Legend

By Guitar Player Staff
published

Look back on some of the highlights of the pioneering hard-rocker's career.

Joan Jett performs at the House of Blues Sunset Strip on August 1, 2013 in West Hollywood, California.
(Image credit: Chelsea Lauren/WireImage/Getty Images)
  • She was a founding member of the Runaways in 1975. Though manager Kim Fowley did his best to shape their image, their aggro sound - and creativity - couldn’t be constrained.
  • Sex Pistols Paul Cook and Steve Jones joined her in 1979 to record a version of the Arrows’ “I Love Rock and Roll.” In 1982, Jett’s reworking with the Blackhearts sat atop the Billboard Hot 100 for seven weeks.
  • Not content with just being a rock star, she is a champion for animal rights and vegan living.
  • She became the first woman to be honored with a Gibson signature guitar - the Joan Jett Melody Maker - in 2008. She collaborated with Gibson on a second signature model, the Joan Jett ES-339, in 2019 (opens in new tab).
  • The scrappy and gritty guitarist made the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2015.
Guitar Player Staff
Guitar Player Staff

Guitar Player is the world’s most comprehensive, trusted and insightful guitar publication for passionate guitarists and active musicians of all ages. Guitar Player magazine is published 13 times a year in print and digital formats. The magazine was established in 1967 and is the world's oldest guitar magazine.


When "Guitar Player Staff" is credited as the author, it's usually because more than one author on the team has created the story.