Joan Jett: One Of The Best Role Models Of Our Time

11/5/2025

Unfortunately, it's the 2020s. Most people tend to forget about the 80s, even if musicians from then are still active. Joan Jett is an example. She's one of my favorite role models and she's still making music today. But most people only care about the new artists. Taylor Swift, Billie Eilish, Olivia Rodrigo, etc. (No hate to any of them, ofc. I think they can be cool in their own ways.) But I'm still fascinated with the impact Joan Jett had. Now, let me tell you why.

Joan Jett is known as the 'Godmother of punk.' She was born in Pennsylvania in 1958 as Joan Marie Larkin. When she was 12, her family moved to Los Angles, California. Because everyone loves California! She got her first guitar when she was 13 and despite being a leftie, she learned right handed. Joan formed a band when she was 15 called the Runaways. She changed her last name to 'Jett' because she thought it sounded better than Larkin. The Runaways were an all female punk band, another famous musician from the band was Lita Ford. The Runaways released their first album in 1976. After a few albums, the band broke up officially.

After the band broke up, Joan Jett wanted to start a solo career. She got a manager, Kenny Laguna, who helped her. But Joan struggled to get a record deal. She got turned down 23 times! Finally, she, Laguna, and the Blackhearts formed Blackheart Records. She released her first solo album, 'Bad Reputation' in 1980. The album did alright, but when she covered 'I Love Rock N Roll' by The Arrows, that's when she broke through. The album was a major success, selling over a MILLION copies in the first month! She knew what she wanted and she got it.

Joan is a huge activist for womens rights, animals rights, and lgbtq rights. She made sure to make her views known, while keeping her private life, well, private. She keeps her personal life away from the public eye, which I think is pretty cool. Most celebrities these days overshare everything, while Joan keeps it to herself. She makes sure to stand up for what she believes in. Joan taught girls to rock when told not to!

As a teenager who loves rock music, there's reasons why I always looked up to Joan. I'm trying to find ways to see her live, because I know it'd be a core memory. I love to play guitar like her and sing like her. She's self taught in both things, which makes me more confident about it. Joan states that you shouldn't be afraid to be you, and if other people try to take it from you, screw them. People always wonder why I like music older than me so much, and this is why. At the time, people paved the way and weren't't afraid to be who they are. Joan Jett is someone people should encourage young rocker girls to look up to.

I remember one time when I was younger, maybe 8 or 9? Sometime in 4th grade for sure. I was looking through a book, I forgot what it was called, but it had celebrities in it. It might have been a magazine? I'm really not sure. There was a picture of Joan Jett. I thought she looked so cool, with her jacket, her hair, and her guitar. I remember thinking 'I want to be like her.' When I was 12, I actually found out who she was and I started listening to her more. She was the gateway to my current 70s/80s girl-rock music taste. I'm forever grateful I found who she was.