The Band That Almost Permanently Halted the Creation of Joan Jett’s “I Love Rock ‘n’ Roll”

Joan Jett was one of the biggest rock ‘n’ rollers of the ’80s. She procured several hit songs, awards, and had a steadfast fan base that rivaled some of the biggest bands of the decade. Her 1982 No. 1 hit, “I Love Rock ‘n’ Roll,” is what helped her achieve such an illustrious career. To this day, the song is one of the most popular songs of the ’80s. However, before it became so, it nearly never got made.

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If Joan Jett hadn’t released “I Love Rock ‘n’ Roll,” who knows what trajectory her career would have taken? Well, that different trajectory nearly transpired, as Jett’s first band, the Runaways, were not sold on the singer’s impending No. 1 hit. Although in the future, Jett got her new band to record the single, and they achieved massive success.

Why Joan Jett’s First Band Hated The Hit Single

Prior to Joan Jett becoming a big name with the Blackhearts, Jett’s backing band was the Runaways. However, after co-founding the band in 1975, Jett left the band four years later in 1979. Jett left the band to pursue her solo career, and other reasons regarding her departure are unclear.

When Jett pitched “I Love Rock ’n’ Roll” to the Runaways, they detested the song. Matter of fact, Jett stated, “I had it as an idea; The Runaways rejected it – early – you know, in ’77, that was pre-Alcock,” per The Sound. ” Jett wasn’t infuriated by the refusal to do the song, as she saw the logic behind the band’s reasoning and realized why it wasn’t the best fit at the time. Though, years later, she found the perfect opportunity. and leveraged it.

Jett continued, “No, it wasn’t that; it was a completely rational reason why we didn’t do it. And would have agreed, I totally kind of agreed with the girls.” “When I found the song, our first album [1976’s self-titled] had just come out, and we covered Lou Reed’s ‘Rock N’ Roll.’ So I didn’t want to just turn right around and do another song with ‘rock ‘n’ roll’ in the title,” concluded Jett.

Even though Joan Jett’s hit classic was denied at first, she had both the persistence and vision to hold on to the idea. Luckily, she did, as this song helped her become a household name and one of the most iconic figures of the ’80s rock ‘n’ roll scene. Also, the song is Jett’s one and only No. 1 hit.

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