Review of Joan Jett: Bad Reputation

We spent December 2024 listening to and considering Joan Jett’s debut solo album Bad Reputation, which was originally released independently in May 1980. Time has shown us that Jett wasn’t a flash in the pan and has become an absolute legend in the rock n roll world. Much bigger than any one song, Jett is one of the groundbreaking female rock stars who laid the tracks for other females to make their way in a business and genre typically dominated by men. But what did we think of her album??

While we enjoyed it, and think it’s a must-listen for anyone trying to understand the story of music and rock, we weren’t blown away. This is a review where we were pretty aligned which is interesting and fun. We were surprised by the variety of tracks here, ranging from kick-ass rockers (Bad Reputation) to quite a few that sounded as if they were 50s bubble gum songs that would be played at a diner. 

It sounds as though Jett didn’t have a full album of material (only four tracks are originals) and the record company was really throwing it all at the wall to see what stuck. Disco has just died, 80s pop was kicking off and could a female actually ‘rock’? Time has shown us the answer is ‘yes’ but this album is a bit all over the place. But Jett does do the covers well and her smokey voice is really something special. 

So while we respect Jett, appreciate all she is, are glad we listened to the album, and had a fun month, we don’t think the album as a whole is really that great. But it’s a must listen to understand the story of rock, particularly women in rock. So, if you have not yet, give Bad Reputation a listen to understand where Jett came from and how rock got to where it is now.