31 on the BILLBOARD Dance chart, which is impressive, considering most rock songs don’t even touch that chart. It also reached the Top 10 in at least 7 other countries and even reached No. 1 in Australia, Canada, Holland, New Zealand, South Africa, Sweden and the BILLBOARD Rock chart. It was a worldwide hit as well, reaching No. on March 20, 1982, and didn’t relinquish the top spot for 7 weeks. The single “I Love Rock ’n’ Roll” hit No. Joan Jett heard the original “I Love Rock ’n’ Roll” back in 1976 by the band Arrows, and it resonated with her greatly, and her version sure resonated with me. The guitars, the drums, the vocals all hit the right chords (pun intended). As soon as I heard it on the radio, I KNEW I had to have this album. Like many of Joan Jett’s albums, I LOVE ROCK ’N ROLL was a mix of cool originals and kick-ass cover songs.

In January 1981, her album, BAD REPUTATION, was released (which was a re-issue of her self-titled 1980 debut album), but BAD REPUTATION didn’t really take off until the release of her next album in November 1981, I LOVE ROCK ’N ROLL. 1 in Japan and just missed the BILLBOARD Hot 100 in 1976). Joan Jett was a founding member of the all-female rock band, The Runaways (their debut single, “Cherry Bomb” hit No. Pennsylvania-born Joan Jett has been labeled the Queen of Rock ’n Roll and the Godmother of Punk, and in 2015, she and her band, The Blackhearts, were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. And, in 1981, there weren’t many hard-working, hard-rocking women out there in music (maybe there still aren’t). Joan Jett was (and still is) a hard-working, hard-rocking woman and superstar. But, as I would soon find out, there was nothing ghoulish about Joan Jett just the opposite (although I’m quite sure she could still kick my ass).

It’s odd to think about now, but when I first saw the picture of Joan Jett on the cover of this week’s “album of the week,” I LOVE ROCK ’N ROLL, I thought she looked a bit ghoulish.

Joan jett album cover