I Love Rock 'n Roll: Joan Jett Sheet Music

Who doesn't love iconic rock 'n roll? This article introduces piano solo sheet music arrangements of the Joan Jett hits "I Love Rock 'n Roll" and "Bad Reputation" by Jennifer Eklund.

About Joan Jett

Joan Jett is an iconic American rock musician, singer, songwriter, and producer known for her influential and pioneering contributions to the punk and rock music genres. Born on September 22, 1958, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, she rose to fame as the lead vocalist and guitarist of the all-female rock band, The Runaways, in the late 1970s.

The Runaways, formed in 1975, quickly gained attention for their edgy, rebellious style and hard-hitting music. Despite facing challenges as a female-fronted band in a male-dominated industry, The Runaways achieved success with hits like “Cherry Bomb” and “Queens of Noise.”

Following the disbandment of The Runaways in 1979, Joan Jett embarked on a solo career, forming her backing band, The Blackhearts. In 1981, she released her debut solo album, “Bad Reputation,” which included the iconic title track, along with other notable hits like “Do You Wanna Touch Me (Oh Yeah)” and “I Love Rock ‘n’ Roll.”

“I Love Rock ‘n’ Roll” became Joan Jett’s biggest commercial success, topping the charts and solidifying her status as a rock icon. The album of the same name was released in 1981 and marked a turning point in her career, establishing her as a powerful and influential figure in the music industry.

Throughout the 1980s and 1990s, Joan Jett continued to release successful albums, such as “Album” (1983), “Glorious Results of a Misspent Youth” (1984), and “Up Your Alley” (1988). She displayed her versatility as a musician, incorporating various styles, including punk, hard rock, and pop.

“I Love Rock ‘n Roll”

“I Love Rock ‘n Roll” was originally recorded by Arrows in 1975, written by Alan Merrill as a response to the Rolling Stones’ “It’s Only Rock ‘n Roll (But I Like It).” Joan Jett saw Arrows perform the song while touring England in 1976 and later recorded her version in 1979 with the Sex Pistols’ Steve Jones and Paul Cook. In 1981, Joan Jett re-recorded the song with her band, the Blackhearts, and released it as a single. The recording became a massive success, topping the US Billboard Hot 100 chart for seven weeks, making it the band’s only number-one hit. The accompanying music video, with its iconic performance in a small bar, garnered heavy play on MTV and solidified Joan Jett’s status as a rock music legend.

I have arrangements available for easy, intermediate, and advanced level pianists.

“Bad Reputation”

“Bad Reputation” is a rock song co-written and recorded by Joan Jett for her debut album of the same name. Although initially released only as a single in Germany, it has become one of her signature songs. The track received significant recognition, being named the 29th best hard rock song of all time by VH1 in 2009, making it the highest-ranked song by a woman on the list. In 2021, “Bad Reputation” was further acknowledged, ranking at No. 249 on Rolling Stone’s “Top 500 Greatest Songs of All Time.”

The song’s music video, directed by David Mallet in 1982, portrays a re-enactment of Jett’s struggles with record labels rejecting her first solo album and her eventual triumph with the success of “I Love Rock ‘n’ Roll.” A cameo appearance by Kenny Laguna, co-founder of Blackheart Records, adds to the video’s narrative as he plays a Warner Bros. executive. Interestingly, “Bad Reputation” can be heard played loudly on a jukebox in a bar at the beginning of the “I Love Rock ‘n’ Roll” music video, further intertwining the two songs in Jett’s discography.

This song was used as the intro theme song for the cult classic television series “Freaks & Geeks” which I highly recommend if you haven’t seen it. It’s a quick, but worthwhile binge!

I have arrangements available for easy, intermediate, and advanced level pianists.