SOTW: Joan Jett & The Blackhearts – “If You’re Blue”

May 25th, 2023 by Liz Kosik

by Johnny Cozza ’24

Song of the Week: Joan Jett & The Blackhearts – “If You’re Blue”

Released: May 2023

Rate: 8/10

RIYL: Green Day,  The Runaways, My Chemical Romance, The White Stripes, Wheatus

The latest release from Joan Jett & The Blackhearts, a single titled “If You’re Blue,” is reminiscent of early 2000s rock music. Embodying what it was like to be a teenager during this time, they successfully execute a vibe similiar to that of the Wheatus and Green Day, reinventing what it means to be a teenage dirtbag in 2023. Joan Jett began her career in Rock in the 1970s with the punk/pop band, The Runaways, which set her on the path to becoming one of the most influencial women in rock.

Born on September 22nd in Philadelphia, Jett nurtred her passion for music by age 14 when she recieved her first guitar. Not until she moved to California did she begin to frequent the youth club Rodney Bingenheimer’s English Disco, further exposing her to the genre she would soon reinvent.

Recording hits like “I Love Rock ‘n’ Roll”, “Bad Reputation”, and “Cherry Bomb”, Joan Jett has gone on to have an extremely successful career. While in pursuit of a solo career, she worked alongside former Sex Pistol members Paul Cook and Steve Jones in England.

This newly released single matched my expectations as Joan Jett & The Blackhearts are known for their vigorous rock music, successfully embodying the nostalgia of their 20th-century prime.