Joan Jett's second solo album, I Love Rock 'N Roll, provided her musical identity. The song "I Love Rock 'N Roll" had been recorded in 1976 by an English group called the Arrows as a b-side to one of their singles. Joan saw them play the song on a TV show while on tour with the Runaways, and wanted them to record it. Joan recorded an earlier version on the b-side of one of her solo singles, then re-recorded it in its best-known version, which hit number one on the charts. The black-and-white video was played endlessly on MTV, and the poster for the album was hung on the wall behind the MTV veejays. The album is a classic slice of hard rock bubblegum; Ritchie Cordell and Kenny Laguna mixed Gibson guitars with compressed Gary Glitter-style drums to produce Joan's catchy, hard-edged sound. The late addition of guitarist Ricky Byrd to the sessions gives most of the songs a playful urgency. Crunchy originals ("Love is Pain," "Victim of Circumstance") are blended with rowdy covers ("Nag"- The Halos, "Crimson and Clover"- Tommy James and the Shondells, "Bits and Pieces"- Dave Clark Five, "You're Too Possessive"- Runaways) in a nonstop romp of 80s hard rock that melts in your ears like sugar, sugar.

I first heard "I Love Rock and Roll" on the radio while driving around Austin, Texas in, I think, 1982. I immediately thought, "This is a classic." It is. One of the greatest rock songs ever. Joan Jett is still around, but I don't think she gets nearly enough credit for how great her work was in the early 80's. This album is a must have for any Rock library.

She is to 3 chord punk what Elvis is to rock and what James Brown is to soul.

She's the artist who made the music industry take female guitarists seriously.

Whether it's her original songs or just cover songs she infuses her songs with passion that is not only fun to sing to in the car but drives a point home after the tune has ended.

The song that got me hooked was "You Don't Know What You've Got" when I heard it on a 45 vinyl B side to I Love Rock & Roll. I mean the guitars in the song sonify the disappointment of going all out in a relationship with the solo then melodic blast into the resentment felt afterwards.

The classic ones like 'Bits & Pieces, Crimson & Clover, Nag, and Louie Louie' get a great new wave infusion.

She could take a loss in the stock market, write a tune about it and be able to strike a chord with enough people to recoop her losses, her mass appeal is that strong.

The title track "I Love Rock N' Roll" is a legend, and her vocals really come to the fore here - it is a once in a lifetime track. The rest of the album has some reasonably decent tunes such as "Run Away", "Nag", and "Crimson And Clover". The rest however, is a little on the weak side. The lyrics are sometimes immature and somewhat meaningless. On the other hand, those tracks are still listeneable because her vocals are good.

If you are new to Joan Jett and the Blackhearts, expect pure and simple rock and roll, slightly on the heavy side, and with appeal to the younger audience. "Bad Reputation" or one of their "Best Of" compilations may be a good place to start in preference to getting this album first.

Joan Jett and the Blackhearts / I love Rock N' Roll (CD audio plus video concert footage): First, this is a great rockin album. Five Stars. Second, combining audio and video on one CD is Always a pain when you want to see the videos, however, since the price is right, it is worth the trouble (and there is no trouble playing the audio).