Billy Idol

Mixing a snarling punk attitude with dance-rock hooks, Billy Idol is an icon of ’80s pop, an early MTV star who overcame personal demons and enjoyed an extensive career. Having already established himself in the late-’70s London punk scene as the frontman for Generation X, Idol was primed for pop stardom, quickly nabbing chart success with hugely influential early-’80s singles like “Dancing with Myself” and “White Wedding,” his first of many with longtime collaborator guitarist Steve Stevens. Yet, it was 1982′s Rebel Yell that codified his status as a punk-pop star, spawning a string of hits including the club-ready title track “Eyes Without a Face” and “Flesh for Fantasy.” Despite changing times, he proved resilient, hitting the Top 20 of the Billboard 200 with both 1986′s Whiplash Smile and 1990′s Charmed Life, the latter of which featured the number two Hot 100 hit “Cradle of Love.” Hard living and a near-fatal motorcycle accident kept Idol out of the spotlight for the latter half of the ’90s, but he staged a comeback, making a cameo as himself in the ’80s pop music-inspired Adam Sandler comedy The Wedding Singer and releasing well-received efforts like 2005′s Devil's Playground, 2014′s Kings & Queens of the Underground, and 2025′s Dream Into It, albums that underscored his legacy as a seminal pop-punk legend. Born William Michael Albert Broad on November 30, 1955, in Middlesex, England, he relocated with his family for a brief spell to New York before returning to England. After a stint at Sussex University only lasted a year, Broad found himself part of a group of teen punk rockers who befriended and followed the Sex Pistols, informally known as the Bromley Contingent. (Another member of the group was Siouxsie Sioux, eventual leader of Siouxsie & the Banshees.) It wasn’t long before Broad realized that he too could be the frontman of a punk band, and assumed the name Billy Idol shortly thereafter. After a stint playing guitar in a group called Chelsea (interestingly, the group featured future Clash guitarist Mick Jones and future Damned guitarist Brian James), Idol put down the guitar and picked up the mike; he then recruited bassist Tony James, drummer John Towe, and guitarist Bob Andrews to form Generation X in 1976. Named after a 1960s paperback, the band signed a recording contract with Chrysalis shortly thereafter (Towe was replaced with new drummer Mark Laff) and released the anthemic “Your Generation” late in 1977. An appearance on Top of the Pops helped propel the single and their 1978 self-titled debut into the spotlight; the latter was produced by Martin Rushent. The band released two more LPs, Valley of the Dolls in 1979 and Kiss Me Deadly two years later before splitting up. Disappointed with Generation X’s demise, Idol relocated to New York City, where he pursued a career as a solo artist. Hooking up with Kiss manager Bill Aucoin, Idol issued the 1981 EP Don't Stop (comprised of a cover of Tommy James’ ’60s hit “Mony Mony” and a pair of remixed Generation X tracks), which helped the singer score another record deal with his former band’s label, Chrysalis. Idol found the perfect collaborator and partner in guitarist (and Johnny Thunders lookalike) Steve Stevens, and together they recorded his eponymously-titled debut, Billy Idol. The album arrived in July of 1982, along with a pair of eye-catching videos for the tracks “White Wedding” and “Dancing with Myself” (the latter a remake of a Generation X composition), both of which scored major air time on MTV; introducing American audiences to Idol’s spiky, peroxide-blonde hair and Elvis-like sneer. His debut eventually obtained gold certification and perfectly set the stage for his big commercial breakthrough. Released in November 1983, Rebel Yell quickly became the best-selling album of his career (eventually going double platinum), spawning such big-time MTV/radio hits as the album’s anthemic title track “Eyes Without a Face,” and “Flesh for Fantasy,” establishing Idol as an arena headliner stateside. But with massive success came its many distractions, which prevented Idol from issuing a new studio album for three years. Yet, 1987′s Whiplash Smile, again recorded with producer Forsey and guitarist Stevens, was another sizeable hit on the strength of such singles as “To Be a Lover” and “Sweet Sixteen.” The album reached number eight in the U.K. and peaked at number six on the Billboard 200. Despite their success as a team, Stevens parted ways with Idol shortly thereafter to launch his own band, Steve Stevens' Atomic Playboys (he was also eventually a member of Mötley Crüe singer Vince Neil’s solo band). An eight-track best-of set, Vital Idol, was issued later the same year, spawning one of the year’s most heavily played MTV videos — a live version of the previously recorded cover of “Mony Mony” — which helped keep Idol in the spotlight. He spent the next few years working on his fourth studio release, but reappeared in the summer of 1989 as part of an all-star rendition of the Who’s Tommy, with Idol playing the role of the sadistic character Cousin Kevin. Around the time of Idol’s next release, 1990′s Charmed Life, the singer was involved in a serious motorcycle accident (in which he almost lost his leg), forcing him to walk with a cane for a period of time. He persevered, appearing (filmed from the waist up) in the David Fincher-directed video for album’s lead-off single, “Cradle of Love.” The single (which was also used as the theme song in the failed Andrew "Dice" Clay movie Ford Fairlane) was another smash hit, making Charmed Life the fourth Idol album in a row to achieve at least reach platinum sales. Several years passed before the release of Idol’s next album, during which time he tried his hand at acting with a bit part in Oliver Stone’s motion picture The Doors. By the time 1993′s techno-and-cyberdelic-inspired concept album Cyberpunk surfaced, Idol had dropped his spiky peroxide hairstyle in place of dreadlocks, and experimented with electronic beats. The creative moves proved challenging for fans and the album cracked the top 50 of the Billboard 200 before fading from the charts. At the same time, Idol was knee deep in drug addiction, resulting in another close brush with death when he overdosed and had to be treated at a Los Angeles hospital in 1994. Not much was heard from him until 1998, when he made a cameo appearance (as himself) in the hit Adam Sandler/Drew Barrymore comedy The Wedding Singer. The appearance helped spark a renewed interest in the singer who was also the subject of a VH1: Behind the Music special. Around the same time, Idol reunited with guitarist Steve Stevens for a VH1 Storytellers episode for the channel, which was ultimately issued as an album. As a cap-stone to his comeback, an extensive Greatest Hits set arrived in 2001, selling 500,000 copies in the U.S. alone. In 2005, he delivered the Keith Forsey-produced Devil's Playground, which again found him working with guitarist Stevens and returning to a heavy, rock-oriented sound. Anchored by singles like “Scream” and “Plastic Jesus,” it reached the top 50 of the Billboard 200. Tour dates followed, including several appearances on the Vans Warped Tour. The album was swiftly followed by the seasonal Happy Holidays, which featured two original songs in “Happy Holiday” and “Christmas Love,” alongside holiday classics like “White Christmas” and “Jingle Bell Rock.” 2008 brought The Very Best of Billy Idol: Idolize Yourself, which was notable for including two previously unreleased tracks: “John Wayne” and “New Future Weapon.” A worldwide tour on the same bill as Def Leppard ensued before 2009 brought In Super Overdrive Live, a video release of a performance in Chicago; Idol appeared at Donnington Park’s Download Festival in 2010. A relatively quiet spell in his career was followed by a period of songwriting with Stevens and Circus Diablo frontman Billy Morrison. In time, recording sessions took place which led to the announcement of a seventh studio album of original material. Produced by Trevor Horn and preceded by Idol’s New York Times best-selling memoir Dancing with Myself, Kings & Queens of the Underground appeared in October 2014. Lead by the single “Can’t Break Myself,” co-written by Idol, Greg Kurstin, and Daniel Nigro, it reached number five on the Alternative Albums chart and peaked at 34 on the Billboard 200. In 2020 Idol teamed up with Miley Cyrus for the song “Night Crawling,” which appeared on her Plastic Hearts LP, and in 2021 he released his first new song in seven years, the pensive “Bitter Taste,” which served as the lead single from the four-track EP Roadside. He continued working with the EP format on 2022′s rousing The Cage. In 2023, Idol joined his former Generation X bandmate Tony James alongside former Sex Pistols members Steve Jones and Paul Cook in Generation Sex, a band that played the repertoires of the two classic punk bands. A year later, Rebel Yell received a deluxe 40th anniversary reissue featuring a disc of demos and rarities. The singer’s ninth album, the Tommy English-produced Dream Into It, arrived in April 2025. Heralded by the single “Still Dancing,” an homage to his classic hit “Dancing with Myself,” the album again featured contributions by Steve Stevens and found Idol embracing a hooky blend of pop-punk and throwback new wave sounds. It also featured guest appearances by Avril Lavigne, Alison Mosshart, and Joan Jett. ~ Matt Collar & Greg Prato