Who You Selling For

“I love rock n’ roll, so put another dime in the jukebox, baby”

With its ‘devil may care’ attitude and skintight leather, rock n’ roll is a genre that has oozed testosterone from the very beginning. Bands such as The Beatles, Led Zeppelin, The Who, and The Rolling Stones are credited with defining rock music in its modern context, and as such, being comprised of all male members, rock music found itself on a set path for male domination. This immediate segregation of the sexes was reflective of the time period more than of the music itself. The sixties are largely credited as the defining moment for rock n’ roll with rock legends such as Jimmy Page, Paul McCartney, Pete Townsend, and John Lennon emerging as the founding fathers of the genre.

It wasn’t until Woodstock in 1969 (perhaps the most notorious musical festival of all time, evolving to become a mythological event in the memories of contemporary music lovers who attempt to recreate the event with festivals such as Coachella and Bonnaroo) that female rockers started to gain popularity in the genre. In 1969 at Woodstock, Janis Joplin performed with her band Big Brother and the Holding Company and began to make an indelible impact on the rock community. Though her music incorporated more blues and folk than what would be considered ‘rock’ by modern audiences, Joplin’s influence on female rockers should not be underestimated. TIME magazine described Joplin as “probably the most powerful singer to emerge from the white rock movement” and she is listed as #46 on the Rolling Stone’s list of greatest artists and #28 on their list of greatest singers.

“I ain't gonna lose my chance, no I don't want to lose it”

Yet Joplin was not immune to the “sex, drugs, and rock n’ roll” stereotype that has followed the genre since its inception. In 1970, before the release of her biggest selling album, Pearl, Joplin died of a heroin overdose at only 27. The seventies proved to be much more welcoming to female rockers than the sixties, with bands such as The Runaways, The Pretenders, and Heart finding success within the genre. Joan Jett, founding member of the all-female band The Runaways, has had a long and illustrious career in rock music that spans over four decades. But that success was earned. The Runaways, an all-female teen band that Jett founded when she was only 17, constantly fought against the stigma that girls can’t rock. Though some of the early appeal of The Runaways was its young female presence (they were pitched as glam jailbait by late manager Kim Fowley), Jett says, “I made a point in The Runaways not to play up my sexuality.”

It is not a stretch to say that Joan Jett paved the way for female rockers in popular rock music. Dave Grohl of the Foo Fighters and Nirvana credits Jett for her part in creating the punk scene in L.A. while guitarist Pat Smear states, “You gotta put the Runaways at the same level as the Ramones and the Sex Pistols," Smear adds, “They were doing in L.A. what those guys were doing in New York and London: getting kids to join bands. But I don't think Joan gets what people feel about her. Because she is a very modest person.”

“I’m a prisoner, won’t you set me free”

            Despite the inroads made by female rockers such as Joan Jett and Janis Joplin, rock music is still dominated by the males. Acts such as Halestorm, The Pretty Reckless, and Paramore still perform under the shadow of the stigma girls can’t rock. The Pretty Reckless, fronted by the talented and controversial Taylor Momsen, has broken chart records for a female fronted rock band. With their new record debuting tomorrow, Momsen’s band is set to blow up the charts and continue to make their mark on the world of rock n’roll. As Momsen states, “As a female, its fucking great.”