Joan Jett cut a massive figure in rock and roll, starting in the nineteen-seventies and continuing with a string of hits including “I Love Rock and Roll,” “Bad Reputation,” “Crimson and Clover,” and others. Jett was kind of glam, kind of punk, and eventually just classic rock. But she was one of the first women of any style or genre to break through as a leader: she hired the band, played the guitar, wrote the songs, and sang them. She came to influence a whole generation of female rockers who wanted to be as fully empowered as she was—not to mention fans like The New Yorker’s Sarah Larson. Larson spoke with Jett on the occasion of a new documentary, “Joan Jett: Bad Reputation.” Plus, Donald Trump says trade wars are “easy to win.” Will they help the Democrats win the midterms?
No persons identified in this episode.
This episode hasn't been transcribed yet
Help us prioritize this episode for transcription by upvoting it.
Popular episodes get transcribed faster
Other episodes from The New Yorker Radio Hour
Transcribed and ready to explore now
How the Trump Administration Made Higher Education a Target
17 Oct 2025
The New Yorker Radio Hour
Brian Eno Knows “What Art Does”
03 Jun 2025
The New Yorker Radio Hour
Louisa Thomas on a Ballplayer’s Epic Final Game; Plus, Remembering the Composer of “Annie”
27 May 2025
The New Yorker Radio Hour
Cécile McLorin Salvant Performs Live In-Studio
23 May 2025
The New Yorker Radio Hour
From “On the Media” ’s “Divided Dial”: “Fishing in the Night”
20 May 2025
The New Yorker Radio Hour
Jake Tapper and Alex Thompson on President Joe Biden’s Decline, and Its Cover-Up
16 May 2025
The New Yorker Radio Hour