Hot 100 #1
Nominations
Biography
From punk pioneer to global superstar, Billy Idol has left an indelible mark in popular music and remained a household name for over three decades. His style, music, and attitude have transcended time and trend. Born in 1955 in Stanmore, North London, Idol spent several formative years living on Long Island, NY as a child before returning to the UK and emerging as a central figure of the British punk movement. As part of the infamous Bromley Contingent and a fan of the Sex Pistols, Idol was inspired to front the pioneering British punk band Generation X from 1976 until the band’s split in 1981. Determined to break through in America, Billy Idol hooked up with guitar genius Steve Stevens and a crucial musical partnership was forged. Billy Idol has created some of rock-n-roll’s most enduring anthems including “White Wedding,” “Dancing With Myself,” “Flesh For Fantasy,” “Hot In the City,” “Eyes Without A Face,” “Rebel Yell,” and “Cradle of Love,” among others. Billy Idol is the original punk rocker who found a way to take that sneering punk attitude into the pop and rock mainstream, carving out songs that have lasted a lifetime.