Billy Idol, whose real name is William Michael Albert Broad, began his musical career in a group called "The Rockettes". His surname "Idol" actually means lazy ("Idle" in English which is pronounced Idol), a qualifier that would come from a teacher. It was in 1976 that he joined the punk movement by joining the group "Bromley Contingent", a group that quickly split up. He then founded "Generation X" with Tony James, one of the other members of "Bromley Contingent". Adventure which will last 5 years and dotted with some esteem successes in the essentially punk environment. The punk current becoming moribund, it leaves for the United States and meets the producer of the group "Kiss", decisive meeting which will give birth to a first album which leaves in 1982 and which contains in particular "White wedding". It’s the beginning of success. But it was 1984 which saw the climax of the singer and a worldwide success with an album "Rebell yell" which sold 2 million copies. And titles that have become essential such as "Eyes without a face" or "Flesh for fantasy". The 2 following albums, released respectively in 1986 in 1990 will unfortunately not have the same success. Will follow years of hassle with a serious motorcycle accident, an overdose. Which will not prevent it from making a notable comeback from the 2010s... This gifted singer with a bad boy look and peroxide hair will still remain one of the flagship figures of the punk wave, then new wave in England. To discover or rediscover...
Discography (among others ...) :
70s Decade :
• Your generation (Generation X) 1977
• Ready steady go (Generation X) 1978
• King rocker (Generation X) 1979
• Valley of the dolls (Generation X) 1979
• Friday's angels (Generation X) 1979
• Untouchables (Generation X) 1979
80s Decade :
• Dancing with myself 1981
• Hot in the city 1982
• White wedding 1982
• Rebell yell 1984
• Eyes without a face 1984
• Flesh for fantasy 1984
• Catch my fall 1984
• To be a lover 1986
• Don't need a gun 1987
• Sweet sixteen 1987
• Mony mony 1987
90s Decade :
• Cradle of love 1990
• L.A. woman 1990
• Prodigal blues 1990
• Heroin 1993
• Shock to the system 1993
• Adam in chains 1993
• Speed 1994
2000s Decade :
• Rat race 2005
• Plastic Jesus 2005
• Scream 2005
• John Wayne 2008
2010s Decade :
• Can't break me down 2014
• Postcards from the past 2014
• Eyes wide shut 2014
• Save me now 2014
2020s Decade :
• Bitter taste 2021
• Baby put your clothes back on 2021
• Cage 2022
• Running from the ghost 2022
• Rebel like you 2022
• Miss nobody 2022
• Love don't live here anymore 2024
Tracks :
1977...the first steps of an excited young group, one of whose members would become a few years later one of the leading figures of the English music scene...
1978...but obviously at this stage no one knows it yet. For the moment the group is riding as much as possible on the punk wave which is overwhelming England...
1979...an overspeed mode which paid off at that time and which would offer young William his very first major successes. Concerning it, what is the beginning of a long, very long series...
1979...a first important experience for the future because it will allow the young singer to learn his classes as they say...
1979...the group slows down the tempo more and more to return to a pace that is much more accessible to ordinary mortals, it is clear...
1979...a first adventure, fleeting to say the least, but not without interest, that's clear. Young William is now ready for a sequel that will exceed all his expectations...
1981...the beginning of the solo career with this title which will be released for the first time in 1981. An extra-terrestrial from the planet Generation X arrives on earth...
1982...the look, the attitude, the bad boy style, everything is scary... A strange specimen, that's for sure but which will prove to be absolutely formidable in its effectiveness !
1982 ... but what is certain is that he is full of talent the guy. The proof with this HUGE title. The title of the revelation which will raise him to the rank of planetary star...
1984 ... thoroughly, thoroughly, thoroughly ! A title that flies at 200 km/h ! Nothing and no one scares him and he will subsequently show that he can also do things gently. Yes Yes...
1984 ... the WONDER ! The title which will make him enter definitively in the musical legend of the 80s and offer him his biggest hit. MAS-TER-FUL !
1984...he did it again straight away. An incredible year which saw him produce no less than 2 mega hits and 2 World Class top hits, no less. This title will undeniably remain one of his most emblematic !
1984 ... the hits follow one another at an impressive speed. A moment in his career where he literally walks on the water !
1986...a little slump with a year with only 1 hit ! He had accustomed us to better but the level of success achieved by this title, nothing worrying at this stage, that's clear...
1987 ... the comeback. A new year with 4 hits. We suspected that his little boost was not going to last ...
1987 ... incredible, is he the same man ... ?? A title with finesse and roundness, not really in its habits. Well, there's only the fools who don't change their mind as they say !
1987 ... a HUGE title for a oufissime year. The culmination of a quirky career itself !
1990 ... one would have thought that the change of decade would be fatal to him ... it was very bad to know it ! Always there and in great shape !
1990 ... that, to have the potato, he has the potato, to say the least ! Tireless Billy !
1990...the 'little' hit of the year. In any case, a year 1990 which reassures us that he is still in the race and in a good place...
1993...we lost sight of him for almost 3 years but here he is again regardless. Here he revisits the Velvet Underground title from 1967, a luxury cover which unfortunately won't earn him more than that...
1993...in total Bad Boy mode. Well, Billy, you may have to change register because here, it's already seen but it still works given the level of success achieved by the title...
1993...a year 1993 which will not stay as his best vintage, that's clear. Three titles produced and two will go under the radar including this one...
1994 ... his last notorious hit. Of a particularly splendid and colorful career. And who left a very special mark in the musical history of the 80s...
2005 ... we thought the case was folded and here he is reborn from its ashes 11 years later. A strong comeback, literally and figuratively but coming from him, no wonder ...
2005 ... as always, he perfectly knows how to alternate brute force and soft force. We had the brute on the previous title, we will have the soft on this one ...
2005...only this title will be classified that year but he will have at least succeeded in ranking it. So in music nothing is ever finished...
2008...new 3-year air hole but here he is again anyway. He won't give up until the end and it doesn't matter whether there is success or not...
2014...well there's a big air hole over 6 years old. But let the basic fans rest assured, he returns once again and in a form that we would describe as certain...
2014...the least we can say is that he has lost none of his talent. The proof with this title even if it will not be classified, but that's a detail...
2014 ... more than 30 years after its beginnings still there and above all still in full possession of its means. A quality that can only be found among the Greatest !
2014 ... with him, nothing is ever finished and everything is always possible. So go find out what he has in store for the future. Good question...
2021...and the rest will take 7 years to arrive but it will happen regardless. A desire to believe in it until the end which undoubtedly commands respect...
2021...exceptional longevity for one of the most gifted artists of his generation and in an absolutely incontestable way...
2022...especially since he is not the only one of his generation to return to this new 2020 decade and he will therefore inevitably feel less alone...
2022...a career longevity that the younger generations should take as an example because it is not at all certain that they will have the same, that much is clear...
2022...plus he has been able to adapt to the latest musical trends and as a result he manages to mix new and old musical influences, which can only impress in the end...
2022...we therefore imagine that this title will certainly not be the last. It now remains to be seen when he will decide to return and with what musical project...
2024...
2023...
Wiki :
Official Website :
Greatest Hits :
Discography :