The Runaways

One of the first all-female acts in hard rock history, The Runaways formed in Los Angeles, California, in 1975. Record producer Kim Fowley introduced guitarist Joan Jett and drummer Sandy West that summer, and the group's lineup eventually coalesced around the additions of guitarist Lita Ford, singer Cherri Currie, and bassist Jackie Fox. The band's self-titled album was released by Mercury Records in 1976. The record's combination of hard rock guitars, pop melodies, and punky attitude was met with lukewarm enthusiasm in America, where The Runaways stalled at Number 194 on the Billboard 200. Nevertheless, The Runaways became stars in Japan, where the band's signature song, "Cherry Bomb," became a Number 1 hit. After releasing the sophomore album Queens of Noise in early 1997, the group toured Japan and released a concert album, Live in Japan, later that year. Both records became Top 40 hits in Sweden, as did The Runaways' third 1977 release, Waitin' for the Night. Frontwoman Cherie Currie had left the band's lineup before Waitin' for the Night's release, and the album's success was largely confined to Europe. The slimmed-down version of The Runaways remained together for one final album, 1978's And Now... The Runaways, before breaking up in early 1979. Lita Ford and Joan Jett went on to launch popular solo careers, with both women releasing platinum-selling albums during the 1980s.