The Runaways - The Best Of The Runaways

Formed in 1975 as one of the first commercially viable all-female rock lineups, The Runaways blew open the doors for women in hard rock before most of them were even old enough to drive. This updated 13-track compilation pulls the band's essential run together in one place, newly remastered, and opens with the song that started it all, "Cherry Bomb," written by Joan Jett and manager Kim Fowley and delivered with raw, unbridled attitude by 16-year-old lead singer Cherie Currie.

That opening shot set the tone for everything the band did next. With Jett on rhythm guitar and vocals, Lita Ford tearing through lead guitar, and a rotating rhythm section behind them, The Runaways played loud, fast, and unapologetic at a time when almost no young women were fronting rock bands at all. The band built a devoted following on the Sunset Strip and became full-blown stars in Japan, where their sold-out shows and gold-selling Live in Japan album sparked scenes of Beatlemania-level hysteria.

The band didn't last long, breaking up in 1979 after a handful of records and constant lineup shifts, but their influence far outlasted their run. The Runaways gave Joan Jett and Lita Ford their start before both went on to major solo careers, and the band's DIY snarl became a direct blueprint for riot grrrl acts and punk bands that followed decades later.

This vinyl LP pressing collects the band's best moments in one place, remastered for a cleaner, punchier listen. For anyone tracing the roots of women in rock and punk, this is where the story begins.