Synopsis

Joan Jett performs "Bad Reputation" with the Blackhearts in a stark black-and-white video built around attitude, movement, and direct confrontation. The clip presents Jett as an unapologetic rock performer, alternating between close-ups, full-band shots, and energetic stage-style footage. Its stripped-down visual approach matches the song's defiant message: she refuses to soften her image or apologize for the reputation attached to her career, appearance, and outspoken independence.

Factoids & Trivia

• "Bad Reputation" was released in 1980 as the title track of Joan Jett's debut album.

• The recording features the Blackhearts, the band that became central to Jett's solo identity after her time with the Runaways.

• The video's black-and-white presentation reinforces the song's raw, punk-influenced character rather than treating it like a polished pop production.

• The song became one of Jett's signature statements and was later used as the title of the 2018 documentary about her life and career.

• The video's confrontational tone helped establish the image of Jett as an artist who controlled her own presentation instead of conforming to conventional expectations for female rock performers.