#73 Blondie

Blondie has sold over 50 million albums. Originally, Debbie Harry was in a folk group. She met Chris Stein and they formed Blondie. The band’s repertoire was so eclectic, they were compared to The Who. Blondie incorporated Punk, New Wave, Disco, Reggae, Rap, and other musical forms into their work. They eventually hit the big time and Debbie Harry became bigger than the band itself. In the early 80s, Chris Stein suffered a rare fatal disease and Blondie disbanded. Stein somehow recovered. They were highly influential (Madonna, Shirley Manson) and reconstituted in the late 90s and hit #1 in the UK with “Maria.” In 2006, they scored a top 10 hit in the US with “Rapture Riders” (with the Doors). They were inducted into the Rock n Roll Hall of Fame in 2006 and still tour.

Rock n Roll Moment: There were some issues during their induction into the Rock n Roll Hall of Fame. Two former members wished to play during the induction, but Debbie refused as she had the current lineup ready to go. (awkward!)

Essential Blondie:
Blondie (1976)
Parallel Lines (1978)

Blondie’s Top 10:
Call Me
One Way or Another
Rapture
Dreaming
Heart of Glass
Maria
Atomic
Rip Her To Shreds
The Tide Is High
Island of Lost Souls