10 Perfect Rock Singles Of The 80s
8. Billy Idol: Rebel Yell (1983)
Billy Idol took what punk had stood for and carried it into the '80s with a fury. He cut his teeth on the London punk rock scene during the '70s with Generation X. Before long he made the trip to the Big Apple where he teamed up with metal guitarist Steve Stevens. It was the combination needed to turn Idol into his namesake.
The British punk attitude lived on through Idol's quivering snarl and flaring nostrils. Along with a collective of British musicians, dubbed the 'Second British Invasion', he stormed America with a brand of rock that walked a fine line between commercial pop and punk-inspired metal.
White Wedding made him a household name on MTV, but Rebel Yell confirmed his status. Steve Stevens' guitar wizardry resembled the hair metal acts popular at the time, and Idols crooning vocals gave the track all the momentum required to carry the spirit of the rebel yell.
Idol became so huge that many true punks condemned his whole shtick as contrived, but when he released tracks this good, who cares?