Billy Idol

With his snarling punk attitude and dance-rock hooks, Billy Idol is an '80s pop icon; an early MTV star who has enjoyed an extensive career. After fronting the London punk band Generation X, Idol nabbed solo success with singles like "Dancing with Myself" and "White Wedding." Yet it was 1982's Rebel Yell that codified his pop-star status, spawning the club-ready title track and "Eyes Without a Face." He proved resilient, hitting the Top 20 of the Billboard 200 with both 1986's Whiplash Smile and 1990's Charmed Life, the latter with the hit "Cradle of Love." Hard living and a near-fatal motorcycle accident kept Idol out of the spotlight, but he staged a comeback, making a cameo as himself in the Adam Sandler comedy The Wedding Singer and releasing 2005's Devil's Playground, 2014's Kings & Queens of the Underground, and 2025's Dream Into It, albums that underscored his legacy as a seminal pop-punk legend.