Top 10 Billy Idol Songs

Photo: By Simone van den Boom [CC BY-SA 3.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0) or GFDL (http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/fdl.html)], from Wikimedia Commons

Our Top 10 Billy Idol Songs looks at a rocker who seems to never age in spirit and sound. Billy Idol broke onto the rock scene in the early 1980s with a string of hits backed by an attitude of twenty-five percent punk, twenty-five percent new wave, twenty-five percent old-school rock, and twenty-five percent growl. Billy Idol was an original made up of the best of what rock had been offering for the previous twenty-five years. Billy Idol seemed to fall somewhere between Sid Vicious and Elvis Presley. He was and still is one of the most entertaining rock and roll singers ever. If we were choosing a rock and roll singer to play a villain in a sci-fi movie just based on character, Billy Idol would be our choice.

Regardless of Billy Idol’s dynamic stage presence and personality, none of that would matter if the music were not great. During his 1980s reign, Idol released some of the decade’s biggest and most memorable rock hits while crossing punk, new wave, pop, and classic rock. His later albums proved that the sneer, the hooks, and the partnership with Steve Stevens still had plenty of life in them. This Top 10 Billy Idol Songs list looks at major hits and favorite album tracks that we think stand among the best material the great singer ever released.

# 10 – Scream

We open our Top 10 Billy Idol Songs list with the great track “Scream” from the 2005 album Devil’s Playground. The album was Idol’s first studio record of new material since Cyberpunk in 1993, making Billy Idol‘s return with Steve Stevens especially welcome and restoring the classic Billy Idol sound that had been gone for too long. Idol and drummer Brian Tichy wrote “Scream,” while longtime collaborator Keith Forsey produced the track. Steve Stevens handles guitar, Stephen McGrath plays bass, Derek Sherinian adds keyboards, and Tichy drives the song on drums and percussion. The second legacy affiliate link for Devil’s Playground remains attached to the album reference. With its hard-rocking riff and unapologetic vocal, “Scream” sounded like the classic Idol attitude had never left.

# 9 – Bitter Pill

The opening track on Billy Idol’s 2014 album Kings & Queens of the Underground finds him sounding mature, reflective, and still completely recognizable. “Bitter Pill” was written by Billy Idol, Eric Bazilian of The Hooters, and Glen Goss, with Bazilian also known for writing Joan Osborne’s “One of Us”; see our Top 10 Joan Osborne Songs. Trevor Horn produced the recording at Sarm Studios in London. Steve Stevens plays acoustic and electric guitar, Horn plays bass, Ash Soan handles drums and percussion, and Geoff Downes contributes Hammond organ and synthesizer. The polished arrangement gives Idol’s weathered vocal plenty of space while keeping the song rooted in rock. “Bitter Pill” was not released as a single, but it makes a strong opening statement for an album that brought Idol back after another long studio gap.

# 8 – Can’t Break Me Down

“Can’t Break Me Down” stands as one of the strongest tracks from Billy Idol’s 2014 album Kings & Queens of the Underground. Billy Idol, Greg Kurstin, and Daniel Nigro wrote the song, and Kurstin produced it at his Echo Studio in Los Angeles. Kurstin handled bass, drums, guitar, and keyboards, while Steve Stevens added his distinctive guitar presence. The song’s punchy chorus and defiant tone fit naturally beside Idol’s biggest 1980s anthems without sounding like a simple throwback. It reached number 15 on Billboard’s Adult Alternative Songs chart. The Jason Trucco-directed video, inspired by the hall-of-mirrors climax of The Lady from Shanghai, added another stylish visual chapter to Idol’s career.

# 7 – Venus

“Venus” comes from Billy Idol’s experimental 1993 album Cyberpunk, one of the boldest departures in his catalog. Billy Idol and Mark Younger-Smith wrote the song, while Robin Hancock produced, engineered, and mixed the recording. Younger-Smith plays guitar, Doug Wimbish handles bass, Tal Bergman plays drums, and Hancock contributes keyboards alongside Idol and Younger-Smith. The track surrounds Idol’s familiar voice with programming, synthesizers, and a futuristic atmosphere that reflects the album’s fascination with cyberculture. It was a sharp break from the sound of records such as Rebel Yell and Whiplash Smile, which made Cyberpunk one of Idol’s most polarizing releases. “Venus” remains a fascinating example of an established rocker refusing to stand still.

# 6 – Cradle Of Love

“Cradle of Love” became one of Billy Idol’s biggest hits when it appeared on his 1990 album Charmed Life. Billy Idol and David Werner wrote the song, and Keith Forsey produced the recording. The track was recorded at Conway Studios and Oasis Studios in Los Angeles, with Mark Younger-Smith on guitar, Vito on bass, Arthur Barrow on keyboards, and Forsey on drums. Released as the album’s lead single, “Cradle of Love” climbed to number two on the Billboard Hot 100. David Fincher directed the famous video, while Idol’s recent motorcycle injuries limited how extensively he could appear in the physical action. The song’s polished production never smothers its swagger, making it one of Idol’s great early-1990s rock singles.

# 5 – Eyes Without A Face

“Eyes Without a Face” captures a haunting and introspective side of Billy Idol that sharply contrasts with his harder-rocking singles. Idol and Steve Stevens wrote the song for Rebel Yell, and Keith Forsey produced it at Electric Lady Studios in New York City. Steve Stevens plays guitar, Sal Cuevas handles bass, Thommy Price plays drums, and Perri Lister supplies the unforgettable French backing vocal. The song shifts from its dreamy verses into a much more aggressive middle section, allowing Idol and Stevens to put vulnerability and menace inside the same recording. Released as the album’s second single, “Eyes Without a Face” reached number four on the Billboard Hot 100 and became Idol’s first U.S. top-ten hit. Its atmosphere, melody, and emotional tension make it one of the deepest records in his catalog.

# 4 – Mony Mony

Billy Idol took the 1968 Tommy James and the Shondells hit “Mony Mony” and turned it into one of the defining crowd songs of his career. Idol first issued a studio version on the 1981 Don’t Stop EP, giving the old hit a harder early-1980s sound. The version that became the massive hit, however, was the live recording released in 1987 and included on the U.S. edition of Vital Idol. That live single reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100. It was amazing how Idol revitalized the old Tommy James and the Shondells song with the attitude and energy of his own era. Although Billy Idol had already been performing it for years, the 1987 live release turned “Mony Mony” into one of his biggest records.

# 3 – Dancing With Myself

“Dancing with Myself” began with Gen X, the later version of Generation X formed around Billy Idol and Tony James. Idol and James wrote the song, and Gen X released it as a single in 1980 before it appeared on the 1981 album Kiss Me Deadly. Idol carried the recording into his solo career, where it became part of the 1981 Don’t Stop EP and helped introduce him to American audiences. Keith Forsey’s production sharpened the dance-rock pulse while preserving the punk energy at the song’s core. The Tobe Hooper-directed video became a memorable part of early MTV and helped establish Idol’s visual persona. More than four decades later, its combination of isolation, humor, and a gigantic chorus still sounds completely natural in an Idol set.

# 2 – Rebel Yell

“Rebel Yell” stands as one of Billy Idol’s most iconic songs and the centerpiece of his 1983 album of the same name. Idol and Steve Stevens wrote the track, which Keith Forsey produced at Electric Lady Studios in New York City. Stevens’ guitar work, Steve Webster’s bass, Thommy Price’s drums, and Judi Dozier’s keyboards create the huge sound behind Idol’s vocal. The single followed the album in 1984 and initially peaked at number 46 on the Billboard Hot 100, even though its long-term popularity would far exceed that chart position. Steve Stevens’ inventive guitar effects and the song’s relentless chorus made it a defining MTV-era rock anthem. “Rebel Yell” captures Billy Idol’s combination of punk attitude, hard-rock muscle, and pop instinct about as well as any song he ever recorded.

# 1 – White Wedding

“White Wedding” closes this list as Billy Idol’s finest recording, a song that helped define both his solo career and his visual identity. Idol wrote the song, and Keith Forsey produced it for the 1982 album Billy Idol. Recorded at Westlake Audio in Los Angeles, the track is driven by Steve Stevens’ unforgettable guitar riff, with Phil Feit on bass and Idol delivering one of his most recognizable vocals. “White Wedding” reached number 36 on the Billboard Hot 100 and later became an even bigger chart success in the United Kingdom after its 1985 reissue. David Mallet’s gothic music video became a staple of MTV and turned Idol’s sneer, leather, peroxide hair, and theatrical rock persona into instantly recognizable images. More than any other recording, “White Wedding” brings together the riffs, attitude, melody, and rebellious character that made Billy Idol a rock icon.