Music Muses: It’s only (beautiful) rock ‘n’ roll
Your name might not have been on the door of 70s New York nightclub CBGB, but you are down to take a trip with us as we cruise the greatest pop, rock & punk beauty icons of the 70s & 80s. Picture Editor: Sandra Waibl
Rex FeaturesChrissie Hynde
Frontwoman of The Pretenders, Chrissie’s shaggy shoulder-length bob with full-fat (mostly unbrushed) fringe coupled with a thick line of black kohl liner is pretty much who we channel on a Saturday night.
PA PhotosDebbie Harry
The doyenne of the 70s punk scene in New York, Debbie Harry’s unrivalled beauty as well as that voice has made her a living legend. The peroxide blonde bob complete with black slices (totally copied a decade later by the frontwoman of Berlin) colourful smoky eyes and a popping red pout is still a go-to for blonde bombshells.
Getty ImagesJoan Jett
From teen rocker to bona fide frontwoman with The Blackhearts, Joan Jett’s signature raven mullet is still referenced today. Plus, her services to black eyeliner still take some beating.
Getty ImagesCherie Currie
Joan Jett’s former The Runaways bandmate was a style icon from the off, encapsulating the dreamy 70s glam rock spirit. So too, did her beauty look – cue side-parted flicks and barely a scrap of make-up. Oh, to be a teenager again.
Getty ImagesPatti Smith
If you’re a brunette, it’s Patti Smith’s shaggy cooler-than-thou choppy bob that you’ll no doubt regularly take a picture of to your hairdressers. Mussed-up and fabulous with a wispy fringe, it’s a look that’s still as good now as it was then.
Getty ImagesStevie Nicks
Stevie’s ash blonde tousled locks and full-fat fringe (often complete with a hat) pretty much defined an era.
Rex FeaturesDavid Bowie
ERM… Who hasn’t wanted to try Bowie’s Ziggy Stardust look out?
Rex FeaturesTina Turner
As well as some of the best legs in the music biz, Tina Turner’s stunning array of hairstyles – particularly in the 80s – deserve their own place in the Rock ‘n’ Roll Hall Of Fame. Whilst the What’s Love Got To Do With It spikey long mullet is a classic, the mussed-up shaggy blonde-hued crop is absolutely timeless.
NB: Another lesson from Tina… Always accessorize with a slick of lipstick.
Rex FeaturesJerry Hall
Okay. So not exactly a musician (at all) but through her rock ‘n’ roll affiliations – she dated both Bryan Ferry and Mick Jagger – Jerry deserves a spot for her unashamedly 80s southern belle beauty. Big hair, blood red lips and big shoulder pads are a combo that still looks good if you’re with the band.
PA PhotosSuzi Quatro
The shaggy bob-come-mullet with centre-parted fringe is Suzi’s trademark – along with very natural looking make-up… Guess those leather catsuits talked for themselves.
Getty ImagesJoni Mitchell
Joni’s fresh-faced beauty is a totally iconic beacon of the era. Long, beachy blonde hair that hung around her shoulders or in plaits – with or without fringe – it’s the effortless style that has never gone out of fashion.
Rex FeaturesAnnie Lennox
Between Billy Idol and Annie Lennox, no one will ever, ever be able to pull off a peroxide blonde crop like this one with such aplomb. Actually, same goes for the orange version of this, too.
Getty ImagesJoan Baez
Just as stunning now as she was then (we’ve got our fingers massively crossed that we age as well as this talented woman) Joan’s tumbling, centre-parted raven locks and olive skin have long made her a beauty legend as well as a musical one.
Rex FeaturesDiana Ross
Whether it’s a super-slick beehive, or this 70s-tastic flicky high-haired creation – or even the giant super-long curls circa Chain Reaction, Diana Ross’ gravity-defying locks and thick liquid-lined eyes look has remained all her own for decades.
Rex FeaturesDolly Parton
And from one high-haired diva to another; may we introduce you to Dolly Parton. Although you may not be copying her more-is-more approach to well, anything, her big 80s curls, perennially lipstick-adored lips and false lashes is a wickedly indulgent beauty look - and we wouldn’t have her any other way.
Rex FeaturesSiouxsie Sioux
Spiky hair with a crazy-good graphic eye, blood red perfectly-applied lipstick and thick, sharp brows were the beauty order of the day for Banshees frontwoman, Siouxsie Sioux. Although much copied since, Siouxsie is the original and the best.
Getty ImagesCyndi Lauper
It's hard to choose just one of Cyndi Lauper’s iconic looks. An early purveyor of rainbow hair, Cyndi’s full face of make-up complete with bold eyes and lips as well as an array of ever-changing hair hues made her an icon of the 80s pop scene.
Rex FeaturesMadonna
Another pop icon who is no stranger to a beauty reinvention or five, Madonna’s Desperately Seeking Susan days complete with black roots, hair accessories, a beauty spot and hot red lips are still amongst her most iconic.
Rex FeaturesGrace Jones
The cheekbones, the eyebrows, the tall hair; so much fabulousness in this woman’s look it’s no surprise that she hasn’t changed it much in the last 20 years because, well, why would you?
Rex FeaturesWhitney Houston
Ah, lovely Whitney. Her ringlet-laden bob was much copied after she exploded onto the music scene in the mid-80s. A natural beauty, it was always a fairly simple beauty look; a great haircut and a slightly smoky eye. Perfection.
Rex Features70s Cher
Circa Sonny and Cher, everyone’s favourite diva epitomised 70s styling with her long raven locks centre-parted Ali McGraw style, while her eyes were always heavily kohl-lined.
Rex Features80s Cher
Fast-forward to the 80s though and Cher upped the ante where the hair was concerned, embracing a very of-its-era perm and toned down eye make-up. Of course this isn’t our favourite look of Cher’s ever, how could it be – when this exists.
David Montgomery/Getty ImagesSade
Silky-voiced Sade is a beauty icon for how very simple she has always kept her look. Often pinned back into a low ponytail and just a slick of red lipstick; it’s basically what we try and channel every time we go anywhere.
Getty ImagesSinead O’Connor
Does it get much more iconic? Every single time we watch the Nothing Compares To U video, we totally toy with the idea of just taking the clippers to our head and giving the close-shave thing a try.
