William Michael Albert Broad, known professionally as Billy Idol, is an English-American singer, songwriter, musician and actor. He first achieved fame in the 1970s emerging from the London punk rock scene as the lead singer of the group Generation X. Subsequently, he embarked on a solo career which led to international recognition and made Idol a lead artist during the MTV-driven "Second British Invasion" in the US. The name "Billy Idol" was inspired by a schoolteacher's description of him as "idle".
Idol performing with Generation Sex in 2023
Idol performing during the Cradle of Love Tour, 1990
Idol performing at the Milton Keynes Bowl in Buckinghamshire, 1993
Idol performing on stage at the Brixton Academy in London, 2005
Generation X were an English punk rock band, formed in London in 1976. They were the musical starting point of the career of their frontman Billy Idol, and issued six singles that made the UK Singles Chart and two albums that reached the UK Albums Chart.
Generation X, 1977. L-R: Billy Idol, Tony James, Bob Andrews, and Mark Laff