Atomic

Atomic, Blondie, Eat to the Beat, 1980

 

Blondie created  a monster named punk pop. The combination of throbbing disco synths, new wave style and don’t give a shit punk attitiude has been emulated by a generation of girl singers ranging from Karen O to Ashlee Simpson. Debbie Harry is a punk Marilyn Monroe, at once untouchably glamorous and completely relatable. She’s the pop star hip girls still idolize, even more than Madonna, who has fallen into self-parody and camp. Debbie Harry may be the coolest girl at CBGB but she’s still the nice Jersey girl gazing across the river, dreaming.