Formed in 1974, today’s #TBTXPN featured artist Blondie were ahead of their time mixing genres like reggae, hip hop, and avant-garde to create the American new-wave sound from the 70s and 80s.
Blondie played famed New York punk clubs like CBGB alongside contemporaries such as other #TBTXPN featured artists Talking Heads and Patti Smith. Originally called “Angel and The Snake,” the band landed on the now iconic moniker, Blondie, from catcalls front-person Debbie Harry would hear on the streets of NYC while sporting her signature blonde hair. Harry became a pillar in the community as she fought endlessly for her place in the often hostile scene, which would then pave the way for more artists to be unapologetically themselves.
Listen today at the top of every hour to hear deep cuts, hits, live versions and more. Stream from anywhere at xpn.org.