Rockstar and frontrunner of the “Second British Invasion,” Billy Idol is a musical and cultural phenomenon. According to legend, the “Idol” part of his moniker comes from a report card he took home in high school, on which a teacher labeled him “idle.” While that may have been true for his academic life, he showed his true potential when he moved from the UK to New York in 1981 to start his solo music career. Partnering with glam rock guitarist, Steve Stevens, Billy Idol made a name for himself between ’81 and ’83 with a combination of single and album releases. Idol’s early hits would earn him places in the Billboard Hot 100, amongst other global charts. Idol’s music videos would also become some of first nominated works at the MTV Video Music Awards, which had their first annual ceremony in 1984.

Fortunately for guitarists at home reading this, JamPlay teamed up with Steve Stevens himself to show us how to play some of Billy Idol’s biggest hits on guitar. Let’s jump in and learn some Billy Idol songs!

“Eyes Without a Face” – Billy Idol Song Lesson – JamPlay

“Eyes Without a Face” was Billy Idol’s first ever single to breach the Top 10 in the Americas. Featuring a ballad-esque melody and dark lyrics, this outlier of a track peaked at No. 4 on Billboard’s Hot 100, and is still one of Idol’s most popular tunes.

In this lesson from Steve Stevens, you’ll learn how to play all of the chords and melodies for “Eyes Without a Face” on guitar. For the breakdown of all the parts and more, check out Steve’s full lesson on JamPlay!

“Flesh For Fantasy” – Billy Idol Song Lesson – JamPlay

“Flesh For Fantasy” comes from Idol’s second studio album, Rebel Yell. This track was the third single from the album, and was cowritten by both Billy Idol and Steve Stevens. The song peaked at No. 8 on the US Mainstream Rock charts.

Take a page from Steve’s book and learn how to play the guitar parts for “Flesh For Fantasy” on guitar. For the breakdown, check out the full lesson on JamPlay!

“Rebel Yell” – Billy Idol Song Lesson – JamPlay

The title track from his second album, “Rebel Yell” is another one of Billy Idol’s persistently most popular tunes. Between 1983 and 1985, this song charted in the US, England, Australia, Canada, and New Zealand. It even peaked at No. 46 on Billboard’s Hot 100.

Get ready to work out your right hand on this tune. Steve Stevens shows you how to play the guitar parts for “Rebel Yell,” including an intro which Steve intentionally wrote to sound like a guitar and an electric keys part playing simultaneously. Get the full breakdown with tab in Steve’s lesson on JamPlay!

“White Wedding” – Billy Idol Song Lesson – JamPlay

A hit single from his debut album, “White Wedding” is one of Billy Idol’s identifiable tunes. The song topped out at No. 10 and No. 36 on Billboard’s Bubbling Under the Hot 100 and Hot 100 charts, respectively upon its initial launch and re-launch. “White Wedding” also famously makes an appearance in Adam Sandler’s film, The Wedding Singer, which featured a role starring Idol.

Learn all the guitar parts from co-writer and guitarist, Steve Steven’s full lesson on JamPlay!

For more Song Lessons, check out JamPlay.com! JamPlay has over 450 guitar courses from 120+ instructors, and online guitar lessons tailored to every skill level, music genre, and playing style. Click here to learn more.

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