New York Dolls

Louche rockers New York Dolls were the bridge between glam rock and punk. Formed in their namesake city, the lineup of charismatic vocalist David Johansen, guitarist Johnny Thunders, bassist Arthur Kane and drummer Billy Murcia solidified when guitarist Sylvain Sylvain joined in 1971. They combined Jagger’s flamboyant androgyny with a gritty rock energy captured on their Todd Rundgren-produced self-titled debut in 1973, with Jerry Nolan having replaced Murcia following the latter’s death the year before. Their wild shows, flashy looks and frenzied songs earned them a cult following but few album sales for their follow-up, 1974’s In Too Much Too Soon. After new manager Malcolm McLaren failed to muster success, Thunders and Nolan left in 1975, and the Dolls played their final show in 1976—just as the first wave of punks inherited the torch for rock 'n' roll transgression. Though Thunders and Nolan died in the early '90s, Johansen and Sylvain eventually reunited for a series of new Dolls albums, including 2009’s 'Cause I Sez So. They split again in 2011 (and Sylvain passed away in 2021), but their influence continues to permeate the 21st-century rock landscape through indie mavericks like The Lemon Twigs and risqué pop phenoms like Måneskin.