Johnny Rotten

As Johnny Rotten, singer John Lydon spread fear into the hearts of middle-class Britain as the volcanic frontman for the legendary Sex Pistols. Lydon's sneering voice and cutting lyrics helped to establish the band as leading figures in the growing punk movement of the 1970s. When the Sex Pistols combusted under the weight of internal tensions in 1977, Lydon formed Public Image Limited, a new outfit whose eclectic approach to rock had a major influence on alternative rock, electronica and industrial music. Though he initially swore that the Pistols would never reunite, Lydon eventually announced that the band would come together in 1996 for a series of well-received dates around the world. They would remain semi-active for the next decade while Lydon became a personality on UK TV. If the John Lydon that plugged butter on commercials or appeared in reality television shows seemed a far cry from Johnny Rotten, the importance of his music with the Sex Pistols helped to cement his position as one of punk's leading architects.