Gauntlet Gallery
What is Shepard Fairey’s piece called “I Love Rock 'N' Roll 33 1/3”?
Artist Statement
I LOVE ROCK ‘N’ ROLL 33 1/3 Joan Jett is one of the most prolific, bad-ass women in music. I was honored when Joan asked me to recreate the cover of her 1981 album “I Love Rock ’n Roll,” for its “33 1/3 Anniversary” Deluxe edition coming out this month. This is one of my early favorite albums and I used to BLAST it in our house as a kid. We didn’t have a great stereo, but it was pressed loud enough to blow the doors off anyway! It is a big deal for me to work with Joan and I am really pleased with how the album design turned out. If that’s not enough, finally, time has come for Joan’s induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame! To celebrate Joan’s induction and re-release of her classic album, I am offering a limited print run of the design which will be available Tuesday, April 21. Congrats Joan! -Shepard 18 x 24 inch screen print on cream speckletone paper. Signed and numbered edition of 550. $60. Photo by Mick Rock
Summary
I Love Rock 'N' Roll 33 1/3 is a 2015 screen print published by Obey Giant, made at Joan Jett's request to recreate the cover of her 1981 album for its 33 1/3 Anniversary Deluxe edition. The 18 x 24 inch print on cream speckletone paper uses a photograph by Mick Rock and celebrates both the album's re-release and Jett's induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Fairey describes Jett as one of the most prolific, bad-ass women in music. It is signed and numbered in an edition of 550 and was released April 21, 2015, at $60.
Why It Matters
This print unites three of Fairey's enduring interests, music, counterculture, and women's leadership, in a single celebrated image tied to a landmark album. Joan Jett personally asked Fairey to recreate her 1981 I Love Rock 'n Roll cover for its 33 1/3 Anniversary Deluxe edition, and he frames the release around her induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, making the work a tribute to a pioneering woman in rock. Fairey's personal connection adds authenticity: he recalls blasting the album as a kid, which roots the piece in his own formative musical history. The use of a Mick Rock photograph as the source links it to a legendary rock photographer, deepening its music-world pedigree. For collectors, it is a desirable crossover that bridges punk and rock fandom with Fairey's print catalog, anchored by a recognizable image, a documented album-anniversary occasion, and a tribute to a Hall of Fame artist. The edition of 550 keeps it focused while the subject gives it broad appeal across music and art audiences.
Collector Perspective
This print appeals to Joan Jett and classic-rock fans, collectors of Fairey's music portraits, and those drawn to women-in-music tributes. Its tie to a landmark 1981 album, a Mick Rock source photo, and Jett's Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction give it strong crossover collectibility beyond Fairey's core audience. As a bold 18 x 24 inch image on cream speckletone paper, it displays well in a music-themed grouping. With an edition of 550 and a $60 release price, it is accessible yet limited, fitting a collection organized around music icons or Fairey's portraits of influential women.
Historical Context
I Love Rock 'N' Roll 33 1/3 sits within Fairey's long-running music-and-counterculture output, in which he honors musicians who shaped his sensibility. Created at Joan Jett's invitation to mark the 33 1/3 Anniversary Deluxe re-release of her 1981 album and her Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction, it reflects how Fairey aligned print releases with music milestones. His recollection of blasting the record as a kid underscores the personal lineage behind the work, while the Mick Rock source photograph connects it to canonical rock photography. Released in 2015, it belongs to the Modern Activism period of his catalog and exemplifies his recurring tributes to influential, boundary-pushing women in music.
FAQ
Why did Fairey create this print?
According to Fairey, Joan Jett asked him to recreate the cover of her 1981 album "I Love Rock 'n Roll" for its 33 1/3 Anniversary Deluxe edition. He released the print to celebrate both the album's re-release and Jett's induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, calling her one of the most prolific, bad-ass women in music.
Whose photograph is the print based on?
The print credits a photograph by Mick Rock, a celebrated rock photographer. Fairey recreated Jett's 1981 album cover imagery for the anniversary deluxe edition, and his screen print is based on that design.
What are the edition details?
I Love Rock 'N' Roll 33 1/3 is an 18 x 24 inch screen print on cream speckletone paper, signed and numbered in an edition of 550. It was released April 21, 2015, at $60 through Obey Giant.
What is Fairey's personal connection to the album?
Fairey says "I Love Rock 'n Roll" was one of his early favorite albums, which he used to blast in his house as a kid. He describes being honored to work with Joan Jett, making the print both a tribute to her and a reflection of his own formative musical history.
Related Works
About the Artist
Shepard Fairey (b. 1970, Charleston, South Carolina) is an American street artist, graphic designer, and activist, and a graduate of the Rhode Island School of Design. His 1989 “André the Giant Has a Posse” sticker grew into the global OBEY GIANT campaign — an ongoing experiment in propaganda, obedience, and visual culture. He reached worldwide recognition with the 2008 “Hope” portrait of Barack Obama, now held by the Smithsonian National Portrait Gallery. Across screen prints, stencils, murals, and collage, Fairey channels propaganda aesthetics toward themes of peace, justice, environmentalism, and civil rights. His work is in the collections of the Museum of Modern Art, the Victoria & Albert Museum, and LACMA.