Born James Newell Osterberg Jr. in the Spring of 1947, the man the world came to know as Iggy Pop grew up the only child of a nurturing family amid the inauspicious surroundings of a Michigan trailer park. Taking up the drums in high school, he acquired the nickname "Iggy" while a member of The Iguanas, who released one lone single in 1965. Two years later, he dropped out of university to form The Psychedelic Stooges with brothers Ron and Scott Asheton, and bassist Dave Alexander.
Ditching their titular adjective, The Stooges and their style of chaotic garage rock would go on to inadvertently form a blueprint for the punk movement of the mid-seventies. Though largely ignored at the time, both the Stooges' eponymous debut and its follow-up Fun House, became cult classics over time, with Pop himself eventually coming to be labeled by many the "Godfather of Punk."
The Stooges imploded for the first time in 1971, undoubtedly exacerbated in part by Iggy's heroin addiction. However, when none other than a Ziggy Stardust-era David Bowie expressed interest in making an album with Pop, a slightly-altered lineup of The Stooges reunited to produce what became the blistering Raw Power album. Pop's drug problem flourished, seeing the confrontational nature of his legendary live performances escalate to truly combative, culminating in an actual biker brawl at one Detroit gig that proved to be The Stooges' very last. The very last for twenty-nine years anyway.
Taking time off to get clean, Iggy Pop made his return to the public eye in 1977 with the release of his first solo album, The Idiot, again produced by David Bowie. The now Berlin-era Bowie also played keyboards on Pop's first solo tour, and produced the Lust For Life record, released a mere five months following The Idiot. In addition to two successful albums, the Bowie association contributed to a newfound interest in The Stooges material, seeing the sudden issue of a number of shelved recordings (including Kill City) during this time period.
The records between 1979's New Values and 1982's Zombie Birdhouse marked a return to the rawer sounds of Iggy's proto-punk beginnings, and pleased some long-term fans, but proved less commercially successful than his first two albums. He then took four years off before returning with Blah Blah Blah (another Bowie production), which remains his best seller to date. It's also his most pop-oriented, as 1988's Instinct was another return to his punk aesthetic, while 1990's Brick By Brick was a rock-pop hybrid with guest appearances from Slash and Kate Pierson, and glossy production courtesy of Don Was.
Pop's tendency to flirt with different genres and ebb and flow where moments take him has made for an eccentric discography, ranging from an album of standards covers (2012's Après) to a jazzy record inspired by French novelist Michel Houellebecq (2009's Préliminaires) to his recent collaboration with electronic mainstays Underworld (2018's Teatime Dub Encounters EP).
Along the way, there have been highs and lows, with Iggy having achieved a frankly impressive number of career resurgences. Still active in his seventies, there seems like no better time than now to pause and acknowledge the improbable longevity of one of the greatest performers in all of rock 'n' roll history.
Curated below is a ranked list of Wet Thud's favourite musical moments from the long and storied catalogue of Mr. Iggy Pop. Dig in. Find a Spotify playlist of the entire countdown following number one below.
Iggy Pop
(from Avenue B, 1999)
039. "I Need More"
Iggy Pop
(from Soldier, 1980)
038. "Funtime"
Iggy Pop
(from The Idiot, 1977)
037. "TV Eye"
The Stooges
(from Fun House, 1970)
036. "My Idea Of Fun"
The Stooges
(from The Weirdness, 2007)
035. "Skull Ring"
Iggy Pop with The Stooges
(from Skull Ring, 2003)
034. "Red Right Hand"
Iggy Pop with Jarvis Cocker
(from Peaky Blinders Series 4, 2017)
033. "Sister Midnight"
Iggy Pop
(from The Idiot, 1977)
032. "Tonight"
Iggy Pop
(from Lust For Life, 1977)
031. "Little Know It All"
Iggy Pop with Sum 41
(from Skull Ring, 2003)
030. "Cold Metal"
Iggy Pop
(from Instinct, 1988)
029. "Loose"
The Stooges
(from Fun House, 1970)
028. "Kill City"
Iggy Pop with James Williamson
(from Kill City, 1977)
027. "Some Weird Sin"
Iggy Pop
(from Lust For Life, 1977)
026. "Down On The Street"
The Stooges
(from Fun House, 1970)
025. "Real Wild Child (Wild One)"
Iggy Pop
(from Blah Blah Blah, 1986)
024. "Success"
Iggy Pop
(from Lust For Life, 1977)
023. "Gimme Danger"
Iggy and the Stooges
(from Raw Power, 1973)
022. "Mask"
Iggy Pop
(from Beat 'Em Up, 2001)
021. "I'm Bored"
Iggy Pop
(from New Values, 1979)
020. "Cry For Love"
Iggy Pop
(from Blah Blah Blah, 1986)
019. "Well Did You Evah"
Deborah Harry and Iggy Pop
(from the Red Hot + Blue compilation, 1990)
018. "Sunday"
Iggy Pop
(from Post Pop Depression, 2016)
017. "Kick It"
Peaches with Iggy Pop
(from Peaches' Fatherfucker, 2003)
016. "Pumpin' For Jill"
Iggy Pop
(from Party, 1981)
015. "Gardenia"
Iggy Pop
(from Post Pop Depression, 2016)
014. "Candy"
Iggy Pop with Kate Pierson
(from Brick By Brick, 1990)
013. "Raw Power"
Iggy and the Stooges
(from Raw Power, 1973)
012. "Aisha"
Death In Vegas featuring Iggy Pop
(from Death In Vegas' The Contino Sessions, 1999)
011. "Nightclubbing"
Iggy Pop
(from The Idiot, 1977)
010. "Wild America"
Iggy Pop
(from American Caesar, 1993)
009. "Five Foot One"
Iggy Pop
(from New Values, 1979)
008. "1969"
The Stooges
(from The Stooges, 1969)
007. "Home"
Iggy Pop
(from Brick By Brick, 1990)
006. "No Fun"
The Stooges
(from The Stooges, 1969)
005. "Search And Destroy"
Iggy and the Stooges
(from Raw Power, 1973)
004. "The Passenger"
Iggy Pop
(from Lust For Life, 1977)
003. "I Wanna Be Your Dog"
The Stooges
(from The Stooges, 1969)
002. "Lust For Life"
Iggy Pop
(from Lust For Life, 1977)
001. "China Girl"
Iggy Pop
(from The Idiot, 1977)
***** text-only version of the list *****
###. "Song Title" Artist (Album Title, Release Date)
040. "Corruption" Iggy Pop (single from Avenue B, 1999)
039. "I Need More" Iggy Pop (album cut from Soldier, 1980)
038. "Funtime" Iggy Pop (album cut from The Idiot, 1977)
037. "TV Eye" The Stooges (album cut from Fun House, 1970)
036. "My Idea Of Fun" The Stooges (album cut from The Weirdness, 2007)
035. "Skull Ring" Iggy Pop with The Stooges (album cut from Skull Ring, 2003)
034. "Red Right Hand" Iggy Pop with Jarvis Cocker (single from the Peaky Blinders Series 4 soundtrack, 2017)
033. "Sister Midnight" Iggy Pop (single from The Idiot, 1977)
032. "Tonight" Iggy Pop (album cut from Lust For Life, 1977)
031. "Little Know It All" Iggy Pop with Sum 41 (single from Skull Ring, 2003)
030. "Cold Metal" Iggy Pop (single from Instinct, 1988)
029. "Loose" The Stooges (album cut from Fun House, 1970)
028. "Kill City" Iggy Pop with James Williamson (single from Kill City, 1977)
027. "Some Weird Sin" Iggy Pop (album cut from Lust For Life, 1977)
026. "Down On The Street" The Stooges (single from Fun House, 1970)
025. "Real Wild Child (Wild One)" Iggy Pop (single from Blah Blah Blah, 1986)
024. "Success" Iggy Pop (single from Lust For Life, 1977)
023. "Gimme Danger" Iggy and the Stooges (album cut from Raw Power, 1973)
022. "Mask" Iggy Pop (single from Beat 'Em Up, 2001)
021. "I'm Bored" Iggy Pop (single from New Values, 1979)
020. "Cry For Love" Iggy Pop (single from Blah Blah Blah, 1986)
019. "Well Did You Evah" Deborah Harry and Iggy Pop (single from the Red Hot + Blue compilation, 1990)
018. "Sunday" Iggy Pop (album cut from Post Pop Depression, 2016)
017. "Kick It" Peaches with Iggy Pop (single from Peaches' Fatherfucker, 2003)
016. "Pumpin' For Jill" Iggy Pop (single from Party, 1981)
015. "Gardenia" Iggy Pop (single from Post Pop Depression, 2016)
014. "Candy" Iggy Pop with Kate Pierson (single from Brick By Brick, 1990)
013. "Raw Power" Iggy and the Stooges (album cut from Raw Power, 1973)
012. "Aisha" Death In Vegas featuring Iggy Pop (single from Death In Vegas' The Contino Sessions, 1999)
011. "Nightclubbing" Iggy Pop (album cut from The Idiot, 1977)
010. "Wild America" Iggy Pop (single from American Caesar, 1993)
009. "Five Foot One" Iggy Pop (single from New Values, 1979)
008. "1969" The Stooges (album cut from The Stooges, 1969)
007. "Home" Iggy Pop (single from Brick By Brick, 1990)
006. "No Fun" The Stooges (album cut from The Stooges, 1969)
005. "Search And Destroy" Iggy and the Stooges (promotional single from Raw Power, 1973)
004. "The Passenger" Iggy Pop (album cut from Lust For Life, 1977)
003. "I Wanna Be Your Dog" The Stooges (single from The Stooges, 1969)
002. "Lust For Life" Iggy Pop (album cut from Lust For Life, 1977)
001. "China Girl" Iggy Pop (single from The Idiot, 1977)
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