James Newell Osterberg Jr. better known as Iggy Pop, is an American musician, singer, songwriter, producer, and actor. He is often referred to as the “Godfather of Punk”.
Iggy Pop is known for his over-the-top stage persona and antics, partnered with his distinctive voice and contemplative lyrics. He is credited with being one of the first performers to attempt a stage-dive, and more often than not, performs shirtless theatrics such as rolling in broken glass. His public persona is influenced by Jim Morrison, as he was surprised that such a high-profile star could get away with such extreme acts while performing. Iggy Pop maintains his magnetic stage presence to this day.
Born in Michigan in 1947, he first took an interest in musical instruments when he was in fifth grade. His moniker, “Iggy Pop”, pays homage to a band he was in during his high school years called The Iguanas. Forming The Stooges in 1967, Pop constantly struggled with a heroin addiction that led to the group splitting up and reuniting multiple times over the course of their existence. The Stooges helped bring Iggy Pop to mainstream success, though the stress caused by personal issues often seemed to stunt any real growth for the band. The Stooges were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2010.
Pop worked with David Bowie from 1976, collaborating on many albums as well as personal projects outside of work. It was Pop’s eventual success on co-written songs with Bowie that enabled him to finally take a three-year break from music and focus on overcoming his heroin addiction. After kicking his habit, Pop found a renewed vigor for performance. He continued to write and record songs, work with other musicians and artists, and even appear in TV and film through the 1990s and 2000s, racking up a resume that includes collaborations with countless trailblazers in the music industry.
His popularity surged in 1996 when his 1977 song "Lust for Life" was used in the film Trainspotting. He got another boost in 1998 when Ewan McGregor portrayed a glam rocker loosely based on Iggy Pop in Velvet Goldmine. The film depicted a same-sex relationship inspired by the real-life rumors surrounding Pop’s own sexuality. It has been widely rumored that while Iggy Pop and David Bowie were living together and closely collaborating, the two were, in fact, lovers. While this has never been definitively proven, Iggy Pop’s very queer-coded music, persona, and personality has turned the Bowie relationship into the stuff of legend. Media outlets including Out and LogoTV refer to Pop as bisexual.
Between The Stooges and his solo work, Iggy Pop has released 25 studio albums across his more than 50 year musical career. His music has received two Grammy nominations. In January 2020, Pop received a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award for his achievements in the music industry.