In 2025, we were graced with a new album by Billy Idol called ‘Dream Into It’. It was his first full length studio album since 2014’s ‘Kings And Queens of the Underground’. One of the singles from the album was for a song called “77” and depending on how you listen to the album, you will get a different version of the song. If you listen to it on CD and Vinyl you get one version, if you listen to it digitally or stream it, you get another. The difference is simple, the CD and vinyl is strictly Billy on vocals and the digital is a duet with Avril Lavigne.
With that being said, the Avril version was not available on a physical release. That was until Black Friday Record Store Day on November 28, 2025. For RSD, Billy released a 12″ Single Limited Edition Picture Disc that contains the Avril Lavigne duet on Side A…and the regular version on Side B. I didn’t actually get up and wait in line this year. Nope. It was way too cold as it was below freezing that very cold Friday morning. Instead, I waited a few hours then when and to my astonishment, there were still several copies of the single. I obviously grabbed one who know if I’ll ever wait in line again now.
The song is is a power pop / punk song and sees Billy talking about the whole UK Punk Scene and Gen X. The year that Punk musically really took hold was 1977 and Billy was part of a group of fans that followed The Sex Pistols from show to show. They were called the Bromley Contingent. Billy would soon start his own band called Generation X and they had moderate success in the Punk scene.
As I said, on Side A, we get the Avril Lavigne version of the song as she sings with Billy. She actually opens the song which is strange as it is Billy’s song not hers. But with her starting it off, it feels more like her song than his. And as far as her age, she was born about 7 years after that year 1977, regardless, she is a little punk herself with her early music had that same grit and attitude…simply polished a little more.
The flip side is the original album version with only Billy on vocals. All I will say is that Avril version is not the song I like. “77” sounds so much better simply as a Billy song. I really love this one with its high energy, attitude and is lots of fun. When I did the review of the album, I also felt this would’ve made a much better opening track than the laid back title track of “Dream Into It”.
That is all we have here with this one. Two tracks, one of which is the first time you can get the song on a physical format which is why I bought this. That and I collect all things Billy so I needed to help complete the collection. I was glad I didn’t end up having to wait in line to get this one as this is really a nice to have and not a must have. It is a lot for 2 songs…the same songs basically, for that matter. The collector in me is happy to have it. And the Billy only version is a killer track and one of the better ones on the album. Check it out…check them both out.
THE BILLY IDOL SERIES:
- Generation X – ‘Generation X’
- Generation X – ‘Valley of the Dolls’
- Gen X – ‘Kiss Me Deadly’
- Gen X – “Dancing With Myself” 12″ Single (Bonus Edition)
- Generation X – ‘The BBC Transcription Disc Series No. 126 1978’ (Bootleg)
- Billy Idol – Don’t Stop E.P.
- Billy Idol – Billy Idol
- Billy Idol – “White Wedding” – 12″ Single (Bonus Edition)
- Billy Idol – Rebel Yell
- Billy Idol – “Rebel Yell” – 7″ Single (Bonus Edition)
- Billy Idol – “Eyes Without A Face” – 12″ Picture Disc (Bonus Edition)
- Billy Idol – “Eyes Without A Face” – 7″ Single (Bonus Edition)
- Billy Idol – Whiplash Smile
- Billy Idol – “Sweet Sixteen” – 7″ Single (Bonus Edition)
- Billy Idol – To Be A Lover – Single Review
- Billy Idol – Vital Idol
- Billy Idol – “Hot In the City” – 7″ Single (Bonus Edition)
- Billy Idol – “Mony Mony Live” – 12″ Maxi-Single (Bonus Edition)
- Idol Songs: 11 of the Best
- Billy Idol – Charmed Life
- Billy Idol – “Cradle of Love” – 7″ Single (Bonus Edition)
- Billy Idol – California FM 1990 (Bootleg)
- Billy Idol – Cyberpunk
- Billy Idol – “Shock To The System” – CD Single Promo (Floppy Disk)
- Billy Idol – “Speed” (song from the Speed Soundtrack)
- Generation X – K.M.D. Sweet Revenge
- Billy Idol – VH1 Storytellers (Live)
- Generation X – Anthology (2003)
- Billy Idol – Devil’s Playground
- Billy Idol – Happy Holidays
- Billy Idol – The Very Best of Billy Idol: Idolize Yourself
- Billy Idol – Icon
- Billy Idol – Kings & Queens of the Underground
- Billy Idol – Dancing With Myself (Book Review)
- Billy Idol – BFI Live (#RSD 2019)
- Billy Idol – Revitalized
- Generation X – Your Generation (7″ Record Store Day Release)
- Generation X – Generation X Deluxe Edition
- Billy Idol – Rebel Waltz: Live (Bootleg)
- Billy Idol – Rebel Calling: Live (Bootleg)
- Generation X – ‘Demos 1977’ (Bootleg)
- Billy Idol – The Roadside E.P.
- Billy Idol – The Cage E.P.
- Billy Idol – The Albums Ranked From Worst to First
- Billy Idol – The Best and Worst Song From Every Album
- Grant’s Rock Warehaus – Billy Idol Career Retrospective
- Billy Idol – The Collection: Ep. 15 – “Vinyl Idol”
- Generation Sex – ‘Listen To This, Johnny!’ – Bootleg (2024)
- The Collection: Ep 15 – Billy Idol (2024)
- The Collection: Ep. 19 – Generation X (2024)
- Billy Idol – Dream Into It (2025)
- Billy Idol – “77” (2025) – Limited Edition Picture Disc (RSD Black Friday)
