The Ronettes

Has anyone ever been cooler than The Ronettes? Formed in the late ’50s, the vocal group became the stuff of teenage rock ’n’ roll dreams when “Be My Baby” went to No. 2 on the U.S. pop singles chart in 1963. The hits kept coming. With their uptown glamour, the family act from New York City had the look that suddenly every girl wanted and, with Phil Spector behind the trio as producer, a sound like no one else. The Ronettes’ influence continues to reverberate through popular music. It’s there in The Jesus and Mary Chain’s mix of noisy rumble and sweetest melody. You can see it in Amy Winehouse’s beehive, eyeliner and attitude. Ronnie Spector, the fearless lead singer with a voice like a chapel bell, was the blueprint—it was that voice, and her ability to evoke the euphoria of young love, that made The Ronettes the legends they are.