The Ronettes

USA, 1961–1967

American girl group from Spanish Harlem led by Ronnie Spector, and the best-known act produced by Phil Spector. 'Be My Baby' (1963) is among the most widely imitated pop records of the era, particularly its opening drum figure.

MusicRoots documents 2 artists who influenced The Ronettes and 3 artists The Ronettes influenced in turn. Every connection cites a published source.

Who influenced The Ronettes?

• Phil Spector — The Ronettes' sound is Phil Spector's — he produced them, built the Wall of Sound around Ronnie's voice and married her; the group is inseparable from his production.
• Frankie Lymon & The Teenagers — Ronnie Spector named Frankie Lymon her idol — the teen-vocal-group model she sang along to before the Ronettes existed.

Which artists did The Ronettes influence?

• The Jesus and Mary Chain — 'Just Like Honey' opens with the 'Be My Baby' drumbeat — the Ronettes are the pop heart Psychocandy buried in feedback.
• The Shangri-Las — The Ronettes' 1963 Spector-produced 'bad girl' glamour was the immediate girl-group archetype the Shangri-Las followed and darkened into teen melodrama.
• Cyndi Lauper — The Ronettes' Ronnie Spector was a direct inspiration — Lauper drew on that girl-group sound when she rearranged 'Girls Just Want to Have Fun'.