The B-52’s is an American new wave band formed in Athens, Georgia, in 1976. The original lineup consisted of Fred Schneider (vocals, percussion), Kate Pierson (vocals, keyboards, synth bass), Cindy Wilson (vocals, percussion), Ricky Wilson (guitar), and Keith Strickland (drums, guitar, keyboards). Ricky Wilson died of AIDS-related illness in 1985, and Strickland switched from drums to lead guitar. The band also added various members for albums and live performances. The name B-52’s comes from a particular beehive hairdo resembling the nose cone of the aircraft, which Pierson and Cindy Wilson wore in performances during the band’s first decade.
The group evoked a “thrift shop aesthetic”, in Bernard Gendron’s words, by drawing from 1950s and 1960s pop sources, trash culture, and rock and roll. Schneider, Pierson, and Wilson sometimes use call-and-response-style vocals (Schneider’s often humorous sprechgesang contrasting with Wilson’s and Pierson’s melodic harmonies), and their guitar- and keyboard-driven instrumentation is their trademark sound, which was also set apart from their contemporaries by the unusual guitar tunings Ricky Wilson used on their earlier albums.
The band’s first single, “Rock Lobster”, recorded for DB Records in 1978, was an underground success, selling over 2,000 copies. Both this version of “Rock Lobster” and its B-side, “52 Girls”, are different recordings from those that appear on the band’s 1979 debut album, and the early version of “52 Girls” is in a different key. The rerecorded version of “Rock Lobster” was also released as a single and in the UK and Germany. The single went from cult hit to No. 1 on the RPM-compiled national chart in May 1980.
Released in July 1979, their first album ‘The B-52’s’ contained rerecorded versions of “Rock Lobster” and “52 Girls”, six originals recorded solely for the album, and a cover of the Petula Clark hit “Downtown”. The album was a major success, especially in Australia, where it reached No. 3 on the charts alongside its three singles: “Planet Claire”, “Rock Lobster”, and “Dance This Mess Around”. In the U.S., the single “Rock Lobster” reached the Billboard chart chart, while the album was certified platinum by the RIAA. In 1980, John Lennon called the B-52’s his favourite band and specifically cited “Rock Lobster” as an inspiration for his Double Fantasy.
Released in August 1980, Wild Planet was well received by critics; many fans consider it the band’s best album. It reached No. 18 on the Billboard chart in 1980 and was certified gold; “Private Idaho” became the band’s second Hot 100 entry. In December 1982, the band began recording their third album, Whammy!. According to Pierson, Strickland no longer wanted to play the drums, so the band switched to drum machines for this album, with Strickland and Ricky Wilson playing all the music on the album, and the rest of the band providing vocals only. Released in April 1983, Whammy! reached No. 29 on the Billboard album chart. “Legal Tender”, “Whammy Kiss” and “Song for a Future Generation” all reached the Billboard singles chart.
After Rick Wilson died in 1985, the band took a two year hiatus. Strickland had been composing in 1988. After he played some of his new music for the other band members, they all agreed to try writing together again, with Pierson, Wilson and Schneider contributing the lyrics and melodies. In 1989, the band released Cosmic Thing, their mainstream breakthrough. The next single, “Love Shack”, with its party vibe and colourful music video, became their first top 40 hit on the Billboard Hot 100, ultimately reaching No. 3 in November 1989. That peak was matched in March 1990 when their follow-up single, “Roam”, also reached No. 3. In Australia, the country that had most embraced the band a decade earlier, “Love Shack” remained at No. 1 for eight weeks. The band had their next chart entry in 1994 when, as The BC-52’s, they appeared in The Flintstones live-action movie and sang the title song. When released as a single, it reached No. 33 in the U.S. and No. 3 in the UK.
They have been nominated for three Grammy Awards: twice for Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group in 1990 and 1991, and for Best Alternative Music Album in 1992. In April 2022, the group announced they were retiring from touring. A 2023 Las Vegas residency was announced in November of 2022.
