B-52’S is an American band from Athens founded in the late 1970s by Fred Schneider, Ricky Wilson and Keith Strickland. The name B-52’S, which is the name of American bomber aircraft, actually refers to the South American slang expression that would actually refer to the sauerkraut on the hair worn by singers Kate Pierson and Cindy Wilson. Their first Single "Rock lobtser" was released in 1978 without real success. But it was not until 1979 that everything really started with the release of their first album, which in particular contained a title that would become a planetary hit and become cult, namely "Planet Claire", a Single with a psycho-distressing sound. Released in 1980 the album "Wild planet" which met with some success. This is not the case with the album "Mesopotamia" released in 1982. 1983 was going to be a pivotal and recovery year with the release of the excellent album "Whammy" which gave pride of place to electronic sounds. Two years will pass to see the release of the album "Bouncing off the satellites", with particularly worked and accomplished melodies and tones. Unfortunately, Ricky Wilson died of AIDS in 1985 and the group was unable to promote the album under such conditions. Several years of forced withdrawal will follow. Before coming back in force in 1989 with the album "Cosmic Thing" which remains to this day their biggest commercial success. Album which contains in particular the planetary hit "Love Shack". Apart from a remarkable appearance by Kate Pierson alongside the REM group in 1991 on the now cult Single "Shiny happy people", the group will not find the same momentum in the following years. To discover or rediscover...
Discography (among others ...) :
70s Decade :
• Rock lobster 1978
• Planet Claire 1979
• Dance this mess around 1979
80s Decade :
• Private Idaho 1980
• Give me back my man 1980
• Party out of bounds 1980
• Legal tender 1983
• Wammy kiss 1983
• Song for a future generation 1983
• Ain’t it a shame 1986
• Summer of love 1986
• Girl from ipanema 1986
• She brakes for rainbow 1986
• Wig 1987
• Channel Z 1989
• Love shack 1989
90s Decade :
• Roam 1990
• Deadbeat club 1990
• Shiny happy people (with REM) 1991
• Good stuff 1992
• Is that you mo-dean ? 1992
• Tell it like it T-I-Is 1992
• Revolution earth 1993
• Hot pants explosion 1993
• (Meet) The Flinstones 1994
• Debbie 1998
• Hallucinating Pluto 1998
2000s Decade :
• Funplex 2008
• Juliet of the spirits 2008
• Pump 2008
Tracks :
1978 ... the beginnings 100 % psychedelic. The sound, the look, the decor, So Kitsch ! An absolutely unique style that promises a necessarily unique suite !
1979 ... then comes THIS title ! THE huge interplanetary hit that will reveal them and literally explode their notoriety. They sign here an absolutely incredible title, with an extraordinary sound and which will undoubtedly remain as one of the most emblematic titles of this end of the XXth century. MO-NU-MEN-TAL !
1979 ... impossible for this sequel to compete with the previous gem even if the style between the 2 titles is very close. Let's wait to see more ...
1980...business resumes with this title and shows that the group has every reason to believe in the future, at least in the medium term...
1980 ... after an absolutely shattering career start, the result turns out to be slightly disappointing. The group remains in the same mode and no longer offers anything frankly interesting. Can and must do better !
1980... the group is unable to bounce back at the start of the 80s despite an obvious desire to do well. We will therefore have to wait a little longer for the big take-off...
1983 ... big air hole of 3 years followed by a resounding return in this year 1983. An obvious rise in power where everything has changed : the sound, the look, the style. The group has been able to renew himself in the best possible way !
1983 ... it pulses ! A title at a crazy pace that spins at 200 km/h and that goes so fast that it will go completely under the radars. Be careful young people not to confuse speed and precipitation ...
1983 ... the crazy Sauerkraut at the top of their game. A truly inimitable style and still inimitable to this day. Unfortunately, it does not pay more than for the previous title ...
1986 ... very surprisingly, this title will not even be released as a Single. And yet, he had everything to please. Casting error as they say ...
1986 ... this one is not bad either. Piece from what will surely remain their best album...
1986 ... girls from Ipanema as we would like to see much more often ! The group impressively aligns very large caliber titles. Hope it lasts !
1986 ... an inspiration at its top which allows to deliver this sumptuous title all in softness and finesse. A great versatility which shows that they are really good in all areas !
1987...a title which will know a nice success of esteem but only in England. In any case, the end of the 1980s promises to be auspicious for the group...
1989...a beginning of the year 1989 which starts quietly on the success side but it is very likely to accelerate with the title which will follow, it is the least that one can say...
1989... the HUGE hit that will definitively consecrate them as one of the major groups of the 80s. A well-deserved consecration. HU-GE !
1990 ... a change of decade that does not lack inspiration, far from it. One could have said that he would not survive the transition to the next decade. Oh no, on the contrary !
1990 ... not only do they continue on their way, but they manage to maintain themselves at the top of the basket without much problem, 12 years after their debut. The brand of the Great !
1991 ... the HUGE bonus ! A magical association with the group R.E.M. which will produce one of the biggest hits of the 1990s, just that !
1992 ... come on, a little last for the road. Another title wacky at will, perfectly in the image of this decidedly extraordinary group
1992 ... a sequel that will be unable to compete with the huge title that preceded it but which is not devoid of interest, that's clear. Anyway, we'll be happy with that...
1992...the beginning of the year will have been exceptional to say the least, but we cannot say that the end of the year can hold up to the comparison. Shame...
1993...the band really struggles with the beginning of the decade at first glance. They are far from deserving, but the level of inspiration is a little weak...
1993...once again it's England that allows them to save a bit of furniture on the Charts side. The group will still have to recover and quickly...
1994 ... and that to recover, he will recover ! When the group covers one of the cult titles of the 60s specially written for the series The Flinstones. This time, it's for the soundtrack of the film of the same name which was released in 1994. And inevitably, it rocks !
1998...unfortunately it will be the last time that the group will get a mega hit. The adventure will continue but this time the group will definitely lose contact with the race leader...
1998...too bad the band didn't know how to reinvent himself during the 90s because he had the potential to. Afterwards, given his past prize list, we can't overwhelm him more than that...
2008...we thought we wouldn't see them again but it was very hard to know them because here they are again 10 years later. An unexpected return that can only delight grassroots fans !
2008...even if no Single of this new opus will be classified, the album as for him will know a nice course in the Charts. It's already that...
2008... now remains to be seen if this title will really be the last because with them we now know, everything is always possible...
Wiki :
Official Website :
Greatest Hits :
Discography :