The B-52's - The Complete Studio Album Collection 1979-1992 (2014) [Official Digital Download 24bit/192kHz]

The B-52s are an American new wave band, formed in Athens, Georgia in 1976. The original line-up consisted of Fred Schneider (vocals, percussion, keyboards), Kate Pierson (organ, bass, vocals), Cindy Wilson (vocals, bongos, tambourine, guitar), Ricky Wilson (guitars), and Keith Strickland (drums, guitars, synthesizers, various instruments). Rooted in new wave and 1960s rock and roll, the group later covered many genres ranging from post-punk to pop rock.








The B-52's is the eponymous debut album by the Athens, Georgia-based new wave band The B-52's. The kitschy lyrics and mood, and the hook-laden harmonies helped establish a fanbase for the band, who went on to release several chart-topping singles.

Even in the weird, quirky world of new wave and post-punk in the late '70s, the B-52's' eponymous debut stood out as an original. Unabashed kitsch mavens at a time when their peers were either vulgar or stylish, the Athens quintet celebrated all the silliest aspects of pre-Beatles pop culture – bad hairdos, sci-fi nightmares, dance crazes, pastels, and anything else that sprung into their minds – to a skewed fusion of pop, surf, avant-garde, amateurish punk, and white funk. On paper, it sounds like a cerebral exercise, but it played like a party. The jerky, angular funk was irresistibly danceable, winning over listeners dubious of Kate Pierson and Cindy Wilson's high-pitched, shrill close harmonies and Fred Schneider's campy, flamboyant vocalizing, pitched halfway between singing and speaking. It's all great fun, but it wouldn't have resonated throughout the years if the group hadn't written such incredibly infectious, memorable tunes as "Planet Claire," "Dance This Mess Around," and, of course, their signature tune, "Rock Lobster." These songs illustrated that the B-52's' adoration of camp culture wasn't simply affectation – it was a world view capable of turning out brilliant pop singles and, in turn, influencing mainstream pop culture. It's difficult to imagine the endless kitschy retro fads of the '80s and '90s without the B-52's pointing the way, but The B-52's isn't simply an historic artifact – it's a hell of a good time. Reviewed by Stephen Thomas Erlewine of allmusic.com

Track Listing

01. Planet Claire
02. 52 Girls
03. Dance This Mess Around
04. Rock Lobster
05. Lava
06. There's A Moon In The Sky (Called The Moon)
07. Hero Worship
08. 6060-842
09. Downtown


Album Released: July 6, 1979












Wild Planet is the second studio album by The B-52's.

Conventional wisdom has it that all the B-52's' subsequent releases are highly inferior to their debut. While Wild Planet is not the rarefied wonder their first platter is, it's still darn good. The songs here are generally faster, tighter, and punchier than previously, though production values are not as wonderfully quirky and detailed; fewer songs here are as over-the-top crazy as the first album's "Rock Lobster" or "52 Girls." These formless selections continue to exhibit a cunning mix of girl group, garage band, surf, and television theme song influences, all propelled along by an itchy dance beat. "Give Me Back My Man" allows Cindy Wilson a unique opportunity to croon a broad, expressive melodic line. Fred Schneider parades his inimitably nervous vocals on chucklesome ditties like "Quiche Lorraine" and "Strobe Light." The best songs here are "Private Idaho," a wonderfully jittery number that employs a variant on the famous melodic snippet from the Twilight Zone theme music, and "Devil in My Car," a delightfully loopy hoot that lays the craziness on very thickly. Performances and sound quality are fine. This album is well worth hearing and recommended. Reviewed by David Clear of allmusic.com

Track Listing

10. Party Out Of Bounds
11. Dirty Back Road
12. Runnin' Around
13. Give Me Back My Man
14. Private Idaho
15. Devil In My Car
16. Quiche Lorraine
17. Strobe Light
18. 53 Miles West Of Venus


Album Released: August 27, 1980












Mesopotamia is an EP by new wave band The B-52s. It was produced by David Byrne of Talking Heads and was intended to be the band's third studio album. Due to conflicts with Byrne and record label pressure, recording sessions were aborted prematurely and only six of ten songs to be completed were released as an EP.


Track Listing

19. Loveland
20. Deep Sleep
21. Mesopotamia
22. Cake
23. Throw That Beat In The Garbage Can
24. Nip It In The Bud


Album Released: January 27, 1982












Whammy! is the third studio album by new wave band The B-52's.

Following the botched collaboration with David Byrne on Mesopotamia, the B-52's decided to craft their fourth album as a return to the pop-culture funk explosion of their debut. Smartly, they decided to not simply replicate the skewed Southern funk of that album, choosing to update their signature sound with drum machines and new wave synths. As a result, it now sounds a little forced and dated, but the best moments – "Legal Tender," "Whammy Kiss," "Butterbean," "Song for a Future Generation" – rank as B-52's classics, and the entire record is certainly entertaining, even with its faults. [Whammy! was originally released with a cover of Yoko Ono's "Don't Worry." When the time came to reissue the CD in 1989, the group ran into copyright troubles with Ono and the song was pulled, replaced by "Moon 83."] Reviewed by Stephen Thomas Erlewine of allmusic.com

Track Listing

25. Legal Tender
26. Whammy Kiss
27. Song For A Future Generation
28. Butterbean
29. Trism
30. Queen Of Las Vegas
31. Moon 83
32. Big Bird
33. Work That Skirt


Album Released: April 27, 1983












Bouncing off the Satellites is the fourth studio album by new wave band The B-52's.

Two years after the release of Whammy!, guitarist Ricky Wilson died of AIDS, a shattering blow for the B-52's. The group recouped and finished Bouncing Off the Satellites, the album they were recording when Wilson died. Considering their loss, it's not surprising that the B-52's don't sound entirely focused throughout the record, and it's easy to forgive them for the momentary loss of direction. Musically, it's a continuation of Whammy!, with the group's signature sound being enhanced by drum machines, synths, and sessionmen. There are so many musicians on the record that it winds up sounding too carefully considered – the polar opposite of the loose, inspired fun of their early work. That said, there are some flashes of inspiration scattered throughout the album ("Wig," "Juicy Jungle," "Theme for a Nude Beach," "She Brakes for Rainbows"). There isn't quite enough to make it of interest to anyone but the dedicated, yet those listeners will find that there's enough worth hearing on Bouncing Off the Satellites, especially if they're in a forgiving mood. Reviewed by Stephen Thomas Erlewine of allmusic.com

Track Listing

34. Summer Of Love
35. Girl From Ipanema Goes To Greenland
36. Housework
37. Detour Thru Your Mind
38. Wig
39. Theme For A Nude Beach
40. Ain't It A Shame
41. Juicy Jungle
42. Communicate
43. She Brakes For Rainbows


Album Released: September 8, 1986












Cosmic Thing is the fifth studio album by new wave band The B-52's, released in 1989. It contains the singles "Love Shack" and "Roam," which remain two of their most popular tunes. The success of the album served as a comeback after the death of former guitarist Ricky Wilson in 1985.

Many observers were prepared to write off the B-52's after the release of Bouncing Off the Satellites. Granted, the album was completed in the wake of Ricky Wilson's death, but the group appeared bereft of new musical ideas and were sounding rather stale. In other words, the last thing anyone expected was a first-class return to form, which is what they got with Cosmic Thing. Working with producers Don Was and Nile Rodgers, the B-52's updated their sound with shiny new surfaces and deep, funky grooves – it was the same basic pattern as before, only refurbished and contemporized. Just as importantly, they had their best set of songs since at least Wild Planet, possibly since their debut. "Cosmic Thing" and "Channel Z" were great up-tempo rockers; "Roam" had a groovy beat blessed with a great Cindy Wilson vocal; and "Deadbeat Club" was one of their rare successful reflective numbers. Then there was "Love Shack," an irresistible dance number with delightfully silly lyrics and hooks as big as a whale that unbelievably gave the group a long-awaited Top Ten hit. The thing is, Cosmic Thing would already have been considered a triumphant return without its commercial success. The big sales were just the icing on the cake. Reviewed by Stephen Thomas Erlewine of allmusic.com

Track Listing

44. Cosmic Thing
45. Dry County
46. Deadbeat Club
47. Love Shack
48. Junebug
49. Roam
50. Bushfire
51. Channel Z
52. Topaz
53. Follow Your Bliss


Album Released: June 27, 1989












Good Stuff is the sixth studio album by new wave band The B-52s. This is the first (and only) B-52s album in which vocalist Cindy Wilson does not appear, though she rejoined some years later.

If Cosmic Thing found them returned to most-favored party band status, this followup gamely soldiers on in similar fashion. Without Cindy Wilson, Good Stuff becomes Kate Pierson's showcase, while even Fred Schneider turns in his most purely musical performance to date. If the B-52's hit some dead ends while trying to stretch out a bit, be assured there are enough classic bits to make this one worthwhile. Reviewed by Steve Aldrich of allmusic.com

Track Listing

54. Tell It Like It T-I-IS
55. Hot Pants Explosion
56. Good Stuff
57. Revolution Earth
58. Dreamland
59. Is That You Mo-Dean?
60. The World's Green Laughter
61. Vision Of A Kiss
62. Breezin'
63. Bad Influence


Album Released: June 23, 1992