| The B-52's | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | July 6, 1979 | |||
| Recorded | 1978–1979 | |||
| Studio | Compass Point (Nassau) | |||
| Genre |
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| Length | 39:14 | |||
| Label | Warner Bros. (US), Island (EU) | |||
| Producer | Chris Blackwell | |||
| The B-52's chronology | ||||
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| Singles from The B-52's | ||||
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The B-52's is the debut album by American 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. The album cover was designed by Tony Wright (credited as Sue Ab Surd).
The B-52's peaked at number 59 on the Billboard 200,[5] and "Rock Lobster" reached number 56 on the Billboard Hot 100.[6] In 2003, the television network VH1 named The B-52's the 99th greatest album of all time. Shortly before his death, John Lennon said he enjoyed the album.[7] In his 1995 book, The Alternative Music Almanac, Alan Cross placed the album ninth on the list of the "10 Classic Alternative Albums". In 2020, The B-52's was ranked number 198 on Rolling Stone magazine's list of the 500 greatest albums of all time.
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| Smash Hits | 5/10[8] |
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |  [1] |
| Christgau's Record Guide | A[9] |
| Pitchfork | 9.0/10[10] |
| PopMatters | 10/10[11] |
| Rolling Stone | [12] |
| The Rolling Stone Album Guide |   [13] |
| Select | 4/5[14] |
| Slant Magazine | [15] |
| Spin Alternative Record Guide | 10/10[16] |
| Stylus Magazine | 8.8/10[17] |
Critical reception for The B-52's was generally favorable; critics praised the album's kitschy lyrics and party atmosphere.[1][18] In his "Consumer Guide" column for The Village Voice, music critic Robert Christgau remarked on his fondness "for the pop junk they recycle—with love and panache," while also noting that he was "more delighted with their rhythms, which show off their Georgia roots by adapting the innovations of early funk (a decade late, just like the Stones and Chicago blues) to an endlessly danceable forcebeat format."[19]
In a retrospective review, Stephen Thomas ErlewineofAllMusic wrote: "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."[1] Rolling Stone writer Pat Blashill concluded that "On The B-52's, the best little dance band from Athens proved that rock & roll still matters if it's about sex and hair and moving your body. Even if you have to shake-bake shake-bake it like a Shy Tuna."[12] Slant Magazine's Sal Cinquemani stated that "(l)ike any over-the-top act, the B-52's wears thin, but the band successfully positioned themselves as pop-culture icons—not unlike the musical antiquities they emulated."[15] The B-52's was included in the book 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die.[20] In 2003, Rolling Stone ranked The B-52's number 152 on its list of the 500 greatest albums of all time,[21] maintaining the ranking in a 2012 update of the list[22] and dropping it to number 198 in a 2020 update.[23]
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Planet Claire" |
| 4:35 |
| 2. | "52 Girls" |
| 3:34 |
| 3. | "Dance This Mess Around" |
| 4:36 |
| 4. | "Rock Lobster" |
| 6:49 |
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5. | "Lava" |
| 4:54 |
| 6. | "There's a Moon in the Sky (Called the Moon)" |
| 4:54 |
| 7. | "Hero Worship" |
| 4:07 |
| 8. | "6060-842" |
| 2:48 |
| 9. | "Downtown" | Tony Hatch | 2:57 |
| Total length: | 39:14 | ||
The B-52's
Technical
| Chart (1979/80) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Australia (Kent Music Report)[25] | 7 |
| U.S. Billboard 200[5] | 59 |
| Chart (1980) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Australia (Kent Music Report)[26] | 13 |
| New Zealand Albums (RMNZ)[27] | 8 |
| Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
|---|---|---|
| Australia (ARIA)[28] | 2× Platinum | 140,000^ |
| New Zealand (RMNZ)[29] | Platinum | 15,000^ |
| United States (RIAA)[30] | Platinum | 1,000,000^ |
|
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone. | ||
After the manic perfection of their 1979 debut put them...in the realm of college rock...
