Artist Information

Taking their name from a hair-do based upon an American military aircraft of the same name, The B-52s formed in Athens, Georgia in 1976 and played their first ever show at a house party on Valentine's Day in 1977. The band developed a cult following in New York, the first pressing of their debut single 'Rock Lobster' quickly selling out and attracting Warner Brothers Records, who released their self-titled debut album in 1979. Touring across the US and Europe followed, with a string of singles keeping the band's popularity growing up to the release of the Wild Planet album in 1980.

While mostly considered a "party band", the B-52's also expanded musically into the early '80s, collaborating with Talking Heads singer David Byrne for the 1982 Mesopotamia EP. The momentum the band had built with three successful albums to their name came to a sudden halt in October, 1985 when drummer member Ricky Wilson died of AIDS-related complications.

It would be four years before the band re-emerged, armed with smash album Cosmic Thing that bore their two most successful singles 'Roam' and 'Love Shack'. Statuesque singer Katie Pierson became an in-demand collaborator, hitting the top 40 of the charts with Iggy Pop with 'Candy' and helping R.E.M's 'Shiny Happy People' reach the top 10, and singing on two other tracks on their hit Out of Time album.

After a waning arc of activity through the '90s, the band returned in the new century with the album Funplex in 2008 and has enjoyed renewed global interest into their fourth decade.