Beauty And The Beat

4.5

3.5

3.5

Absolute classic from my middle school years! (9.25) ★★★★½

Great fun

I really liked this! Upbeat, refreshing, new-wavey pop with some hints of (classic) rock scattered throughout. The two singles from the album – Our Lips Are Sealed and We Got The Beat – are the two strongest tracks overall, but the entire album maintains the energy of those songs very consistently. The most noticeable common thread is the peppy vocals, which admittedly aren't the most technically good voices out there, but make up for it with sheer 80s girl-group energy and some fun overlapping harmonies that never failed to bore me. The music is deceptively simple; when listening closely, I heard quite a few rhythmic doodads (particularly in the drums) that pop music of that era often shies away from. The main thing bringing this album down from 5 to 4 is exactly what brings a lot of these down: a combination of overcommitment to a particular style (i.e. not enough versatility) and datedness (some of these lyrics and musical tidbits are almost jarringly "of their time", and not necessarily in a good way). 4/5 Key tracks: We Got The Beat, Our Lips Are Sealed, How Much More, Lust To Love

Nothing mind blowing, but solid pop

Enjoyed this one quite a bit. One hit song that you can hear in all the other songs on the album

Super fun pop rock album

Being a fan of pop music is one of the greatest joys of my life.

pop punk da década de 80? álbum bem gostosinho de escutar.

eu gosto muito de new wave, num tem jeito. pop rock da melhor qualidade aqui, viu. particularmente, "Fading Fast" me pegou demais, achei muito gostosinho. album pra adolescente dançar trancado no quarto.

What a fun album! It felt fresher than I expected, and my head was nodding along to every song. My first album on the list that I have genuinely felt like I would listen to again. Track 1 - Our Lips Are Sealed - Fun, fresh. Like it. Track 2 - How Much More - Gives me Beach Boy vibes. Again, super fun. Track 3 - Tonite - Great girls night song. Get dressed up and messed up! Track 4 - Lust to Love - Darker, confident sound, and I really like it. Track 5 - This Town - I like the western twangs on the guitar. Makes it feel like a high noon showdown. Track 6 - We Got The Beat - Probably their most famous song. Its fun, and has a timeliness vibe. Track 7 - Fading Fast - This reminds me of another song, but I can't place it. Maybe the guitar riff seems a little Hotel California? Track 8 - Automatic - This also has a spooky, Hotel California vibe. I like it a lot. Great use of silence at key moments to build suspense. Track 9 -You Cant Walk in Your Sleep - As someone with sleep problems, this can be my new anthem haha. Track 10 - Skidmarks on My Heart - The car metaphors are a little over the top. My least favorite song on the album. Track 11- Cant Stop the World - Its an ok ending track.

This band really has a feel for writing irresistibly hooky pop songs. They're not all winners here but I enjoyed most of the tracks.

I lived through the 80s and at the time I didn’t think much of New Wave. Perhaps having lived through the 70s and experienced the Titans of Musical Talent one can be forgiven in thinking New Wave as less than. But looking back now I can appreciate how much hope, positivity and generally up beat this music was, especially compared to what would be coming in the 90s and beyond. The Go-Gos are good solid enjoyable music.

strong opening with our lips are sealed, lust to love is also a bop

The album was fun and upbeat. All the songs had the same sound and it was an easy listen.

wouldn't be pop today i guess?

really solid album, have some cuts that are not 'we got the beat' which are solid like Automatic and Tonight.

I was excited to see this album come up in the list today. I'm probably biased because I've had a lifelong infatuation with Belinda Carlisle. The music is simple, the performances are great. Funny to see this mentioned as new wave ..when it was what you grew up with in the early 80s.

This is exactly how music should sound like. If every album sounded like this, we would have solved world hunger and had world peace back in 1968, the year of the blue wolf.

Grupo de Belinda Carlise

Great collection of pop

Well that was just a pleasant record. This is the exact kind of music my parents were into and would play while I was growing up. I loved it.

So rad and so fun! I love the power pop punk nature of this record. Cool 4:4 rhythms with palm muted power chords and rad little So Cal guitar licks. I also love how they're mixing sounds from the late 50's and early 60s. A lot of these songs feel like The Shang-ri-la's or The Crystals. But then its also pop punk in its chord progressions and beats. You can really hear the punk sound in later acts like Descendents or X. It's kind of the crossroads of pop, punk and surf. What was also really interesting are all the songs in minor key. For such an upbeat record, they have a lot of minor sounds. I feel like this sound is one of the most mimicked sound in the last 40 years. This is in the DNA of almost all 1990s punk and 2000s indie. (blink-182, No Doubt, all the way to Best Coast) Our Lips are Sealed is probably my fav on the album, but I obviously love We Got the Beat and Can't Stop the World.

Reading up on this album I now know why I never heard of them; they sadly never became big in Europe. I like the punky/wave sound they have going on. 3/5

Quite nice this. Can't Stop the World and This Town were my stand-outs, and They Got the Beat is pretty standard. I wasn't aware Belinda Carlisle was the vocalist. Some incredibly solid New Wave.

I really quite enjoyed this. Has that pop punk type cadence to it. Weirdly reminded me of the offspring somehow.... I'm a sucker for a female vocalist in this type of music too 3.5 but closer to 4, reckon I'll be back

-I got Parallel Lines by Blondie the previous day and this reminds me a lot of that. I fw it heavy, We Got The Beat reminds me of my own childhood because I used to listen to it a lot as a kid. I think Fading Fast might actually be my favorite song on the record though. Pretty definitive 4 -Favorites are Our Lips Are Sealed, We Got The Beat, and Fading Fast

Grupo de Belinda Carlise.

Ohhhhh this rules. This really rules. Hell yeah

I used to consider the Go-Go's and their "hits", We Got the Beat and Vacation as guilty pleasure territory, I didn't really care for the band's radio friendly fluff, but these songs and beats were so infectious it was hard to resist. The Go-Go's started as "punks", they didn't know how to play instruments, which didn't stop them and played in clubs like the Whiskey. Their cred and transformation to power-pop, girly pop was polished up for their debut, Beauty And The Beat. Time has passed and I have conceded, I like this album. It's definitely not a master class in songwriting, but it is a lot of fun. The songs are solid and energetic and what's not to love. Sure, it's still fluffy and light and there are a few duds, but I've always had a soft spot of all-girl bands and they helped pave the way for more like-minded bands, for better and for worse..

overall great album, however, at times, it felt a bit repetitive

Fun pop rock with summery vibes.

I really liked this album. Short, with multiple smash hits and a lot of fun songs in general. I would never have associated these songs with this band. The Hilary and Hailey duff version of Our Lips are Sealed can’t hold up to the OG!!

What a fun album! This is one of the rare cases where an album ends and I was disappointed there wasn't more. I thought this was going to be a one hit wonder with "We Got The Beat", but the rest was just as enjoyable. Perfect for what it is.

8.5/10. It was a pleasure to listen to this. Female-fronted punk music is great, and I also enjoyed its retro vibes. Its first track is amazing!!! :)

4/5

Enjoyed this a ton, especially the driving basslines.

Cool, cohesive, catchy. Three out of the five classic Cs.

This one caught me by surprise. I liked it more than I thought. There were songs I didn’t know that were legit bops. I liked the instrumentation and the vocals. Overall, a fun listen.

Nothing about this entry - from band name to album name to year of release - made me particularly optimistic about what I was about to hear, but I really liked it! Just a consistently strong collection of indie-pop songs with choruses and hooks and guitars. I've not come across any all-female bands (or many bands full stop) that were making this kind of music at that time - certainly not as fully realised as this. It sounds fresh enough to have come out last week.

Excellent album; consistent throughout.

Enjoyed this album, especially after having watched the documentary of the band which is also excellent

Album slaps So 80s

Love it!

Excellent listening

I like new wave. This has good songs on it, but i tired of it quickly.

Very good, better than I thought. Has some more texture than I imagined

Ok disco!

A really fun collection of tunes! Surprisingly fresh, even after all these years.

Thoughts before listening: 80s all girl pop rock band that has some massive hits. My favorite thing about the Go-Gos is that they started in the LA punk scene before hitting it big. I've always enjoyed the songs I've heard so I'm glad to hear a full album from them. Review: There's definitely a pop punk inspiration here that I'm really connecting with. Sure the hits are fun, instantly recognizable ear worms in "Our Lips are Sealed" and "We Got the Best", but theres a lot more to this album. I'm especially enjoying "How Much More" and "Tonite", both of which have a slightly more polished take on what bands like the Descendents and Bad Rel this is aigion were doing around the same time. This is a 4-star album.

Solid, enjoyable punk

Simply amazing! I have never heard of this band before so I was a bit afraid it was gonna be another new wave band with weird Brit as a vocalist but no, I was in for a surprise. Immediately upon hearing the girls singing and harmonizing I was locked in. What a relief. It's so refreshing to hear a girls band rocking so effortlessly. There's not much substance to it but that's not the point, it's simply cool. I loved almost every track on it and I'll be looking out to find it on vinyl. Potential for growth to 5, for now I'm leaving it on 4/5.

Equipped with both beauty and the beat, The Go-Go's arrived right on time for the start of a new musical era. Crossing the punk threshold (think The Runaways) onto something brighter (think Blondie), The Go-Go's provide a poppier side to the proceedings and, in the process, establish themselves as a force to be reckoned with. Although the band would not last as long as they should have, there is no mistaking that Beauty and the Beat is a record worthy of further consideration beyond the hits, as their deep cuts suggest that there is more to come with this kind of beat. Favorites: Our Lips Are Sealed, How Much More, Tonite, This Town, We Got the Beat, Automatic, Can't Stop the World.

Enjoyed this a lot. Could imagine a lot of these riffs in a 00s indie rock song. It's a little punky but has a lot of melody and vibe still. Best Song: How Much More Worst Song: Lust to Love

Best Song: Tonite Worst Song: Skidmarks on my heart

More listenable 80s to my ears.

Vibey

Um álbum bem divertido e alto-astral. New-wave com alguns toques de pop punk. Não é bem o estilo de música que costumo ouvir, mas definitivamente recomendaria para mais pessoas.

In the late 1970s, Belinda Carlisle, Jane Wiedlin, and Margot Olavarria were at the infamous last gig by the Sex Pistols and realised that they could do a lot better than the shambolic mess on stage. They played gigs for a couple of years, tweaking their sound to pop punk (with a hint of surf guitar) before releasing this phenomenal debut album in 1981. We Got The Beat is the ultimate new wave banger and is guaranteed to get you moving!

Such a fun 80s sound. Some great classic songs on here!

Initially, I thought “We Got The Beat” was one of the cringiest songs from the new wave era, so I wasn’t exactly thrilled to dive into this album. I went in with a bit of a bull-headed attitude. But once I put my guard down, I started to appreciate it for what it was. As I progressed through the tracks, I found that the music had more credibility and a raw edge than I had anticipated. All in all, it turned out to be a pretty decent album.

Female vocals are always going to be an initial win for me, and this was banging! What a treat in amongst some of the terrible picks I’ve had recently! Kinda like the Bangles? Good either way!

Pretty decent songs 🎵 👌 👏

Listened to many times. Fundamental 80's album that still sounds great. A lot of the "sounds" going on at the time were wrapped in a polished pop package. Strong 4, but not enough classics for it to be a 5 star. "(This town) It is so glamorous Bet you'd live here if you could"

I liked this a lot. I hadn't expected to but yep, I really did. Fun, 80s pop-rock. I'll take it!

Really enjoyed this one. Fun and upbeat. The 2 singles are stellar.

A really outstanding and uptempo girlsband It sounds as they have a little punk references in some of their Music , and all in all its pretty good, the 4 star is given for their abillity to Stick to their genre, the quality surprised me

Not hard to pick out the singles but they are great!

I don't think I've ever heard any of this album beyond their two singles, which of course I and everybody else in the (western) world has heard ad infinitum. A fun album, and impressively cohesive, and definitely harder-edged than I'd have guessed based on their singles. I remain perplexed about how exactly this album got pigeonholed as a "cornerstone New Wave" album (but no more than having them described as pop-punk either, although I can see the surf-rock label a bit more), but that doesn't make this any less fun to listen to. And an incredibly impressive performance as a debut album. I also like it that "Fading Fast" seems like an alternate universe version of Nancy Sinatra's "These boots are made for walking", and I really enjoyed "Automatic". I was torn between a three- or four-star rating, but it feels like they deserve 4 stars for some of their unexpectedly catchy tunes, and also for how much they inspired a lot of women by being the most successful all-women band of all time. Also, what a crazy origin story (if the Wikipedia article for this album is to be believed): after seeing the Sex Pistols' final performance in 1978, Belinda Carlisle, Jane Wiedlin, and Margot Olavarria decided to form a band, and "although none of them actually knew how to play instruments, they quickly learned..." Talk about paying it forward--if only the Monkees could have also gotten into that! Also hilarious that they supposedly returned the towels used in the front cover photo shoot to Macy's the next day.

Some pretty iconic hooks here, and to think that this was the Go-Go’s debut album too. This album and group melded pop and punk together nicely (call that “New Wave” I guess). You could argue that the Go-Go’s paved the way for many pop artists too, especially female-led groups. A pretty fun listening experience overall.

Punky pop, great

Cool album. NU wave

released in the 80's but sounds like 60s music to me

Love Belinda Carlisle's voice.

7,21

The Unloveables - Crush Boyfriend Heartbreak is my favorite pop punk album ever. It will never show up on a list like this but if there is anyone out there who reads this review and liked Go-Go's - Beauty and the Beat, please check out CBH. Beauty and the Beat is as much an album of the 80's as CBH is an album of the 00's and Team Dresch/Sleater Kinney and the Riot Grrrl bands were of the 90's. I'd assumed The Unloveables were influenced by those 90's bands but I had no idea there was an early 80's album that so much effect on them. Too often, women have to "prove" their genuine interest in male-dominated spaces but I think The Go-Go's do enough just musically for it to have been obvious from the start they paid attention to rock music and were very much a part of it. Songs like We Got The Beat and Our Lips Are Sealed have a fun surf rock quality to them that proves these girls had been keyed into the music scene for a while. The musicianship is just as competent as literally any band on the radio at the time. Belinda Carlisle sings great melodies, I especially loved on Fading Fast how wistful she sounds. In saying that, there needs to be more room for female-vocals who aren't amazing singers but have all the passion required. If the public can stomach Bernard Sumner singing they can handle off-key women singers too. Belinda's voice has more than enough emotion to match both the music and the content of the lyrics. I'm glad this band existed and were successful. It's possible they could have still had the influence they did on the bands above even without the commercial success a la The Velvet Underground but this album rocks on its own. Anyways, please listen to The Unloveables.

Good one

that was just plain fun!

Whoa! I think I willed this one into happening! I know I'm getting close to the end, so there's only so many records left. But I was thinking about The Go-Gos the other day and how I probably won't see them on this list, but that this is a great album and it should be included, so I popped it on for personal listening. Two days later here we are! Manifested it. I'm so happy it's on the list because it is such a fun album but it's also badass. The Go-Gos rock, mainly because their songs are catchy as all hell but also because they don't pull their punches and the don't fuck around. They're girls having fun but they won't take any shit. I live for it. Vacation all I ever wanted, vacation have to get away! They are singing the songs of the people. (Yes, I know that song isn't on this album, but it's such a banger it should be on all their albums). This is an early 80's pop rock staple, a must have for any record collection. Vive la Go-Gos!

80s pop of the good variety.

I don’t know a ton about the go gos but I saw a cool documentary about them. Lol. I’m not a huge fan of this sound, but I remember being a kid seeing their videos on MTV. They were kinda everywhere, and their connections to other bands at the time like the Specials was cool. This album is definitely a huge departure from the yucky LA punk scene they came up in but it’s not a bad one by any stretch. They do the new wave sound pretty good but I’d argue it’s more like… power pop? Fun little pop songs you can sing along to? Gotta love it. The sound is like a cleaner garage girl group, and it’s a quick listen so there’s not much to critique. Boys, the beach, having fun with your pals? Hell yeah.

Pleasantly surprised to see this one pop up. Don't know them outside of the hits but glad to have this as an introduction. Belinda's vocals remind me of Delores from the Cranberries (Rippity pippity). The songs of heartbreak from the female perspective in pop music, very often, are from a position of submission or capitulation to a masculine, but "How Much More" is level-headed and feels realistic in its lyrics. Love the instrumentation throughout. "Lust to Love" is just a solid songwriting example. Great album beginning to end, unlike this review.

We Got The Beat doesn't impress me as much as I thought it might, honestly. But the album on the whole is a lot of fun. And the songs are varied enough, even though they all have the same high tempo and vibe, that I'm engaged to every song throughout the album. Favorite Song(s): Our Lips are Sealed, Can't Stop the World

This is a pop punk album. The punk influences ring out like a siren. And it's an easy 35 minutes

its a good album. Has a few bangers and is definitely important if only for its influence.

How fun!! 🕺

This album is the perfect fusion of pop and punk. It’s fun and satisfying throughout. Insane that only IRS would pick them up.

Fun

Loved it. Made me happy from start to finish.

Nice and surfry, vibey. Fun to listen to. B teir

This was far better than I was expecting. Some slapping base and great songs.

5/31/24. Great, fun album! Really good new wave/punk-ish sound. I definitely hear their sound in newer all-girl bands.

Muy buen disco, sólido. 8/10 Our lips are sealed

I've always loved this album!

thought it was a very good classic

was fun and fresh YYM

Pure pop perfection

Incredible post punk example of how the rule was there were no rules.

The Go-Go's played at my college back in the early 90s. Honestly, I would have rather had seen the Bangles, they always seemed more rock to me. But the problem is that if you listen to their hits and not to the deeper cuts, you realize that the band was doing more than just doing "pop" songs. Songs like "This Town" had a bit of a punk feel to it, with one or two extra beats thrown in, which is interesting. I liked "Lust to Love", too. All in all, there was a lot to the album I dug, and not just the two "big" hits. The few songs I did not care for: "Tonite". It just kept reminding me of The Ramones' "I Just Want To Have Something To Do" (to-naht. Tooo-naaahhhht...). "Skidmarks On My Heart" (ew) and "How Much More" which just felt like a poor follow-up song to the first track on the album, "Our Lips Are Sealed." I enjoyed this album, even most of the deep cuts. It made me respect the band a bit more than I did even way back from college. So I'll give it a 3.6, which rounds it up to a 4.

There were some great new wave bands, with a little bit of synth, pop-punk, or post-punk sprinkled on top of their rock. I did not realize The Go-Go's were one of those bands. But this is a solid album, particularly side one. Not as good as Blondie or the Cars, but I hear them in cool all girl bands that have come since - Sleater Kinney and the Beaches are two that come immediately to mind. The lyrics are a bit poppy, but there's a little bit of bite to them every now and then. And the songs are catchy as hell. Not just the two big (big!) singles (Our Lips are Sealed, We Got the Beat) but also How Much More (maybe my favorite), Tonite, Lust to Love, and Can't Stop the World. Probably a 3.5 but I'm giving them a bump, if for nothing else that they were a female group who did it all themselves (songwriting, composition, playing) in a time when male music execs wanted their hands all over everything (not sure how much that has changed).

Pretty much bubble-gum pop, but it's all good. Our Lips are Sealed and We Got the Beat are classics, deservedly so (especially Our Lips are Sealed - great song). Other standouts include How Much More, Automatic (my favorite of the more "dramatic" songs), Can't Stop the World. Worst named song AND lyrics with the most dragged-out metaphor - Skidmarks on my Heart.

I likely haven’t listened to this album since the mid 80’s. Belinda Carlisle can flat out sing. It’s a pretty short album and I was honestly bummed when it was over.

Não conheço. Gostei do título e da capa Sonoridade excelente. Muito gostoso de ouvir, ouvi inteiro sem nenhum esforço. Com certeza vou ouvir novamente.

love the Go-Go's although they sound kind of cheesy these days. Belinda Carlisle is always fun and carries the vocals well.

More than just the hits.

Aahhh, it's just fun and energetic pop New Wave. "Bops," as the kids these days might put it. It's really not any more complicated than that. Sure, I can understand why people might find their voices annoying or grating, but if you don't crazy when "We Got The Beat" starts... Well, I don't even know what to tell yah.

Kinda standard new wave for the most part, but Our Lips Are Sealed and We Got The Beat do bump it up in the rating.

That’s a super fun 4. Ultimately, I think it just suffers from being a little too same-y and a little too repetitive to justify a 5 off a first listen, but this is an album made for car rides, concerts, and good times; repetition should be damned with this one. It’s got good vocals that are occasionally reminiscent of David Byrne and Talking Heads, great instrumentation that feels very R.E.M.-esque at times, and ultimately, the vibes are just overwhelmingly fun. I feel good with giving this one a 4; it could bump up to a 5 if some of the other songs just hit right, but the whole album is a treat to listen to.

Quite the debut and a milestone in terms of gender, playing and writing. Short and sweet 3 minute pop songs, including the fabulous "Our lips are sealed" (worthy of stars in its own right), built according to a decidedly punk ethos. Not sure The Go-Gos have truly been given the credit they deserve.

This album is quite good. It's better than the last album I reviewed. "Lust to Love" is my favourite off "Beauty and the Beat". The album maintained its quality from start to finish. The Go-Go's were ahead of their time when this came out. 4 stars for this album.

Blind album, know the artist and the hits. I totally hear the Sex Pistols influence when I read that they met at one of their shows. Super cool. The album was a fantastic listen, but the 2nd half let off the gas a little so unfortunately not a 5.

Great musicians need more like them.

I admit they are not normally in my wheelhouse but you can’t go wrong with the Go-Go’s, super catchy, poppy fun. This album is solid start to finish.

Go-Gos were a great punk/new-wave band out of LA. This was a huge breakout for them, and they became the Queens of Pop. Belinda was and is a star. Glad they're still somewhat together.

Such a goddang good time! Love the Go-Go's. Never listened to the whole thing but this album rocks!

Textbook how to have fun with writing an album

I never really got into the Go-Go's. I knew their radio hits and didn't mind them but wasn't really interested in them beyond that. After getting more into post-punk over the last year, I think I'm able to appreciate this album a lot more than I otherwise would have. It's definitely on the poppier side of things, but there are clear post-punk influences all over this album. A lot of it sounds like Three Imaginary Boys-era The Cure mixed with surf rock. "How Much More" sounds influenced by New Order, and "Lust for Love" and "Automatic" have a clear Siouxsie and the Banshees influence (and that guitar solo on the former is very Robert Smith). They kind of feel like a more radio friendly version of All About Eve. This album is pretty fun. It's got good musicianship and vocals, with really good harmonies. A lot of the songs do start to sound the same, but I think some of that is just par for the genre. 4/5 - I'd probably give it a 4.5 if I could. It's not quite perfect, but it's close, and it's a lot of fun. For a debut album, it's pretty impressive. And it's nice to see an all-female band on the list.

Eu gostei mto, mulheres no comando Ouvi o álbum 2x e ainda ouvi músicas delas. Meu fav até agora

Bit of 80s fun. Few choons I knew.

Favourite: You Can’t Walk in Your Sleep (If You Can’t Sleep)

very enjoyable fav = lust to love

Didn’t know what to expect. I kind of thought they were pop, but this is rock! I love female singing voices and the music is super fun. Great album.

Curious, specific and really satisfying vocal melodies that float around the classic new wave jangle-y guitars. A whole bunch of very enjoyable songs.

This is very much my era, and although I wouldn't have listened to it at the time there's enough that's familiar about the new wave sound to make me smile. And to enjoy the record. Yeah it's pretty straight down the line. There's nothing musically that innovative here - even for the time. But it's enjoyable.

Standout-You Cant Walk In Your Sleep

The Go-Go's are just fun to listen to.

Who knew that the rest of the album is actually BETTER than “We Got The Beat?” The more you know!

After listening to Beauty And The Beat, I gotta say, i was really surprised with how good this album turned out to be. The songs felt very catchy and fun and the singing was good and never really got annoying for me. The songs may have had a bit of a samey feel to them but none of them were bad since they all kept the vibe i liked about this album. This is definitely a great 80s new wave album that anyone who loves that style can easily get into. Best Song: Our Lips Are Sealed Worst Song: Tonite

This album was pretty cool, although I feel like I have far less of an idea of what New Wave music is than I did a couple of years ago. Still, regardless of the genre, the harmonies are great, and they have very fun songs. The album flew by really fast, and I was kinda sad when it was done 4/5

Classic Album and can be considered a one hit wonder album. 4 stars Helps that my wife was singing the beat last weekend...

Fun album. Reminds of the 80’s fun music and when MTV played music videos.

Cause ALLLLLLL I neeeeeed, is a beauty and a beeeaaaaaat This album is sweet, tight, punchy, and fun. I can see this having inspired all sorts of projects and genres that came after it, everything from Sleater-Kinney to No Doubt.

This was a really fun album. I liked it.

It’s pretty rare to find an all-female band, especially on this list. And it’s unfortunately even more rare to find an all-female band that found real success. And yet, even when they do, I can go my entire life without ever hearing of them. Case in point with the Go-Go’s. We Got the Beat sounds vaguely familiar so maybe I’ve heard their music before, but the band itself was totally new to me. And here I am learning this is the most successful all-female band ever? And that this was one of the most successful debut records ever on release? Shows how little I really know. This is also labeled as a very foundational record in the history of American new wave music. And I can definitely hear it. It came out early on in the decade, and just about every good aspect of the genre can be found here. Also what was it with these punk sub genre bands having really great drummers back in the day? Joy Division was the same way. This is a short and sweet debut album that makes the most of the brief time it lasts. And these ladies knew how to write catchy and fun pop hits. It’s always a good feeling finding a really strong group of female songwriters. Because nowadays, and maybe even more so back then, they are few and far between. Rating: 7/10

A very fun album from a very specific era.

catchy as hell

probably my favorite album from the 80s that I have listened to as part of this project. We got the beat! 3.5/5

A very surprising listen. Good 4/5

At least two iconic songs in this one, mainly from commercials. A fun, high energy album. 4* Highlights: our lips are sealed, we got the beat

Not epic, still beautiful

I like the Go Go's never really listened to them before though. Just what ever was played on the radio. 4 stars.

What do you get when you take an awesome post-punk all female band that crosses over to the pop charts with an album with monster singles that change the direction of pop music? Yeah, other than Banarama no early 80s female group could do this. 4/5

Infectious fun, and it brought a lot more women out on the New Wave dance floor

INXS opened for them on this tour

💖 we got the beat 🗣️ 8️⃣

i've wanted to listen to this one for years and have never gotten around to it. i can safely say now that it's sort of exactly how i expected it. no surprises here. really fun, catchy tunes with a surf rock edge to them. there were some fun moments on here that i didn't expect, some really cool non-standard chord changes and some cool time signature moments, but overall, nothing that super blew me away. it still was a lot of fun. good stuff!

Indicative of the era that it’s from. A very fun album.

4 really good album. Just put me in good mood. Kinda like pop punk meets new-wave

Great but I still like fun boy three's version of our lips are sealed

Good new wave album, pretty strong songs throughout

Is this where American Pop-Punk comes from? It leans a little more towards the Pop side than the acts that would pop up in the mainstream with this sound in the next decade, but everything’s there; the unpolished vocals, the surf-inspired leads. Take the riff to Lust To Love, it could totally be a prototype to various Offspring riffs, The Kids Aren’t Alright comes immediately to mind. It’s a shame that The Go-Go’s didn’t seem to follow through on the promise of Beaty and the Beat, and that their influence didn’t seem to last in the mainstream, because as much as I enjoy the album, it is unpolished, the songwriting could do with a little push to be truly great. Imagine what a Led Zep II level follow-up could have done for female-lead Rock music in the 80’s. But then there’s no point speculating, and what we have in Beauty and the Beat is a fun and infectious little New Wave masterpiece

Finally, something that isn't British MEN. #womenpower #californiagirls. Unrelated, when I saw the album title I immediately thought Justin Beiber. Favourites: our lips are sealed, tonite, and we got the beat. 4/5 because its not British men and the songs were all pretty good

Day 13 without a female band. I had almost forgotten what women sounded like. Lots of fun, good vibes and I liked the singing. Not a super coherent album IMO, but still good (especially after the white man arc). Favourites: Fading Fast, Can't Stop The World. 4/5

I think the generator was listening to me because we finally got something that isn't British rock! This album was great, I loved the vibes and all songs were very pleasant to listen to. Favourites were Our Lips Are Sealed, How Much More, Tonite, Lust To Love, This Town, Fading Fast (!), Automatic, and You Can't Walk In Your Sleep (basically majority of the album). Pretty great album to end the week on, this was at least a high 4 for sure "Despite becoming America's darlings, the Go-Go's lived the wild life of rockers, swallowing as many pills and taking as much cocaine as possible, trashing hotel rooms, and just generally being bad." Yay women

The only thing I knew about The Go-Go's before listening was "We Got The Beat," which rips harder than I remember. I think I'd only heard shitty covers of it as a kid. This is a solid album, I'd venture to call it proto-pop punk. I can hear this thing's fingerprints on Riot Grrl bands like Sleater Kinney and Last Import. It's lean and catchy and performed well. I feel like I'd enjoy it more upon revisiting, even. Highlights: Our Lips Are Sealed, Lust To Love, We Got The Beat

The Go-Go’s debut album came out the summer before my senior your in college, and made quite a splash. I had the 45 of “Our Lips Are Sealed”, and at least 1/2 the album got regular play around campus. But this isn’t deep and meaningful stuff. It’s power pop / early 80’s new wave. Just plain fun. The “all girl band” thing was a big marketing point at the time. And I can see where some folks would be attracted to that. But for me, I just appreciated the music, and I was big on the whole genre. Solid pop-rock songs, all competently played and produced. It’s got the hooks, it’s got a great sound, good clean fun. The whole first side is great, and side 2 picks up solidly with “We Got The Beat”. But it falls off a bit after that, but still worthy. A great disc to have play in the summer of your youth, or when you want to relieve those happy days. 4/5

Expected the hits to be the only good thing about this album, but was surprised by how much I liked the rest of it. Helped that the lyrics seemed more derisive and sardonic than the rest of the sound.

March 24, 2024 HL: The 2 big hits (u know the ones), “Automatic”, “This Town”, “You Can’t Walk in Your Sleep”, & “Tonite” New wave classic

Fun album. Definitely want to cover Fading Fast

Rating: 7/10. Solid, in rotation for genre. Might recommend, probably won't. Genre: Rock Energetic. I know "We Got The Beat." Consistent energy and song quality.

a really cool (debut!) album by some really cool women. loved it

Fun 80’s tunes

Bouncy 80's girl rock.

Great band, great album. Definitive girls band of the 80s. Love it. It's really a 4+ not *quite* a 5.

This album is a nostalgia trip for me. It takes me back to playing Little League. This might be the 1st time I've listened to this album all the way through.

Upbeat, fun, delish!

4.2 I had to take my time on this one and give it a few more listens. I though it was great initially and still do. This Town could have been an absolute burner but the chorus is a bit repetitive,

Fun album.

Enjoyable. Would definitely listen again.

It feels excessively mean giving this album 3 stars, because it's anything but mediocre. I didn't think I would ever be in a situation where I was awarding 4 stars to an all-girl pop-punk band, but here we are. I was vaguely aware of the Go Go's, but hadn't actually heard any of their material before, or even realised that their lead singer was Belinda Carlisle. I recognised "Our Lips are Sealed", but only by the lyrics. A little research showed that this was a song co-written with Terry Hall, which helped to explain how I had heard a different version.

I’m surprised that there isn’t a lot of cheese here, just a really solid album. The new wave sound can get repetitive after a bit, but this is still a fun and cute record to listen to. Cool!

Grupo de Belinda Carlise.

Very impressed

Best album so far. Every song was good and 2 or 3 classics

I guess I bought into the mainstream view that this album was two great singles and filler. But I don't recall that I ever sat down and listened to the whole thing through. So today I did, three times in a row. First time through I thought "this is pretty good", second time "this is really good", third time "I'm loving this." It's energetic pop, played with verve and enthusiasm, with good melodies and harmonies, and you can certainly dance to it (which is always a big tick in my book). Lots of hooks, upbeat and a fun attitude. The singles are really, really great. When I DJ parties, Our Lips Are Sealed is a pretty great way to get women out on the dance floor. And once they are out on the floor, they tend to keep dancing. Women dancing are the life and soul of any party, and they love this track. It's got that mixture of pop, girl group, surf, and a little bit punk inspired that became the template for lots of bands over the next decade (especially female fronted bands). An obvious example from my home town (Sydney) are the Skolars, but I'm sure I could name a bunch more local acts if I tried. The Go Go's secret weapon on this record is Kathy Valentine, whose bass playing really anchors the songs. And she wrote Can't Stop the World, which is a pretty great song. Look, I'm generally a bit tired of Dimery's male-centric list. It is refreshing to hear a bunch of women tearing it up, so I'm giving this 3.5 stars, rounding up.

Loved the Go-Go's!

Fun

It's like some kind of new wave or something! A lot of really good classic power pop songs from one of the greatest bands to ever do it. Like all of the songs were good but a few were definitely weaker than the others. I had a good time listening to this album, but the sound got a little old by the end. Classic for sure. Might revisit eventually.

Never heared of them before. Somehow the sound reminds me on "The Bangles" which I like. Musically a blast. Fun to listen to although the vocals are not my favorite. A tricky 3,5-stars-rating turned into a 4 by the cover-artwork.

Lots of great 80s sound. Much more than the hits you knew.

Fun, catchy, punky little album. Much more rockin' than their biggest hits would suggest. Standout songs: How Much More, Tonite, This Town

An enjoyable album to listen to

Liked Songs: -Our Lips Are Sealed - We Got The Beat -Automatic -Lust To Love Honorable Mention: -Tonite - How Much More A huge cornerstone of the New Wave movement, The Go-Go's lead record Beauty and The Beat is full of catchy hooks, trendy instrumentals and some fairly forward thinking. This is a really fun album and I've appreciated listening to it, the Honorable mention list realistically could have the entirety of the album on it minus the hits. 4/5*

pretty good

En ik maar denken dat het recht op foute verbasteringen van filmtitels was voorbehouden aan een bepaald soort films....Vooruit, het draait om de muziek. De dames hebben elkaar leren kennen tijdens punk-concerten, lees ik. Ze besloten zonder ervaring zelf muziek te maken. Zetten zij zich daarmee af tegen de punk? Want daar waar de punkers soms goede muzikanten zo slecht mogelijk muziek willen laten overkomen, leerden zij zichzelf de instrumenten te bespelen en komen de dames met nummers als Lust to Love en This Town met uitgedachte pop-muziek. Het levert geen enorme knallers op, maar het luistert allemaal makkelijk weg.

Veertig jaar oude punkrock van een stel dames, waarvan Belinda Carlisle later nog bekend(er) is geworden met wat van die aanstellerige jaren 80 ballads. Muzikaal gezien zit het allemaal niet zo ingewikkeld in elkaar: 4 akkoorden en vrijwel in elk nummer dezelfde rakketakdrum. Maar op zich is dat niet erg, want dat is soms het hele idee van lekkere muziek: lekker tempo erin en hopsakee gaan met die banaan. De galmende bas/gitaar geeft soms het idee van surf-muziek. Er zit ook best nog wel wat afwisseling in zelfs, want soms wordt het tempo iets omlaag geschroefd, zonder dat het ineens een tergend trage ballad wordt. Leuk om dit te ontdekken, want ik had nog nooit van the Go-Go's gehoord. Ik heb me hier prima mee vermaakt, we gooien er gewoon een vrolijke 4 sterretjes tegenaan.

I had previously only heard the hits from this album. I’m very impressed by the album as a whole. In fact, I think the hits are some of the weaker songs. Tracks like “How Much More” and “Lust To Love” are way stronger. I can also see how this influenced bands that would come later like La Luz.

I am finding it so hard to rate these albums. I’ll be jamming out to some songs and then be completely disinterested in others. Really liked We Got The Beat, Can’t Stop The World, and Skidmarks On My Heart.

Female new wave! This group really brought a good beat and a well-suited voice. I enjoyed this.

This is great pop! Really enjoyed this!

High-energy, kick-butt new wave and pop punk album from the Go-Go’s. The all-female band brings an overall tough sound with crunchy guitar, agile and punchy bass, and pounding anthemic drums, but the keys and chorus vocals shine with pure 80’s pop. This is a really fun album, and certainly paved the way for future punk offerings. Stand out tracks include “Our Lips Are Sealed”, “How Much More”, “Fading Fast”, “Skidmarks On My Heart”, and “Can’t Stop The World”.

This album really surprised me with its depth, musicianship, various themes, and incorporating different styles while still maintaining an overarching consistency and sound. It was fun at times and serious at times in the best ways. It really hit its stride with the tracks Automatic and Fading Fast where it branches from the new wave punk pop sound in to something more ominous. Then there are the obvious hit singles that float the album and make it fun (we got the beat, our lips are sealed). They surprisingly hold up pretty well. The bass playing is particularly impressive.

Pretty classic stuff here, new-wavey, power-pop goodness. The hits are familiar enough without being as over saturated as some other stuff from this era—especially “Our Lips Are Sealed” which shamefully I always knew but wasn’t able to place until listening here. But everything beyond the singles is great as well, fantastic bass and rhythm works, the leads are solid, great vocals, this is classic and rightfully so!

Much more substance than one recalls, plus cute and fun. One supposes the only he punk part is that they didn't know how to play their instruments when they started. It's the pure pop crispness that makes it work. The '50s, girl-group vibe comes thru even clearer all these years later, thought one recalls noticing in real time. Is it slight? Yes, of course, almost by design. But, as with all the best-made pop, it's just hard not to like and almost perfectly infectious.

Ooh. This felt like it took me right back to five years before I was born. The trebled-out bass tone, the poppy lyrics with that edge underneath it all… tons of fun!

These girls... Dare I say... They've got the beat. But fr they're really catchy. Tonite, Lust to Love, We Got the Beat, Fading Fast

This was a cool album, fresh and lively, like an old-time jive for the 80s.

I enjoyed this one a lot, although I am partial to The Go-Go's and Belinda Carlisle's voice. I would say my only real complaint is that I wish there was a few good power ballads, because Belinda's voice is so amazing and she needs a chance to show it off. This made me want to dance in my chair at my desk though!

Yeah, this is good. Jangly, sunshine-y, proto-Sleater-Kinney, proto-Plumtree power pop. Crazy how the two big singles are the worst songs on here though.

Bangers across the floor

Much better than I feared. I was familiar with "We Got The Beat" as I used to play that back in the day, but I never explored this album any deeper. I'm glad I did. It's not exactly a beacon of substance but as is often the case with me, I was turned off by the radio tracks and never delved deeper. This album is worth a full listen IMO. 4 stars.

Some classics, but not background music. Gotta be in the mood.

Bouncing souls and afi flavored La croix. I dig it.

a bop to be sure. love the energy, my favourites are definitely 'we got the beat' and 'our lips are sealed'.

Upbeat and fun.

A cool breeze on a hot day. A refreshing dip in the pool. A tall glass of iced tea. In a word, a bop! The cheerful energetic tonic we all needed in 1981. Loved it then love it now. No bad mood can survive "We Got The Beat".

Ooh heaven is a place in Belinda Carlisle's sweet sweet surf jangle melodies

I love The Go-Go's ❤️

Beauty and the Beat I really love this little genre, that early 80s jangly post punk, new wave, power pop sweet spot - people like The Feelies, The Romantics, The Bangles, The Cars etc. I love the harmonies on this, the melodies aren’t always top notch but the energy and vibe more than makes up for it. I love the up tempo and slightly loose, imperfect playing. That punk, do it yourself simplicity and energy in tandem with the 60s Byrds/Beatles/Who style pop melodies, harmonies and hooks - for me that is a delicious combination. We Got the Beat is an absolute banger. Our Lips are Sealed, Lust to Love, Automatic, You Can’t Walk in Your Sleep, Skidmarks on my Heart are my other highlights. It’s not a perfect album, there are some dips here and there, but at 35 minutes it flies by and is such a fun, energetic, infectious, joyous listen that you soon forget about the lulls. Not top tier but an absolute solid ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Catchy pop album, sounds great!

Great record!

It’s not my style, but I think it’s good. Grew up listening to some of these

This one was fun, enjoyed jamming to it while working. It was energizing.

I'm not a big fan of "new wave", but this album is very nostalgic, so I really enjoy it. I like a solid female group.

Qué descubrimiento!

Fun I hadn't really listened to anything but their mainstream songs.

Such a fun album to listen to!

Look, the well-known songs here are absolute beasts, and the album tracks keep that vibe going. It's just that if I'm listening to the Go-Gos, I'm probably going with the greatest hits. But I very much enjoyed this one.

Great

This was like 80s in a can

How I know it's good: * Mostly bangers, and the ones between were still pretty great * I was surprised when it was over, felt too short * 80's guitar

Still mad i missed this concert. Loved the album

I enjoyed this a lot more than the 60s albums that have been on this list back to back. It’s fun! Energetic. It’s got bops. It’s really 3.5 stars but since I can’t do half stars and because very few women are on this list from what I’ve seen so far - 4 stars.

An absolutely fun pop-punk ride here. It gets a little tired when it gets too 'bubbly' but one of the best discoveries I've had here so far

Boom

Girl power rock. Catchy but plays with time signatures. Sounds like they and Blondie were playing off each other.

Really good. Never heard of them before. Some really nice songs. And now i saw that Belinda Carlisle is the singer. No wonder its great.

Enjoyed this album a lot. It was up beat and fun. I recognized some of the songs which is always nice.

Fun to see where Belinda Carlisle cut her teeth. Never heard of this band before, enjoyed it nonetheless. Good tempo, nice and short so it doesn't outstay its welcome, which is a quality I've come to appreciate since starting this list.

Good album to listen to when doing chores. Most of the songs are hard to sit still for.

Vocais bons Instrumental legal Melodias pop cativantes

80s 90s jams on par with abba. 4.5/5 9.5/10

4 stars. Adding to workout and/or roadtrip playlist.

Het feit dat het uit de jaren '80 komt in combinatie met de hoes zorgde voor lichte angst en tegenzin, maar dit valt me 100% mee. Een beetje een surfpop en poppunk-huismerk Blondie met een extra laagje suiker. The Beach Boys met een vagina. Vroeger zou je dat The Beach Girls noemen, maar tegenwoordig is dat een te vlugge aanname. Daarbij een flinke scheut The Bangles, Cyndi Lauper, Kim Wilde, noem ze maar op. Siouxsie and the Banshees zonder het gekef. Tuurlijk hoor je dat het niet uit 2023 komt, maar het is niet storend gedateerd. En aangezien het een '80s plaat is, is dat pure winst. Pak je er een grote kaart met muziekstijlen bij dan ligt dit niet heel ver van wat ik normaal gesproken vrijwillig luister. Met name de surf-achtige gitaarlijntjes vind ik lekker. Bloedt een heel klein beetje dood richting het einde, ook al is het maar 35 minuten totaal. 5 sterren vind ik te overdreven, maar ik vind dit wel een prettige manier om deze week te beginnen.

Iconic, if a bit underproduced. Realizing the ground breaking nature of what they are doing easily adds a star.

Enjoy their sound. Also cool that there are women bands in this genre of music as well.

Catchy tunes and very listenable.

Great bass lines all over the album. Simple but well executed. Will revisit.

A happy go lucky 80's pop romp. Had fun listening and even knew two of the songs. would listen again.

BL: never heard of “The Go-Go’s” before. I like the album cover a lot though. However this will be a complete blind listen through. AL: highly worth the listen. A sleek, well produced, pop record. Digging into the past of The Go Go’s their punk past becomes apparent with the structuring and length of a lot of the tracks on this album. However this punk gone pop (not associated with pop-punk) approach really works well here and makes it stand out from a lot of other stuff on the market. Very fun. FT: “Our Lips are Sealed”, “Lust to Love”, “This Town” 4/5

Wow, pleasant surprise!

Gute Laune Musik, erinnert an Blondie nur fröhlicher. Texte, die sich mit gesellschaftlichen Problemen beschäftigen.

231223 16:17 4

Nice surprise in this one. Not huge on the main single 'Our lips are sealed', but some other gems in here make this a foundational album for women-lead, not to mention women-only rock bands, and a pretty good one at that. Loved: Lust to love This town Liked: Tonite You can't walk in your sleep

From punk to borderline pop rock, these ladies hustled.

4 stars

Surprisingly, and I have no idea why, I never listened to this in its entirety even tho I was prime target age when it came out. I remember listening to it on cassette on my friends pink "boom box" stereo and we thought we were so cool that she had it. Anyway - it was great to listen to and remind myself to put it into context of the time and what they were doing as women in a male dominated world of music. 3.5/5

Really dug this. Knew the hits, of course. Can't believe this is thew first time ive listened to it cover to cover. Timeless and great

adorable

I was in a really bad mood when I started this one and when it was over I was in lass a bad mood. New wave is not normally my jam but this actually made me feel better. So I'm giving it high marks.

I didn’t expect to enjoy this at all, but it was fun! There was a punk-ish edge that surprised me. Still a little poppier than I prefer, but I think it goes in the 3.5~4 range.

There is a wholesomeness to the poppy sound of the Go-Go's in 1981. This is of a time before the copious amounts of cocaine, infighting and plastic surgery overtook their lives. Great songs, good music.

A solid album from one the quintessential all female bands of the 80’s. A lot of fun to listen to!

fun

I had only heard the radio hits, but this whole album is great. It's like if U2 had been born in LA.

Super energetic sound, some bangers.

Delightfully boppy

A post-punk pop revolution in an album.

Jolly album, a few great cuts

Interesting early Grunge and Pop Punk Vibes mixed with relatively soft female Vocals.

80's pop personified.

I was pleasantly surprised by this. I came in with low expectations for an all-girl band from the 1980s. The only song I recognized was "We got the Beat", which was coincidentally my least favorite. Unlike most 80s music, they actually used a real drummer instead of a drum machine which is nice. Although this is pop music, there are hints of punk that I appreciated.

Hey this is great! I didn't think I knew anything by the Go-Go's but it turns out I already knew We Got the Beat

Intressant.

Personally thought it was a fun album to listen to. I think the singer has a good voice. Top 3: Our lips are sealed, Lust to Love, This Town

Great new wave vibe. Extremely consistent with great melodies. Some great bass lines and the instrumentation was good in general. Perfect middle ground between grit and polish.

A really good album by the Go-Go's. It's a real feel good record. Surf rock pop is probably the best way to describe it. The vocals are great, the instrumentals are great. Not a legendary album but one that's really good. Favorite songs: We got the beat Our lips are sealed

Tosi hyvä!

Really enjoyed this. Early pop-punk sound with lots of attitude and still sounds fresh

A bunch of positive energy, uplifting and energizing! 4.5*

Fun, bouncy, damn good.

This……. Town Opening Fast Times scene

This was damn good, such infectious energy. First half was sensational, before trailing off with a few weaker, although still good, songs in second half and it all started to become a bit samey. Its probably a 3.5, but for my enjoyment of the first half I gotta give it a 4/5 Fav track: This town

Such a fun one - this band just seems like one of the coolest ever and I’m on board. Catchy, a little punky, and gives a lot of replay value. Three and a half. Fave track: How Much More

Really fun debut. Rating: 4.3

Really fun album.

This album was a lot of fun. Just a great bouncy new wave pop post punk sound. Catchy upbeat songs. A real joy.

Not the most deep-cutting lyrics, but the 'beats' are fun and the album hits are absolutely iconic. Consistent theming means this is a reliable entry for light hearted pop fun

seeeeee 8/10

Good

Fun 80s vibes! Enjoyed it

Pretty good for new wave, keeping a lot of it's punk roots on show. Couple of tracks I'm sure I've heard before or maybe it's just Belinda Carlisle. Really great energy throughout.

Positiivinen yllätys!

Very catchy

Never heard of this group before but I enjoyed this. I would probably listen again

Strong pop album with an 80s sound and standouts in Tonite, This Town, We Got The Beat, and Fading Fast.

Nothing but bangers!

Fantastic album full of groove and catchy tunes. Honestly, I do not think there’s a bad son in here.

Had never heard of it, catchy tunes, female vocals, of which I am a sucker for. Pretty nice listen

something actually (quite) good for once

Great new wave catchy pop

Two classic singles. Pretty good 80s album.

Pop with a pink edge. Great album.

Pleasantly surprised, catchy, but basic in a good way

Catchy pop songs. I was only familiar with the singles, but there was a lot to like about every song. 4/5

another album dripping with influence. some of the songs blend together but all of them are a joy.

Very good, fun record. The hits are great, but also very little filler. Maybe not much to come back to except to throw on playlists?

Great punk album