B-52's

Weird in the best way, and I've been humming Rock Lobster all day

Each track sounds like the obligatory musical number in a zany kid’s cartoon from the 70s. In a fun way. Also I’m obsessed with the title, There’s A Moon In The Sky (Called The Moon).

Not quite my tempo.

I have a colleague who designs concert posters featuring consistently bright, neon-acid backgrounds. When asked "Why?", he gives a logical answer: "Because the human eye is automatically drawn to that kind of outdoor advertising." The B-52's debut album grabs your attention for the same reason, but it’s not just about the cover art; inside, you’ll find an equally vibrant blend of rock 'n' roll, surf rock, punk, and new wave. When it leans into surf rock, the riffs are among the genre's best; when it hits the punk notes, the women are screaming just as fiercely as the likes of Bikini Kill. All of this plays out against a backdrop of absurd lyrics, creating a wild, high-energy atmosphere that would later be echoed by bands like Eagles of Death Metal and The Hives. There is one annoying catch, though: for some reason, the album has been hit with regional blocks across all streaming platforms, so you likely won't be able to actually listen to the music there. In that case, YouTube or good old RuTracker will save the day.

Fun loving new wavers. A blast from start to finish.

Fun happy music. Give these people a lobster.

Fond memories listening to this one on 33 from dad's collection. I remember it having a very trebly, tinny quality back then, which held up when listening in this era. I think 80's B-52's were better but this was a reasonable introduction to them.

Was fun but does all kind of blend together. I don't know why I love the line "we were at the beach - everybody had matching towels" so much

It did not freak me out. It is fine!

9/10

I flipping loved this

I love this album. Just quirky weirdness that didn't fit in with new wave, didn't fit the punk scene, kind of a combination. This record is awesome.

Some really boring and repetitive stuff with awful vocals. Rather than revolutionary, it just felt… different.

Weird herky-jerky irony-pop full of 50s send-ups. This album is a pretty decent example of how expansive the idea of “punk” was in the early days; these guys were playing the same venues as Television and the Ramones, somehow.

I knew Rock Lobster was great. The rest of the album isn't quite as good, but it's still entertaining. Weird and interesting.

Didn’t impress me But I like the vibe

*A little different than I expected as the start of the B-52s but their unique sound has a good groove. *Rock lobster is so good.

A quite unique sound layered on top of surrealistic lyrics makes for an interesting listen. I wasn't bored, and their voices blend well together. My only issue what that by the end of the record, their sound has been mined so much that it does sound a bit repetitive, and it's not hugely my thing

In the moments I can tune out the vocals I find some pretty decent and enjoyable rock pop. Unfortunately the moment I can't pull me out of it quickly and I am reminded of why I recoil at songs like Love Shack. At the very least I have found a new appreciation for what this band is doing that I wouldn't have considered before now so thats valuable.

Fun songs to dance to at 4am!

great for like 1 minute, horrible for anything longer than that

some people call this music, I call it my 13th reason why

Heard before?:❌️/✔️(not entirely) Will listen again?:✔️

Not what I was expecting from the B-52's! More like the Talking Heads than I thought. Very refreshing.

Never really got the appeal of Rock Lobster till I listened to this in full. Incredible and absolutely unhinged album.

I saw the B-52s front row at a corporate event in the Bahamas and it struck me how serious they were despite the silliness of their music. They're performers first and foremost and they were awesome. There's energy and song craftmanship here even though lyrically it's kinda like the ramblings of a 5-year old. A great debut of a wildy new talent!

This rock music is way too experimental and alternative for me. So much so that I'm not ready for it yet.

A great album from a band I've had the honor to see live. Love my funky southern queers and their strange and otherworldly lyrics.

L’HO TROVATO MEDIOCRE E TROPPO SEMPLICE. NESSUNA TRACCIA MI È RIMASTA IMPRESSA. ANZI LA SBORGO E DICO CHE È UNA MERDA. 1/5

Rock Lobster will always be great, and I love what they did with Petula Clark’s Downtown!

album divertido demais, eu adorei!!! falta diversão no mundo

Pai do rock indie dos anos 2000

Rock Lobster is a fun song, but I hadn’t really explored the band outside of that and didn’t take away anything particular from the rest of the album.

Really fun album. I loved the retro pop sound paired with vocals that sometimes went screamy/a little more punk. Rock Lobster is a classic, but I also really enjoyed Lava, Planet Claire, and Hero Worship. The B-52's really established their own weirdo sound on this album, and it's non-stop fun.

Hh

Not big into rockabilly, but their songs are pretty goofy & fun anyways.

levemente... punk? de fato tem uns albums que eu jamais ouviria se não fosse por recomendação desse site, mas que são bastante surpreendentes. Às vezes, tem coisas horríveis, como the fall, aquele lixo, mas em geral, surpresas boas, como B-52's

This is a very unique sounding album. I enjoyed it because of how different the sound is, even in the new wave craze that is the 1980s

Expertly walking the tightrope between annoying and cool as hell

grunndläggande men

Just not a bomber

So many genres meshed so wonderfully and melodically. Been on a kick of B52 listening lately and my appreciation grows each time! Also, Flintstones nostalgia too!

Didn’t do it for me. I’m sorry if this offends your culture

I have never really been a fan of the B-52s (I find Love Shack to be one of the most annoying songs) and this did not change my mind

Not a genre I gravitate to but it was fun

I always thought they were a novelty band, but the B-52s have so much depth. From the unique vocal stylings to the endlessly grooveable rhythmic lines I'm hooked.

I really tried. I mean, really. There is a line somewhere between weird and just plain annoying. I love Weird Al. I did not love this.

It's so fun, it's so erratic, it's like if a maximalist house was made into music.

Yeah, it's good but not mindblowing like everyone says.

Punky. Campy. Decently fun.

Liked it more than I thought. Very catchy!

I miss the Temptations album. But this is okay. Made me look up the band members to learn more about them.

WAS NOT PREPARED FOR HOW GOOD THIS IS!!! it's so creative and unique and I'm thoroughly impressed if you're into this stuff, you'll love it Favorite tracks: honestly, I really enjoyed the whole album 5/5

More fun than any album has a right to be.

One of the few genuinely fun albums to listen to on this list.

I went into this one with low expectations, but I actually kind of enjoyed it. Are the vocals jarring/annoying/weirdo? Yes. But was it fun? Yes, absolutely.

Can’t believe this is from 1979, it sounds much more modern. ‘Rock Lobster’ is the hit here, but there were other fun tracks as well; didn’t love their ‘Downtown’ cover but was entertaining enough. Overall 3.25/5

this album becomes even more impressive when your remember it was their debut

oh yeah. it's all comin together.

Showed that you could lean into quirks and off beat fun but still be wildly popular.

Charmingly quirky, this album oscillated between three and four stars, but I’m probably not listening to the whole thing again, so three.

Real funnnn

XC40, Gerstetten - Ellwangen, Deutschland. Hübsches Hörvergnügen!

There’s a lot of kitsch pre-Beatles throwback genre mashup stuff going on here on the surface, but if you’ve only heard Love Shack and assume they’re lame, focus in on Ricky Wilson’s guitar — completely unique, self-tuned to ear song by song, and intoxicating. He died of AIDS complications in 85, but he was the magic ingredient of their early albums, which are every bit as electric and innovative of the early Talking Heads. It’s strange they’ve now been relegated to the lame pile culturally when this is one of the coolest bands that’s ever been.

This is the first album here I haven’t listened fully through. This was just not for me at all. I got about halfway through the album and then I called it quits. Rock lobster sounded a little familiar and wasn’t bad but that’s about it from me.

I mean, c'mon. How can you not love The B-52's? '

Rock lobster still, well, rocks

This is not something I get very excited over or something I'd listen to a lot, but I do have to really appreciate the writing and the way in which all elements of the music work together and work towards the same end goal and sound. A lot of guitar work is also fantastic.

cool album.

i don't really like anything other than Rock Lobster, but i respect this album and band a lot. they have a very likable nerdy air to them. a precursor to the Lemon Demon and Tally Hall sort of rock music. i gotta respect that, yknow? deserves to be one of the 1001? yea

First album released in 1979, this album is great, fun and definitely should be listened to. It is categorized as post-punk, surf rock, new wave, dance rock. This is one of the most unique and influential bands. Ricky Wilson is an underrated guitarist and the vocals by Fred Schneider, Cindy Wilson and Kate Pierson are unique.  The first 5 songs were already in my favorites and the others are good too (not sure about Downtown though).

ya quería que alguno me agarrara en curva!!!! que oso no haber escuchado de los b52s antes. dance this mess around wow <<33333

- pretty good - pretty standard b52s kinda similar to how the talking heads album was like meh standard sound - honestly i think both were probably pretty revolutionary for their time but ive just heard so much that its kinda normal to me - i do love the beehive though

eh

Amazing Album - 5/5

Ain't nothing wrong with the B52s and this is a phenomenal and joyous debut. There's a delicate line that can be traced between Fre Schneider, Jonathan Richman, and David Byrne I may need to look into one day. And as a fun "prize" for fantasy football losing manager is making them speak in a Fred Schneider voice or accent for a week.

What the...? Like it's so weird and silly. But also annoying. But also I laughed out loud. But also I wanted it to end. But it's also such a vibe. idk how to rate this dude. ROCK LOBSTAH.

A great debut from a great band. The B-52's are a band that I feel doesn't get the recognition it deserves—at least not globally. Interesting fact: I used to listen to R.E.M.'s "Shiny Happy People," Iggy Pop's "Candy," and The B-52's' own "Love Shack," and for some reason, I felt there was a connection between them. It wasn't immediately obvious to me that the same woman sings on all three tracks. Amazing. It’s not a perfect album, but as I said, it’s a great debut. 4 stars.

They’ve got that weird art school new wave energy, paired with a twist on surf rock that becomes post-punk, as well as their own distinctive idiosyncrasies, and so it’s a bit like the gay-as-hell connecting point between Joy Division and Talking Heads somehow. So basically it’s catnip for me. I just need to, and will quite happily, come back to it some more for it to click more, because it’s nothing if not distinctive and an interesting challenge to come to cold-ish (mostly it’s that I need to revisit the second half to see if it holds up or drags down).

I wanted so badly to like this album but it’s just not for me. It feels like a group of college roommates in California got drunk while listening to The Talking Heads and decided to start a band.

couldnt find this one so i listened to the cosmic thing one instead and i actually kinda like it feels a bit like tropical vacay karaoke kinda vibe also old…

1.4/5 Even though the love shack is not on this album, that song has made me hate the band so much that it was hard to be objective while listening to this album. I kind of dug a lot of the music, but the singers kept reminding me of the worst song ever made and i couldn't shake it.

Ok, aber für mich kein Highlight. 3/5

Good

Zany. Like I'm having a fantastic time at a bowling alley. Meant in a good way, not a bad way. You get it... right?

rock lobster makes me think of snickerdoodle cookies, just dance, and nebraska.

Rock Lobster!!!

alright now we're having FUN

male singer lowkey pmo female singer was cooking also a lot of these songs are too long like lobster rock is a fire song but ts does not need to be 6 minutes long 6.5/10 best song - lava

I hear surf rock I rate 5 stars

I want to like this more but just a little too kitschy at times sorry!

3.2

Maybe this new wave worked because of the ditch weed and impending nuclear apocalypse, but I really found this annoying. I don’t care it has rock lobster, I don’t care about the hooks. It’s like Candy floss people decided was gourmet. I didn’t enjoy it and am amazed it was so famous.

i love the singer's rough voice a lot. overall, it was fun to listen to this album.

its alright

B-52s are always fun!

Tar gjerne noe av det disse har røyka...

The B-52s are weird in a good way. This album sounds like nothing else going on. It's a fun listen!

50

I remember this album when it came out. Groundbreaking. Like nothing I’d ever heard. Fan-fucking-tastic. And it still holds up after all these years.

No sir, I don’t like it.

Early un-cool coolness.

Fun and weird as I’d expect. The only issue is the songs could be a little tighter as they do tend to get repetitive.

Probably the most fun album on this list.

Fun! Never really listened before beyond Love Shack. I like their vibe and how consistent they are about the wacky good times while actually making quality music.

Planet Claire is an awesome song, but 40 mins of the B-52s is a bit much for me. I think I prefer No Wave to New Wave, tbh.

Say! Doesn’t that make you feel a lot better? If you don’t like this album, there’s something wrong with you. Admittedly It tails off a bit on (what was) side 2 but still brilliant fun music 40+ years on.

Quintessential party album!

First Listen Favorites: Planet Claire 52 Girls Rock Lobster Honorable Mentions: Downtown

Love the fun weirdness here.

Please. Groundbreaking. Fun. True. Passionate. I'm all in. Not an every day listen, but when it hits, it really hits!

Self-titled by the B-52's is a deeply interesting album. It's best described as some sort of Warhol-esque musical pastiche - it's parts Blondie/The Ramones, parts Top Secret!/Rocky Horror, parts semi-stolen surf riffs from other dollar-theatre drive-in B-movies and the standard Real-Book punk milieu. It's as baffling as it is catchy, because despite being a self-described 'thrift store' of visual and sonic aesthetic it also makes the perfect candidate for the cover band. These easy-to-follow chugging riffs and campy lungless vocal intonations are a two-prong paradox of simple and iconic. In doing so the whole tongue-in-cheek comic absurdity of the fine-wine-and-raw-steak pairing of these supercharged jumper cables germinates a genuine honest-to-Iggy punk spirit. Ever watch those interviews with The Sex Pistols where they're kind of just taking the piss in the prime-time interview slot? This is *that* sort of energy. Effortlessly cool and anti-self-serious energy that horseshoes around back into slick orbit like neon-green aliens in a pair of giant sunglasses. I'm going to sound like a Portlandia sketch here, but the B52's are all that. Self-indulgent kitsch (affectionate) in a way appropriate for a band from Athens, Georgia, where the contrast of its geographical reality and its namesake suggest an appropriately dichromatic sensibility for the band that it spawned in 1976. It's nouvelle vague in the original sense, cold-coke-in-a-glass authentic Americana, proudly pedestrian in its proletariat personhood. It's iconoclastic bombastic. And above all else it does a much better job of the banana-yellow pop-art pastiche on its album sleeve than the Sex Pistols ever did, and that true-punk superiority bleeds into the every groove of the record too. Fav tracks: Planet Claire, 52 Girls, Rock Lobster, There's a Moon in the Sky

better than I expected

Первая песня задает атмосферу фантастического космического путешествия, мелодия потрясающая, но после ничего похожего не было, есть пару хороших песен, женский вокал интересный, гитары хороши

This is my 188th album in this journey and I thought instead of just rating them outright, I'd add some notes like I'm describing it to someone who has never heard it before. I've only done notes on a few other albums. I own this one on vinyl and I like to listen to my daily album on vinyl if I own it, just seems right. Anyway, you don't know the B-52's debut? It's a LOT. What it is most is campy fun. It's got wacky nonsensical lyrics, cosmic music that fucking grooves! Fred, the lead singer kind of has a whiny, bitchy voice, in the best way. The lady singers wail! Kate has a soaring, smooth voice, while Cindy, who looks exactly like my middle school English teacher (don't know who is cooler) has more of a spunky vibe. The stand outs are Rock Lobster and Planet Clare. It's hard to describe this band's sound honestly.. cosmic, kitchy, funky. I don't know, but you WILL tap your toes. The unsung hero are the bass lines. They are so groovy. I'm tired now. Nighty night. 5/5

It was fine. Really. Will not revisit though I'm afraid

So much fun. And Rock Lobster.

Decent album. Rock Lobster was the only song I'd previously heard, but the other songs were pretty good, seems like some fun songs to sing along to.

É um disco interessante e divertido, mas a medida que se vai ouvindo, a abordagem satírica vai perdendo o interesse.

Ні на YouTube music, ні на Apple Music цього альбому немає. Знайшов на звичайному YouTube, його виклав просто користувач. Загалом подобається, шкода що нема на Apple Music. Rock Lobster- взагалі бенґер.

huh! okay i know very little going into this one. i know Rock Lobster/Love Shack and i love Roam and that's the sum total of my knowledge of the b-52s. okay no upon looking at the track list i also know Planet Claire because people would meme on it on the internet but i don't know if i can recall the melody aha yes i do remember planet claire. 52 Girls is a lot of fun *really* like Dance This Mess Around i can't offer any kind of objective analysis of Rock Lobster. it's Rock Lobster. i cannot say if it's bad or good. but i am enjoying it more than i have been enjoying some of the songs i've already heard to death last few tracks are a bit weaker i think at the risk of sounding like i am completely up my own ass, this album feels simultaneously very of its era and also incredibly ahead of its time. like the sort of 'surf rock' sound is very 60s/70s, but there are a lot of other aspects that feel like they became the blueprint for a lot of alternative/experimental music. the vocal style is really fun i feel like i'm already repeating myself and i'm probably going to end up saying this a lot: i'm only really familiar with the extremely popular/'meme' songs, so i'm surprised by how much i like all the stuff i've never heard of in my life. solid

I enjoyed this more than I thought I would - really interesting with the time it came out. Seems to be the antithesis of stadium rock and disco. Plus a few good deep cuts in here (52 girls, Lava) plus the obvious Rock Lobster. 3 stars

I can find their kitschiness a little tiring and samesy at times but it is hard to hate this album. Its is so different from what else was around at the time. Its flipped 50’s bubble-gum mom and pop saccharine nicenessby using it but somehow making it weird. They are punk but they are not. They are new wave but they are not. Whatever they are, they are fun.

This album is just plain fun. The dual vocals are great, the synth parts and samples add a spooky feel to it. It’s all minimal but definitely sets a unique tone. 3.8/5.0

Pretty much as quirky as I expected it to be. Kinda had me yearning for Love Shack though (clichéd I know)

Fun album

Born out of the same American punk scene as Talking Heads and Devo, B-52s are the punk Annette, Frankie and Moondoggy. Punk Blanket Bingo. They don't want to be the AntiChrist, they just want you to dance. Beloved by the kids who didn't fit in; who looked at the pencil moustaches, beehive hair, matador pants and cha-cha shoes and found their people. Proof, if proof was needed, that there's great art to be found in being very silly.

I liked this so much that I immediately put on 𝘞𝘪𝘭𝘥 𝘗𝘭𝘢𝘯𝘦𝘵 afterwards. That probably says enough. The B-52’s take new wave, garage rock, surf influences, and pure eccentricity and turn them into something completely their own. The biggest part of the appeal is the vocal interplay. Kate Pierson and Cindy Wilson have voices that can sound almost intentionally irritating, yet that very quality becomes part of the charm. Fred Schneider’s dry delivery, the sharp guitars, and the strange but infectious rhythms complete a sound that could only belong to The B-52’s. Weird, funny, catchy, and full of personality. This is new-wave pop at its most distinctive.

silly and bouncy. some song overstay their welcome a bit but theres more good songs than annoying ones

Horribly overrated cack

Funky and fun. Not just a gimmick band. Genuinely fun music.

This album feels like it was made just for me. It's got everything. Punk, post-punk, new wave, surf rock, 60s garage rock, R&B, funk, some rockabilly/country twang here and there... . And more! Along with great guitar lines and rhythms, fantastic singing and vocal harmonies, along with squeaking, soaring, and growling... along with some screaming and plain old hollering... along with a good sense of humor and style, a unique sound, and fun songs... along with... well, I'll just stop here. The worst thing I can say about this album is that the song with the best title, "There's a Moon in the Sky (Called The Moon)," is not one of the best songs on the album. In fact, the whole second side is weaker than the first side, especially "Lava" and "Downtown," the latter of which seems like it should have been a great cover but somehow they sound bored. Still, a great album with a unique sound and great performances. Essential listen: yes Desert island disc: yes

It's... cute? I cannot put it to words, but yeah, that album is cute. Quirky even.

The B-52's are one of those bands that I have never really gotten into, but have appreciated whenever one of their songs crosses my path. I really like how they are so idiosyncratic in a space that is as idiosyncratic as New Wave, but it doesn't at all feel forced, they just come across as loveable weird goofballs. Having now listened to a full album, I think I have been fully won over and need to check out more of their work. The most obvious sign was that I was listening to this record while exhausted at work and needing to make myself a coffee to get me through my workday. As I made said coffee, I noticed I was doing a little dance. Anything that can get me dancing when I have a serious need to get as much caffeine into my body as possible is doing something very right.

Pretty much impossible to ever hear this with fresh ears. For better or worse, along with other so-called college rock acts like the Violent Femmes, this was just part of the soundtrack of my tween and early teenage years. “Rock Lobster” - which, being from 1979 meant it could’ve been from 1958 at our age - was as much a part of the culture as Young MC or Talking Heads or Spike Jones. It was both ancient and if not relevant, something of a gateway to kitsch or weird America. If it came on at a dance, it was a guaranteed crowd-pleaser. And then a few years later, the same band was known for very glossy, accessible, big time hits from Cosmic Thing, in some respects a change as difficult to make sense of as Disintegration-era The Cure from “Lovecats” or “Let’s Go to Bed.” Not sellouts exactly, you always had the sense their stature was earned, but not moving anything forward like their Athens counterparts REM or U2. It wasn’t until later in the 90s that a favorite Dischord band of mine did a “52 Girls” cover and I was like, that rules, and that’s from the same band as “Roam” and “Rock Lobster”? Tell me more! Ultimately I land more on the heartache Cindy voices in the follow-up, but the first display of that emotional rollercoaster is here on “Dance This Mess Around,” which, weird blackface aside, still threads an incredibly unique needle.

Dia 03 de 1001 albums Me ha parecido una absoluta barbaridad, se nota que este album ha servido de inspiración o incluso de copia para muchas canciones actuales. Todas tienen un buen ritmo, pegadizas y divertidas. Un rollo surfero, muy bailable y guay.

These guys must have grown up listening to the the same oldies station that I did. Weird but fun.

Listened before?: yes, many times Planet Claire - 4/5 52 Girls - 5/5 Dance This Mess Around - 5/5 Rock Lobster - 5/5 Lava - 4/5 There's a Moon in the Sky (Called the Moon) - 3/5 Hero Worship - 3/5 6060-842 - 4/5 Downtown - 3/5 Average score: 4/5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ one of my fav music-making gay groups performing some of their best hits. what's not to love yeah, there's a few tracks that aren't so strong, but it's so fun and weird that even the worst tracks here are worth hearing. they were way ahead of their time here

Loved it, maybe not amazing, but certainly a vibe and very fun

This is a really weird one. I think that its biggest flaw is its biggest appeal, but also the reason why many people don’t like it. It’s just a very unusual album as a whole, imagine party music with crazy vocals and strange lyrics. There’s obviously the hit ‘Rock Lobster’, but aside from that I was very confused with what the albums was trying to do. This seems like the sort of album to have a cult following that thinks it’s the best album to ever be released! I didn’t really see the appeal, but I found it to be a fun listen!

This was an amazing album. I knew of the B-52s from Love Shack and I knew of Rock Lobster. But this is so damn good. Surf Rock. Punk Rock I don’t know. It’s just so cool. 52 Girls is just so damn good. Then you have Fred and the Girls singing back and forth it works together so well. This is a reason why this list works. It’s such a great discovery

All I really knew of this album was the slightly odd guy in my A-Level Geography class who used to sing Rock Lobster at random. That at least led me to understand the reference when Family Guy did a bit about it. So thanks, Pete. Found this to be a pretty fun and funky affair. I like the fact that it doesn't take itself too seriously while still not being overly goofy. The rhythm and bass section is all brilliant, sits alongside the likes of Talking Heads as precursors to the Indie Sleaze/Dance revival in the early 00s. I probably won't rush out and buy it but it was well worth the listen and I'll have a go on some of their other albums later.

Pretty darn fun to hear modern sampling reference this

Happy to hear the ridiculous lyrics of this album. I am all hear for HOT LAVA and ROCK LOBSTER. Just fun.

ROCK LOBSTER! And some other songs.

Auch das gehört in die Abteilung „Einmal und nie wieder“!

i only got one song??????

Bizarre and quickly forgettable.

Det bliver simpelthen for trættende

Læste anmeldelserne. Havde høje forventninger. Slemt skuffet

*68 Virkelig gode første tracks. Jeg synes dog ikke at jeg kunne holde gejsten op til weirdness niveauet, og derfor blev det lidt for møj til sidst.

Det var gakket men også ret fedt. 3 styks

Talking Heads, Abba og G-bar har fået et barn, og det lyder crazy Rock Lobster er måske det mærkeligste nummer, jeg nogensinde har hørt Det er lidt det der barn, der sidder bagerst i klasselokalet, som man aldrig rigtig har forstået, men som man heller ikke rigtig kan have noget imod - fordi selvom de er weird, så er det da anderledes om ikke andet - og måske egentlig rimelig fængende på sådan en trafikuhelds-måde. Jeg kan ikke helt kigge væk fra de flotte farver og underlige lyde. 3.5

Kunne egentlig godt tænke mig at belønne dem for forsøget, for det er både lidt galt og genialt på samme tid. Men i sidste ende er kommer det simpelthen for langt væk for min smag

Jeg fatter ikke at rock lobster er 7 minutter lang, for hver gang jeg sætter den på, (hvilket var mange idag!) så følels den som mindre end 2 minutter. Øj jeg har hygget mig med det fjol, og meget legende lyde. Kandidat til det bedste album fra 70erne for mig!

Det var virkelig en fest af er album. En af de fester der er totalt wack.

dit was ech tleuk

ik hou echt niet van deze joy division genre maar ROCK LOBSTER!

One of my favs of all time

Surprising

7/10

8/18/26. Didn't feel this one, some catchy tunes but felt was repetitive and a little corny. I like some later B-52 songs but this album was a miss.

the abysmal cover of Downtown notwithstanding, this was fun to listen to. 3/5.

Unexpectedly fun.

Innovative

Solid quirky early Nu-Wave , alternative cuts

Album #138: The B-52’s Genre (W): New wave, post-punk, dance-rock, surf rock, college rock Singles: Rock Lobster, 52 Girls, 6060-842, Planet Claire, Dance This Mess Around I have not listened to this album before. Thoughts?: What a delightfully fun and quirky album! It reminds me a lot of Tom Tom Club except more influenced by 50’s and 60’s pop, which makes it very, very fun! I loved it. Favorite tracks: Side One, Lava, Hero Worship, 6060-842, Downtown

Entertaining. Mostly.

It was a fun funky album.

Great album from a fantastic band

Whenever I’m in a party situation where there’s a dj or some kind of background music, I always make sure Rock Lobster comes on at some point. Everyone says they think it’s a weird song, but they sea-cretly love it.

ROCK LOBSTER! 4.5/5

eu passei 1 mes fissurado com b-52s depois que conheci rock lobster. pra mim é uma das melhores bandas de new wave já feitas, galera tava exatamente no tempo que deveriam estar, e tavam aproveitando isso 100% fino da bola

bão pra CARAIO, hein new wave gostosim, sem medo de ser esquisito, com umas guitarrada boa. um surf rock meio punk meio maluco. gostei DEMAIS desse aqui e será escutado mais vezes. provavelmente ficarei obcecado como fiquei com blondie. pedradaça pqp

Wonderfully unique. I especially like Private Idaho.

Coole pre-fem-Punk.

First time hearing The B-52's and it was a bit of an off-putting experience in the beggining, specially starting with the "Planet Claire" track but then it kinda morphed into something more approachable and common but still kinda retaining this weird vibe that kinda feels like the band's trademark. Sadly not my cup of tea but it was worth giving it a try. "Rock Lobster" which lookes like the main title of the album was funny even, but I'm certainly not adding it to my repertoire. Favorite track was "Lava"!

A lot of fun and energy.

This album is a real ripper! I wrote a long review and then it got lost but basically this album is all killer and mostly no filler. “Dance this mess around” and of course “rock lobster” are full of upbeat playful energy, even if the lyrics are silly. Only downer was “downtown” with the other singer. Too whiny for me!

Music for the mentally ill.

i didn't like it. the 6060842 song or whatever the name was, was the only one I enjoyed but I guess only because I know the cover version of it by the german punk band Terrorgruppe.

it's funnier than other rock albums out there

I had never heard this. I only knew Love Shack. I still don't really "get it," I don't think, but this album wasn't nearly as bad as Love Shack the song. So it surprised me.

The B-52s are so funky and cool. I never knew "Planet Claire" was one of their songs!

Weird but in the best possible way. My new favourite find from this list in a while. I ended up listening to this album more than once and with more familiarity I can hear surf rock influences amongst the post punk/new wave drumming.

Even the instruments are shouting

I've only ever listen to Red Lobster from them Their sound is very interesting and funky, I like vocal inflections. I'm having a lot of fun listening to this album. My favorite track is probably There's a Moon in the Sky or 6060-842

I can dig it!

[4/5] new wave. listening to people having fun, surfing through each song. pure chaos and wild vocals that grew on me quickly. the first side was more enjoyable. track notes: 1. i’ve got my own bond/interceptors title sequence and everything. hope you like my car, i’m going to duck and dive under some lasers 2. family road trip where nobody is arguing. such a smooth and powerful guitar surfing the waves into my ears 3. life support. shouting in church trying to get the priest to cut shapes 4. fun to skiboobada. snake charming. spooky egyptian haunted pyramid. wildly chaotic vocals and sound effects 5. groovy wall of sound like a high energy theatre show 6. breaking news! the moon is the moon 7. fun guitar lick 8. yearning for that sus phone call 9. playing musical chairs with my ears, the way it suddenly stops then returns to a rampage

Weird and fun. Enjoyed it Standout songs: Rock Lobster Hero Worship

Imagine seeing this live, crazy stuff

Fun, weird, great guitar and vibes but it does get a bit old by the end. Rock lobster is mega, like it but as a whole there’s only so much I can do

Perfect blend of silly new wave nonsense with early post punk defiance. 6060842 rules. This album would be better without rock lobster

ok i've listened to this record SO much in my life. the album cover is literally etched into my brain. CD was on in the house for so many family parties that it kinda meme-ified the record for me... I've returned several times in my life but never stayed. Except for 'dance this mess around' -- it's always been a fav and i've listened to it frequently. Upon return, DTMA is still my fav on the record. The ending of Rock Lobster though??? wtf? I think i just remember being forced to dance to rock lobster so maybe trauma there but the ending is so good damn. That guitar riff with all the percussion. They're fully in a flow state. I imagine it would have been nuts to see live. the ending of these songs is often my favourite part. not a diss lol they just usually have these incredible codas that are so heavy. favs: DTMA, there's a moon in the sky, last 2 mins of rock lobster

just not for me sadly

Rock lobster really rocks.

I think this challenge has turned me off of New Wave forever. Wacky vocals and zany lyrics do not interesting music make

Campy, but really grooveable and silly. I like how kitchy it is. Not an album for every day, but a fun visit now and then.

New Wave post punk, late 70s. Very quirky, loads of oold school flair. Too new wave.

Extremely weird-sounding. Which is of course the entire point. The B-52's take inspiration from glam and punk rock to make something that's admittedly pretty childish, but still a bit of a bop. A shame Lava and Hero Worship aren't available on Spotify – they're some of the highlights. I expected Planet Claire to have lyrics, but for the first half we get a high (and very loud) synth acting as the "vocalist". Cool, simple percussion backs it up. The singing is untrained and wobbly – an artifact of the punk era, which had just peaked a couple of years prior – and it only really works as a novelty musical element here. A decent track. Unfortunately, it's clear that the singing isn't planning to improve anytime soon. The semi-title track, 52 Girls, makes sure of that. Presumably the two women on the album cover make their vocal debut here, but they're vastly overshadowed by the danceable guitar and drum parts accompanying them. Now, Dance This Mess Around? The impassioned scream-vocal is much more compelling. Combined with the use of organs, straight-ahead drumming, and pure classic rock melody, this sounds straight out of a Doors record. Morrison would be proud. But the B-52's put their own zany spin on it, too. My favourite part was when they said "Yeahyeahyeahyeahyeahyeahyeahyeahyeahyeahyeahyeahyeahyeahyeahyeahyeah." Rock Lobster is really solid too, and with that riff and the stupid, crazy, beautiful delivery, it's no mystery why the song became a hit. It certainly goes on for too long, though. Any reasonable man craves heavy electric guitar and good, punchy harmonies in the vocals. The song Lava gets the closest thus far to that, marking the end of an excellent three-track run. There's A Moon In The Sky (Called The Moon). The title alone essentially tells you what the entire song will sound like. As with the others, it's pretty stupid, and also adds nothing new (sonically) into the pot. Hero Worship acts as a return to form, very much along the lines of Lava and Dance This Mess Around, and again contains some great vocals. I like this kind of "crazed" – putting middle fingers to the ultra-conventionalists, yet still musically tasteful. I can appreciate what 6060-842 was going for, but it's barely catchy enough to get away with a title/lyric that clumsy. The final song, Downtown, is stupid. It sounds like the Wiggles or something. 3/5 Key tracks: Dance This Mess Around, Rock Lobster, Lava

nich mein ding

I can't imagine how weird this album was when it came out. Fun and unusual. Favorite track: Planet Claire

Understand the significance of the album and overall enjoyed it, but in the end it wasn't quite for me.

How can anyone deny how much fun this album is?

2/10 Listened in the car on the way to cap feret Bullshit experimental in just a weird way. Some decent instrumentals.

This album is pretty good, but it is a little top-heavy. It's a mid 4

The B-52's take me back to my college days. Rock Lobster came out my freshman year. It was perfect for the time. Interesting band - unique style. It's a bit of a one-note-song though. The album is a bit uneven. Because of its innovation, it's not just an average release, so I feel obliged to give it four stars. But I do so more on the strength of style, innovation, and achievement in history than on the strength of the album as a whole.

Party central.. Who says music shouldn't be fun. Fred can't sing. But so what -with the two girls alongside they make a fantastic vocal combo. And who would dream of making a party playlist without the full 6 minute version of Rock Lobster on it? (or Love Shack for that matter!). Ok some of the songs share the same licks but who cares. This is an album to goof about to.

es una capsula del tiempo, lo escuchas e indefectiblemente te encontras en los 70s. gran álbum para dejar florecer a la nostalgia

dosta zabavan novovalni album, odmah me podsjetio na devo, xtc, pa i na toking hece. sviđa mi se kako si pašu muški i ženski vokal. druga polovica mi je ipak bila nešto slabija, album kao cjelina negdje mi je između trojke i četvorke, no dat ću četvorku jer sam dobre volje i jer se ovomu namjeravam vratiti

Not my favorite but I'm glad they exist. The planet moon.

A perfect band. I was getting choked up listening to “Rock Lobster.” I think it was because it’s so evident in that recording that they feel free to express their true selves which are queer goofballs and that’s a beautiful thing.

I got exactly what I expected here. Quirky, almost angry, yet somehow still sounding like they’re having a lot of fun and want you to be having while you’re listening, but they’re mad at you for some reason that’s not really clear. Rock Lobster was all I knew of them at the time, and I’m still not a ‘fan’, but enjoy them when I hear them.

Punk meets kitch and camp. Bought this record 30-some years ago and still put it on. My ten year old loves it. It’s just fun.

Cool. Interesting. Fun. Not sure I'd listen again. But maybe.

Liking it more than expected, not getting a lot of depth but these guys can jam.

Really loved this album, bought on vinyl when it came out, lost it, and bought it again - a few years ago. Favourite track ; Planet Claire

This album should’ve stayed on planet Claire

Primary colours, beehive haircuts and demented dance rock.

🥞

I remember liking Rock Lobster a lot more than this... The whole album feels like it's trying really hard to have fun, but I'm just not convinced Favorite Songs: 6060-842

Enjoyment: 4/10 Replayability: 3/10 Cohesion: 5/10 Flow/Pacing: 4/10 Artistic Merit: 5/10 Weighted Average: 4.05/10 Review: The B-52's is a chaotic and experimental band best taken in doses. Sitting through an album was more difficult than I anticipated. Liked Song(s): Planet Claire, Rock Lobster Disliked Song(s): There's a Moon in the Sky (Called the Moon), 6060-842 Recommend? No Heard Before? Partly

this was cool, however i literally don't see a reason where i'd listen to this when The Go-Go's do this better in every way. not a badddd song on the album tho

This is new wave, but it is highly quirky, and it would have really pushed the boundaries of the sound at the time. The single "Rock Lobster" was definitely the highlight of the album, as it was refined but still fun. Other than that, it had silly energy but wasn't refined, so it didn't lure me in.

A perfect record, no more, no less. Quirky, odd, pop-infused, precise - like a slacker somehow landing something perfectly on the first try. Highlights: Planet Claire, Rock Lobster

Rock Lobster

This just sounds like annoying noise

je n'aime juste pas leur voix mais l'album est fun

A few fun songs here and there, but the singer tends to be too “yell-y” to really give it any more than a 3

so silly and so fun. loved this

Super funky and fun

The B-52's are an odd crew with an unusual sound. It's peppy punk at times; new wave at other times. It's discordant yet interesting. Top tracks: "Rock Lobster," "52 Girls"

--Planet Claire...Mars Attacks! --52 Girls...fun rhythm guitar. nice harmonies from Kate and Cindy --Dance This Mess Around...Cindy Wilson takes over for this one. it's a left turn. not sure it's the correct direction but her voice is great --Rock Lobster...I've read John Lennon loved this song. it makes sense so I choose to believe it's true --Lava...hot groove. you know what? I will turn on my lava lamp. nice guitar tone --There's a Moon in the Sky (Called the Moon)...they're not wrong. I feel like we're retreading ground now --Hero Worship...Cindy Wilson letting loose. don't think it's in tune but it whatever --6060-842...Ricky Wilson providing some cool harmonics. catchy but the recording seems compressed. could be a me issue --Downtown...I can only think of Seinfeld when I hear these lyrics

Exciting debut album from the B52s, a really fun listen. While there was no monster hit song like Love Shack on this album I enjoyed the guitars, vocals and slightly off kilter songs. Reminds me of Talking Heads crossed with the Slits. 4 stars.

It’s really interesting. The music is weird, but peppy, the vocals aren’t very good, but they somehow match, the genre is indiscernible, but it somehow works — and it is so utterly different from anything else in the 70s you have to wonder how it was ever even conceived.

Planet Claire - I didn't enjoy this, it feels like a low rent effort at a punk song. 52 Girls - Same as above Dance This Mess Around - Hated it. Skip. Rock Lobster - This is what I thought more of the album was going to be, joke songs that are actually good yet silly. It does go on a bit though at nearly 7 minutes that spoils it. Lava - average song on any average 70s punk album Gave up after this. I think they really try to capture that free surfing sound but it doesn't materialise. It's quirky but not fun, weird but not funny.

Probably the earliest album I could honestly call new wave. Very nice.

Pretty meh, again. Not bad, and not the irritating pop-rock nonsense of the 90's that I know them for, but very forgettable album. Sorry.

Decent enough debut album. The band appear to be having fun and the production is spot on. Some of the Somes are a bit forgettable however Planet Claire and Rock Lobster are classics. 4 stars if you don't take your music too seriously

I love the B-52's. This is barely three stars.

Iconic music. Iconic album art. Iconic hair. This album probably came with an insert that read "The 1970s are officially over, mothertrucker." Put on "Planet Claire" and some black sunglasses. We're going out tonight.

Výborná prvá strana. Druhá strana nie je taká vyrovnaná. Inak skvelý debut. Baví ma to aj dnes.

Very cool but also obnoxious

New Wave, Rock, Pop, 1979 -> 3

Don’t mess with the Rock Lobster…

Es bastante divertido, movido moderno, bastante pegajoso, con mucha mezcla de sonidos podría considerar futuristas

Banger after banger after banger. Just pure silliness and joy!

Not my cup of tea

I dont get it. This is mince

Very annoying! Combines the worst parts of two annoying genres! Fuck off!!

They included their self-titled debut album but not Cosmic Thing? I really don’t understand this list sometimes.

I’m mostly familiar with their 80’s hits like Love Shack. A bit surprised they actually started in the 70’s but fun stuff.

Familiar with this band for Love Shack, not on this album. All songs have a beat that is infectious though the rest is hot and cold. 3 stars

Really fun. The groves are great. The vocals are off putting I a good way. Over all a really good time

Mindblown. Have always dismissed the b52 because my reference was shinny happy people which sucks. Had heard rock lobster a lot and like it but thought it was bland. Now I hear this knowing its a 1979 album and feel they were ahead of time and had some real creativity going. This album is fascinating

You either hate them or you love them. Consider me in the latter category. They started about the time the Talking Heads and a few other quirky bands like the Cars were becoming well known. I would have loved to have seen those three bands together.

74/100. The B-52's self-titled debut is an alright record. While it’s not my personal favorite style of music, it has its charm. The mix of new wave, surf, and garage rock creates a quirky, energetic sound, though some of the layered noises throughout the album didn’t quite work for me. Overall, a fun and unique listen, even if it’s not entirely my thing.

how can you not love rock lobster? my heart's crackin like Krakatoaaaaa.

Interesting and foundational

Bonus points for the album cover, certainly. It also managed to find a sweet spot between weird and annoying. Solid stuff. This is one of the albums that makes me glad I'm going through this list. I'd never listened to a whole album by The B-52's before. They're just as kitschy as expected, but I can also appreciate the groundwork they laid for later weird alt-rock bands. 3.8

7/10 Quirky, fun, absurdist new wave. Perhaps the only thing I can ding this album for is that every song is just a bit too long. Like, do we really need 7 minutes of Rock Lobster?

3/5

This sucks. I guess it doesn't sound like anything else I have heard, but the man's voice is incredibly annoying. The final track, a cover of Downtown, is clearly deliberately crafting to be as grating as possible, and it succeeds.

The B-52's are fun! Kate Pierson can be a bit much though.

dachte kurz ghost busters aber nö war nur ein hummer hoppla

Somehow, I like the band, but not really the music.

Fav song: Rock Lobster

One of my most hated bands of all time. I just can't bring myself to listen to this.

Loved the surf rock/rockabilly vibe. The silly lyrics were cool. I did not expect this album to be like this. I had only ever heard Love Shack from them before. Really, really enjoyed this album.

This wasactually quite good. Entertaining music, little weird, but eventually good composition.

2,5

This should really be a 3 star album for me, but they get an extra star for originality. 4 stars or B-.

Some damn good new wave, comparable to Devo's debut in some ways (which is funny, considering they're co-headlining a tour). Solid 5 Stars.

I’m at a 4.5 that I’ll very easily bump up to a 5. Look, you just gotta let loose for this one. As someone who loves weird & eccentric stuff, this is right down my alley. Yeah, it’s repetitive at points. Yeah, it’s not consistently as lively as one might hope. Yeah, a lot of this is babbling & meandering if you try to treat it like it’s Shakespearean text. It just doesn’t matter. Lighten up & have some fun! This is 1979, new wave is in motion, and the B-52’s are here to lift your mood up. Go dance that mess around & vibe out. I normally take notes on tracks, & this time, all my notes are just pointing out how fun this album feels. “Rock Lobster” might sound ridiculous if it were any other band with a manufactured reputation to uphold, but when it’s done by some guys & girls in silly wigs & ‘50s style mono-color edited clothing on the cover, it just feels like the local band at the bar you’ve stumbled into who are lightening up your mood. The only nitpicks I have here are that “52 Girls” & “There’s a Moon in the Sky (Called the Moon)” feel like they need a little more to match the energy of the rest of the tracks. My one singular complaint is that “Downtown” feels like a rather flat closer, but given that it’s so short, I don’t mind it too much. Those nitpicks along with a little bit of frustration from some of the repetitive parts sucking a bit of air from the room are why I’m at a 4.5, but make no mistake – this is a supremely easy bump up to a 5. It’s just a good time, and if you can’t have a good time with this, go back to listening to “The Wall” or something. It’s a great album with incredible highs & lows, but did Roger Waters have the guts to make “Rock Lobster”? I think not. Hence, a 5.

Not a record that is full of great lyrics or amazing compositions. It is just a fun good sounding record and with classic songs that take you to a time and place when you were 16, 17, 18 years old.

Weird AF but not bad. These guys were high on something

The B-52's are ALWAYS a good time. This album is so full of catchy weirdness. It might not be a perfect album, but it's definitely 9/10 and exactly what I needed to listen to tonight.

iconic. Didn't think i would like it as much as i did.

I wanted to like this album a lot more than I did. Interesting harmonies but most of the songs just blended together

lowkey good???

Alright, the singing gets a little tiresome by the end of it but the instruments are neat. Favorite Track: Rock Lobster (sue me)

A fun album

A fun listen!

A lot of early New Wave bands are a bit boring to listen to. Not so with the B-52’s - they’re a real pain. I’d already given this band a cursory listen before and found their later work rather exhausting. Of course, I was familiar with bits and pieces of “Rock Lobster,” but I’d never had to subject myself to the whole thing before. It gets even worse when you listen to the whole album, though: it actually becomes unbearable after three songs at the latest. Based on my memory, I hadn’t expected it to be that bad, but “The B-52’s” really isn’t good enough for two stars.

5 star album. It was really fun. I liked rock lobster. I wish all the songs were on spotify. Planet Claire was also fun. Had to use youtube:https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=PtH-tWjB_aQ

Leuk album. Vooral 'Planet Claire' en 'Rock Lobster'

🏄‍♂️🪐🦞🌊👙

This shit was so fucking annoying!!!! 😃👍

Yeah, not for me. They're a bit too frantic and screamy. I'll leave this one filed under "Jean has had too many gins at the office party and is now dancing" Heard before ✅️ Listened this time ✅️ Revisit ❌️ ★★★☆☆(5/10) Total reviewed : 381 Already owned : 84 Purchased : 16 To buy : 7 Nope : 274

Too camp for me

Ok

The best thing I can say about this album is that it doesn’t have ‘love shack’ on it. The worst thing I can say about this album is that it has ‘rock lobster’ on it. Absolutely fucking terrible.

This and Meat Loaf back to back is rough. I couldn't finish the album, got a few songs in and turned it off. I've some of their stuff before and was okay with it so maybe in small doses but I couldn't handle this.

I can’t stand the B-52’s. Every song is Rock Lobster

pretty fun! very early 80s. i know its from the 70s but it feels like its pointing to a the decade to come. like 3.25/5

The B-52’s were as important an element in my musical taste as bands like Devo and The New York Dolls, only their brand of new wave has a bit more of a 50s tinge to it. Songs like Planet Claire and Dance This Mess Around have become indelible parts of pop music of the late 70s. While compatriots like the Talking Heads and Blondie may have risen higher, the B-52’s have a magic about them whice make revisiting their early albums a true joy.

Wow this album sucks

This bright, campy, quirky cheerful music. The band is obviously very talented.

If this was ever good it hasn't aged well

Rock lobster is a bop, the rest of the album unfortunately didn’t hit as much to me which was unfortunate because I do vibe with the aesthetic and the music and the mixing of pop, punk and new wave. Can definitely see why some people would rate this higher than me but unfortunately I can’t get super into it