B-52's

YOU ALREADY KNOW

More edgy punk than I had expected. Kinda like art punk. What a vibe.

The B-52’s could be easily reduced to a fun party band. Because they are clearly having a lot of fun, and generating a lot of fun, and you can tell these songs were meant to be performed live in small, crazy venues. But they are something more, too. They are combining so many sounds and styles and sometimes they are really saying something. (“52 Girls” seems to be a reflection on passing beauty.) Within my musical wheelhouse, they sit alongside early Talking Heads and Was (Not Was). They also influenced Sleater-Kinney, a strong Riot Grrrl band at its peak two decades (!) after the B-52’s hit the scene. Favorite songs for now are “Planet Claire,” “52 Girls,” and their quirky cover of “Downtown.” Enjoy!

I never know quite what to do with the B-52's. Their early albums are good and their later work is also good. It is just different. But going back to the earlier work reminds you of just how quirky and innovative they were. There is a bold energy that weaves through the album that is infectious. I can't image what their live shows were like in the early days, but I can't imagine walking away without wanting more. Their diverse voices, range, and style don't work on paper, but they most certainly work in the musical world.

Really love this. Probably the cream of the bright side of post-punk.

Banger

This is such a fun album. Music that exists because people were having fun. I almost think they could kick it up a notch or two and still be alright. While you're listening, I want you to remember to watch out for that piranha and try not to take shit so seriously ⭐⭐⭐⭐

This is a record that I have been listening to for decades at this point. I like all the work of the B-52's, but its hard to argue that the initial work seen on this album and its follow up, Wild Planet, are probably the strongest albums the band made. (I originally owned a cassette that had both albums on it so that creates a strong association for me.) It's an album that is obviously operating in the post-punk atmosphere at the time, but bringing a retro party vibe to the mix, with a strong garagy sound with some strong surf elements to the guitar. However, it still also brings in avant garde elements with the vocals. The songs are also just great, although the first half of the album is a little stronger than the second. The weakest element is the cover of Downtown at the end of the album, but even that is a lot of fun. Overall, a great album.

Fantastique de devoir écouter ce petit chef d’œuvre après les Overrated Oasis 🤣😂😁

A manic fun that keeps the energy moving.

This album is weird as hell but I love it so much. Gotta love the 5 minutes of animal noises on Rock Lobster.

Delightful!

So fun. Currently living in Atlanta so proximity to the source. I'm having fun

Var det B-52's som førte an den flåsete 50-tallsnostalgien på 80-tallet? Gøy er det i hvertfall.

Har alltid sett på dette som et slags festlig tulleband. Men de er jo faktisk både litt morsom og kule. Snill firer.

What a raw, spastic and delightful record!

Rock Lobster and Planter Claire - that works for me! Couple of other great tunes in here too A stand-out record from 1979

So so so fun!

Quite enjoyed this

Infectiously silly and unapologetically weird. Probably one of the few albums where you can learn about animal sounds and the planets. Likes: Dance This Mess Around; Rock Lobster; There’s a Moon in the Sky; 6060-842

Fun rock album with a spacey atmosphere. Front-loaded but still pretty great. Feels like it comes from another dimension.

I just love it. it's a super fun time!

A punkish parade of aliens crashing a retro-futurist prom. The vocals are pure cartoon charisma, and the music's this perfect storm of surf rock meets new wave. Vintage charm without being tired or gimmicky. +1 for Rock Lobster. Spins: 1 Playlist Additions - Planet Claire - 52 Girls - Dance This Mess Around - Rock Lobster

fun and whimsical but I was dragging by the last song. I think if it cut a song it would be a 5. High 4.

front to back bangers…almost a 5

This album was so much fun! I am convinced that if you don't like this album that you need to inject a little more whimsy into your life. It does lose some steam a bit after "Rock Lobster" but it kept my interest and my head bobbing all the way through. Also I firmly believe that "Rock Lobster" has one of the best opening guitar riffs of all time. I don't know where it would be placed on a list (maybe top 25?) but it certainly deserves to be on a list. 4/5

Craaaaazy!

Already knew rock lobster but the rest of the album was very good, arguable better

fun, funky, fresh

261020 10:57 3.5

Nostalgia gives it 4/5. Realistically probably 3/5. It was a really unique and interesting sound at the time though.

I remember when this album came out. Completely different than the Guitar Rock I'd listened to up until then. I'm not convinced it was totally revolutionary. There were other bands around the time doing innovative things, but they were one of the first in this wave. Great album, all the tracks are fun, some are classics. Worth of a place in the 1001 albums.

Lots of fun, just not enough variety for the full marks.

Such a fun debut and amazing first album, you can tell the beginnings of the band. Despite all that, the production and mixing is great, vocals feel the strongest and vibes are unique. Love the album.

#380/1001. 3 for the music, 5 for the hairdos.

Timeless and so cool

Local music is the best music. Not the big bands playing arenas, but the quirky upstarts playing the pubs and clubs in your home town, where you take a chance and maybe find something that you love. I’m lucky enough to live in Sheffield which has a vibrant music scene (past and present), but if I didn’t live here then I think that Athens, Georgia circa 1980 would be a pretty good alternative. Aside from REM, the B-52s are probably the best known example from the post-punk new wave era, with Rock Lobster being a reliable floor filler at Student discos back in the day. The rest of the album shows that they are more than a novelty act, with lots of interesting and quirky tracks mixing punk energy with 50s retro vibes. The overall effect is a huge amount of fun and still holds up well. Seafood-tastic!

Maybe it’s because I have listened to so much music in my life, but Im really attracted to weird off the wall shit like this because it is patently different. New wave is a great genre because it pushes boundaries. B-52s, Talking Heads, Didjits… It’s certainly not for everyone but I love this shit. The album itself is great. Very high energy, genuine bangers on this album. Fav travks: Lava, 52 Girls, Planet Claire

i think i like the b-52s; two vocalists who do weird interesting shit with their performances, fun wacky subject matter on some songs. i dig the instrumentals, too--easy to move your body to. fav: rock lobster… sorry

un meteorito cae en un pequeño pueblo...Una orda de zonbies surfistas lo destrozan todo,y las naves extraterrestres sobrebuelan un cielo iluminado por sus rayos de plasma verde electrico .A lo lejos por las colinas ,bajan gormigas radiactivas gigantes .Todo es un caos, mientras en un vagón de sodas los chicos bailan al rededor de una rocola...la banda que suena es b 52.

Schneider’s vocals, the beehive hairdos, the roller-rink organ, the strange lyrics; all of it screams “weird” (in the best possible sense). And then they went on to have a multi-decade career. Apparently they were on to something. This debut album was good at the time and it still holds up.

such a fun album, i love how goofy it is. this is what a lovingly made scrapbook with magazine cutouts would sound like i think

good and fun, I like the b-52s but this album doesn't have any bangers that really stick in my brain, it's just pretty good all the way through, so it's a 4 the P!ATD sample surprised me, don't know how they did that

Such a fun whimsical album. The production, instruments, vocals. It feels like a local theater production. I'm bathing in the warm embrace of it all. 4.5

So much fun. Got me boogying and a groovying. There really is no band like the b-52s and they're very good at what they do

Recognized a few songs was very halloweenie i will be re listening for sure in October

This was kinda weird? And I liked it

ROCK LOBSTAH

solid 4 for me i liked it as a person who likes rock n stuff like that

This is the sorta weird I can get behind. The riffs are great, the weird layering of the keyboards and the interplay of the talk-singing and harmonies is all really great. So fun, so bright. Also, "There's a Moon in the Sky (Called the Moon" is such a great, stupid song title that it made me laugh out loud.

I think the B 52’s is a fun jam rock band. I listened to it while I cleaned the apartment. They have a fun beat to dance and get stuff done to imo. I liked dance this mess around, Rock Lobster and Downtown the best

9 / 10

This is very 70s funk The second song is kinda fun. I like the rhythm section. Is this about first ladies? Googled it. It's random names and about the beehive hairdo This album is kinda chaotic lol You can tell it inspired modern artists

The B-52s are always a fun listen.

We were at the beach, everybody had matching towels. Somebody went under the dock and there they saw a rock. It wasn't a rock ... was a Rock Lobster! Genius!

Favorite Track: Lava Least Favorite Track: Downtown

Absolutely pioneers. I love the sci-fi surf sounds

Звук ровный немного нервный и холодный. Вокалистка знает толк в девчачьих воплях.

No one else sounds like them. At times in my youth I found them annoying, but there are certain elements to their sound that are just so fabulous: the jangly guitars, the baselines, the women’s voices. Looking back it is wild to me that they were quoting a period only 15 years before their time. It seemed so retro! A great album with some real classics.

Even a miserable bastard like myself can't hate this. They're just too energetic and fun/funny plus great lady singers and solid music.

The B-52's B-52 is a fantastic album but it's not exactly my style. Each and every song on this album is great and the vocal performance is amazing. Rock lobster is truly the star of the show as a song that has survived in memes and for its own merits but songs like Planet Claire are also highly underrated. That being said I think the songs can be a bit non-unique or monotonous sometimes blending into each other. I would've liked a bit more experimentation. Fav song: Rock Lobster Least Fav: 6060-842

Peppy and fun, an awesome blend of great genres. Unique and fulfilling.

++: Planet Claire, Dance This Mess Around, Rock Lobster, Lava, Hero Worship +: 52 Girls, There's a Moon in the Sky (Called the Moon) +-: 6060-842, Downtown 7,9/10

Very catchy and groovy, nothing overcomplicated. A couple of duds, but I enjoyed most of the tracks, especially the first two.

Surprised I’d never heard this before. Vocally distinctive and committed to their sound, for once I am agreeing that this is an album that deserves to be on this list.

The b-52's are one of a kind. They made an album that sounds incredible, is completely unique and defies catagorization. The rhythm section and song foundations are post punk and angular and occasionally sparse. I proper listen reminded me of Joy Division. On top of that the melody and lyrics are mad, california surf, up beat and silly. The contrast should not work but it undeniably does. There are a small number of bands who are in a genre of 1, do it well and are instantly recognisable to all generations and The B52's are one of them.

Blind album, finally listening to this and I TOTALLY get it. So many catchy hooks, its honestly crazy. On first listen, I will need to give this a 4, but this may be one of those albums I go back to before I even know it.

I was born the same month this album came out. I live less than 2 hours from Athen, GA. I feel cosmically connected. Fun album. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Pretty good stuff, it’s always good hearing the 7 minute version of ‘Rock Lobster’ instead of the abridged one you get on the radio. I don’t blame them for making ‘Love Shack’, since their first two albums are really weird and you gotta pay tha bills! Kate Pierson is a national treasure.

A very cool band. This album just makes me smile. Good vibes all around!

This is a punk rock record. Don't let the album cover or the kitschy delivery and themes distract you from the fact that this is an album criticizing the post-war 1950s culture and putting directly in conversation with the monolithic nature of American violence. It's memorable and surprisingly satiric when it wants to be. You can dance to this record and analyze it in equal measure. Very pleasantly surprised.

🪨🦞 Favorite track: Rock Lobster

: ) 😄

This is a bit tough to score. This version of the B-52's is more punk than pop which is awesome. This album is also innovative. It's like Blondie mixed with the Talking Heads and bands like The Pixies took cues from this album which is so awesome. That said, a lot of these songs overstay their welcome. I love Rock Lobster but i doesn't need to be almost 7 minutes long. Similarly a lot of these almost 5 minute tracks would benefit from a minute being lopped off. Cool album/band for the list though.Everyone should hear this at least once.

So much fun

🌕🌕🌕🌕🌑 Not the easiest 4 of my life only because I so wanted to give this a 5. If they could've kept up the momentum of the first half this wouldn't been perfect, but as much as I love "Lava" or "There's a Moon in the Sky Called the Moon" or even that cover of "Downtown" everyone seems to hate, it wears a little thin after a bit. Still a monumental altar of weirdness and I love them so much H.I. 1: Bad | 2: Okay, No Desire to Revisit | 3: Good, Conditionally (OR Inconsistent Mix of Qualities) | 4: Great (OR Technically amazing but missing the sauce emotionally) | 5: Amazing

I really liked this album.

It's the 80's, it's ridiculous and over the top and nonsensical. It's everything I should hate. Maybe I'm in a good mood or something but this is so ridiculous that I couldn't help but groove to it. 8/10

This album was one of the greatest and most popular albums of the late 70's and early 80's new wave scene. It incorporates a lot of rock and synth-pop. It's got a really nice sound to it. The screechy vocals seem to complement the music. Sounds a bit like X-Rey Spex. Really good!

a thoroughly enjoyable record, tongue in cheek, quite varied in terms of style. will return to it because I like how it oozes fun [NEVER LISTENED BEFORE + NOT STREAMING HERE, HAD TO PIRATE]

Really interesting listening to this after Marquee Moon, Talking Heads 77 and Parallel Lines. It feels of a piece with other New Wave albums but with a kitschy Americana feel that honestly seems a bit more authentic.

A vibe and a half

Five star side A and 3 star side B = 4 stars of unique, influential indy music.

Great album. Very fun! They invented a new sound by cobbling together some old sounds. Cool! The ladies have great voices. Fred does not. But he's having a great time and it's infectious. I'm in. "Planet Claire" is a winner! Love the Peter Gunn guitars. This is pretty ad I like a lot of it, BUT it does get to be a bit much all at once. I'd rather have them sprinkled into a mix than listen to this whole album. I'd give this a 3.7, but since aren't being that granular here, I'm giving them the 4 because they brought something new that nobody else has duplicated.

Planet Claire has so much attitude and lyrical sharpness to it. I don’t like a lot of punky sounding stuff but this stuff is so good I can’t deny it.

Great album. Ground breaking. Almost a 5. Starts strong but small decline toward the end of side 2.

I would hopefully be forgiven for thinking this band’s entire output was Rock Lobster and the Rocko’s Modern Life Theme.

The beginnings of greatness.

Favorite track: Rock Lobster

I thought this was cool. I like the New Wave vibe in general, and the mix of surf rock was definitely to my taste. I didn't /love/ this but I would put it on again for sure. Rock Lobster is a legit jam IMHO - the rest was less catchy but still fun and interesting.

me encanto full ochentosos 4/5

Groovy, weird, short, and just plain fun. 8/10

Hit me as if it were dropped from a large plane. A bomber, if you will.

New wave classic. Fun and funky and silly.

Literally had me grooving around my sitting room for half an hour with newborn in tow, a secret i share with the users of this website alone

Fun maf goeie energie, motion in the ocean frfr

I love absurd New Wave, but the accents on this one confused me greatly.

jaa heerlijk love de b52s. kitschy, newwave, wat surf rock, dom haar, topcombo. there is a moon in the sky called the moon. ROCKLOBSTERRR het gitaarriffje zit ook in een panic! at the disco nummer maar ik weet even niet meer welke

Generally a three star album but Rock Lobster adds a star on its own

De otro planeta

4 stars...feels more like 3.5 stars if I could?

I love the B-52's and this is my favorite album of theirs. Most people have heard "Rock Lobster", but there are so many other good songs on this album. The songs are goofy. The lyrics are strange. Some people don't like their voices. But I think it's just fun to listen to their music. This debut album has a lot more "punk" sound to it than later albums, which is why I think I like it out of some of their other stuff. Lots of fun listening to this one!

This is #day630 of my #1001albumsyoumusthearbeforeyoudie challenge, and… let's dance this mess around, shall we? I've seen this record cover many times before, but I never got around to actually listening to it. As frustrating as it is, it's not available on Spotify or YouTube Music, so I had to dig it up on YouTube as a one-track upload. Anyway, late-'70s punk/new wave must've been a fun time: bands were part of the same movement, yet all doing their own thing. Think American new wave, in particular: Blondie, Devo, Talking Heads, the B-52's... Everyone had something to say, and these guys are no exception. "Rock Lobster" is, of course, a signature tune. This is a 4 out of 5. Looking forward to #day631.

Joy Division mais animado e, ao mesmo tempo, parado. não o suficiente para ser comparado com New Order. O vocalista homem se assemelha bastante com Ian Curtis em certas músicas, mesmo não sendo britânico. Bom album de estréia, bom ritmo e, apesar de soarem um tanto repetitivos e lembrarem a trilha sonora algum filme sobre espiões, são riffs e batidas bem produzidas no geral. Vejo um pouco de The Doors e de Siouxie and the Banshees. Em Dance This Mess o controle vocal da mulher é absurdo (motivo de ser exaltado aqui). Rock Lobster merece o sucesso que teve. Album extremamente interessante.

Rock Lobster

Listened Before? Y Absolute weird masterpiece. Take note, other musicians.... it IS possible to be strange and creative without taking yourself too seriously. Also: Rock fucking LOBSTER! Added to Library? N Songs added to playlist: Rock Lobster

It’s all they do, and they do it well.

✈️💣

I believe that this, right here, is what the kids nowadays would call, “serving c*nt”.

My favorite parts of this are when it's Kate and Cindy on the vocals, even though Fred is the face of the group. They just have a more lovely style of singing even when they get particularly aggressive and weird with it. That being said, "Rock Lobster" is my favorite song on here. I can only imagine what was going through people's heads in 1978 when that song showed up for the first time. And to think this isn't even the best band to come out of Athens...

Soft spot in my heart for this band

pretty dope actually

They were just in that studio doing whatever the hell they felt like at the time… and I like it!

Único en su especie.. maravilloso

Enjoyed this album, a few songs I already knew but most I didn’t. Very different for the time from what I have been told. Solid.

What an interesting album. It feels like such a fallout to the nuclear age (pun intended). The visuals and music feel like an ironically idealistic version of the 50s and 60s. But the shouty vocals and the almost meaningless lyrics juxtapose what that whole era wanted to represent - perfection. I would definitely listen to this again. I recognised a few songs like rock lobster but it was interesting to listen to this as a whole I think.

It was a very original LP.

Man, albums being less than 40 minutes was a golden age. It's also somehow way cooler. Everything is so self-indulgent now. "I am a deeply troubled soul who also happens to have a panache for writing oh so beautiful songs, here is 85 minutes of that being showcased." Instead of that tripe, lets go absolutely nuts for 39 minutes and simultaneously be punk, unabashedly queer, and incredibly fun. In less than 40 minutes, this thing shrieked and caterwauled its way into my heart. It's so off-kilter and self-assured, and above-all, it's pretty angry. The ability to bring punk sensibilities into different artistic expressions has always intrigued me, and the B-52's do that extremely well. I have no idea how a few of their songs cracked the mainstream, pricing that even a broken clock is right twice a day. Everybody, lift up your rock!! You're all getting new cars!! Except for the guy who got a lobster. I'm sorry, you will be publicly executed. 4 HIGHLIGHTS: Persnickety is fun word.

Great

I really like this! Much more than I thought I would!

Fun, retro, probably like a 3.8

Really fun, energetic album but I have to listen to this in chunks or else it gives me a headache lol.

Surprisingly good, especially once out in the context of things like Talking Heads. Not a million miles from something like Chumbawamba, and the disconnect between their chart success and the rest of their output.

A solid opening album from these guys.

I don't know anything about the B-52's beyond their three big singles. This album is entirely on-brand with what I know of them, for better or worse. This is a fun happy album, and it's very well done, for what it is.

This was fun as hell. Super weird but never in a way that felt overbearing or forced and several absolutely banging songs too. Fav Songs: Rock Lobster, Lava, 6060-842, Hero Worship Least Fav: Downtown 8.6/10

Fun cheeky little album. Ended up listening to Cosmic Thing as well today, definitely more my style! The B-52s have such a silly approach to music, you have to laugh at how much they use 4 note chromatic lines through out the album, but it works! I see more B-52s in my future.

Classic!

This band is better than their singles. This is the first album by them that I have listened to front to back, pleasantly surprised. Good album.

Favorite: Rock Lobster Yayyyyyy. Rock lobster is life. I need this to be the soundtrack when I'm studying lobsters. 🪨🦞 Also, Lava is really good. This album is probably realistically a 3-3.5, but I love it

everybody had! matching towels!!!

i love this album more every time i listen to it. perfect blend of weirdness, nostalgia, great riffs, ... what else could you want? really having a hard time deciding between a 4 and a 5, but a 4.5 would definitely be the sweet spot.

Loved it. Not sure I could listen to this very often.

Slapper on slapper, white people BEWARE

Excellent album ! Not one bad track and an new wave album that was very popular back in 1979 when released

Great album. Technically so clean which gives it a modern drive as the songs have an old school style.

This was weird in all the right ways. I’m so grateful that I got to rediscover the masterpiece that is Rock Lobster. This is an album that will continue to grow on me over time

I find the B-52’s fun but only in small doses. After an entire album it starts to feel like a little much. It’s partly because this is so frontloaded with hits. Planet Claire, 52 Girls, Rock Lobster, and to a lesser extent Dance This Mess Around and Lava are all great. Their shtick starts to wear thin after that — and Downtown I found particularly grating. The songs are at their best when the guitar licks are pulling more of the weight. Torn between a strong 3 and a light 4, but the three strongest songs win out.

Nice upbeat music. 4/5

I loved this album. There were some great moments of unexpected absurdity and though the singing ranged from really talented to "wtf, is this guy just shouting things?", everything really worked in this alternate surf rock universe. I was also surprised by the amount of punk in this, loved the guitar work!

I am starting to feel like Daniel reconciling with his previously held belief that he didn't like psychedelic rock ... do I like New Wave? This was fun, the background singing by the ladies was excellent (I love the occasional scream), and the album never flirts with one sound for too long, which is essential since any of the sounds on the album could be annoying after more than a few minutes. 4.5 rounded ...?

This is one of those albums that remind me that you don't need to be a good singer to be the lead. Fortunately, if camp had a soundtrack, it would probably be something like this and that is a sound I can get behind.

SLAY so silly and fun a true classic

rock lobster all timer fun vibe fun sound

The B-52’s surprised me in a good way. It has a playful, quirky sound that feels more like new wave than straightforward pop, with a hint of punk attitude. Tracks like Rock Lobster stand out for their unusual structure and sense of humor, making the album both fun and slightly strange. Even though they are an American band, the detached and ironic tone gives it a somewhat British feel.

The kitschy catchy silly new wave sound is a good listen every once in a while. The surf/new wave feel of the record isn't unwelcome at all. I can easily see how this was a pretty big hit.

A lil fun and cheeky innit. Majority of their best songs on this album.

i had low expectations due to only knowing love shack but this was actually a very good album

Better than Coldplay

An album meant to have a great time to

Great pieces of art strive to answer important questions. In this case, if you’re anything like me, you’ve often asked yourself, “what if The Jetsons went to the beach and it was directed by John Waters for some reason?” And here is my second favorite Athens, GA post-punk band to answer that question. i love the b-52s so much <3 and if you don't i cannot be your friend i am sorry for any breakups that occur as a result of this sentence Some scattered observations: - we need to bring back bands where no one has ever even held an instrument until after the band has formed and they just pick who plays what based on what looks coolest - we need to bring back songs that say “do the…” and then just throw out a bunch of nouns as fake dances - I love all three vocalists in this group because none of them are especially good singers but they all sound great. I watched some recent clips of Fred Schneider and he just... still sounds like that. - “Rock Lobster” is beyond reproach and I will tolerate no slander. The “here comes a dog fish chased by a cat fish” line lives in my head rent free and I say it every time I encounter a water level in a video game. -6060-842 coulda had the success of 867-5309 if they’d just picked a catchier phone number. - I watched “Interview With The Vampire” over the weekend so this album is somehow the second gayest piece of media I’ve consumed in the last 48 hours i do think i maybe like wild planet more than this one tho and my curve is a little fucked atm so it gets a 4. Hoping for something terrible tomorrow!!!

It was fun. 3.5 rounded up because the end of track 3 goes well with the Garth Crooks GIF

Дуже давно не слухав цей гурт і альбом зокрема. Мені досі чоловічий вокал іноді ріже вухо, нічого не можу з цим поробити. Проте це дуже стильний запис, з танцювальною енергетикою. Із задоволенням переслухав зараз.

If John Waters made G rated music, this is what it would be. Also never realized how long Rock Lobster is. That should be like 2 minutes tops

An infectious blend of bubblegum pop, surf and (proper) rock n roll nicely skewed through a post-punk lens.

I tend to prefer the more melodic tendencies of the B-52's than the weirder (read more Kate Pierson than Fred Schneider), but it's a classic yin/yang and they made the leap to the mainstream while retaining their idiosyncrasies as gracefully as any act. Nonetheless, this remains an auspicious and infectious debut. (I remember buying this on vinyl and listening with Matt Johnson and being struck by how amateur the drumming is on the closing sort-of cover of "Downtown.")

Tubular

Surf rock, new wave, bizarre vocal lines...The B-52's self-titled debut has it all. The energy emulating from this record is very much its own beast. Fred Schneider's spooky, David Byrne-esque vocals contrast quite sharply with the sweet-yet-provocative vocals of Kate Pierson and Cindy Wilson, and that 'off-the-wall' vocal combination, alongside surf rock-inspired guitars (courtesy of Ricky Wilson) and the neatly paced drums of Keith Strickland, create a sound that is very much unlike any other. It's true that some people probably find the music of The B-52's a little grating, especially Schneider's strange voice, but there's something rather unique about this record, as if the beauty is in its weirdness. The songs are all toe-tappers and while they're relatively simple musically, the electric presence of Schneider, Pierson and Wilson working together on vocals is hard not to appreciate. All three bring their own distinctive flavour to the songs, and there's no doubt The B-52's would be a very different band without them. 'The B-52's' is quite the unique record that emerged at a time where music was getting weirder and zanier, so they couldn't have arrived on the scene at a more ideal time. Best songs: Planet Claire, Rock Lobster, Lava, Hero Worship, Downtown

This thing slaps

I've been a fan of Rock Lobster since DDR in 2005. But the rest of the album is really good too.

Apparently marrying punk music and surf rock creates new wave? Listening and learning. A lot of fun. Catchy and practiced but not too serious. I could see it rubbing me the wrong way if I was in a certain mood, but as it was I got a kick out of it. And “Rock Lobster” is a crazy banger.

Very fun listen. There is something raw it, and it's a delight.

Лень искать, где можно переслушать, по памяти вроде прикольно было, еще и обложка крутая, пусть будет 4

Лучщая песня: Rock Lobster Худшая: Downtown Побольше бы роклобстеров

самое сложное в прослушивании было - найти этот альбом, а так люблю rock lobster давно, другие композиции тоже вызвали только положительные эмоции, твердая 4ка

Начались сложности челленджа: даже всерьез раздумывала купить винил, так как на стримингах альбом отсутствует. По первым трекам, найденным на ютубе, сначала даже пожалела, что не взяла - звучание как у моего любимого музла. Женский вокал и музыка звучали бы актуально и на нынешних фестивалях. Но для 30 минут альбом тянулся слишком долго, слишком однообразное звучание , которое поначалу цепляет

Until fairly recently I thought the B-52's were a bit of a novelty pop act based largely on Loveshack. It was only when I got into Squid and read positive comparisons I started to see otherwise. This is pretty great stuff. Spikey, catchy, varied new wave / art pop. It's close to a 5 (in part due to my modest expectations), but I started to find it ever so slightly annoying by the last couple of tracks.

Even if you’re like me and expected Love Shack (I didn’t realize that came out 10 years later!) this is a blast. Awesome quirky rock.

I really don't know how to rate this other than to say it was not at all what I expected and also was exactly what I expected. It's certainly not listen-in-the-background-while-working music, so that's biased my feelings about it. But I also wouldn't play it on a run or while doing laundry or while trying to unwind. So that basically leaves road trip music, and this excels in that.

Fab, fun album full of vibes, playfulness and energy. Glad to revisit.

Had this album for years. Have not listened to it for years. Holds up pretty well.

rock lobster!!!!

Were they from the beach, or outer space? Maybe both??? Whatever, this is a timeless collection of punky New Wave anthems, centred on the amazing nearly 7 minutes of madness that make up Rock Lobster. Honourable mentions to Planet Claire, Lava, and a rambling take on ‘Downtown’. All up, fantastic fun and highly recommended.

So fun and groovy. Surprising to know this came out in '79. It has such an experimental, silly, robust and entertaining vibe. This is a group that was really just about pushing the limits with creativity, allowing themselves to be playful and joyful with these uplifting harmonies and lyrics. This is a really enjoyable listen, especially when I need to be reminded to strive to be happy in life.

I knew Rock Lobster going in. The rest of the album was just as fun.

A properly done fun album. Great distinctive sound

Aww, brings back memories. I had Cosmic Thing back in the day with their best knows songs and loved it. They are fun and quirky. This is more new wave than I was expecting but that’s no bad thing . Makes me smile and want to dance round the room

It brings a smile to my face.

Oh shit this is fire and I need more of this, please.

Comes in hot. Fades out a bit at the end.

This is really a well done album. I don't have anything else clever to say because I have a migraine from hell.

I love them. Started listening when I was 11, when this came out, I'll never forget it bc I was at Barbara O'keefe's house and her big sister was laistening to this album w some friends. I picked up the sleeve and said 'who are the B 5 twos? They all laughed and I Was embarrassed : ) I LOVE old B52s and this album CRANKS - starting from the f-ing AMAZING Planet Claire, what a crescendo! The last few songs are so-so, but this album is allmost perfedt

Super fun quirky creative album. A whole lot of unbridled spontaneous squeals, screams, and howls. Who doesn’t want to be at this party!

This is theatre camp. A bunch of unrestricted youths joining forces to create something that both amuses them and pokes holes in all of the established rules they want to rebel against. It's fun deep to the core. It’s youth.

The first great album of the 90s was actually released in 1979. While grunge gets the headlines the real story of the 90s is "anything goes". Punk, pop, 70s funk, twee, dance, hip hop, surf, noise, disco, country (in both its alterna and vintage forms), ska and metal all have their day. And if you want to mash up a few of those - go for it - especially if you throw in a bit of earnest detachment - just enough to keep em guessing. The b-52s touch most of these genres and add in a little yolo ono to boot. Still sounds fresh 45 years later. The songs on the back have could be stronger but overall it's a great listen.

As much as I love the uniqueness of this album, I enjoy it as a 4. So many songs on this are ingrained into my brain. Planet Claire, Dance This Mess Around, Rock Lobster. I play this about once a year.

129/1001 An authentic,original, fun, creative and interesting album. 7/10

It's crazy to me that they debuted with this and then a decade later released the album with "Love Shack" and "Roam" and did "Shiny Happy People" with REM. They somehow sound like exactly the same band and yet with a completely different vibe. This album? Avant garde new wave. It's catchy, yet experimental and weird. Love Shack? Still catchy, still weird, but also formulaic and poppy. And honestly, I appreciate both. Their progression really feels like a band taking their unique, defining sound and making it marketable to the mainstream rather than "this band totally sold out." Maybe I'm wrong, and I certainly have no actual basis for this this having only listened to those two albums. Either way, I appreciated this for what it is. My only real complaint is that many of the songs went on for far too long and became very repetitive. Like I love the "Rock Lobster" bass line and the various sections but the first part goes on for like 4 minutes and is just the same verse/chorus over and over again. And now that I think about it, maybe that's the fundamental difference between experimental and mainstream for the B-52s. They learned to tighten up and keep a good pace to their songs without any particular section or refrain over staying its welcome. Either way another late 70s album totally does it for me. 4/5

Not bad. Now I understand rock lobster references in Family Guy :)

assumed id hate this but its actually pretty enjoyable

An album like no other, whacky without coming across as goofy, and sincere throughout. I love this album and everything the B-52’s set out to do. This album is a perfect document of that, and I’ll never have a bad time listening to these songs.

Quirky fun party album

This band is so fun. Solid album.

All good songs even though they’re kinda out there. Good atmosphere. I guess that’s what the 70s were like!

Planet Clair & Rock lobster zijn pareltjes

Good

Oh, man, this is so hard to rate! Before I started listening, I was thinking it could be 5 stars - but I'd forgotten how steeply it falls off, after the 1st 3 or 4. But: I sooooo love those first 3 (4?) songs! #4, Rock Lobster, is the beginning of my complicated relationship with this group, and this album (and that song, specifically), because, I guess, I was put off by the singer's weird voice, and puzzled by the crazy, weird (but catchy!) song, and so, I guess, you could say, I wasn't ready for "Rock Lobster," when it, incredibly (how did this happen?!) became (only) a minor hit, ca. 1979-80 (#56, in the US - though in Canada, it made it to #1). I also just confirmed my suspicion that they played "Rock Lobster" on Sat. Night Live (Google says it was January 26, 1980 - during my Senior year of high school), which I'm sure played a big part in the whole Rock Lobster phenomenon -- I'm also pretty sure I remember being at a party later in 1980 (I didn't go to that many parties, so this stands out, lol), and people dancing the Rock Lobster to this song. But, yeah, the singer's voice (and the band's whole shtick) were so weird, and I wasn't sure what to make of the whole Rock Lobster phenomenon . . . so it wasn't until (a year or two?) later, when I was in college, that I discovered that the B-52s had other, even better, songs, and were part of an exciting "new wave" of music, which included others (e.g., Talking Heads, Elvis Costello) who I was initially puzzled by, but soon came to love. Anyway, apologies for kinda getting sidetracked, but . . . CONTEXT, I guess. So, anyway, NOW? Today? I love the B-52s, and I LOVE the 1st 3 (4? 5?) songs on this album, plus I have to give props to the B-52s for helping to usher in a new wave of freedom and fun and creativity into popular music, and so I think I have to give this (unofficially) 4.5, despite the relative weakness of tracks 6-9.

I think every 90s child grew up to many of the B-52’s songs at sock hops or random kids events. With the obvious tracks including rock lobster as well as love shack. I like how they lean into making pop music that’s just a bit weird. In the Flinstone’s movie, some of the band members formed the BC-52’s for the movie theme track and bedrock twitch. The Flinstone’s movie even though it is rated poorly, will be a core memory in my brain connected to the B-52s. It’s probably best I don’t rewatch that movie to preserve my rosy memories of my childhood. From my memory the entire soundtrack was the BC-52s and that’s wrong. So I’ll just never watch it again and remember it as a fun movie from my childhood.

What an odd album... if this album were a person it would be a quirky 13 yr old girl who wears silly bands, band T's from hot topic, ripped skinny jeans, and has a musically inclined older sibling so they have the music taste of a 36 year old man who smokes cigarettes, wears oversized thrifted flannel shirts and still reads the newspaper. All that being said, it goes hard, even if its weird and super niche. Like at times it was like sneaking around spy music, and other times they were just screaming aquatic animals at me. That's some crazy range... (The Who should listen to this to get some ideas on what musical range is). Sometimes I wish the girl was screaming less, but c'est la vie. 8/10 (bonus points for rock lobster)

True story: I was once caught in big city after work traffic in an uber that had this album on repeat for the whole two hour drive and I didn’t mind at all.

always a good time

Campy, kitschy, quirky, funky, and wildly creative. What did I just listen to, and why did I like it so much? The arrangements, the guitar riffs, the weirdness, and the interplay of vocals just work, and it’s so fun. “Rock Lobster” is straight up genius. B-52’s, you are so much more than just your hits! This was totally bonkers but completely wonderful.

Half of the songs on here are some of the greatest new wave songs ever written: Rock Lobster, Planet Claire, 52 Girls, Hero Worship, Lava and then the other half are just good. The B-52's had the potential to create one of the weirdest most fun albums ever, but I don't know if they were ever able to reach their full potential. This album is close though, if you took some of their later singles like Love Shack, Roam, and Private Idaho and swapped out some of the lesser songs, this would have been an easy 5. Mid 4.

Delightfully bonkers, and so much easier to listen to than a lot of other albums on the list. Deserving of its place through a total lack of pretention and it's kitsch punk attitude. Rock Lobster, Planet Clare and There's A Moon In The Sky are catchy, fun tunes that make me smile, so, notwithstanding the lack of emotional depth, I'll give this 'throwaway' album a low 4 stars.

It's hard to view an album that's so inherently silly as revolutionary, progressive, or to even take it seriously at all. The B-52s is an album that I don't think needs to be taken seriously, and in fact probably shouldn't be in order to fully appreciate it. Where Talking Heads lean into the weirdness, the B-52s fully embrace it on this record in particular. They really did not stray away from anything that could be considered unmusical or childish, creating a truly unique and haunting New Wave sound that is unmistakably their own. The epitome of this is obviously Rock Lobster, which is absolutely batshit insane in the best way possible. The general instrumentation of these tracks paired with the compositional choices are certainly wacky, but underneath all the fish noises and organ stabs are strangely catchy tracks. I have no idea the meaning behind any song here, if there even is any, but The B-52s is a great example of an album not needing some deep meaning as long as it's fun. This album is about as fun as it gets, and though it's not something I'd listen to every day it has a charm and uniqueness to it that sets it apart for me in a major way.

Fantastic debut album by legendary new wave pioneering band. Pitchfork: 9.0 Rolling Stone: Top 500 Albums #198 Best Songs Planet Claire Rock Lobster

Super fun and clunky in a good way! Always loved the hits but this is the first full album I've heard of theirs. Glad to dive deeper on them! 8/10

I'm doing the 16 dances to this album.

4 stars for Iraq lobster alone

It's great to get a full plate of these irreverent post-surf kids bopping around and having a good time.

I love the B-52’s so I was thrilled when this popped up as my album of the day , definitely a classic .

Good entry to 60's sounding surf rock, even though this album is from '79. I think "Rock Lobster" carried on way longer than needed. Enjoyed the album, wish it was longer. My rating: 4/5

A classic party album. Love the sleazy chaos that just oozes out of this record.

Always sounds fresh and lively to me. Undeniable energy. Favorite Tracks: Planet Claire, Dance This Mess Around, Rock Lobster, Lava, 6060-842

Great fun. Love the dynamics of the shared vocals. Will be listening again when I next need my energy levels lifting!

What a great album, have heard this in decades. Love the quirky tunes, its like Joy Division doing a collaboration with the Spice Girls.

never really listened to the b52s besides their biggest hits but this is great. its this great surf rock experimental proto ska almost. Punk in a very specific way but very fun listen.

Refreshingly goofy and groovy

A master class on how to make "weird art music" the right way. None of this feels forced. They seem like genuinely out there people making awesome music.

Great

so fun. great addition to the list.

finally, a fun new wave album! it's been ages, mr dimery. i only knew rock lobster going into this but this is a pretty solid debut album. the last few tracks are the only real duds, but the others more than make up for it. favorites: planet claire, 52 girls, rock lobster, lava, there's a moon in the sky (called the moon)

3.5 stars. Zany fun time. Infectious dance rock. Starts off weird with "Plante Claire", would've been better served skipping that and going straight into the up-tempo and catchy "52 Girls". Other standouts are "Rock Lobster", "Lava" and "6060-802".

Music for when I have that kinky adult party I've been pretending to want all these years

I was 5 in 1979. My much older cousin had this album and would let me sit with her giant headphones and listen to this on repeat. As captivating and cool to me at 50 as it was at 5.

So cheerfully delightful.

A singular release in New Wave. Quite avant-garde, but distilled into very accessible songs, with silly lyrics and a fun delivery. At the same time, it evokes some 60's trends, such as Surf or Space Age aesthetics, and sounds utterly modern and looking into the decade ahead. Fantastic stuff. Key tracks: Planet Claire 52 Girls Rock Lobster

I love this band. I barely know them and I feel like I’m best friends with every member of the band. The lyrics are really important, you’re not gonna understand how fun this music if you’re not listening to the dialogue between Fred Schneider, Kate Pierson and Cindy Wilson. It’s such a funny album and it’s groovy and it knows the world is dark and chooses to create light without forgetting why

legendary, absolutely loved it

From outer space, post punk dance rock Rock lobster

super fun album to listen to, actually liked the other songs more than "rock lobster" with it's 100m+ listens

At first I didn't like ts, then I did. I can see James Murphy jamming along to this.

Na twee matige albums is dit echt een leuke vibe! Niet iets wat ik snel in mijn 'favo albums' lijst zou zetten, maar ik vind dit wel echt een 8/10! Hele leuke vibe. Misschien als ik dit album wat vaker luister dat ik het wel hoger zou raten maar voor nu staat mn 8 vast! -Rock Lobster kende ik al wow!

Pretty good really

...and lobster sauce.

8/10… post punk / indie pop / *1979

They do be hootin’ n hollerin’ on this one. God I do love Rock Lobster though

fun!

Edgy. Catchy. Love the female vocals. Very punk, I guess called "New Wave." I really love the sound. Very distinctive. Not much variability throughout the album though. Grooves sound very much the same from track to track.

This was a fun listen! Kind of the late 70s /early 80s version of alt or folk rock? I wasn’t in love with a couple of the early tracks but was grooving by the end

The house band for Pee-Wee’s Funhouse

groovy

quite enjoying and funny, new wave and postpunk and surf party elements mixed together

Very unique sound, really got the kooky out-of-this-world sound nailed. Loved the album but a few sounds were a little weak

Heard some songs from it before. Disappointed it's not on Spotify in my area because I'd listen to it more often. I like how goofy and fun The B-52s are. Maybe my rating is a bit too high but I think they deserve it 4/5

That was fun. The B-52's have made a name for themselves as the second most acclaimed band to come out of Athens, Georgia. One could say that they exist in R.E.M.'s shadow for that reason, but I don't think I could do that on account of how vastly different the bands are. They vary greatly in terms of tone and songs, but there's one very important thing that they share in common. They're both good. I really liked this debut album of theirs! It's a rather unique album compared to what else I've heard. It's still got a clear influence on the new-wave and post-punk that would follow it in the 80s, but the surf rock influence and overall quirky nature of the music create an atmosphere that isn't really comparable to anything else that I can think of. I guess the closest thing would be DEVO, but I actually kinda prefer this album over the DEVO album on the list. The energy here is just the best. There's always fun to be had with this album, but it's not dumb fun. These guys and gals clearly knew what they were doing, and they were doing some good stuff. I like how the guitars sound. I can't explain why. I just do. The songs are all good, though the album is a little top-heavy. I do enjoy the second half quite a bit, but when the first half has "Rock Lobster," it's hard to call the second half better. God, what a song. Obviously I had heard the song plenty of times up until now, but this album listen has really allowed me to truly appreciate the song's genius. It's such an ear-worm, but not even in an annoying way. I love it. The other songs that precede it are great too. "Planet Claire," "52 Girls," and "Dance This Mess Around" set the stage so well. The album's vocals are odd, but they fit the songs perfectly. The writing has the perfect blend of heart and humor. This is just a very good debut. Decent 4/5.

A pretty important album in the burgeoning new wave genre at the time, but this group is so much more than that. "Rock Lobster" is an iconic, yet chaotic song that most everyone knows, and symbolizes the B-52's to a T. Kate Pierson and Fred Schneider absolutely wail throughout, but the msuic produced by the rest of the group shouldn't be overshadowed either. Everything is rhythmic and driving, but also partylike and playful in nature (we've got walkie-talkies, toy pianos, and smoke alarms making appearances too!). Embrace the zaniness and you'll have a good time here.

Doesn't get much better

You know, I had rock lobster saved in my library already and I have no idea why. Added 52 girls as well. I hadn’t really thought of them as new wave because I’ve mostly listened to British new wave, but I might’ve saved rock lobster off of a new wave playlist

Kitschy. Fun. Great musicianship.

This is a really fun little album. It would be a bit too much to take on heavy rotation but Rock Lobster and Planet Claire are classics (especially because my longest-lived cat was named for the latter.)

The B-52s are iconic, and come through fully formed on their debut album, which is equally weird as it is awesome. A melding of punk, surf, and emerging new wave, held together by the insane lyrics and delivery. The arrangement is perfect with driving bass and drums and guitar and synth lines that are instantly memorable and clear. You either love Rock Lobster or you hate it, and I’ve always loved it! 5⭐️

This was fun, but the album loses a bit of momentum near the end I felt.

7.5/10

I sometimes struggle with bands that feel too jokey or self-congratulatory in their cleverness. B-52s flirt with falling into that territory, but manage to escape that gravitational well through the sheer force of their catchy and propulsively fun songs.

Makes me think of X Ray Specs for being such a mish mash of different sounds and influences that the end result sounds insanely original. I knew 'Dance This Mess Around' and 'Rock Lobster' and still enjoy them both - but enjoyed most of the rest of the album as well.

Someone here said that this felt like Rocky Horror, and I agree. I’m a big fan of Rocky Horror and I’m a big fan of this. This album is silly, groovy, punky and just plain good. The vocals on “52 girls” makes me think of “Goat”. The female vocals really are a highpoint of the album as well as many of the cool riffs. If this album wasn’t a 4 star already then “Rock Lobster” is worth a 4 star by itself. It feels really punky and new wave is my guilty pleasure. 4 star.

Planet Claire 52 Girls Dance This Mess Around Rock Lobster

challange: listen to this in class while trying to sit completely still (i have adhd) details on me doing the challange: 30 seconds into planet claire i was bobbing my head to the guitar riff. by the way my sona's middle name is claire. idk what does that imply but yeah the music is fun. weirdly their last name is wilson. but they're completely "normal" apart from being autistic. anyway time to rate. 4/5

Retro futurism at its best - great album including two of their biggest bangers, Planet Claire and Rock Lobsters

I didn't get to listen to the whole album, but I liked what I heard in the first 3 songs and will definitely come back to it.

Ok, “Planet Claire” is not what I was expecting. Everyone goes gaga for “Rock Lobster”, and I don’t know why. So maybe today is the day. Absolutely love the Sc-Fi vibe of this opener though. On 52 girls now. This album is really good. I wish I would have heard this years ago. Rock Lobster still gets in my nerves. And I really think it has to do with the people trying to shove it down my throat at the time. In reality it’s an instrumental surf rock song with vocals. At the time of first hearing this I didn’t think of surf rock as any more than the ventures. Now I’ve discovered bands like the Surfrajettes and I “get it”. Only took a few decades. 🤣😂

It's more raw and rough around the edges than their later offerings, but it's still got those poppy hooks and catchy tunes. No complaints.

This is the debut album from the B-52s. Looking at the album cover - wow! They all look so young I barely recognize them. I always enjoyed their goofy music. Lots of energy from them as usual. Seems as though all the recent entries have been three stars, so methinks it’s time for a four.

This is music made by people that don’t need to drink to have a good time or feel cool.

Total classic, every single track. Stands up so well.

Dad- 7 Mom- 7.5 Mike- NA Lori- 6 Michael- 8 Miles- NA Cole- NA Avg- 7.13

I think context matters a lot with this one. I don’t LOVE the B-52s, but I’ve always appreciated their willingness to be different, to be silly and kitschy. They’re one of those bands that no one else sounds like. They were at times trite, at other times punk, and while the music they would release on later albums was often better, this album is certainly a one-of-a-kind introduction. The band was co-ed, and queer, and fun! I think taking all these things into consideration, I’d give it 3.5/5, which I’ll round up to a 4.

Old school rock with simple and sometimes goofy lyrics and strong simple melodies.

Fun fact: "Rock Lobster" got banned at school dances at my high school because kids would slam-dance to it. Love this album. Fred Schneider and I are clearly on the same page that words are secondary to the music and you may as well just have fun with them. Nonsense lyrics about beach trips, phone numbers that don't work, the moon (which is called the moon) and a woman from Planet Claire (which has one of my favorite funny song bits where after the chorus repeatedly tells us she's from Planet Claire, the second verse says some people think she's from Mars or the seven stars before Schneider angrily sings "well she isn't!") all served as excuses to riff on the Peter Gunn theme or play some surf rock. The music is catchy, danceable and fun and Kate Pierson's and Cindy Wilson's harmonies are punchy and irresistible. Not every song works. Dance This Mess Around gets a little screechy (but still contains the wonderful phase "I'm not Limburger! I'm a limber girl!") and I think listening to all these songs back to back is a little exhausting, but nevertheless, if you like fun, bouncy, unserious music, there are several bangers on here that are worth your time.

From the minute the first track starts you know you're in for something different.

Fast paced nonsense, that somehow works.

прикольные такие чубзики, с придурью

Perfectly executed feeling. Wild 50’s rock with 80’s absurdity and great musicianship. I love it

This is real goofball stuff that sometimes goes on too long but they really are unique in popular music. I’m not saying nobody could sound like the B-52’s if they wanted to, I’m saying nobody does. The vocal are what make them I think. The instrumentation is funny and funky but nothing extraordinary. However, the three voices are perfect and they project just the right amount of silliness, aggressiveness and musicality. It’s plain fun listen to, and that’s something you can’t say about a lot of bands on this list.

Classic!

The start of something great.

Highlight songs: Planet Claire 52 Girls Rock Lobster There's a Moon in the Sky (Called the Moon) Hero Worship

this was really weird and stylish, funky and fun to listen to, if i were a surfer i think this would have done it for me

When their debut dropped in 1979, they really were unlike anything else. You had punk getting darker, disco fading, and new wave just starting to take shape… and here comes this Athens, Georgia band with thrift-store surf vibes, outer-space camp, and a dance-party heartbeat. “Rock Lobster” alone feels like it arrived from another planet, yet somehow it makes perfect sense the moment it hits. What’s so cool is how they turned what could’ve been a one-off novelty sound into a full aesthetic: bright colors, layered harmonies, quirky spoken-word parts, and a rhythm section that could move. It’s strange, joyful, and totally self-aware, like they knew exactly how absurd they were and leaned into it.

Vibes

This album is an extremely rad time. The only thing that keeps it from a perfect score is it has a somewhat limited range. But boy is that range an absolute blast. Must-listen #228.

I've never been a big fan but I also only listened to the singles. This was quite fun.

Great

Lyrics are somewhat meaningless but it’s a lot of fun. Quirky vocals and the drumming is pretty good as I was attempting to air drum along numerous times. Favorite songs were Planet Claire, Rock Lobster, Hero Worship, and Downtown.

Fun times

Just great and holds up better than one mighta expected. "Downtown" cover is a little iffy, while the rest of the record is both outre dancey and sorta punk too. The first frew cuts are just dynamite. One will never forget seeing them on SNL all those years ago ... life sorta began just then ... not sure one'd ever seen such a strange band or SNL. FUn memory. The later records got a touch cringey but first few remain strong.

I've heard rock lobster before. Not a bad album, just not my style

Wonderfully weird album. I was drumming along the whole time.

I became aware of B-52's in 1989 when their mega-hit single, "Love Shack" was dominating the radio, MTV, and the jukebox in my favorite bar. It was so ubiquitous that I just tuned them out. Instead, I leaned into their Georgia neighbors, R.E.M., The Black Crowes, and the criminally underrated Drivin N Cryin. The novelty tune, "Rock Lobster" was the only other thing that I knew of B-52's. Now I wish I hadn't slept on them for so long. Tack on an extra half-star for their fun approach to LGBTQ+ visibility.

4 Catchy, goofy, surf rock that never takes itself too seriously - how could anyone not like this? Oh, right, that was me. To be fair, the only song I knew by these guys and gals for the longest time (and I’m sure many others as well) was Love Shack… and I still kinda hate that song. I’m sorry, but it’s one of the biggest slices of ‘80s cheese out there, and I’m not someone who processes dairy very well. However, after being exposed to the song Rock Lobster (I think it was in Just Dance or something like that), I’ve grown to appreciate the rest of the group’s discography, so I was actually pretty excited to see this pop up on the list - and I was not disappointed! Everything about this album is just fun - musically, it strikes this perfect balance of having both a punk edge to it while also being perfectly danceable, and vocally, each member has their own distinct sound to them while also having chemistry with the others (though special shoutout to Fred Schneider in particular - gotta be one of the most recognizable voices in music). The only real critique I think you could throw at this album is the lyrics (there’s a moon in the sky… called the moon), but I think it’s readily apparent how deliberately kitschy they’re supposed to be. I really liked every song on this, though the front half is certainly more stacked. I loved Planet Claire, loved 52 Girls, loved Dance This Mess Around, but Rock Lobster is still the best of the pack for me. I think it highlights everything the group does well with its surf riffs and vocal dynamics, though I have always especially appreciated how it has this aggressive buildup to it despite being a song about crustaceans and beach parties. The album loses a little bit of steam from there, but there are still some very good tracks ahead with Lava and 6060-842. Downtown was also a nice treat for me as someone who loves the Petula Clark original (thanks Lost), but… I’d be lying if I said I thought this was a great take on it. Still, there are certainly worse ways this could have ended. This was definitely a welcome treat after the last stretch of albums on our list. The more B-52s I listen to, the more I realize Love Shack doesn’t define them and that they’re actually a very talented group. I’m happy to have been exposed to some new stuff from them here.

mis loquitooooossss me encanta la música tan surrealista y estrambótica de este grupo los conocí gracias al just dance y me encantan

Great, funky new-wave album. Rock LOBBBSSTTTEERRRR

Raar, maar dan op de best mogelijke manier. Rock Lobster blijft fantastisch, al is het maar voor de herinneringen aan Just Dance 2014 op de Wii. 3.8

Schade schade het mer das Album wider nur über Umweg chöne finde und das mer die Lieder ide Zukunft ned wiiter lose chönd wenn mer so Spotify-Abhängig isch. Aber han mer natürli de Ufwand gmacht - ich als chline Album Klöbb Profi - und sie machet scho sehr fest Spass! Chli blödel-punk wo once in a while guet tuet. Leider wirdi die Band wider verlüre. 4 usegstreckti Zunge hends trotzdem verdient.

I was surprised by how good this album was. Obviously surf rock, but a little punk, a little bit of a few different things.

Love this album, singers great, really holding time in a bottle here. 3.7

Not my thing but was fun to listen to!

I’ve heard a lot of weird albums during this project but this is the only one that made me laugh out loud.

Not a fan of Dance This Mess Around, but Rock Lobster is one of my favorites. Overall, the album is exactly the kind of strange, silly fun I expect from The B-52s.