Album of the Day

When The B-52's self-titled album landed, there was nothing quite like their quirky blend of new wave and '60s kitsch. That 1979 debut, cut with producer (and Island Records founder) Chris Blackwell at his studio in the Bahamas, features such energetic originals as “Planet Claire,” “Dance This Mess Around” and signature song “Rock Lobster,” which became the band's first hit single. The Athens, GA quintet - Fred Schneider, Kate Pierson, Cindy Wilson, Ricky Wilson and Keith Strickland – made music that was as catchy as it is campy, and sales of THE B-52'S rose to platinum status as a result. Ricky Wilson died 30 years ago today, and we'll remember the talented guitarist by giving one of his band's very best albums another spin.