The dance floor’s never been the same since The B-52’s set out from Athens, Georgia, on its way to becoming the world’s greatest party band. Now, their early run of classic releases, all featuring newly remastered audio, will be collected in The Warner and Reprise Years. Two versions will be available: a 9LP set—pressed on a rainbow of colored vinyl and limited to 2,000 copies, exclusively through Rhino.com—and an 8CD edition. Pre-order HERE. Arriving June 20 in celebration of Pride Month, the vinyl collection showcases the band’s kaleidoscopic catalog in full color: The B-52’s (yellow), Wild Planet (red), Mesopotamia (blue), Party Mix! (green), Whammy! (smokey), Bouncing Off the Satellites (pink), Cosmic Thing (orange), and Good Stuff (purple), issued as a double LP. The CD version will be released the same day. Spanning 1979 to 1992, the albums collected here chart the creative and commercial evolution of the B-52’s—an era that saw the band sell over 20 million records worldwide. Five of the eight albums in the set have been certified Gold or higher by the RIAA, including Cosmic Thing (4x Platinum), their self-titled debut (Platinum), Wild Planet, Whammy!, and the GRAMMY®-nominated Good Stuff (Gold). The collection also highlights some of their best-known songs, including “Rock Lobster,” “Private Idaho,” “Mesopotamia,” “Legal Tender,” “Channel Z,” and “Good Stuff.” Cosmic Thing—produced by Don Was and Nile Rodgers—remains the group’s biggest commercial success, powered by the back-to-back hits “Love Shack” (3x Platinum) and “Roam” (Gold). At the 1990 MTV Video Music Awards, the band won Best Group Video and Best Art Direction for “Love Shack.” GRAMMY® nods followed for “Love Shack” and “Roam.” Formed nearly 50 years ago in Athens, Georgia, The B-52’s—Fred Schneider, Kate Pierson, Cindy Wilson, Ricky Wilson, and Keith Strickland—quickly became one of the most distinctive and beloved bands of their era. With a sound that fused surf rock, punk energy, and retro-kitsch cool, they turned party anthems into defining pop culture moments—becoming one of music’s most joyful and enduring bands. |