The Go-Go's

The Go-Go's are an American pop rock band. They formed in Los Angeles, California in 1978.^[1] Members of the group are Charlotte Caffey on the lead guitar and keyboards, Belinda Carlisle on lead vocals, Gina Schock on the drums, Kathy Valentine on the bass guitar, and Jane Wiedlin on the rhythm guitar. They were credited simply as Go-Go's on all their United States releases. The quintet rose to fame during the early 1980s. In 1982, the group topped the Billboard album chart.^[2]

The band in Austin, Texas, 2008. L to R: Belinda Carlisle, Gina Schock and Kathy Valentine. off frame: Jane Wiedlin and Charlotte Caffey.

The first studio album from the group, Beauty and the Beat (1981), was one of the "cornerstone albums of the U.S. new wave." The album was released on July 8, 1981. It hit #1 on the Billboard 200 eight months later on March 6, 1982. The album sold just over two million copies.^[3] Singles off the album included "Our Lips Are Sealed" (#20) and "We Got the Beat" (#2).

On February 24, 1982, the Go-Go's were nominated for the Best New Artist Award. However, they lost the award to the Scottish singer Sheena Easton. The group later hit the Top 40 of the Top 100 with the songs "Vacation" (#8 in 1982), "Head over Heels" #11 in 1984) and "Turn to You" (#32 also in 1984).^[4] The Go-Go's have sold over seven million records across the world.^[5]

The group broke up in 1985. Later, they got back together in the 1990s and after. They recorded new material and went on tours. The Go-Go's got a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2011.^[6]

Discography

Studio albums:

• Beauty and the Beat (1981)
• Vacation (1982)
• Talk Show (1984)
• God Bless the Go-Go's (2001)

Videos:

• Totally Go-Go's – live December 1981 (1982)
• Wild at the Greek – live concert (1984)
• Prime Time – music video compilation (1985)
• Live in Central Park – live concert (2001)