A Love Shack on the Boulevard, The B-52s Will Get Their Walk of Fame Star Outside Amoeba

The B-52s will receive the 2,861st star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame on Thursday, October 29, at 11:30 a.m., at 6212 Hollywood Boulevard in front of Amoeba Music, the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce announced.

The spot suits a band that has lived in record bins for half a century. The star goes into the sidewalk outside the Hollywood record store, in the Recording category, according to the Walk of Fame’s announcement, which opens with the words “Good Stuff,” the title of the band’s follow-up to Cosmic Thing.

Who Will Speak at the Ceremony

Richard Blade, the SiriusXM radio personality, will emcee, and The Go-Go’s and Fred Armisen will speak, the Chamber said. Billboard reported that Blade received his own star in 2024 and that The Go-Go’s, “fellow survivors of the new wave scene of the 1970s and 1980s,” received theirs in 2011. Armisen is described by Billboard as a musician, actor and comedian.

“Honoring The B-52s with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame is a celebration of their unforgettable music, fearless spirit, and the nostalgia they’ve created for generations of fans,” said Ana Martinez, the Walk of Fame’s producer, in the Chamber’s announcement. “Their unique sound and energy have truly become part of Hollywood’s musical history.”

Who The B-52s Are

The B-52s formed in Athens, Georgia, in 1976, Billboard reported. The original lineup was Fred Schneider on vocals and percussion, Kate Pierson on vocals and keyboards, Cindy Wilson on vocals and percussion, her brother Ricky Wilson on guitar and Keith Strickland on drums. After Ricky Wilson’s death in 1985, Strickland moved permanently from drums to lead guitar. The Chamber describes Strickland as retired from performing, and Music News reported that he stopped touring with the band in 2013.

Their 1979 debut, The B-52’s, went gold, and Wild Planet followed in 1980 and also went gold, according to the Chamber. The band’s peak came with Cosmic Thing in 1989. Billboard reported that the album reached No. 4 on the Billboard 200 and stayed on the chart for 65 weeks, and that its singles “Love Shack” and “Roam” each reached No. 3 on the Hot 100 and earned Grammy nominations. The follow-up, Good Stuff, reached No. 16 and was nominated for best alternative music album.

The Chamber puts the band’s worldwide album sales at more than 20 million. It names John Lennon, Madonna, James Murphy, Arcade Fire, Lady Gaga and Michael Stipe among the artists who count the band as an influence, and lists Panic! At The Disco, Blood Orange, The Offspring, Pitbull and DJ Shadow among those who have sampled its songs.

After a 16-year gap between studio albums, the band released Funplex in 2008, and in 2015 it toured alongside Tears for Fears and the Pretenders. Off the stage, the Chamber lists the group’s charity work with PETA, Sweet Relief, God’s Love We Deliver, Life Beat and Save the Chimps. A farewell tour began in 2022, according to the Chamber, which says the group is still celebrating its catalog with ongoing farewell performances.

Where the Tour Ends

The ceremony arrives at the end of a road trip. Music News reported that the band will wrap its Cosmic De-Evolution Tour, co-headlined with Devo, in Palm Desert on October 31, two days after the Hollywood dedication.

The star joins a run of recent music honors on the boulevard. Air Supply received the 2,859th star on October 8, and Carlo Rambaldi’s posthumous star on Vine Street was the 2,860th.

How to Watch

The ceremony takes place on the public sidewalk at 6212 Hollywood Boulevard, and the Chamber notes that the Walk of Fame is free to all. It will also stream live exclusively at walkoffame.com, according to the Chamber, for fans who cannot get to Hollywood on a Thursday morning.