The B-52s originated as a New Wave rock band formed in Athens, Georgia, United States, in 1976. The B-52s' sound is marked by the vocals — the female harmonies of Cindy Wilson and Kate Pierson, and the generally spoken-word or sprechgesang male vocal counterpoint of Fred Schneider, Ricky Wilson's surf style guitar and Keith Strickland's go go beat drumming. The resulting unique "guy vs.

gals" vocals, sometimes used in call and response style (as in their songs "Private Idaho" and "Good Stuff"), are a trademark of the band. Presenting as a positive, enthusiastic, slightly wacky party band, the B-52s have focused on songs telling tall tales ("Rock Lobster", "Girl from Ipanema Goes to Greenland"), glorifying wild youth ("Love Shack", "Deadbeat Club"), or celebrating wild romance ("Strobe Light", "Hot Pants Explosion"), all set to a danceable New Wave beat. The band's name comes from a particular beehive hairdo resembling the nose cone of the aircraft of the same name.

Keith Strickland suggested the name after a dream he had one night, of a band performing in a hotel lounge. In the dream he heard someone whisper in his ear that the name of the band was "The B-52s." During their early years, wigs of that style were often worn by the band's female singers Cindy Wilson and Kate Pierson. The correct name for the band had long been "The B-52's", but in 2008 they dropped the apostrophe, with their official website and Funplex album and single covers reading "The B-52s".

In a June 2009 interview with the Arizona Daily Star Schneider said that band will hereafter be known without its apostrophe. Cindy Wilson (vocals), her older brother Ricky Wilson (guitar), Kate Pierson (organ, vocals), Keith Strickland (drummer), and Fred Schneider (cowbell, vocals) formed the group in an impromptu jam session after sharing a tropical Flaming Volcano (sometimes reported as a Scorpion Bowl) drink at a local Chinese restaurant, and played their first gig in 1977 at a Valentine's Day party for friends. The band's quirky take on the New Wave sound of their era was a combination of dance and surf music set apart by the unusual guitar tunings used by Ricky Wilson.

Their costume thrift-store chic set them apart as well. During the Mesopotamia tour, the band's famous wigs were under the care of Jackie Slayton, one of Athens's leading artists and long-time friend of the band.

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