The Go-Go's

The Go-Go's are an American new wave/pop rock band formed in Los Angeles, California in 1978. Except for short periods when other musicians joined briefly, the band has had a relatively stable line-up consisting of Charlotte Caffey on lead guitar and keyboards, Belinda Carlisle on lead vocals, Gina Schock on drums, Kathy Valentine on bass guitar, and Jane Wiedlin on rhythm guitar. Credited as simply Go-Go's on all of their US releases, the quintet rose to fame during the early 1980s. In 1982 the band topped the Billboard album chart — a (still-unequalled) first for an all-female band writing its own material and playing its own instruments.

The band's 1981 debut album, Beauty and the Beat, is considered one of the "cornerstone albums of US new wave" (AllMusic), having broken barriers and paved the way for a host of other new American acts. Released in July 1981, the album entered Billboard's Top LPs & Tape chart in the issue dated August 1, 1981. The album yielded two of the Go-Go's three biggest Hot 100 hits – "Our Lips Are Sealed" (no. 20) and "We Got the Beat" (no. 2) – and, after a long and steady climb, reached number one in the chart dated March 6, 1982. The album stayed at the top for six consecutive weeks, eventually selling more than two million copies, making it one of the most successful debut albums of all time. The group was nominated for the Best New Artist award at the 24th Annual Grammy Awards, losing to Sheena Easton. The band also reached the Top 40 of the Hot 100 with "Vacation" (no. 8, 1982) and the 1984 hits "Head over Heels" (no. 11) and "Turn to You" (no. 32). The Go-Go's have sold more than seven million records worldwide.

The Go-Go's broke up in 1985 but reconvened several times through the 1990s and beyond, recording new material and touring. They received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2011. Though the band's 2016 performances were billed as a farewell tour, the band remains active on an ad hoc basis. Head Over Heels, a musical featuring the songs of the Go-Go's, ran on Broadway at the Hudson Theatre from 2018 to 2019. In October 2021, the band will be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.