{{For|the compilation album|Wild Planet (compilation album){{!}}''Wild Planet'' (compilation album)}} {{Use mdy dates|date=June 2025}} {{Infobox album | name = Wild Planet | type = studio | artist = the B-52's | cover = The_B-52's_-_Wild_Planet.jpg | alt = | released = August 27, 1980 | recorded = April 1980 | venue = | studio = Compass Point (Nassau, Bahamas) | genre = {{hlist|New wave|disco-punk|surf}} | length = 34:44 | label = *Warner Bros. *Island | producer = {{hlist|Rhett Davies|the B-52's}} | prev_title = The B-52's | prev_year = 1979 | next_title = Party Mix! | next_year = 1981 | misc = {{Singles | name = Wild Planet | type = album | single1 = Private Idaho | single1date = October 1980 | single2 = Give Me Back My Man | single2date = 1980 | single3 = Party Out of Bounds | single3date = 1980 }}}} '''''Wild Planet''''' is the second studio album by American new wave band the B-52's, released in August 1980 by Warner Bros. (US) and Island Records (Europe, Japan).<ref name="NudeLiners">{{cite AV media notes |author=The B-52's |author-link=The B-52s |title=Nude on the Moon: The B-52's Anthology |type=CD liner notes |publisher=Rhino Entertainment |year=2002 |id=R2 78357 |url=https://archive.org/details/cd_nude-on-the-moon-the-b52s-anthology_the-b52s/page/n20/mode/1up}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |title=The Great Indie Discography |last=Strong |first=Martin C. |year=2003 |page=11 |publisher=Canongate |location=Edinburgh |isbn=1-84195-335-0 |url=https://archive.org/details/greatindiediscog0000stro/page/11/mode/1up |author-link=Martin C. Strong}}</ref>
As with their first album, the B-52's traveled to Compass Point Studios in the Bahamas to record ''Wild Planet''.<ref name="Rhino">{{cite web |url=https://www.rhino.com/aod/wild-planet-the-b-52s |title=Wild Planet - The B-52's |website=Rhino Entertainment |access-date=January 26, 2023}}</ref> Several of the songs from the album had been concert staples since 1978. The band did not record them for their first album, as they had more songs than could fit in a quality LP record.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Sexton |first=Mats |date=2002 |title=The B-52's Universe: The Essential Guide to the World's Greatest Party Band |publisher=Plan-B Books |page=50 |isbn=0-9652745-9-4}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/the-b-52s-the-b-52s/ |title=The B-52's: The B-52's |website=Pitchfork |date=October 14, 2018 |access-date=October 14, 2018 |last=Shepard |first=Susan Elizabeth}}</ref>
== Reception == === Critical === {{Music ratings | rev1 = AllMusic | rev1score = {{Rating|4.5|5}}<ref name="AllMusic">{{cite web |last=Cleary |first=David |url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/wild-planet-mw0000202765 |title=The B-52's - Wild Planet Album Reviews, Songs & More |website=AllMusic |access-date=October 16, 2004}}</ref> | rev2 = ''Christgau's Record Guide'' | rev2score = B+<ref>{{cite book|last=Christgau|first=Robert|author-link=Robert Christgau|chapter=B|chapter-url=https://www.robertchristgau.com/get_chap.php?k=B&bk=80|access-date=August 17, 2020|via=robertchristgau.com|title=Christgau's Record Guide: The '80s|title-link=Christgau's Record Guide: The '80s|publisher=Pantheon Books|year=1990|isbn=0-679-73015-X}}</ref> |rev3 = ''The Encyclopedia of Popular Music'' |rev3score = {{rating|3|5}}<ref>{{cite book |last=Larkin |first=Colin |title=The Encyclopedia of Popular Music |date=2011 |publisher=Omnibus Press |author-link=Colin Larkin}}</ref> |rev4 = ''MusicHound Rock'' |rev4score = {{rating|3.5|5}}<ref name="MH">{{cite book |title=MusicHound Rock: The Essential Album Guide |date=1996 |publisher=Visible Ink Press |page=60 |first=Roger |last=Catlin |chapter= The B-52's/Fred Schneider |editor-first=Gary |editor-last=Graff}}</ref> |rev5 = ''PopMatters'' |rev5score = 8/10<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.popmatters.com/ranking-the-b-52s-albums |title=Ranking the B-52s Albums |website=PopMatters |date=May 3, 2022 |access-date=October 6, 2024 |last=Wilhelm |first=Rich}}</ref> |rev6 = ''(The New) Rolling Stone Album Guide'' |rev6score = {{Rating|5|5}}<ref>{{cite book|last=Considine|first=J. D.|author-link=J. D. Considine|editor1-last=Brackett|editor1-first=Nathan|editor1-link=Nathan Brackett|editor2-last=Hoard|editor2-first=Christian|editor2-link=Christian Hoard|chapter=The B-52's|chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=t9eocwUfoSoC&pg=PA67|access-date=November 2, 2011|title=(The New) Rolling Stone Album Guide|title-link=The Rolling Stone Album Guide|publisher=Simon & Schuster|edition=4th|year=2004|isbn=0-7432-0169-8|pages=[https://archive.org/details/newrollingstonea00brac/page/67 67–68]}}</ref> | rev7 = ''Select'' | rev7Score = 3/5<ref>{{Cite magazine|title=Flip Your Wig|last=Cavanagh|first=David|date=July 1990|page=121|magazine=Select}}</ref> | rev8 = ''Smash Hits'' | rev8score = 8/10<ref>{{cite magazine |last=Hepworth |first=David |title=Albums – The B-52's: Wild Party (Island) |magazine=Smash Hits |volume=2 |number=18 |date=September 4–17, 1980 |page=28 |url=https://archive.org/details/smash-hits-1980-09-04/page/n21/mode/1up?view=theater |author-link=David Hepworth}}</ref> | rev9 = ''Spin Alternative Record Guide'' | rev9score = 7/10<ref>{{cite book|last=Huston|first=Johnny|editor1-last=Weisbard|editor1-first=Eric|editor1-link=Eric Weisbard|editor2-last=Marks|editor2-first=Craig|chapter=B-52's|title=Spin Alternative Record Guide|title-link=Spin Alternative Record Guide|publisher=Vintage Books|year=1995|isbn=0-679-75574-8|pages=38–39|chapter-url=https://archive.org/details/spinalternativer0000unse/page/38/mode/1up}}</ref> }} ''Billboard'' gave ''Wild Planet'' a positive review, calling it an improvement over the band's debut album and "a cinch for hot rotation in rock-oriented discos".<ref>{{cite magazine |url=https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-Billboard/80s/1980/BB-1980-09-13.pdf|title=Billboard's Top Album Picks |magazine=Billboard |issn=0006-2510 |volume=85 |issue=37 |date=September 13, 1980 |access-date=May 24, 2020 |page=68 |via=World Radio History}}</ref> Robert Christgau of ''The Village Voice'' observed, {{"'}}Party Out of Bounds' and 'Quiche Lorraine' are expert entertainments at best and the wacko parochialism of 'Private Idaho' is a positive annoyance. Only on 'Devil in My Car' and 'Give Me Back My Man' do they exploit the potential for meaning—cosmic and emotional, respectively—that accrues to the world's greatest new-wave kiddie-novelty disco-punk band."<ref>{{cite web |last=Christgau |first=Robert |url=https://www.robertchristgau.com/xg/cg/cgv3-81.php |title=Christgau's Consumer Guide |website=The Village Voice |date=March 2, 1981 |access-date=November 29, 2011}}</ref>
Frank Rose of ''Rolling Stone'' felt that it "plainly lacks the relentless exuberance of the group's debut disc", which he considered "partly a result of the production: flatter and duller sounding than its predecessor".<ref>{{cite web |last=Rose |first=Frank |url=http://www.rollingstone.com/artists/theb52s/albums/album/259322/rid/5943590/ |title=The B-52's: Wild Planet |website=Rolling Stone |issue=329 |date=October 30, 1980 |access-date=May 12, 2006 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080212150347/http://www.rollingstone.com/artists/theb52s/albums/album/259322/review/5943590 |archive-date=February 12, 2008 |url-status=dead}}</ref> Conversely, ''New York Rocker'' wrote that ''Wild Planet'' "does a better job [than the first LP] of capturing Ricky Wilson's strangely-tuned riffing and the snap of Keith Strickland's drums."<ref>{{Cite magazine |last= Grabel |first=Richard |title= The B-52's: ''Wild Planet'' (Warner Bros.) |magazine=New York Rocker |date= November 1980 |url=https://www.rocksbackpages.com/Library/Article/the-b-52s-iwild-planeti-warner-bros/ |via=Rock's Backpages |url-access=subscription}}</ref> While ''Trouser Press'' thought the album had its "inspired moments", it concluded that "too much of the album, with its short length and recycled ideas, comes across as a pale imitation of its predecessor."<ref name="TrouserPress">{{Cite web |url=http://www.trouserpress.com/entry.php?a=b-52s |last1=Isler |first1=Scott |last2=Robbins |first2=Ira |last3=Neugebauer |first3=Delvin |title=B-52's |website=Trouser Press}}</ref>
In a retrospective review for AllMusic, David Cleary thought the songs were "faster, tighter, and punchier than previously, though production values are not as wonderfully quirky and detailed", and highlighted the "cunning mix of girl group, garage band, surf, and television theme song influences, all propelled along by an itchy dance beat."<ref name="AllMusic"/> In 2018, ''Pitchfork'' ranked ''Wild Planet'' number 183 on its critics' list of the 200 greatest albums of the 1980s.<ref>{{cite web |title=The 200 Best Albums of the 1980s |website=Pitchfork |date=September 10, 2018 |url=https://pitchfork.com/features/lists-and-guides/the-200-best-albums-of-the-1980s/ |accessdate=April 21, 2023}}</ref>
=== Commercial === ''Wild Planet'' charted for 27 weeks on the ''Billboard'' 200, peaking at No. 18.<ref name="Billboard">{{Cite web |url=https://www.billboard.com/artist/the-b-52s-2/chart-history/tlp/ |title=The B-52s |website=Billboard}}</ref> ''Wild Planet'' was certified Gold by the RIAA.<ref name="Rhino"/>
==Track listing== {{Track listing | headline = Side one | all_writing = | title1 = Party Out of Bounds | writer1 = {{hlist|Fred Schneider|Keith Strickland|Ricky Wilson|Cindy Wilson|Kate Pierson}} | length1 = 3:21 | title2 = Dirty Back Road | writer2 = {{hlist|R. Wilson|Robert Waldrop}} | length2 = 3:21 | title3 = Runnin' Around | writer3 = {{hlist|Schneider|Strickland|R. Wilson|C. Wilson|Pierson}} | length3 = 3:09 | title4 = Give Me Back My Man | writer4 = {{hlist|Schneider|Strickland|R. Wilson|C. Wilson}} | length4 = 4:00 | title5 = Private Idaho | writer5 = {{hlist|Schneider|Strickland|R. Wilson|C. Wilson|Pierson}} | length5 = 3:35 }}
{{Track listing | headline = Side two | total_length = 34:44 | title1 = Devil in My Car | writer1 = {{hlist|Schneider|R. Wilson|C. Wilson|Pierson}} | length1 = 4:28 | title2 = Quiche Lorraine | writer2 = {{hlist|Schneider|Strickland|R. Wilson}} | length2 = 3:58 | title3 = Strobe Light | writer3 = {{hlist|Schneider|Strickland|R. Wilson}} | length3 = 3:59 | title4 = 53 Miles West of Venus | writer4 = {{hlist|Strickland|R. Wilson|C. Wilson|Pierson}} | length4 = 4:53 }}
==Personnel== '''The B-52's''' * Kate Pierson * Fred Schneider * Keith Strickland * Cindy Wilson * Ricky Wilson
'''Technical''' * Rhett Davies – producer, engineer * The B-52's – producers * Chris Blackwell – executive producer * Benjamin Armbrister – assistant engineer * Robert Waldrop – art direction * Lynn Goldsmith – cover photography * La Verne & Phyllis – hairdos * Paul Bricker – makeup
==Charts== {{col-begin}} {{col-2}}
===Weekly charts=== {| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center" |- ! scope="col"| Chart (1980–81) ! scope="col"| Peak<br>position |- ! scope="row"| Australian Albums (Kent Music Report)<ref name=aus>{{cite book|last=Kent|first=David|author-link=David Kent (historian)|title=Australian Chart Book 1970–1992|edition=illustrated|publisher=Australian Chart Book|location=St Ives, N.S.W.|year=1993|isbn=0-646-11917-6|page=260}}</ref> | 12 |- {{album chart|Canada|32|chartid=4703a|rowheader=true|access-date=January 29, 2022}} |- {{album chart|New Zealand|3|artist=The B-52's|album=Wild Planet|rowheader=true|access-date=January 29, 2022}} |- {{album chart|UK2|18|date=19800907|rowheader=true|access-date=January 29, 2022}} |- {{album chart|Billboard200|18|artist=The B-52's|rowheader=true|access-date=January 29, 2022}} |- |} {{col-2}}
===Year-end charts=== {| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center" |- ! scope="col" | Chart (1980) ! scope="col" | Position |- ! scope="row" | New Zealand Albums (RMNZ)<ref>{{cite web|url=https://aotearoamusiccharts.co.nz/archive/annual-albums/1980-12-31|title=Top Selling Albums of 1980 — The Official New Zealand Music Chart|publisher=Recorded Music New Zealand|access-date=January 29, 2022}}</ref> | 50 |- |} {{col-end}}
==Certifications== {{certification Table Top}} {{certification Table Entry|type=album|region=United States|title=Wild Planet|award=Gold|relyear=1980|certyear=1981}} {{certification Table Bottom|nosales=true}}
== In popular culture == Film director Gus Van Sant referred to the song "Private Idaho" in the title of his 1991 film ''My Own Private Idaho'' and thanked the band in the film's credits, although he did not seek approval from the band to use it.<ref name="avclub">{{cite web |url=https://www.avclub.com/kate-pierson-of-the-b-52s-1798228355 |title=Kate Pierson of The B-52s |last1=Harris |first1=Will |date=November 1, 2011 |website=The A.V. Club |access-date=February 24, 2022}}</ref>
On Season 18 of the reality show RuPaul’s Drag Race, contestant Jane Don't paid homage to the album and Kate Pierson, in the runway category "80s Ladies", on episode 8 "Snatch Game of Love: Island Edition".
Don't received praise for her challenge and runway presentation from the judges panel and from the band, especially Pierson.
==References== {{reflist|2}}
{{The B-52's}}
{{Authority control}}
Category:The B-52's albums Category:1980 albums Category:Albums produced by Rhett Davies Category:Albums recorded at Compass Point Studios Category:Island Records albums Category:Warner Records albums