Additional personnel includes: David Byrne (guitar); David Murray (saxophone); The Uptown Horn (horns); Philippe Saisse (keyboards);

Tracy Wormworth (bass); Charlie Drayton (drums).

Producers include: The B-52's, David Byrne, Tony Mansfield, Don Was, Rhett Davies.

Compilation producers: Bradford Cobb, Gary Stewart.

Engineers include: Robert Ash, Rhett Davies, Butch Jones.

Recorded between 1979 and 1998. Includes liner notes by Michael Azerrad.

All tracks have been digitally remastered.

Personnel: Keith Strickland (vocals, guitar, sitar, harmonica, keyboards, keyboard bass, marimba, drums, percussion, programming); Adey Wilson, Kate Pierson (vocals, guitar, keyboards, keyboard bass); Cindy Wilson (vocals, guitar, bongos, tambourine); Fred Schneider (vocals, toy piano, keyboard bass, percussion); Pat Irwin (guitar, keyboards); David Byrne (guitar); David McMurray (saxophone); Paul Literal, Chris Cioe, Arno Hecht, Bob Funk, Carl Beatty (horns); Richard Hilton (keyboards, programming); Sara Lee (keyboards, background vocals); Philippe Saisse, Tommy Mandel (keyboards); Leroy Clouden, Sonny Emory, Sterling Campbell, Yogi Horton, Zachary Alford, Steve Ferrone, Charlie Drayton (drums); Lenny Castro, Steve Scales (percussion).

Audio Mixers: Jamie Muhoberac; Nile Rodgers; Patrick Dillett; Tom Durack.

Audio Remasterers: Dan Hersch; Bill Inglot.

Audio Remixers: Shep Pettibone; Tom Durack.

Liner Note Author: Michael Azerrad.

Recording information: Bearsville Sound Studios, Bearsville, NY; Blank Tape Studios, New York, NY; Cleveland Music Hall, Cleveland, OH; Compass Point Studios, Nassau, Bahamas; Dreamland Recording Studio, West Hurley, NY; Power Station, New York, NY; Shoreline Ampitheatre, San Francisco, CA; Sigma Sound Studio; Skyline Studios, New York, NY.

Photographer: George DuBose.

The B-52's were one of the great new wave bands, one of the ones who defined the style and cut one of the great records of their time (their eponymous debut), an outfit who maintained a dedicated following even as they fell off the radar of critics and hipsters, a group who overcame a tragic loss (guitarist Ricky Wilson) to make a startling, unpredictable comeback that launched them beyond college radio and to the top of the pop charts. It's a hell of a story, even if the final act was decidedly anticlimatic (after one follow-up to the Cosmic Thing comeback, 1992's Good Stuff, the group essentially disappeared apart from an embarrassing version of the Flintstones theme for the 1993 big-screen adaptation), and they're easily one of the more legendary bands of their time. Unfortunately, legend doesn't always translate to great music, and the fact of the matter is that the B-52's really only had two very good records: the transcendent debut and the comeback. The second record had its share of moments, more than the other albums that followed, and there were some sublime cuts scattered among the other records, but by and large they were a band who got by on their brilliant moments -- brilliant moments that were surrounded by competence and mediocrity. It really was the kind of career that could be salvaged and justified by a tremendous double-disc retrospective -- which Nude on the Moon: The B-52's Anthology unfortunately isn't. Make no mistake, it's pretty good and it has a lot of their greatest moments, but it stumbles at certain points, letting seminal songs like "Quiche Lorraine" or "Mesopotamia" be represented by alternate takes (1990 live take and remix, respectively), and padding it toward the end with album tracks that aren't that interesting. That's the worst thing about this lavish, lovingly produced set; no matter the care of the sound and presentation, there are just too many songs that are just average, not quite illustrating why the B-52's are so beloved. Of course, that's the fault of the band themselves, who never quite lived up to their early promise, but it would still be possible to jigger the final recordings to an artificial narrative, the kind that would show why people love this band. This isn't it; no matter the testimonials, the interviews in the comprehensive booklet, the great photos, or just the general warm vibe this Georgian band -- perhaps the greatest Georgian musical act this side of Jerry Reed or R.E.M. -- gives off. And that's because the material just isn't there. No matter their legacy, they have enough terrific material for a comprehensive single-disc set, not a double-disc set, and while this is more comprehensive and better-produced than the single-disc compilations, most listeners will find they'll skip over most of the material just to get to the good stuff from The B-52's and Cosmic Thing. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine

The B-52's were one of the great new wave bands, one of the ones who defined the style and cut one of the great records of their time (their eponymous debut), an outfit who maintained a dedicated following even as they fell off the radar of critics and hipsters, a group who overcame a tragic loss (guitarist Ricky Wilson) to make a startling, unpredictable comeback that launched them beyond college radio and to the top of the pop charts. It's a hell of a story, even if the final act was decidedly anticlimatic (after one follow-up to the Cosmic Thing comeback, 1992's Good Stuff, the group essentially disappeared apart from an embarrassing version of the Flintstones theme for the 1993 big-screen adaptation), and they're easily one of the more legendary bands of their time. Unfortunately, legend doesn't always translate to great music, and the fact of the matter is that the B-52's really only had two very good records: the transcendent debut and the comeback. The second record had its share of moments, more than the other albums that followed, and there were some sublime cuts scattered among the other records, but by and large they were a band who got by on their brilliant moments -- brilliant moments that were surrounded by competence and mediocrity. It really was the kind of career that could be salvaged and justified by a tremendous double-disc retrospective like Nude on the Moon: The B-52's Anthology, which has a lot of their greatest moments as well as interviews in the comprehensive booklet, great photos, and just the general warm vibe this Georgian band -- perhaps the greatest Georgian musical act this side of Jerry Reed or R.E.M. -- gives off. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine

Georgia's B-52's came up from the south with a mission to puncture all musical pretension with a highly developed kitsch aesthetic and a savvy sense of fun. They were one of the definitive American new wave bands, and one of the most enjoyable. As shown on this generous two-disc career summary, the band's sound was informed by such pop culture detritus as horror movies, surf music, Las Vegas, and early-'60s dances like the Mashed Potato. Key early tracks such as the absurdist "Rock Lobster" and the evocative, grooving "52 Girls" exemplify the blend of Cindy Wilson and Kate Pierson's post-modern girl group chirping and Fred Schneider's oddball declamations, while guitarist Ricky Wilson employed his best Dick Dale riffs to propel things along. The surprising second act in the band's career is represented by such '90s comeback smashes as "Deadbeat Club" and "Love Shack" which retain the spirit of the group's early material but add a new sheen. You couldn't ask for a better thumbnail sketch of the B-52's quirky magic than NUDE ON THE MOON.