The Go-Go's are an American all-female

rock Rock most often refers to: * Rock (geology), a naturally occurring solid aggregate of minerals or mineraloids * Rock music, a genre of popular music Rock or Rocks may also refer to: Places United Kingdom * Rock, Caerphilly, a location in Wale ...

band formed in Los Angeles in 1978. Except for short periods when other musicians joined briefly, the band has had a relatively stable lineup consisting of

Charlotte Caffey Charlotte Irene Caffey (born October 21, 1953) is an American guitarist and pianist, best known for her work in the rock band the Go-Go's in the 1980s, including writing " We Got the Beat". Career Caffey began her musical career playing bass g ...

lead guitar Lead guitar (also known as solo guitar) is a musical part for a guitar in which the guitarist plays melody lines, instrumental fill passages, guitar solos, and occasionally, some riffs and chords within a song structure. The lead is the featur ...

and keyboards,

Belinda Carlisle Belinda Jo Carlisle ( ; born August 17, 1958) is an American singer and songwriter. She gained fame as the lead vocalist of the Go-Go's, one of the most successful all-female rock bands of all time, and went on to have a prolific career as a sol ...

on lead vocals,

Gina Schock Regina Ann Schock (born August 31, 1957) is an American musician, best known as the drummer for the rock band the Go-Go's. Schock was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in October 2021 as a member of the Go-Go's. Early life Regin ...

on drums,

Kathy Valentine Kathryn Valentine (born January 7, 1959) is an American musician who is the bassist for the rock band the Go-Go's. She has maintained a career in music through songwriting, recording, performing and touring as well as additional academic and cre ...

bass Bass or Basses may refer to: Fish * Bass (fish), various saltwater and freshwater species Wood * Bass or basswood, the wood of the tilia americana tree Music * Bass (sound), describing low-frequency sound or one of several instruments in th ...

, and

Jane Wiedlin Jane Wiedlin (born May 20, 1958) is an American musician, singer, songwriter, and actress, best known as the co-founder, rhythm guitarist, and backing vocalist of the new wave music, new wave band The Go-Go's. She voices Dusk, the drummer and ba ...

rhythm guitar In music performances, rhythm guitar is a guitar technique and role that performs a combination of two functions: to provide all or part of the rhythmic pulse (music), pulse in conjunction with other instruments from the rhythm section (e.g., d ...

. The quintet emerged from the L.A.

punk rock Punk rock (also known as simply punk) is a rock music genre that emerged in the mid-1970s. Rooted in 1950s rock and roll and 1960s garage rock, punk bands rejected the corporate nature of mainstream 1970s rock music. They typically produced sh ...

scene of the late 1970s and in 1981 released their debut album '' Beauty and the Beat''. A first for an all-female band writing their material and playing their instruments, the LP topped the ''

Billboard A billboard (also called a hoarding in the UK and many other parts of the world) is a large outdoor advertising structure (a billing board), typically found in high-traffic areas such as alongside busy roads. Billboards present large advertis ...

'' album chart and remains an achievement yet to be matched. ''Beauty and the Beat'' is considered one of the "cornerstone albums of US new wave" (

AllMusic AllMusic (previously known as All-Music Guide and AMG) is an American online database, online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on Musical artist, musicians and Mus ...

), having broken barriers and paved the way for a host of other new American acts. It yielded two of the Go-Go's four biggest Hot 100 hits—"

Our Lips Are Sealed "Our Lips Are Sealed" is a song co-written by Jane Wiedlin, guitarist of the Go-Go's, and Terry Hall, singer of the Specials and Fun Boy Three. It was first recorded by the Go-Go's as the opening track on their album '' Beauty and the Beat'' (1 ...

" (no. 20) and "

We Got the Beat "We Got the Beat" is a song by the American all-female rock band the Go-Go's, written by the group's lead guitarist and keyboardist Charlotte Caffey. The band first recorded the song in early 1980 as a single on UK-based Stiff Records, and rerec ...

" (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 over two million copies. The group, credited as simply Go-Go's on all of their US releases, was nominated for the

Best New Artist The Grammy Award for Best New Artist has been awarded since the 2nd Annual Grammy Awards in 1960 (except in 1967) "for a new artist who releases, during the Eligibility Year, the first recording which establishes the public identity of that ar ...

award at the

24th Annual Grammy Awards The 24th Annual Grammy Awards were held on February 24, 1982, at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles, and were broadcast live on American television. The event recognized the accomplishments of musicians during the year 1981. Quincy Jones was t ...

. Two more albums followed: ''

Vacation A vacation (American English) or holiday (British English) is either a leave of absence from a regular job or school or an instance of leisure travel away from home. People often take a vacation during specific holiday observances or for sp ...

'' (1982)—whose

title track A title track is a song that has the same name as the album An album is a collection of audio recordings (e.g., music) issued on a medium such as compact disc (CD), Phonograph record, vinyl (record), audio tape (like 8-track cartridge, 8-t ...

reached no. 8 on ''Billboard's'' Hot 100—and ''

Talk Show A talk show is a television programming, radio programming or podcast genre structured around the act of spontaneous conversation.Bernard M. Timberg, Robert J. Erler'' (2010Television Talk: A History of the TV Talk Show', pp.3-4Erler, Robert (201 ...

'' (1984), which included the 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, with each member embarking on a solo career and Carlisle being the most successful, having several top-5 singles through the late 1980s. They reconvened several times in the 1990s, releasing a new album in 2001, '' God Bless the Go-Go's'', and touring. They received a star on the

Hollywood Walk of Fame The Hollywood Walk of Fame is a landmark which consists of 2,813 five-pointed terrazzo-and-brass stars embedded in the sidewalks along 15 blocks of Hollywood Boulevard and three blocks of Vine Street in the Hollywood, Los Angeles, Hollywood dist ...

in 2011. Though the band's 2016 performances were billed as a farewell tour, the band remained active on an ad hoc basis for several years afterward. '' Head Over Heels'', a musical featuring the songs of the Go-Go's, ran on

Broadway Broadway may refer to: Theatre * Broadway Theatre (disambiguation) * Broadway theatre, theatrical productions in professional theatres near Broadway, Manhattan, New York City, U.S. ** Broadway (Manhattan), the street ** Broadway Theatre (53rd Stre ...

at the

Hudson Theatre The Hudson Theatre is a Broadway theater at 139–141 West 44th Street, between Seventh Avenue and Sixth Avenue, in the Theater District of Midtown Manhattan in New York City, New York, U.S. One of the oldest surviving Broadway venues, the ...

from 2018 to 2019. The group was inducted into the Women Songwriters Hall of Fame and the

Rock and Roll Hall of Fame The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (RRHOF), also simply referred to as the Rock Hall, is a museum and hall of fame located in downtown Cleveland, Ohio, United States, on the shore of Lake Erie. The museum documents the history of rock music and the ...

in 2021. While the band announced their disbandment shortly after the Rock Hall induction, they have reunited several times for events, including an induction to the California Hall of Fame. They reunited for a series of shows in 2025, including joining the bill for the April 2025

Coachella Music Festival Coachella (officially called the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival and sometimes known as Coachella Festival) is an annual music and arts festival held at the Empire Polo Club in Indio, California, in the Coachella Valley in the Colorad ...

and the May 2025 Cruel World concert festival in

Pasadena, California Pasadena ( ) is a city in Los Angeles County, California, United States, northeast of downtown Los Angeles. It is the most populous city and the primary cultural center of the San Gabriel Valley. Old Pasadena is the city's original commerci ...

History

Original incarnation (1978–1980)

Formed in Los Angeles in 1978 as the Misfits by

(guitar),

(vocals),

(guitar, background vocals), the Go-Go's also included Margot Olavarria on bass and Elissa Bello on drums. They were formed as a

punk Punk or punks may refer to: Genres, subculture, and related aspects * Punk rock, a music genre originating in the 1970s associated with various subgenres * Punk subculture, a subculture associated with punk rock, or aspects of the subculture s ...

band and had roots in the L.A. punk community. They shared a rehearsal space with

the Motels The Motels are an American new wave band from Berkeley, California, that is best known for the singles " Only the Lonely" and " Suddenly Last Summer", each of which peaked at No. 9 on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100, in 1982 and 1983, respectively. ...

and Carlisle, under the name "Dottie Danger", had briefly been a member of punk rock band

the Germs ''The'' is a grammatical article in English, denoting nouns that are already or about to be mentioned, under discussion, implied or otherwise presumed familiar to listeners, readers, or speakers. It is the definite article in English. ''The ...

. After Carlisle became temporarily ill, she separated from the Germs before ever playing a gig. The band began playing gigs at punk venues such as

The Masque The Masque was a small punk rock club in central Hollywood, California which existed from 1977 to 1978. It is remembered as a key part of the early LA punk scene. History Considered the “CBGB of the West”, The Masque was founded by Scotti ...

and the

Whisky a Go Go The Whisky a Go Go (informally nicknamed The Whisky) is a historic nightclub in West Hollywood, California, United States. It is located at 8901 Sunset Boulevard on the Sunset Strip, corner North Clark Street, opposite North San Vicente Boulev ...

in Los Angeles and the

Mabuhay Gardens The Mabuhay Gardens, also known as The Fab Mab or The Mab, was a former San Francisco nightclub, located at 443 Broadway Street, in North Beach on the Broadway strip area best known for its striptease clubs. It closed in 1987. History The Ma ...

in San Francisco alongside bands such as X,

Fear Fear is an unpleasant emotion that arises in response to perception, perceived dangers or threats. Fear causes physiological and psychological changes. It may produce behavioral reactions such as mounting an aggressive response or fleeing the ...

the Plugz The Plugz (also known as "Los Plugz") were a Latino punk band from Los Angeles that formed in 1977 and disbanded in 1984. They and The Zeros were among the first Latino punk bands, although several garage rock bands, such as Thee Midniters an ...

and

the Controllers Controller may refer to: Occupations * Controller or financial controller, or in government accounting comptroller, a senior accounting position * Controller, someone who performs agent handling in espionage * Air traffic controller, a person w ...

(lead guitar, keyboards, background vocals) was added later in 1978, and in the summer of 1979,

replaced Bello on drums. With these lineup changes, the group began moving towards their more familiar

power pop Power pop (also typeset as powerpop) is a subgenre of rock music and form of pop rock based on the early music of bands such as the Who, the Beatles, the Beach Boys, and the Byrds. It typically incorporates melodic hooks, vocal harmonies, ...

sound. The group frequently met at a

Denny's Denny's (also known as Denny's Diner on some locations' signage) is an American table service diner-style restaurant chain. It operates over 1,400 Restaurant, restaurants in the United States, Canada, Puerto Rico, and several other internationa ...

Sunset Boulevard Sunset Boulevard is a boulevard in the central and western part of Los Angeles, California, United States, that stretches from the Pacific Coast Highway (California), Pacific Coast Highway in Pacific Palisades, Los Angeles, Pacific Palisad ...

in Hollywood, and it was there they chose the band's name. In late 1979, the band recorded a five-song demo at

Gold Star Studios Gold Star Studios was an independent recording studio located in Hollywood, Los Angeles, Hollywood, California. In its entire history, Gold Star was one of the most successful commercial recording studios in the world. Founded by David S. Gold ...

in Los Angeles, and in 1980, they supported the British

ska revival Ska (; , ) is a music genre that originated in Jamaica in the late 1950s and was the precursor to rocksteady and reggae. It combined elements of Caribbean mento and calypso with American jazz and rhythm and blues. Ska is characterized by a w ...

groups Madness and

The Specials The Specials, also known as the Special AKA, were an English 2 tone and ska revival band formed in 1977 in Coventry. After some early changes, the first stable lineup of the group consisted of Terry Hall and Neville Staple on vocals, J ...

in both Los Angeles and England. The Go-Go's subsequently spent half of 1980 touring England, earning a sizable following and releasing the demo version of "

" on

Stiff Records Stiff Records is a British independent record label formed in London by Dave Robinson (music executive), Dave Robinson and Jake Riviera. Originally active from 1976 to 1986, the label was reactivated in 2007. Established at the outset of the p ...

, which became a minor UK hit. In December 1980, original bassist Olavarria fell ill and was replaced with

, who had played guitar in bands such as

Girlschool Girlschool are a British rock band that formed in the new wave of British heavy metal scene in 1978. Frequently associated with contemporaries Motörhead, they are the longest-running all-female rock band, still active after more than 40 ...

and the Textones. Valentine had not previously played bass guitar. Carlisle also related in her autobiography, ''Lips Unsealed'', that according to the band's view, another reason for Olavarria's dismissal from the Go-Go's was that she frequently missed rehearsals, due largely to her dissatisfaction with the band's move away from punk and toward pop. In late 1982, Olavarria sued the remaining band members for wrongful removal. The lawsuit was settled in 1984. Olavarria later joined

Martin Atkins Martin Clive Atkins (born 3 August 1959) is an English drummer, best known for his work in post-punk and industrial groups including Public Image Ltd, Ministry, Nine Inch Nails, Pigface, and Killing Joke. He also works as a consultant, has ...

' band Brian Brain.

Career peak (1981–1983)

The Go-Go's signed to Miles Copeland's label ''

I.R.S. Records I.R.S. Records was a major American record label founded by Miles Copeland III and Jay Boberg in 1979. I.R.S. produced some of the most popular bands of the 1980s, and was particularly known for issuing records by college rock, new wave and a ...

'' in April 1981. The following year they toured with

The Police The Police were an English rock band formed in London in 1977. Within a few months of their first gig, the line-up settled as Sting (lead vocals, bass guitar, primary songwriter), Andy Summers (guitar) and Stewart Copeland (drums, percussi ...

, who were managed by Copeland, on the Ghost in the Machine Tour. The Go-Go's debut album, '' Beauty and the Beat'', was a surprise hit: it topped the U.S. charts for six weeks in 1982 and eventually received a double platinum certification. The album was also successful outside the U.S., charting at No. 2 in Canada, where it received a platinum certification, and No. 27 in Australia. In 2003, the album was ranked No. 413 on ''

Rolling Stone ''Rolling Stone'' is an American monthly magazine that focuses on music, politics, and popular culture. It was founded in San Francisco, California, in 1967 by Jann Wenner and the music critic Ralph J. Gleason. The magazine was first known fo ...

'' magazine's list of

The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time "The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time" is a recurring opinion survey and music ranking of the finest albums in history, compiled by the American magazine ''Rolling Stone''. It is based on weighted votes from selected musicians, critics, and indu ...

. "

" and a new version of "We Got the Beat" were popular singles in North America in early 1982. During this period, the Go-Go's started building a fanbase. In 1982, the group was nominated for a

Grammy Award The Grammy Awards, stylized as GRAMMY, and often referred to as The Grammys, are awards presented by The Recording Academy of the United States to recognize outstanding achievements in music. They are regarded by many as the most prestigious ...

for

. The follow-up album, ''

'', received mixed reviews and sold less than ''Beauty and the Beat''. However, the album was certified gold in the U.S. and spawned another Top 10 U.S. hit with the title track. Other singles released from the album were "Get Up and Go" and "This Old Feeling", neither of which made it into the Top 40. In 1983, ''Vacation'' was nominated for a

for Best Packaging. During the album's promotion, the group went on hiatus when Schock underwent surgery for a

congenital heart defect A congenital heart defect (CHD), also known as a congenital heart anomaly, congenital cardiovascular malformation, and congenital heart disease, is a defect in the structure of the heart or great vessels that is present at birth. A congenital h ...

''Talk Show'' and initial breakup (1984–1985)

In 1984, the group returned with the

Martin Rushent Martin Charles Rushent (11 July 1948 – 4 June 2011) was an English record producer, best known for his work with the Human League, the Stranglers and Buzzcocks. Early life Rushent was born on 11 July 1948 in Enfield, Middlesex. His fathe ...

-produced album ''

''. The album tracks " Head over Heels" and " Turn to You" were both Top 40 hits in the US. Despite the favorable reception, the album sold less than the previous two, not reaching the top 10 and not receiving any certification. Personality conflicts and creative differences within the group were also taking a toll, as were drug addiction problems for some band members. Wiedlin announced her departure from the group in October 1984. The band sought a replacement, selecting Paula Jean Brown (of

Giant Sand Giant Sand (formerly Giant Sandworms) is an American musical group from Tucson, Arizona, United States. Its most constant member is singer-songwriter Howe Gelb. The groups have developed idiosyncratic sound rooted in alternative country, but t ...

) as their new bass guitarist, with Valentine moving to rhythm guitar. This lineup debuted at the 1985

Rock in Rio Rock in Rio is a biennial Brazilian multi-day music festival held at City of Rock in Rio de Janeiro. It later branched into other locations such as Lisbon, Madrid and Las Vegas. Ten incarnations of the festival have been held in Rio de Janeir ...

festival, playing two shows, but Carlisle and Caffey soon realized their hearts were no longer in the group and decided to disband the Go-Go's in May 1985.

Reunions and lawsuit (1990–1999)

In 1990, the Go-Go's classic lineup (Caffey, Carlisle, Schock, Valentine, and Wiedlin) reunited to play a benefit concert for the California Environmental Protection Act, a 1990 ballot initiative. The band also entered the studio with producer

David Z David Z may refer to: * David Z (producer) David Rivkin (born 1953), professionally known as David Z, is an American music producer, engineer, and songwriter from Minneapolis, Minnesota. He is best known for his long-standing work with Prince an ...

to re-record a cover of "

Cool Jerk "Cool Jerk" is a 1966 rhythm and blues song written by Donald Storball and originally performed by the Capitols. It became a hit song in the United States and Canada. Original version Released in 1966, it reached No. 2 on the American Rhythm & ...

" (a song they had previously covered on their second LP) for a

greatest hits A greatest hits album or best-of album is a type of compilation album that collects popular and commercially successful songs by a particular artist or band. While greatest hits albums are typically supported by the artist, they can also be creat ...

compilation. In 1994, the same lineup got together again to release a two-disc retrospective entitled '' Return to the Valley of The Go-Go's'', featuring three new recordings. The single " The Whole World Lost Its Head" peaked at No. 21 on the Billboard Modern Rock charts and "bubbled under" on the US charts at No. 108, and became the band's first and only Top 40 hit in the UK, peaking at No. 29. The band toured again to promote the release; ex-

Bangle A bangle is a traditionally rigid bracelet which is usually made of metal, wood, glass or plastic. These ornaments are worn mostly by women in the Indian subcontinent, Southeastern Asia, the Arabian Peninsula, and Africa. It is common to see a ...

Vicki Peterson Victoria Anne Theresa Peterson Cowsill (born January 11, 1958) is an American rock musician and songwriter. She has been the lead guitarist for the Bangles since their founding in 1981. After their first disbandment in 1989, she has returned ...

stood in on several dates for Caffey, who was pregnant. In 1997, Schock sued the other group members, claiming that she had not been adequately paid for her contributions since 1986 and that a songwriting agreement with Caffey had been breached. The suit was resolved by 1999 and the Go-Go's toured regularly from 1999 onward.

''God Bless the Go-Go's'' (2000–2009)

In 2001, the band (still with the "classic" lineup) released an album of new material, '' God Bless the Go-Go's''.

Green Day Green Day is an American Rock music, rock band formed in Rodeo, California, in 1987 by lead vocalist and guitarist Billie Joe Armstrong and bassist and backing vocalist Mike Dirnt, with drummer Tré Cool joining in 1990. In 1994, their majo ...

's lead singer

Billie Joe Armstrong Billie Joe Armstrong (born February 17, 1972) is an American musician and actor. He is best known for being the lead vocalist, guitarist, and primary songwriter of the rock band Green Day, which he co-founded with Mike Dirnt in 1987. He is als ...

co-wrote the only released single, "

Unforgiven ''Unforgiven'' is a 1992 American revisionist Western film produced and directed by Clint Eastwood from a screenplay by David Webb Peoples. It stars Eastwood as William Munny, an aging outlaw and killer who takes on one more job years after ...

", which peaked at No. 22 on Billboard's Adult Top 40 chart. The album was well received by critics and peaked at number 57 in the ''Billboard'' 200 chart. The band also released a

DVD The DVD (common abbreviation for digital video disc or digital versatile disc) is a digital optical disc data storage format. It was invented and developed in 1995 and first released on November 1, 1996, in Japan. The medium can store any ki ...

of their reunion concert in

Central Park Central Park is an urban park between the Upper West Side and Upper East Side neighborhoods of Manhattan in New York City, and the first landscaped park in the United States. It is the List of parks in New York City, sixth-largest park in the ...

. Also in 2001, the Go-Go's, along with artists

Elton John Sir Elton Hercules John (born Reginald Kenneth Dwight; 25 March 1947) is a British singer, songwriter and pianist. His music and showmanship have had a significant, lasting impact on the music industry, and his songwriting partnership with l ...

Billy Joel William Martin Joel (born May 9, 1949) is an American singer, songwriter, and pianist. Nicknamed the "Honorific nicknames in popular music, Piano Man" after his Signature song, signature 1973 song Piano Man (song), of the same name, Joel has ha ...

David Crosby David Van Cortlandt Crosby (August 14, 1941 – January 18, 2023) was an American singer, songwriter, and guitarist. He first found fame as a member of the Byrds, with whom he helped pioneer the genres of folk rock and psychedelic music, psych ...

and

Paul Simon Paul Frederic Simon (born October 13, 1941) is an American singer-songwriter known for his solo work and his collaborations with Art Garfunkel. He and Garfunkel, whom he met in elementary school in 1953, came to prominence in the 1960s as Sim ...

, performed at the concert " An All-Star Tribute to Brian Wilson" at

Radio City Music Hall Radio City Music Hall (also known as Radio City) is an entertainment venue and Theater (structure), theater at 1260 Sixth Avenue (Manhattan), Avenue of the Americas, within Rockefeller Center, in the Midtown Manhattan neighborhood of New York C ...

, hosted by the

TNT Troponin T (shortened TnT or TropT) is a part of the troponin complex, which are proteins integral to the contraction of skeletal and heart muscles. They are expressed in skeletal and cardiac myocytes. Troponin T binds to tropomyosin and helps ...

network. In 2002 the Go-Go's recorded the theme song for the WB comedy series "

Do Over ''Do Over'' is an American fantasy sitcom television series created by Kenny Schwartz and Rick Wiener about a man who gets a chance to relive his childhood. The series, which was originally broadcast on The WB from September 19 to December 5, 20 ...

". Written by Charlotte Caffey, Kathy Valentine, and Jane Wiedlin, the track was recorded in Los Angeles for the show, which premiered on Sept. 19 on the network. In 2004 the band hosted a concert in

Costa Mesa Costa may refer to: Biology * Rib (Latin: ''costa''), in vertebrate anatomy * Costa (botany), the central strand of a plant leaf or thallus * Costa (coral), a stony rib, part of the skeleton of a coral * Costa (entomology), the leading edge o ...

together with

The Motels The Motels are an American new wave band from Berkeley, California, that is best known for the singles " Only the Lonely" and " Suddenly Last Summer", each of which peaked at No. 9 on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100, in 1982 and 1983, respectively. ...

Farewell tour, departure (and return) of Kathy Valentine and Broadway musical (2010–2019)

In February 2010, Carlisle announced that the 2010 tour would be billed as the "Farewell Tour", but this tour was canceled when Wiedlin injured her knee while hiking near her home in Northern California, requiring surgery and up to a year of recovery time. After 2010, the idea of a farewell tour seemed to have been abandoned, with the Go-Go's touring frequently. In 2011, the Go-Go's announced the "Ladies Gone Wild" tour to commemorate the 30th anniversary of the release of ''Beauty and the Beat''. They toured the US in 2012, with

Abby Travis Abby Travis (born November 10, 1969) is an American musician. In the 1990s, she began working as a touring bass player. She has worked with The Go-Go's, The Eagles of Death Metal, Masters of Reality, The Bangles, KMFDM, Beck, and Elastica. A ...

subbing for an injured Valentine during the latter part of the tour. On March 8, 2013, the group's official website said "

irreconcilable differences The concept of irreconcilable differences provides possible grounds for divorce in the United States of America and Australia, among other jurisdictions. Australia Australian family law uses a no-fault divorce approach, and irreconcilable differe ...

" had led to the departure of bassist Valentine. On May 24, Valentine sued her former bandmates for "breach of

fiduciary duty A fiduciary is a person who holds a legal or ethical relationship of trust with one or more other parties (legal person or group of persons). Typically, a fiduciary prudently takes care of money or other assets for another person. One party, fo ...

and abuse of control...in an attempt to deprive erof her position and interest in the group". Officially a quartet (Caffey, Carlisle, Schock, and Wiedlin—Travis continued to play bass, but was not an official group member), the Go-Go's continued on, playing a series of tour dates in 2013 and 2014, including several double bills with

the B-52's The B-52s, originally presented as the B-52's (with an errant apostrophe; used until 2008), are an American band formed in Athens, Georgia, in 1976. The original lineup consisted of Fred Schneider (vocals, percussion), Kate Pierson (vocals, k ...

. In 2014, the band was inducted into the

Hollywood Bowl The Hollywood Bowl is an amphitheatre and Urban park, public park in the Hollywood Hills of Los Angeles, California. It was named one of the 10 best live music venues in the United States by ''Rolling Stone'' magazine in 2018 and was listed on ...

Hall of Fame. That same year, Valentine's lawsuit against her former bandmates was settled out of court. On March 21, 2016, plans for a Go-Go's farewell tour (minus Valentine) were officially announced. A band statement said: "After a 38-year run, we are gearing up for one last blast of a summer tour". Valentine rejoined the band to perform their first show together as a quintet in six years at New York's

Bowery Ballroom The Bowery Ballroom is a New York City live music venue located at 6 Delancey Street in Manhattan's Bowery neighborhood. The venue has enjoyed a fabled reputation among musicians as well as audiences. In 2013, industry insiders polled by ''Roll ...

on January 31, 2018, to announce the Broadway dates of their new musical, ''Head Over Heels''. The new musical—which premiered at New York's

in the summer of 2018—features the band's hits (including "Get Up and Go" and "Lust to Love") as well as Carlisle's solo hits "Mad About You" and "Heaven Is a Place on Earth". The musical had a preview at the

Oregon Shakespeare Festival The Oregon Shakespeare Festival (OSF) is a regional Repertory, repertory theatre in Ashland, Oregon, United States, founded in 1935 by Angus L. Bowmer. The Festival now offers matinee and evening performances of a wide range of classic and conte ...

in 2015. Valentine's return to the band was permanent, and she would be involved in all future Go-Go's activity.

Documentary movie, Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction, reunion tour (2020–2025)

In 2020, a documentary movie about the band premiered at

Sundance A Sun Dance is a Native American ceremony. Sun dance or Sundance may also refer to: Places ;Canada * Sundance, Calgary, Alberta, a neighbourhood * Sundance, Manitoba, a ghost town ;United States * Sundance, New Mexico, a census-designated pl ...

, directed by Allison Ellwood after the band saw her work on the 2013 '' History of the Eagles'' documentary. In the US, the movie was seen on television on

Showtime Showtime or Show Time may refer to: Film * ''Showtime'' (film), a 2002 American action/comedy film * ''Showtime'' (video), a 1995 live concert video by Blur Television Networks and channels * Showtime Networks, a division of Paramount Global w ...

. The documentary features the formation and rise of the band through the 1980s breakup, skipping the lawsuits and reunions through the 1990s-2010s, ending with a 2019 reunion. On July 31, 2020, the Go-Go's released their first new song in 19 years, "Club Zero", which is featured in the documentary. In January 2020, the band announced an 11-date reunion tour scheduled to begin in June 2020, however in May 2020 the tour was postponed due to the

COVID-19 pandemic The COVID-19 pandemic (also known as the coronavirus pandemic and COVID pandemic), caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), began with an disease outbreak, outbreak of COVID-19 in Wuhan, China, in December ...

. On October 30, 2021, the band was inducted by longtime fan

Drew Barrymore Drew Blythe Barrymore (born February 22, 1975) is an American actress, talk show host, and businesswoman. A member of the Barrymore family of actors, she has received multiple List of awards and nominations received by Drew Barrymore, awards a ...

into the

. On December 14, 2021, the band performed a special show, with most of the audience being contest winners, at the

to celebrate their induction.

Clem Burke Clement Anthony Burke (né Bozewski; November 24, 1954 – April 6, 2025) was an American musician best known as the drummer for the band Blondie. He joined the band shortly after its formation in 1975 and remained with Blondie throughout the b ...

filled in on drums for Gina Schock. On December 27, 2021, the band postponed a short West Coast tour scheduled for the first week of January 2022 due to a

COVID-19 Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a contagious disease caused by the coronavirus SARS-CoV-2. In January 2020, the disease spread worldwide, resulting in the COVID-19 pandemic. The symptoms of COVID‑19 can vary but often include fever ...

case involving someone on the tour. After playing six US dates in March 2022 (in Reno and several stops in California), the band announced plans for a 2022 UK tour with

Billy Idol William Michael Albert Broad (born 30 November 1955), known professionally as Billy Idol, is an English singer, songwriter, musician, and actor. Idol achieved fame in the 1970s on the London punk rock scene as the lead singer of Generation X ...

to start in June 2022. However, due to Billy Idol's illness, the tour had to be postponed, and the band could no longer participate in the tour. In 2023, Belinda Carlisle declared that the group had disbanded, noting "we felt there was something to be said about leaving on a high note and it doesn't get much bigger than being inducted into the Hall of Fame. That's kind of the pinnacle. After that, we felt it was time." Their last show was their performance in San Diego on March 31, 2022. The band reunited in

Sacramento Sacramento ( or ; ; ) is the capital city of the U.S. state of California and the seat of Sacramento County. Located at the confluence of the Sacramento and American Rivers in Northern California's Sacramento Valley, Sacramento's 2020 p ...

on February 7, 2024 to be inducted into the

California Hall of Fame The California Hall of Fame is an institution created in 2006 by Maria Shriver to honor important Californians. The award was designed by Californian artists Robert Graham (sculptor), Robert Graham. The hall is located in The California Museum i ...

, and "played a short, rowdy, acoustic set" at the afterparty. On October 21, 2024, the band announced via their official Instagram page that they were reuniting to play the Cruel World Festival, which was held on May 17, 2025, in Pasadena. On April 11, 2025, the band played

Coachella Coachella (officially called the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival and sometimes known as Coachella Festival) is an annual music festival, music and arts festival held at the Empire Polo Club in Indio, California, in the Coachella Valle ...

supported by

Members

Current lineup

– lead vocals, percussion (1978–1985, 1990, 1994, 1999–2022, 2025) *

– rhythm guitar, backing vocals (1978–1985, 1990, 1994, 1999–2022, 2025), lead guitar (1978) *

– lead guitar, keyboards, backing vocals (1978–1985, 1990, 1994, 1999–2022, 2025) *

– drums (1979–1985, 1990, 1994, 1999–2022, 2025), backing vocals (1982–1985, 1990, 1994, 1999–2022, 2025) *

– bass, backing vocals (1980–1985, 1990, 1994, 1999–2012, 2018–2022, 2025), rhythm guitar (1985)

Former members

* Margot Olavarria – bass (1978–1980) * Elissa Bello – drums (1978–1979) * Paula Jean Brown – bass (1985)

Former touring members and substitutes

– lead guitar, backing vocals (substitute in 1994) *

– bass, backing vocals (2013–2018; substitute in 2012) *

– drums (substitute in 2021; died 2025)

Timeline

Discography

Studio albums * '' Beauty and the Beat'' (1981) * ''

'' (1982) * ''

'' (1984) * '' God Bless the Go-Go's'' (2001)

Books

* ''The Go-Go's: A YinPop Guide'' by S. White (2016). Fly-By-Night Books. .

References

External links

* *
Belinda Carlisle – official website

Jane Wiedlin.com – Pay No Mind To What They Say..., official website

Kathy Valentine's official website

Interview with Gina Schock, 2011 Rocker Magazine
{{DEFAULTSORT:Go-Gos, The Musical groups established in 1978 Musical groups from Los Angeles American new wave musical groups American pop rock music groups American power pop groups Musical quintets from California I.R.S. Records artists Stiff Records artists A&M Records artists Rock music groups from California 1978 establishments in California American all-female bands Female-fronted musical groups All-female pop bands All-female punk bands