Editing Cosmic Thing

{{Infobox album
| name         = Cosmic Thing
| type         = studio
| artist       = [[the B-52's]]
| cover        = The_B-52%27s_-_Cosmic_Thing.jpg
| alt          = 
| released     = June 27, 1989
| recorded     = 1988–1989
| studio       = *Skyline (New York City)
*[[Electric Lady Studios|Electric Lady]] (New York City)
*Dreamland Recording ([[West Hurley, New York|West Hurley, NY]])
*[[Bearsville Studios|Bearsville]] ([[Bearsville, New York|Bearsville, NY]])
| genre        = [[Pop rock]]
| length       = 47:03
| label        = [[Reprise Records|Reprise]]
| producer     = {{hlist|[[Nile Rodgers]] (tracks 1–3, 6, 9–10)|[[Don Was]] (tracks 4–5, 7–8)}}
| prev_title   = [[Bouncing Off the Satellites]]
| prev_year    = 1986
| next_title   = [[Good Stuff]]
| next_year    = 1992
| misc         = {{Singles
 | name        = Cosmic Thing
 | type        = studio
 | single1     = [[Channel Z (song)|Channel Z]]
 | single1date = 1989
 | single2     = [[Love Shack]]
 | single2date = June 20, 1989
 | single3     = [[Roam]]
 | single3date = 1989
 | single4     = [[(Shake That) Cosmic Thing|Cosmic Thing]]
 | single4date = 1989 (Spain, Philippines, and Mexico)
 | single5     = [[Deadbeat Club]]
 | single5date = 1990
}}
}}

'''''Cosmic Thing''''' is the fifth [[studio album]] by American [[New wave music|new wave]] band [[the B-52's]], released in 1989 by [[Reprise Records]]. It contains the hit singles "[[Love Shack]]", "[[Roam]]" and "[[Deadbeat Club]]". The music video for "Love Shack" won the award for [[MTV Video Music Award for Best Group Video|Best Group Video]] at the [[1990 MTV Video Music Awards]]. Six of the album's songs were produced by [[Nile Rodgers]] in New York City, and the remaining four by [[Don Was]] in upstate New York.

''Cosmic Thing'' was the ninth best-selling album of 1990 in the US, peaking at No. 4 on the [[Billboard 200|''Billboard'' 200]], and was an international success as well, charting in the Top 10 in the UK, and reaching No. 1 in Australia and New Zealand. The album eventually achieved 4× Platinum status in the US and Platinum status in the UK. Its success served as a comeback for the band, following the death of guitarist, songwriter and founding member [[Ricky Wilson (guitarist)|Ricky Wilson]] in 1985. The band also embarked on the worldwide Cosmic Tour to promote the album.

==Background==
{{quote box|quote=I wanted to keep some connection with what Ricky had done... He was a very key ingredient in our sound, and I just didn't want that to disappear. I knew that once we started playing live, there'd be older material to play, and if we got somebody else, I'd have to be there giving them a lot of hints, like the tunings and everything. So I figured I'd just do it myself. I knew enough that I thought I could do it. Well, I was hoping I could do it. |source=—Keith Strickland; ''Rolling Stone'' magazine, 1990<ref name="Azerrad"/>|width=20rem|align=left|style=padding:8px;}}

Following guitarist [[Ricky Wilson (guitarist)|Ricky Wilson]]'s death and the band's short promotional campaign for their 1986 album ''[[Bouncing Off the Satellites]]'', the band was uncertain about their future together.<ref name="Harris">{{cite web |url=https://www.avclub.com/kate-pierson-of-the-b-52s-1798228355 |last=Harris |first=Will |title=Kate Pierson of The B-52s |website=[[The A.V. Club]] |date=November 1, 2011 |access-date=January 25, 2023}}</ref> The album had been the band's most expensive to produce, and their foregoing of a tour to promote it resulted in the band seeing little revenue, which led to them experiencing great financial difficulties.<ref name="Azerrad">{{cite magazine |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/the-b-52s-mission-accomplished-231021/ |last=Azerrad |first=Michael |author-link=Michael Azerrad |title=The B-52's: Mission Accomplished |magazine=[[Rolling Stone]] |date=March 22, 1990 |access-date=January 30, 2023}}</ref>

In 1988, prompted by drummer/guitarist [[Keith Strickland]], the band began to convene and write new songs.<ref name="Hart">{{Cite magazine |url=https://www.billboard.com/articles/columns/rock/8518005/the-b-52s-cosmic-thing-album |last=Hart |first=Ron |title=The B-52's 'Cosmic Thing' at 30: How the Band Overcame Loss and Found Catharsis at the 'Love Shack' |magazine=[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]] |date=June 28, 2019 |access-date=July 5, 2019}}</ref> Singer [[Kate Pierson]] described this as a healing process for herself and the band after Wilson's death three years prior.<ref name="Harris"/> Much of the album was written in [[Woodstock, New York|Woodstock]] and surrounding areas in upstate [[New York (state)|New York]], a place to which Strickland and Pierson had both relocated during the group's hiatus, and all four members felt a proximity to nature in these places that was not found in their previous home of [[New York City]].<ref name="Hart"/> The band spent approximately a year writing the songs.<ref name="OralHistory">{{cite magazine |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/feature/love-shacks-rock-lobsters-and-nude-parties-the-b-52s-in-their-own-words-627925/ |last=Grow |first=Kory |title=Love Shacks, Rock Lobsters and Nude Parties: The B-52's in Their Own Words |date=June 1, 2018 |magazine=[[Rolling Stone]] |access-date=January 27, 2023}}</ref> Strickland stated, "We spent a lot of time just talking, and we needed that. We were our own support group after Ricky's passing, which was a very traumatic thing for all of us and, in particular, for [[Cindy Wilson|Cindy [Wilson]]]."<ref name="OralHistory"/>

The band rented a rehearsal space in the [[Wall Street]] area of Manhattan, in which they worked four days a week.<ref name="OralHistory"/> At this time, the band also left their longtime manager, [[Gary Kurfirst]], and left longtime label [[Warner Bros. Records|Warner Bros.]] for [[Reprise Records|Reprise]].<ref name="Azerrad"/>

==Composition==
In the wake of Wilson's death, Strickland took over both guitar duties and the bulk of the music composition responsibilities.<ref name="Harris"/> For the new songs, Strickland recorded instrumental demos and singers Pierson, Cindy Wilson and [[Fred Schneider]] would then improvise melodies and lyrics over the recordings, with all four band members devising the final song arrangements together.<ref name="Hart"/> The first piece of music Strickland composed for the album would eventually become "[[Deadbeat Club]]", whose autobiographical lyrics about the band's early life in [[Athens, Georgia]] would serve as a blueprint for the album.<ref name="Azerrad"/> "Junebug" was the first song to be fully completed during the band's compositional jam sessions, which gave them confidence to persevere.<ref name="Masley">{{cite web |url=https://www.azcentral.com/story/entertainment/music/2019/08/08/b-52-s-cindy-wilson-reflects-40th-anniversary-their-debut/1939843001/ |last=Masley |first=Ed |title=B-52's Cindy Wilson reflects on the 40th anniversary of the day they 'turned things upside down' |website=Arizona Central|date=August 8, 2019 |access-date=January 31, 2023}}</ref><ref name="Van Hattem">{{cite web |url=https://www.grammy.com/news/b-52s-kate-pierson-and-keith-strickland-lasting-legacy-cosmic-thing |last=Van Hattem |first=Pieter |title=The B-52s' Kate Pierson and Keith Strickland On The Lasting Legacy Of 'Cosmic Thing' |website=[[Grammy Awards]] |date=June 28, 2019 |access-date=January 31, 2023}}</ref> Pierson described these songs as being "cinematic" and "nostalgic", and felt that the album in general had developed a "rural, kind of southern, dusty feeling to it".<ref name="Plummer"/> Wilson added, "It was all about nostalgia. It was looking back at the good times we used to have in Athens, so it was a wonderful, healing record."<ref name="OralHistory"/>

{{quote box|quote=Our 'agenda' wasn't at first necessarily related to 'queerness,' but more universal—putting lyrics in that referenced political ideas. But later, after Ricky’s death, we became much more activist, becoming involved with PETA, environmental causes, LGBTQA rights, and especially AIDS activism. During this time, many other friends were dying of AIDS; it was terrifying and sad, and we joined in to do what we could and speak out. |source=—Kate Pierson; grammy.com, 2019<ref name="Van Hattem"/>|width=20rem|align=right|style=padding:8px;}}

Pierson stated that some songs on ''Cosmic Thing'' were more "pointed" about their concerns—such as [[environmentalism]]—than on previous albums, adding, "we definitely still have a light tone, but I think we've all evolved and grown and matured".<ref name="Plummer">{{cite AV media |people=The B-52's with Jeff Plummer |date=July 11, 2012 |title=B-52's interview 1989 |type=Interview |language=English |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9ikrvXax_u0 |access-date=January 25, 2023 |format=[[YouTube]] video |publisher=Marty Getz}}</ref> Discussing "[[Channel Z (song)|Channel Z]]", Schneider later recalled, "We were really pretty political as a band. Rather than clothes and wigs and stuff, I'd rather talk about politics, and I know the others do too, because it's more important, what's going on in the world."<ref name="EW">{{cite magazine |url=https://ew.com/music/b-52s-stories-behind-hit-songs/?slide=5945735#5945735 |last=Greenblatt |first=Leah |title=The B-52s: The stories behind the hit songs |magazine=[[Entertainment Weekly]] |date=June 12, 2018 |access-date=January 29, 2023}}</ref>

==Recording and production==
Recording of the album was focused in two locations: Skyline Studios in New York City, and [[Dreamland Recording Studios]] in [[West Hurley, New York]].<ref name="Liners">{{cite AV media notes |title=Cosmic Thing |author=The B-52's |author-link=The B-52s |date=1989 |type=CD liner notes |publisher=[[Reprise Records]] |id=9 25854-2 |location=Burbank, California}}</ref> The initial sessions in New York City were produced by [[Nile Rodgers]], while the West Hurley sessions were helmed by [[Don Was]].<ref name="Hart"/> The band had previously worked with Rodgers when he recorded their song "[[(Shake That) Cosmic Thing]]" for the soundtrack to the 1988 film ''[[Earth Girls Are Easy]]''.<ref name="Azerrad"/>

The album's biggest hit, "[[Love Shack]]", was the last song recorded for the album and was developed from a 15-minute unfinished piece the band had created.<ref name="Hart"/> Strickland had initially felt the song was not ready to be released, but Pierson and Schneider felt it would be successful.<ref name="OralHistory"/> After the band finished their sessions with Was a day ahead of schedule, he asked if they had any more material and the song was brought in to refine and embellish upon.<ref name="Hart"/>

Music journalist [[Michael Azerrad]] noted that Strickland devised the album's final track sequence as if it were a film, moving from rural themes to more abstract concepts, culminating with an instrumental coda akin to a [[closing credits]] sequence.<ref name="Azerrad"/> Strickland later elaborated: "We sequenced it in a way that we felt told a story. I don't know if anybody's ever noticed it, but one song leads into the other in a nice way. It tells a story from beginning to end."<ref name="OralHistory"/>

==Promotion and commercial performance==
"Channel Z" was selected as the album's first single and was released in March 1989. While the single was not commercially successful in the mainstream at first, it generated substantial amounts of airplay on American college radio, helping re-establish the group's youth popularity. The single eventually peaked at number one on the [[Alternative Airplay|''Billboard'' Modern Rock Tracks]] chart,<ref name="Billboard">{{Cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/artist/the-b-52s-2/ |title=The B-52s - Chart History |magazine=[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]]}}</ref> and reached number 61 on the UK singles chart.

Following the release of promotional single "Cosmic Thing", June 1989 saw the release of the band's largest global hit, "Love Shack". Pierson recalled that radio programmers initially "weren't really enthusiastic" about the song and that Schneider was instrumental in promoting it to indie radio stations, which eventually led to its embrace by college radio.<ref name="OralHistory"/> The track helped propel the success of the album globally, while reaching number 3 on the US [[Billboard Hot 100|''Billboard'' Hot 100]],<ref name="Billboard"/> and number one on ''[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]]'''s Modern Rock Tracks chart.<ref name="Billboard"/> The song also reached number 2 in the UK, and spent 8 weeks at number one in Australia in 1990. Following this, the album reached the top 10 in the US<ref name="Billboard"/> and UK album charts, and number one in Australia and New Zealand. The song's music video won the award for [[MTV Video Music Award for Best Group Video|Best Group Video]] at the [[1990 MTV Video Music Awards]].<ref name="UPI">{{cite web |url=https://www.upi.com/Archives/1990/09/07/Sinead-OConnor-dominates-MTV-video-music-awards/7379652680000/ |last=Kuklenski |first=Valerie |title=Sinead O'Connor dominates MTV video music awards |website=[[United Press International]] |date=September 7, 1990 |access-date=January 30, 2023}}</ref>

Aided by the further success of singles such as the transatlantic top 20 hit "[[Roam]]" and the US top 30 hit "Deadbeat Club",<ref name="Billboard"/> the album continued to sell strongly, particularly in the US, where it spent 22 weeks inside the [[Billboard 200|''Billboard'' 200]] top 10 in 1990,<ref name="Billboard"/> becoming the country's 9th best-selling album of the year.

By 2000, ''Cosmic Thing'' had achieved platinum status in the UK,<ref name="auto1">{{Cite web|url=https://www.bpi.co.uk/brit-certified/|title=BRIT Certified|website=Bpi.co.uk}}</ref> and 4× platinum status in the US,<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.riaa.com/gold-platinum/ |title=Gold & Platinum |website=RIAA |language=en-US |access-date=July 5, 2019}}</ref><ref name="Rhino">{{cite web |url=https://www.rhino.com/aod/cosmic-thing-the-b-52s-0 |title=Album of the Day: Cosmic Thing - The B-52's |website=[[Rhino Entertainment]] |date=27 June 2022 |access-date=January 27, 2023}}</ref> denoting sales of over four million copies there. As of 2019, the album had sold over five million copies worldwide.

==Critical reception==
{{Music ratings
| rev1 = [[AllMusic]]
| rev1score = {{Rating|4|5}}<ref name="Erlewine">{{cite web |url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/cosmic-thing-mw0000199654 |title=Cosmic Thing – The B-52s |publisher=[[AllMusic]] |access-date=August 23, 2016 |last=Erlewine |first=Stephen Thomas |author-link=Stephen Thomas Erlewine}}</ref>
| rev2 = ''[[Chicago Tribune]]''
| rev2score = {{Rating|3|4}}<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-xpm-1989-08-03-8901010908-story.html |title=The B-52's: Cosmic Thing (Reprise) |newspaper=[[Chicago Tribune]] |date=August 3, 1989 |access-date=August 23, 2016 |last=Heim |first=Chris}}</ref>
| rev3 = ''[[Los Angeles Times]]''
| rev3score = {{Rating|3|5}}<ref name="McKenna">{{cite news |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1989-08-13-ca-744-story.html |title=The B-52's 'Cosmic Thing.' Warner Bros. |newspaper=[[Los Angeles Times]] |date=August 13, 1989 |access-date=July 22, 2022 |last=McKenna |first=Kristine |author-link=Kristine McKenna}}</ref>
| rev4 = ''[[NME]]''
| rev4score = 7/10<ref>{{cite magazine |title=The B-52's: Cosmic Thing |magazine=[[NME]] |date=July 22, 1989 |last=Fadele |first=Dele |author-link=Dele Fadele |page=31}}</ref>
| rev5 = ''[[PopMatters]]''
| rev5score = 9/10<ref name="Wilhelm">{{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=July 22, 2022 |last=Wilhelm |first=Rich}}</ref>
| rev6 = ''[[Rolling Stone]]''
| rev6score = {{Rating|3|5}}<ref name="Farber">{{cite magazine |url=http://www.rollingstone.com/artists/theb52s/albums/album/175618/review/5943505/cosmic_thing |title=The B-52's: Cosmic Thing |magazine=[[Rolling Stone]] |date=July 13–27, 1989 |access-date=August 23, 2016 |last=Farber |first=Jim |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071114062945/http://www.rollingstone.com/artists/theb52s/albums/album/175618/review/5943505/cosmic_thing |archive-date=November 14, 2007 |url-status=dead}}</ref>
| rev7 = ''[[The Rolling Stone Album Guide]]''
| rev7score = {{Rating|3|5}}<ref name="Considine">{{cite book |chapter=The B-52's |chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=t9eocwUfoSoC&pg=PA67 |access-date=November 2, 2011 |last=Considine |first=J. D. |author-link=J. D. Considine |title=The New Rolling Stone Album Guide |title-link=The Rolling Stone Album Guide |editor1-last=Brackett |editor1-first=Nathan |editor1-link=Nathan Brackett |editor2-last=Hoard |editor2-first=Christian |editor2-link=Christian Hoard |publisher=[[Simon & Schuster]] |edition=4th |year=2004 |isbn=0-7432-0169-8 |pages=[https://archive.org/details/newrollingstonea00brac/page/67 67–68]}}</ref>
| rev8 = ''[[Spin Alternative Record Guide]]''
| rev8score = 8/10<ref>{{cite book |chapter=B-52's |last=Huston |first=Johnny |title=Spin Alternative Record Guide |title-link=Spin Alternative Record Guide |editor1-last=Weisbard |editor1-first=Eric |editor1-link=Eric Weisbard |editor2-last=Marks |editor2-first=Craig |publisher=[[Vintage Books]] |year=1995 |isbn=0-679-75574-8 |pages=38–39}}</ref>
| rev9 = ''[[The Village Voice]]''
| rev9score = B<ref name="Christgau">{{cite news |url=https://robertchristgau.com/xg/cg/cgv989-89.php |title=Consumer Guide |newspaper=[[The Village Voice]] |date=October 3, 1989 |access-date=August 23, 2016 |last=Christgau |first=Robert |author-link=Robert Christgau}}</ref>
}}

[[Robert Christgau]] of ''[[The Village Voice]]'' opined that the album was "an almost touchingly brave attempt to dance away from the edge of ecocatastrophe" and found the band "trying to be seriously silly", but concluded that, "between Ricky Wilson's guitar and the permanent defeat his loss doesn't merely signify, they can't quite bring it off."<ref name="Christgau"/> Jim Farber of ''[[Rolling Stone]]'' thought the album found the B-52's "on summer vacation, hanging out in the heat, fashioning insouciant odes to sloth", and that the band still mixed seriousness with "an impassioned commitment to goofiness." He continued that the best songs "proudly declare silliness as a central part of identity" and that their most exciting material had always been "ballads with a backbeat", citing "Roam" and "Dry County" as examples.<ref name="Farber"/> [[Kristine McKenna]] of ''[[Los Angeles Times]]'' felt the album sounded "remarkably fresh", despite adhering to a classic formula, and observed that "the slower pace of life associated with the South colors the entire album", noting that Wilson and Pierson "give soul to this irresistible LP, which may shape up to be the record you hear at every party this summer."<ref name="McKenna"/>

In retrospective reviews, [[Stephen Thomas Erlewine]] of [[AllMusic]] found the album to be "a first-class return to form" that "updated their sound with shiny new surfaces and deep, funky grooves", containing "their best set of songs since at least ''[[Wild Planet]]'', possibly since their debut."<ref name="Erlewine"/> [[J. D. Considine|J.D. Considine]] in ''[[The New Rolling Stone Album Guide]]'' observed that the songs "reprise the band's early sound without any edge or ambiguity", and saw the band "tumble into self-caricature."<ref name="Considine"/> Rich Wilhelm of ''[[PopMatters]]'' noted that while ''Cosmic Thing'' "fully brought the band's sound to the mainstream", it also "proved to have depth" and was "a fun, beautiful, and life-affirming record that was also a big hit."<ref name="Wilhelm"/>

==Tour==
In addition to the album's successful singles, the band embarked upon the extensive "Cosmic Tour" to promote the album worldwide, their first tour since Ricky Wilson's death. Drummer Strickland switched to guitar for the tour with [[Zack Alford]] serving as the touring drummer. [[Sara Lee (musician)|Sara Lee]] played bass guitar and [[Pat Irwin]] was keyboardist and extra guitarist.<ref name="Azerrad"/> This was also the first tour in which the group hired a [[backing band]], meaning the group's members, especially Pierson, had more opportunity to move around on stage<ref name="Azerrad"/> and gave their songs more accuracy to the [[studio version]]s in concert. Due to the band's growth in popularity at this time, the tour venues grew from theaters to large arenas and stadiums.<ref name="LLC1990">{{cite magazine |last=Schoemer |first=Karen |title=Beehives & Ballyhoo |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=CuD_QHQ-2KEC&pg=PA43 |magazine=[[Spin (magazine)|Spin]] |date=March 1990 |publisher=Spin Media LLC |volume=5 |issue=12 |pages=40–44, 86–87 |issn=0886-3032}}</ref>

The band's first comeback performance was at a benefit for [[PETA]] and they arranged for various organizations, including PETA, [[Greenpeace]] and [[Amnesty International]], to advertise at each concert's venue.<ref name="Azerrad"/>

==Track listing==
{{Track listing
| all_writing     = [[the B-52's]], except "Roam", lyrics by Robert Waldrop
| extra_column    = Vocals
| headline        = Side one
| title1          = [[(Shake That) Cosmic Thing|Cosmic Thing]]
| extra1          = {{hlist|Schneider|Pierson|Wilson}}
| length1         = 3:50
| title2          = Dry County
| extra2          = {{hlist|Schneider|Strickland|Pierson|Wilson}}
| length2         = 4:54
| title3          = [[Deadbeat Club]]
| extra3          = {{hlist|Wilson|Pierson|Schneider|Strickland}}
| length3         = 4:45
| title4          = [[Love Shack]]
| extra4          = {{hlist|Schneider|Pierson|Wilson}}
| length4         = 5:21
| title5          = Junebug
| extra5          = {{hlist|Schneider|Pierson|Wilson}}
| length5         = 5:04
}}
{{Track listing
| extra_column    = Vocals
| headline        = Side two
| title1          = [[Roam]]
| extra1          = {{hlist|Pierson|Wilson}}
| length1         = 4:54
| title2          = Bushfire
| extra2          = {{hlist|Wilson|Pierson|Schneider}}
| length2         = 4:58
| title3          = [[Channel Z (song)|Channel Z]]
| extra3          = {{hlist|Pierson|Wilson|Schneider}}
| length3         = 4:49
| title4          = Topaz
| extra4          = {{hlist|Pierson|Wilson|Schneider|Strickland}}
| length4         = 4:20
| title5          = Follow Your Bliss
| extra5          = {{hlist|Pierson|[[Sara Lee (musician)|Sara Lee]]}}
| length5         = 4:08
| total_length = 47:03
}}
{{Track listing
| headline        = 30th Anniversary Expanded Edition, disc 1: Assorted B-Sides & Remixes, Remastered
| extra_column    = Origin
| title11         = B-52's Megamix
| extra11         = "Deadbeat Club" 12-inch single
| length11        = 6:36
| title12         = Love Shack
| note12          = Edit
| extra12         = "Love Shack" 7-inch single
| length12        = 4:23
| title13         = Channel Z
| note13          = Rock Mix
| extra13         = "Channel Z" 12-inch single
| length13        = 6:22
| title14         = Roam
| note14          = Extended Remix
| extra14         = "Roam" 12-inch single
| length14        = 5:28
| title15         = Roam
| note15          = 12-inch Remix
| extra15         = "Roam" 12-inch single
| length15        = 8:17
}}
{{Track listing
| headline        = 30th Anniversary Expanded Edition, disc 2: Cosmic Tour, Live, 1990
| title1          = Cosmic Thing
| note1           = Live
| length1         = 4:05
| title2          = Bushfire
| note2           = Live
| length2         = 5:12
| title3          = Quiche Lorraine
| note3           = Live
| length3         = 4:09
| title4          = [[Dance This Mess Around]]
| note4           = Live
| length4         = 5:37
| title5          = Dry County
| note5           = Live
| length5         = 4:54
| title6          = [[Private Idaho]]
| note6           = Live
| length6         = 3:42
| title7          = [[Give Me Back My Man]]
| note7           = Live
| length7         = 4:17
| title8          = Deadbeat Club
| note8           = Live
| length8         = 5:15
| title9          = [[Mesopotamia (EP)|Mesopotamia]]
| note9           = Live
| length9         = 5:35
| title10         = Strobe Light
| note10          = Live
| length10        = 4:00
| title11         = Roam
| note11          = Live
| length11        = 6:17
| title12         = 52 Girls
| note12          = Live
| length12        = 3:33
| title13         = Love Shack
| note13          = Live
| length13        = 7:34
| title14         = [[Rock Lobster]]
| note14          = Live
| length14        = 4:59
| title15         = [[Whammy Kiss]]
| note15          = Live
| length15        = 4:06
| title16         = Channel Z
| note16          = Live
| length16        = 6:24
}}

===Notes===
* With the exception of track 15, all tracks on disc 2 of the "30th Anniversary Expanded Edition" were recorded live on August 4, 1990 at the [[Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion]] in [[The Woodlands, Texas|the Woodlands]], [[Texas]], near [[Houston]]. Track 15 was recorded live on August 3, 1990 at the [[Dos Equis Pavilion|Starplex Amphitheatre]] in [[Dallas]].<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.zackalford.com/tours/dates/b52_itinerary.html |title=The B 52 Tours |website=Zackalford.com |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190705130716/http://www.zackalford.com/tours/dates/b52_itinerary.html |archive-date=July 5, 2019 |access-date=January 24, 2023}}</ref>

==Personnel==
Credits adapted from CD liner notes.<ref name="Liners"/>

'''The B-52's'''
* [[Kate Pierson]] – vocals (1–9), keyboards (4–5, 8), backing vocals (10)
* [[Fred Schneider]] – vocals (1–2, 4–5, 7–9), percussion (5, 7), backing vocals (3)
* [[Keith Strickland]] – guitars, keyboards (2, 5, 7–10), backing vocals (2–3, 9)
* [[Cindy Wilson]] – vocals (1–9)

'''Additional musicians'''
* [[Tommy Mandel]] – keyboards (1)
* [[Steve Ferrone]] – drums (1)
* [[Sara Lee (musician)|Sara Lee]] – bass guitar (2–7, 9–10), keyboards (10), backing vocals (10)
* [[Philippe Saisse]] – keyboards (2–3)
* [[Sonny Emory]] – drums (2–3)
* [[Charley Drayton|Charlie Drayton]] – drums (4–5, 7–8)
* The Uptown Horns (4):
** Chris Cioe
** Paul Litteral
** Arno Hecht
** Bob Funk 
** Carl Beatty
* LeRoy Clouden – drums (6, 9–10)
* Richard Hilton – keyboard (6, 10), [[programming (music)|programming]] (1–3, 6, 9–10)
* [[Nile Rodgers]] – guitar (9)

{{div col|colwidth=25em}}
'''Technical'''
* [[Nile Rodgers]] – producer (1–3, 6, 9–10), mixing (1–3, 6, 9–10)
* [[Don Was]] – producer (4–5, 7–8)
* Tom Durack – engineer (1–3, 6, 9–10), mixing
* Ed Brooks – second engineer (1–3, 6, 9–10)
* Keith Freedman – second engineer (1–3, 6, 9–10)
* Paul Angelli – second engineer (1–3, 6, 9–10)
* [[Pat Dillett|Patrick Dillett]] – second engineer (1–3, 6, 9–10)
* Budd Tunick – production manager (1–3, 6, 9–10)
* Dave Cook – engineer (4–5, 7–8)
* Martin Kunitz – assistant engineer (4–5, 7–8)
* [[Bob Ludwig]] – mastering
* [[The B-52's]] – cover concept
* [[Manhattan Design]] – cover concept, design
* Virginia Liberatore – photography 
* Christoph Lanzenberg – cinematographer 
* Tokyo – hair
* Kachin – styling 
* Chris Isles – dresses
* Alpana Bawa – dresses
* Arthur Koby – earrings 
{{div col end}}

==Charts==
{{col-begin}}
{{col-2}}

===Album charts===
{| class="wikitable sortable"
!Chart (1989-1990)
!Peak<br />position
|-
|Australian [[Australian Recording Industry Association|ARIA]] Albums Chart<ref>{{cite web|url=http://australian-charts.com/showitem.asp?interpret=The+B%2D52%27s&titel=Cosmic+Thing&cat=a| title=THE B-52'S - COSMIC THING (ALBUM)|website=Australian-charts.com| access-date=2016-02-19}}</ref>
| align="center" |1
|-
|Belgian Albums<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://hitparade.ch/album/The-B-52's/Cosmic-Thing-32226|title=The B-52's - Cosmic Thing|website=Swisscharts.com}}</ref>
| align="center" |152
|-
|-
|Canadian Albums<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://3345.ca/rpm-magazine/|title=The B-52's - Cosmic Thing|website=3345.ca}}</ref>
| align="center" |8
|-
|Dutch Album Chart<ref name="auto">{{Cite web|url=https://swedishcharts.com/showitem.asp?interpret=The+B-52%27s&titel=Cosmic+Thing&cat=a|title=The B-52's - Cosmic Thing|website=Swedishcharts.com}}</ref>
| align="center" |70
|-
|New Zealand Albums<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://charts.nz/weekchart.asp?cat=a|title=charts.org.nz - New Zealand charts portal|website=Charts.nz}}</ref>
| align="center" |1
|-
|Swedish Albums<ref name="auto"/>
| align="center" |38
|-
|[[UK Albums Chart]]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.officialcharts.com/search/albums/cosmic%20thing/| title=cosmic+thing - full Official Chart History - Official Charts Company| website=[[Official Charts Company|Official Charts]]| access-date=2016-02-19}}</ref>
| align="center" |8
|-
|US [[Billboard 200|''Billboard'' 200]]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.billboard.com/artist/1493301/the-b-52s/chart?f=305| title=The B-52s - Chart history - Billboard| publisher=Billboard| access-date=2016-02-19}}</ref>
|align="center"|4
|-
|West German Albums<ref name="auto"/>
| align="center" |25
|}

{| class="wikitable"
!Chart (2019)
!Peak<br />position
|-
|[[Hungarian Albums Chart]]<ref>{{cite web|url=https://slagerlistak.hu/album-top-40-slagerlista/2019/27|title=2019/27 heti Album Top 40 slágerlista|publisher=[[MAHASZ]]|language=hu|access-date=2021-11-29}}</ref>
|align="center"|32
|}

{{col-2}}

===Album charts===
{| class="wikitable"
!Year-end chart (1990)
!Peak<br>position
|-
|Australian ARIA Albums Chart<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://australian-charts.com/showitem.asp?interpret=John+Farnham&titel=Chain+Reaction&cat=a|title=australian-charts.com - John Farnham - Chain Reaction|website=Australian-charts.com}}</ref>
| align="center" |25
|-
|US [[Billboard 200|''Billboard'' 200]]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.billboard.com/charts/year-end/1990/the-billboard-200 |title=The B-52s - Chart history - Billboard |publisher=Billboard |access-date=2016-03-24 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130401110118/http://www.billboard.com/charts/year-end/1990/the-billboard-200 |archive-date=April 1, 2013 }}</ref>
|align="center"|9
|}
{{col-end}}

==Certifications and sales==
{| class="wikitable"
|+
!Region
!Certification
!Certified Units/Sales
|-
|Australia
|2× Platinum<ref>{{Cite book|title=Australia's Music Charts 1988-2010.|last=Gavin|first=Ryan|publisher=Moonlight Publishing.|year=2011}}</ref>
|140,000*
|-
|Canada
|Platinum<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://musiccanada.com/gold-platinum/|title=Gold/Platinum|website=Music Canada|language=en-US|access-date=2019-07-05|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140726065233/http://musiccanada.com/gold-platinum/|archive-date=2014-07-26|url-status=dead}}</ref>
|80,000*
|-
|New Zealand
|Platinum<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://nztop40.co.nz/|title=The Official New Zealand Music Chart|website=Nztop.co.nz|language=en|access-date=2019-07-05}}</ref>
|15,000*
|-
|United Kingdom
|Platinum<ref name="auto1"/>
|300,000*
|-
|United States
|4× Platinum<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.riaa.com/gold-platinum/|title=Gold & Platinum|website=RIAA|language=en-US|access-date=2019-07-05}}</ref>
|4,000,000*
|}

==References==
{{reflist}}

{{The B-52's}}

{{Authority control}}

[[Category:The B-52's albums]]
[[Category:1989 albums]]
[[Category:Albums produced by Nile Rodgers]]
[[Category:Albums produced by Don Was]]
[[Category:Reprise Records albums]]