  The Beastie Boys are a rap trio
from New York formed in 1981. Beastie stands
for "Boys Entering Anarchistic States
Towards Internal Excellence." The trio
consists of: King Ad-Rock (Adam Horovitz),
MCA (Adam Yauch), and Mike D (Michael
Diamond).
The Beastie Boys were formed
when Mike D and MCA (Diamond and Yauch)
wanted to form their own band. They began
hitting local clubs with Kate Schellenback
(who later became a member of Lucious
Jackson) and John Berry and playing
similar music to their sound of today:
hardcore punk rock. Their brand of loud rock
with a dose a fun resulted in their first
release, a 7" EP called "Poly Wog
Stew." The four members then disbanded.
When the boys reformed, Adam
Horovitz joined in as the guitarist. The
group recorded "Cookie Puss" which
began their introduction into the rap sound.
Although the record was considered a joke
hip-hop record, the rap community began to
notice the group. The B-side to the single,
"Beastie Revolution," was used by
British Airways in a promo commercial without
authorization, and gave the Beastie Boys a
welcome $40,000 settlement. In order to
strengthen their emerging rap influence, the
boys hired DJ Rick Rubin.
 The Beastie Boys were signed to
Def Jam Records as one of their first
artists. The band were sent to play black rap
clubs and eventually were asked to open for Madonna on her "Like A
Virgin" tour.
The Boys toured in a more
relevant setting with Run-D.M.C. and L.L.
Cool J on the Raising Hell tour.
 The Beastie Boys released their
debut LP, Licensed
To Ill . The critics loved
the LP and commercial success was equally
impressive. The LP became the first rap LP to
hit number one on the pop charts and sold
over 8 million copies in the U.S. The world
was introduced to the Boys with their Top 10
single and video, "(You Gotta) Fight For
Your Right (To Party!)" and the tracks
"She's On It" and "No Sleep
Till Brooklyn." The Boys then headlined
their own tour in the U.S. and went on tour
in Europe with Run-D.M.C. where their
on-stage antics resulted in much controversy
in England. Although the band and their LP
received a positive response from radio
listeners and record buyers, not many people
felt The Beastie Boys would be around for
very long. Yet, the creative levels of the
band have shown to be consistent and
innovative with each LP release. The style of
The Beastie Boys can be described as a mesh
of hip-hop and punk, combined with electronic
rock and mixing innovation. The result has
been success on numerous musical platforms
including the alternative, rock and hip-hop
scenes.
 # 78
Singles Artist of the Year
 # 164
Singles Artist of the Year
 The Beastie Boys released Paul's
Boutique after a time-consuming dispute
with Def Jam Records. Although their second
LP, released by Capitol Records, didn't
maintain the commercial success of the band's
music, the LP was noted for its innovative
style and is often referenced for starting
many of the trends of the early 1990s. Tracks
such as "Hey Ladies" displayed the
Beastie Boys' ability to have fun with their
music while breaking new ground. All songs on
the LP were written by the boys. Many critics
felt that the LP was so tight, and so
brilliant with its rap and sampling, that it
may have turned off its commercial audience.
The Beastie Boys hit the Top 40
with "Hey Ladies."
 # 188
Singles Artist of the Year
 The band released their third
LP, Check
Your Head. The LP was intentionally more
raw with more instrumental use and less
sampling. The LP re-established The Beastie
Boys as a musical force in the alternative
scene with tracks such as "So What'cha
Want."
The Beastie
Boys were nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Rap Performance by a Duo or
Group
(Check
Your Head).
 Rolling
Stone: "The 100 Top Music Videos" included
"Shadrach" at # 72.
The Beastie Boys could be heard
on the No
Alternative compilation on the
track "It's The New Style."
The EP Some
Old Bullsh** was released.
 The Beastie Boys fourth LP, Ill
Communication continued the band's success
with tracks like "Sabotage" and
"Sure Shot." The LP debuted at #1.
Ill
Communication topped the Billboard Pop Albums
chart for a week.
 The video for
"Sabotage" was nominated for 5 MTV Video Music
Awards including Video of the Year, Best Group Video, Breakthrough Video , Best Direction, and Viewer's Choice.
 The Beastie Boys were nominated
for a Grammy Award for Best Hard Rock Performance
("Sabotage").
The EP Root
Down was released.
 The EP The
In Sound From Way Out! was released.
Rock
'N Roll Hall Of Fame's 500
Songs That Shaped Rock And Roll includes "(You
Gotta) Fight For Your Right (To Party)."
The Beastie Boys were getting
ready to star in their own movie which they
co-wrote with "Sabotage" director,
Spike Jonze - but due to conflict over
creative freedom and unanticipated costs, the
Boys have reportedly backed out of the deal.
Meanwhile, the Boys were involved with the
recent Tibetan Freedom Concert, a project
that Yauch has been involved with for a few
years.
 # 93
Singles Artist of the Year
The Beastie Boys and Salt-N-Pepa received the Rock The
Vote's Patrick Lippert Award in New York. The
honor is bestowed on music artists who have
made "significant contributions to
society." The Beastie Boys have been
very vocal and supportive of Tibetan causes.
The Beastie Boys hit the road in
Europe and then proceeded to the U.S. in the
fall for tour dates.
 The Beastie Boys released Hello
Nasty with new songs
including a ballad, a reggae flavored track,
and the first single
"Intergalactic." The LP debuted at
#1 on the Billboard charts selling
over 680,000 copies in its first week (more
than any other opening week for an LP during
the year). Hello
Nasty topped the UK Albums
chart for a week.
The Beastie Boys hit the Top 40
with "Intergalactic."
Some controversy erupted at the
Reading Festival when the Beastie Boys asked Prodigy to not sing a certain
song. The Beastie Boys felt the Prodigy song, "Smack My
Bitch Up" "...clearly promotes
violence against women" to which Prodigy
responded, "...they should respect other
people's freedom to express themselves."
Hello
Nasty topped the Billboard 200 Albums
chart for 3 weeks.
The Beastie Boys were presented
with the Video Vanguard Award at the MTV Video Music
Awards.
The Beastie Boys won several
awards during the year including a Billboard
Video Music Award for Best Clip
(Alternative/Modern Rock) ("Intergalactic"), a European
Music Award for Best Rap Video ("Intergalactic"), and were also
nominated for 3 other European Music Awards
for Best Album (Hello
Nasty), Best Group Video, and Best Video (both
for "Intergalactic"). The band also
were named by Rolling Stone as
Artists of the Year by the critics and the
readers, Best Album by the readers, Best Hip
Hop Artist by the readers, Best Single by the
readers, and named Band of the Year by Spin.
 The Beastie Boys were nominated
for and American Music
Award for Favorite Rap/Hip Hop
Artist.
The Beastie Boys won 2 Grammy Awards for Best Alternative Music
Performance (Hello
Nasty) and Best Rap Performance by a
Duo or Group ("Intergalactic").
The Beastie Boys took home a
Blockbuster Award for Favorite Group - Rap
and were nominated for a Brit Award for Best
International Group.
The Beastie Boys once again
organized and performed at the Tibetan
Freedom Concerts.
The Beastie Boys won a MTV Video Music
Awards for Best Hip-Hop Video ("Intergalactic").
The Beastie Boys were nominated
for a MTV Europe Music Award for Best Hip-Hop
Artist.
 The Beastie Boys released The
Sounds Of Science - a 2-CD anthology set
with 42 tracks.
The Beastie Boys issued a letter
to Time Out New York apologizing for
"stupidity" and "...ignorant
things..." directed at gays in their
earlier work and stated, "There are no
excuses, but time has healed our stupidity...
We have learned and sincerely changed since
the 80s. We hope that you'll accept this long
overdue apology."
MTV: 100
Greatest Videos Ever Made includes
"Sabotage" at # 7 and "(You Gotta
Fight) For Your Right (To Party!)" at # 66.
The Beastie
Boys were nominated for a Brit Award for Best
International Group.
The start of
the 'Rhyme & Reason 2000 Tour' headlined
by the band and Rage Against The
Machine was delayed after Mike D was
involved in a bicycling accident. His doctor
recommended he "refrain from all
physical activity" for 2 to 3 months.
Mike D underwent surgery at the end of the
month to repair damaged ligaments in the
shoulder.
The boys were
nominated for a Billboard Music Video Award
for Best Modern Rock Clip of the Year
("Alive").
The tour with Rage
Against The Machine was officially
canceled due to Mike D's injury.
VH1: 100
Greatest Albums includes Paul's
Boutique at # 74.
The Beastie
Boys were nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Rap Performance by
a Duo or Group ("Alive").
VH1: 100
Greatest Videos includes:
# 16
- "Sabotage"
and # 100
- "(You Gotta)
Fight For Your Right (To Party)."
Licensed
To Ill was certified 9x platinum.
The Beastie
Boys posted the song "In A World Gone
Mad" on their website - the track criticizes
the Bush administration's journey to war with
Iraq.
VH1: 50
Greatest Hip Hop Artists includes the Beastie
Boys at # 11.
 VH1: 100 Best
Songs of the Past 25 Years includes "(You
Gotta) Fight For Your Right (To Party!)" at # 96.
Rolling Stone:
The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time: # 156:
Paul's
Boutique, # 217: Licensed
To Ill.
 # 87
Singles Artist of the Year
As debate over gay marriage
began, Horovitz told The
Advocate: "If America is the land
of the free and home of the brave, why is
everybody so afraid of same-sex
marriage?"
Rolling Stone:
The Immortals - The 100 Greatest Artists of
All Time included the Beastie Boys at # 77.
 The Beastie Boys hit the Top 40
with "Ch-Check It Out."
The Beastie Boys released their
next LP To
The 5 Boroughs.
The Beastie Boys topped the
Billboard Modern Rock chart for 2 weeks with
"Ch-Check It Out."
The Beastie Boys topped the
Canadian singles chart with "Ch-Check It Out" and topped the Canadian LP chart
with To
The 5 Boroughs.
The Beastie Boys topped the
Billboard 200 LP chart for a week and Top
R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart for a week with To
The 5 Boroughs selling over 360,000 copies in
the US its first week of release.
To
The 5 Boroughs was certified platinum.
The single "Ch-Check It
Out" was certified gold.
# 487 on the Top Pop Artists
of the Past 25 Years chart.
 The Beastie Boys were nominated
for 2 Grammy Awards for Best Rap Performance by a Duo or
Group
("Ch-Check It Out") and Best Rap Album (To
The 5 Boroughs).
The Beastie Boys released the
hits compilation Solid
Gold Hits.
Sounds
Of Summer: The Very Best Of The Beach Boys was certified 2x
platinum.
VH1: 100
Greatest Songs of the 80's included "(You
Gotta) Fight For Your Right (To Party!)" at # 49.
 The Beastie Boys released The
Mix-Up.
On July 7th, the Beastie Boys
performed at the Live
Earth
concert in the UK. The 7-continent concert
organized by Al Gore brought together over
100 artists to perform and raise the world's
awareness about the climate crisis and how to
make a difference to help the environment and
the world.
The Beastie Boys was one of 9
acts nominated for the Rock & Roll Hall
of Fame.
VH1: 100
Greatest Songs of the 90's included
"Sabotage" at # 19.
The Beastie Boys won a Grammy Award for Best Pop Instrumental Album (The
Mix-Up) and were nominated for Best Pop Instrumental
Performance ("Off The Grid").
Entertainment Weekly:
100 Best Albums of the Last 25 Years included Paul's
Boutique at # 43.
 Yauch announced that he was
diagnosed with cancer (after a cancerous
tumor was found in his left salivary gland)
and the subsequent surgery for it would delay
their up-coming LP Hot
Sauce Committee and tour. He is expected to
make a full recovery.
The Beastie Boys will release Hot
Sauce Committee by the end of the
year.
 |
Licensed To Ill
 Released: 1986
US: 9x Platinum
Billboard
peak:
# 1 (for 7 weeks)
Rolling Stone
review: 
Tracks: "Rhymin
& Stealin" - "The New
Style" - "She's Crafty" -
"Posse In Effect" - "Slow
Ride" - "Girls" -
"(You Gotta) Fight For Your Right
(To Party)" - "No Sleep Till
Brooklyn" - "Paul Revere"
- "Hold It Now, Hit It" -
"Brass Monkey" - "Slow And
Low" - "Time To Get Ill" |
 |
Paul's Boutique
Released: July, 1989
US: 2x Platinum
Billboard
peak:
# 14
Rolling Stone
review: 
Tracks: "To All The
Girls" - "Shake Your Rump"
- "Johnny Ryall" - "Egg
Man" - "High Plains
Drifter" - "The Sounds Of
Science" - "3-Minute Rule"
- "Hey Ladies" -
"5-Piece Chicken Dinner" -
"Looking Down The Barrel Of A
Gun" - "Car Thief" -
"What Comes Around" -
"Shadrach" - "Ask For
Janice" - "B-Boy
Bouillabaisse" |
|
Check Your Head
Released: April, 1992
US: Platinum
Billboard
peak:
# 10
Rolling Stone
review:
Tracks: "Jimmy
James" - "Funky Boss" -
"Pass The Mic" -
"Gratitude" - "Lighten
Up" - "Finger Lickin'
Good" - "So What'cha Want"
- "The Biz Vs. The Nuge" -
"Time For Livin'" -
"Something's Got To Give" -
"Blue Nun" - "Stand
Together" - "Pow" -
"Maestro" - "Groove
Holmes" - "Live At PJ's" -
"Mark On The Bus" -
"Professor Booty" - "In
The 3's" - "Namastre" |
|
Some Old Bullsh** (EP)
Released: February, 1994
Billboard
peak:
# 46
Rolling Stone
review:
Tracks: "Egg Raid On
Mojo" - "Beastie Boys" -
"Transit Cop" -
"Jimi" - "Holy
Snappers" - "Riot Fight" -
"Ode To..." - "Michelle's
Farm" - "Cooky Puss" -
"Bonus Batter" - "Beastie
Revolution" - "Cooky Puss"
(Censored Version) |
|
Ill Communication
Released: May, 1994
US: 3x Platinum
Billboard
peak:
# 1 (for 1 week)
Rolling Stone
review:
Tracks: "Sure
Shot" - "Tough Guy" -
"B-Boys Makin' With The Freak
Freak" - "Bobo On The
Corner" - "Root Down" -
"Sabotage" - "Get It
Together" - "Sabrosa" -
"The Update" -
"Futterman's Rule" -
"Alright Hear This" -
"Eugene's Lament" - "Flute
Loop" - "Do It" -
"Ricki's Theme" - "Heart
Attack Man" - "The Scoop"
- "Shambala" -
"Bodhisattva Vow" -
"Transitions" |
|
Root Down (EP)
Released: May, 1995
Billboard
peak:
# 50
Tracks: "Root
Down" (Free Zone Mix) - "Root
Down" - "Root Down" (PP
Balloon Mix) - "Time To Get
Ill" (live) - "Heart Attack
Man" (live) - "The
Maestro" (live) -
"Sabrosa" (live) - "Flute
Loop" (live) - "Time For Livin'
(live) - "Something's Got To
Give" (live) |
|
The In Sound From Way
Out! (EP)
Released: April, 1996
Billboard
peak:
# 45
Tracks: "Groove
Holmes" - "Sabrosa" -
"Namaste" - "Pow" -
"Son Of Neckbone" - "In
3's" - "Eugene's Lament" -
"Bobo On The Corner" -
"Shambala" - "Lighten
Up" - "Ricky's Theme" -
"Transition" - "Drinkin'
Wine" |
|
Hello Nasty
Released: July, 1998
US: 3x Platinum
Billboard
peak:
# 1 (for 3 weeks)
Rolling Stone
review:
Tracks: "Super Disco
Breakin'" - "Move" -
"Remote Control" - "Song
For The Man" - "Just A
Test" - "Body Movin'" -
"Intergalactic" -
"Sneakin' Out The Hospital" -
"Putting Shame In Your Game" -
"Flowin' Prose" - "And
Me" - "Three MC's And One
DJ" - "The Grasshopper Unit
(Keep Movin')" - "Song FOr
Junior" - "I Don't Know" -
"Negotiation Limerick File" -
"Electrify" - "Picture
This" - "Unite" -
"Dedication" - "Dr. Lee
PhD" - "Instant Death" |
|
The Sounds Of Science
Released: November, 1999
US: 2x Platinum
Billboard
peak:
# 19
Rolling Stone
review:
Tracks: "Beastie
Boys" - "Slow And Low" -
"Shake Your Rump" -
"Gratitude" - "Skills To
Pay The Bills" - "Root
Down" - "Believe Me" -
"Sure Shot" - "Body
Movin'" - "Boomin' Granny"
- "(You Gotta) Fight For Your Right
(To Party)" - "Country Mike's
Theme" - "Pass The Mic" -
"Something's Got To Give" -
"Bohisattva Vow" -
"Sabrosa" - "Song For The
Man" - "Soba Violence" -
"Alive" - "Jimmy
James" - "Three MC's And One
DJ" - "The Biz Vs. The
Nuge" - "Sabotage" -
"Shadrach" - "Brass
Monkey" - "Time For
Livin'" - "Dub The Mic" -
"Benny And The Jets" -
"Negotiation Limerick Files" -
"I Want Some" - "Rock
Hard" - "Son Of Neckbone"
- "Get It Together" -
"Twenty Questions" -
"Remote Control" -
"Railroad Blues" - "Live
Wire" - "So What'cha Want"
- "Nett's Girl" - "Egg
Raid On Mojo" - "Intergalactic" - "Hey Ladies" |
|
To The 5 Boroughs
Released: June, 2004
US: Platinum
Billboard
peak:
# 1 (for 1 week)
Tracks: "Ch-Check It Out" -
"Right Right Now Now" - "3
The Hard Way" - "Time To
Build" - "Rhyme The Rhyme
Well" - "Triple Trouble" -
"Hey F*** You" - "Oh
Word?" - "That's It That's
All" - "All Life Styles" -
"Shazam!" - "An Open
Letter To NYC" -
"Crawlspace" - "The
Brouhaha" - "We Got The" |
|
Solid Gold Hits
Released: November, 2005
Billboard
peak:
# 42
Rolling Stone
review:
Tracks: "So What'cha
Want" - "Brass Monkey" -
"Ch-Check It Out" - "No
Sleep 'Till Brookyn" - "Hey
Ladies" - "Pass The Mic" -
"Open Letter To NYC" -
"Root Down" - "Shake Your
Rump" - "Intergalactic" - "Sure
Shot" - "Body Movin' (Fat Boy
Slim Remix) - "Triple Trouble"
- "Sabotage" - "Fight For
Your Right" |
|
The Mix-Up
Released: June, 2007
Billboard
peak:
# 15
Rolling Stone:  - Entertainment
Weekly: C+
Tracks: "B For My
Name" - "14th St. Break" -
"Suco De Tangerina" - "The
Gala Event" - "Electric
Worm" - "Freaky Hijiki" -
"Off The Grid" - "The Rat
Cage" - "The Melee" -
"Dramastically Different" -
"The Cousin Of Death" -
"The Kangaroo Rat" |
| Note: Song title and
position links lead you to the song's Top
40 chart run (from the ARC Weekly Top
40)
and LP links take you to Amazon.com for that LP (often
including track listings and sound
samples). |
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