Beastie Boys

 Beastie Boys were an American hip hop group formed in 1978 in New York City. The original lineup consisted of Michael "Mike D" Diamond (vocals, drums), Adam "MCA" Yauch (vocals, bass), John Berry (guitar), and Kate Schellenbach (drums). In 1981, Jeremy Shatan replaced Berry on bass and the band changed their name to Beastie Boys. Shatan left the band shortly afterward, and Adam "Ad-Rock" Horovitz replaced him on guitar, completing the lineup that would go on to achieve fame and success in the hip hop world.

The group started out as an experimental hardcore punk band, but they transitioned to hip hop and achieved local success with their 1983 single "Cooky Puss." They then toured with Madonna in 1985 before releasing their debut album, Licensed to Ill, in 1986. The album was the first rap record to top the Billboard 200 chart and helped the group become the biggest-selling rap group since Billboard began recording sales in 1991.

Their second album, Paul's Boutique, released in 1989, was produced by the Dust Brothers and was a commercial failure at the time. However, it has since received critical acclaim and is now regarded as an early work of experimental hip hop.

In 1992, Beastie Boys released Check Your Head, which saw the group experimenting with funk and rock music, and the album became a mainstream success. They followed it up with the equally successful Ill Communication in 1994, which featured the hit single "Sabotage." The group's subsequent albums, Hello Nasty (1998), To the 5 Boroughs (2004), The Mix-Up (2007), and Hot Sauce Committee Part Two (2011), continued to explore different musical styles and genres.

Throughout their career, Beastie Boys owned and operated Grand Royal Records, signing a diverse roster of artists such as Luscious Jackson, Sean Lennon, and Australian artist Ben Lee. The group also published Grand Royal Magazine, which featured interviews with notable figures such as Bruce Lee and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.

In 2012, Adam Yauch passed away from cancer, and the group disbanded. They were posthumously inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame later that year, becoming the third rap group to receive the honor. The remaining members have since released several retrospective works, including a book, a documentary, and a career-spanning compilation album. Over the course of their career, Beastie Boys sold 20 million records in the United States and had seven platinum-selling albums from 1986 to 2004.