The Beastie Boys were an American hip-hop group formed in New York City in 1981. They were composed of Adam "Ad-Rock" Horovitz, Adam "MCA" Yauch, and Michael "Mike D" Diamond.
Originally a hardcore punk band, the Beastie Boys had largely abandoned the genre in favor of hip hop and rap rock by the time work began on their debut studio album Licensed to Ill. The group mixed elements of hip hop, punk, funk, electro, jazz and Latin music into their music. They have also been described as alternative hip hop and punk rap.
Licensed to Ill (1986)
Paul's Boutique (1989)
Check Your Head (1992)
Ill Communication (1994)
Hello Nasty (1998)
To the 5 Boroughs (2004)
The Mix Up (2007)
Hot Sauce Committee Part Two (2011)
In 2022, the New York City Council voted to rename the intersection of Ludlow and Rivington streets in Manhattan's Lower East Side—the location of the Paul's Boutique album cover—"Beastie Boys Square". The vote was the result of a grassroots campaign started in 2013 by historian LeRoy McCarthy. The renaming was voted down when first proposed in 2014, but it passed on July 14, 2022. The square was renamed on September 9, 2023, coinciding with the 50th anniversary of hip hop.
