God Bless the Go-Go's

God Bless the Go-Go's was released on May 15, 2001, by the Beyond Music label.^[1] The album peaked at number 57 on the US Billboard 200.^[2] "Unforgiven" served as the album's lead single,^[1] and was released to radio on March 19, 2001,^[3] followed by a second single, "Apology", on July 23, 2001.^[4]

For the album's 20th anniversary, God Bless the Go-Go's was reissued on May 14, 2021, by Eagle Records. The original album was released on vinyl for the first time, while a deluxe edition, featuring two bonus tracks and new cover art, was released on CD and digitally.^[5]

More information Aggregate scores, Source ...

Professional ratings

Aggregate scores
Source	Rating
Metacritic	68/100[6]
Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	[7]
Blender	[8]
Classic Pop	[9]
Entertainment Weekly	B+[10]
Los Angeles Times	[11]
Q	[12]
Record Collector	[13]
Rolling Stone	[14]
Spin	6/10[15]
Uncut	[16]

Close

God Bless the Go-Go's received a score of 68 out of 100 from Metacritic based on generally favorable reviews from critics.^[6] Los Angeles Times critic Marc Weingarten found that "for a band that has been dormant for so long, the musical pieces all fit together surprisingly snugly",^[11] while in Billboard, Michael Paoletta praised the album as a "deliriously buoyant" record of "unadulterated adult-made pop".^[17] "Sharply written, energetically performed, and slickly produced," judged Keith Phipps of The A.V. Club, "it actually sounds like the album Go-Go's fans have waited 17 years to hear."^[18]

Rolling Stone reviewer Arion Berger commented, "The album doesn't attempt to update the band's sound with hip-hop moves or electronic frippery, for which God should bless 'em, indeed. The girls' hold on the current pop world remains so strong that Green Day's Billie Joe Armstrong co-writes a song ('Unforgiven') in impeccable Go-Go's drag."^[14] AllMusic's Peter Fawthrop was more ambivalent, writing that "the group took the familiar route with tracks that sound every bit as Go-Go's as their previous records. Every bit as Go-Go's, that is, as their non-hits and less remarkable material. While the Go-Go's sound is intact, there is not a 'We Got the Beat' or a 'Head over Heels' to be found. It is feasible that in this age of pop rebirth, the Go-Go's decided it was now or never."^[7]

Credits are adapted from the album's liner notes.^[19]

Band members

• Belinda Carlisle – lead vocals
• Charlotte Caffey – lead guitar, piano, backing vocals
• Jane Wiedlin – rhythm guitar, backing vocals
• Kathy Valentine – bass guitar, backing vocals
• Gina Schock – drums, percussion

Additional musicians

• Billie Joe Armstrong – additional guitar and vocals on "Unforgiven"
• Rami Jaffee – Mellotron and Chamberlin on "Here You Are"
• Peggy Baldwin – cello on "Here You Are"
• Roger Manning – Mellotron on "Daisy Chain"

Production

• Paul Q. Kolderie, Sean Slade – production, engineering, mixing at the Record Plant, Fort Apache Studios, the Magic Shop and Record One
• Rick Neigher – production and engineering on track 6
• Mike Shipley – mixing on tracks 1–4
• Marc DeSisto – mixing on track 6 at Skip Saylor
• Tom Weir – mixing on track 13
• Mike King, Matt Levella, Chris Reynolds, Jaymz Hardy-Martin III – assistance
• Steve Hall – mastering at Future Disc

Design

• Ginger Canzoneri – cover art direction
• Eric Roinestad – cover design
• DeDe Kelez – second cover design
• Susan McEowen – production art
• Maryanne Bilham, Chris Cuffaro – photography
• Jennifer McManus – styling
• Robin Slater, John Stapleton – makeup
• Ned Neidhardt – hair