The band had a No. 14 Billboard chart hit in 1980 with the single "Whip It", the song that gave the band mainstream popularity.

Devo, American new-wave band from Akron, Ohio, that took its name from devolution, the theory of humankind's regression that informed the band's music and stage act.

For example, its central theme revolves around the ability to solve one's problems by "whipping it"; other lines include motivational statements like "go forward, move ahead" and "it's not too late". Casale wrote the lyrics, which were intended to satirize American optimism.

Over the years, they have been labeled as punk, industrial and rock, or broad brushed with the tag New Wave. While it is true that their sound features a strongly synth-driven pop style with doses of harsh, mechanical industrial sounds, there is an underlying manifesto behind Devo's music.