So, Pitchfork has handily given you the top 20 worst album covers of the year, and in the spirit of the season (and listicles!), we’ve been similarly inspired to come up with our picks for the ten worst band names — for ten great bands. Don’t hold their monikers against them! After the jump, with help from fellow in-house music dorks, we count ‘em down.
10. Jay Reatard (so retarded, he can’t even spell “retard” correctly)
9. Tigercity (Love these guys, but come on! Maybe one more bong hit would’ve led them to a better name?)
8. Vampire Weekend (and… let the indiekin hate-mail begin! But it had to be said.)
7. Apples in Stereo (At once nonsensical and totally boring. Fail.)
6. Why? (Again, love ‘em to death. One of our favorite albums of 2008! But seeing this name begs just one question… ah, forget it)
5. Fuck Buttons (Decent assonance, but it still sounds like they came up with this one when they were 13 and then never changed it)
4. Akron/Family (From the copy desk: “Is the slash really necessary? Really?”)
3. caUSE co-MOTION (No one should have to hit “shift” that many times for one name)
2. Spoon (Fork that, yo. Heh.)
1. PWRFL Power (unless they’re the new LVHRD house band, they get a fail)
Backwards bonus: the Black Kids (Provocative name, but a crap band, it turns out!)
What did we miss? Nominate a band or four in the comments.
Comments (16)
Radiohead is the worst band name / best music combo ever by far…
CUT OFF YOUR HANDS
DOGS DIE IN HOT CARS
NEED NEW BODY
NINE INCH NAILS
WHEATUS
Punctuation is always a bitch in band names, and Why?, and Akron/Family only scratch the surface of the problem. See how dumb that comma next to that question mark looks? That said, Sunn 0))) is still an awesome name because that last part is actually a picture! A band name with a picture!
!!!
Still don't know how to pronounce it.
it's pronounced Chk Chk Chk.
can i get a little love/hate for a throwback: Blind Melon. Fruits are better left without orfices.
Actually, I get annoyed by MGMT, just because some people are like "Oh Em Gee Em Tee are sooo gooood" and then other people are like, "Um EXCUSE me, it's pronounced 'Management," and then OTHER people are like, "Um NO ACTUALLY, they USED to be called Management but now they're called Em Gee Em Tee because the old name conflicted with another band's name, so there!" and then I just want to do a windmill punch to everyone's faces.
I think Pwrfl power is a great name for the kind of performance he does.
You will not know until you see him, also, it's just one guy, you call him "they".
Radiohead yes, definitely MGMT. How about The Beatles. I mean, seperate yourself from the music if you can. Beetles with an “a?” Wtf? Seriously, it’s awful, yet one of the greatest bands ever… Just sayin
Black Kids are about the farthest thing from a “crap band”.
Punctuation is pretty much always a fail for a band name. Maybe Godspeed You! Black Emperor could be an exception, but that decision to move the punctuation from the end to the middle just reminded me of how pretentious they were.
If you just hear the name “Flaming Lips” I don’t think you would expect to hear a good band. And I agree with Johnny Blogs up there about Radiohead, but I think Flaming Lips is worse.
just pick up and open an issue of alternative press. it’s a cornucopia of sad band names.
I have a good name/bad band – Tony Danza Tapdance Extravaganza. Best band name ever.
Too bad they kinda suck.
No hate mail here, but I just don’t think there is anything wrong with Vampire Weekend….well, it’s a question of opinion, ain’t it?
Vomit Launch and Bitch Magnet.
If Bitch Magnet was some kind of dirty south thing and not the south’s version of unwound…
Post a new comment