Bands formed 1960–1969

60s band names

The 1960s turned the band name into a brand. The Beatles' pun, The Rolling Stones' blues reference and The Doors' borrowed line from William Blake set templates bands still use: "The" plus a plural, a borrowed phrase, a single striking noun.

Here are the best-known bands formed between 1960 and 1969, ranked by worldwide fame, then grouped by genre, followed by original ideas in a sixties spirit.

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The 120 best-known bands formed in the 1960s

Ranked by how many Wikipedia language editions cover each band, a good proxy for worldwide fame.

  1. The Beatles 1960 · beat · UK
  2. The Carpenters 1969 · easy listening · US
  3. The Doors 1965 · classic rock · US
  4. The Rolling Stones 1962 · classic rock · UK
  5. Pink Floyd 1964 · experimental rock · UK
  6. Led Zeppelin 1968 · blues rock · England
  7. Black Sabbath 1968 · traditional heavy metal · UK
  8. The Who 1964 · classic rock · UK
  9. Deep Purple 1968 · classic rock · UK
  10. Aerosmith 1969 · traditional heavy metal · US
  11. Judas Priest 1969 · traditional heavy metal · UK
  12. The Beach Boys 1961 · surf · US
  13. Scorpions 1965 · hard rock · Germany
  14. The Velvet Underground 1965 · avant-punk · US
  15. Fleetwood Mac 1967 · pop rock · UK
  16. Genesis 1967 · progressive pop · UK
  17. Kraftwerk 1961 · electronica · Germany
  18. Creedence Clearwater Revival 1968 · country rock · US
  19. Lynyrd Skynyrd 1964 · southern rock · US
  20. Uriah Heep 1969 · hard rock · UK
  21. Jefferson Airplane 1965 · psychedelic folk · US
  22. The Jackson 5 1964 · bubblegum · US
  23. ZZ Top 1969 · boogie rock · US
  24. Jethro Tull 1967 · art rock · UK
  25. King Crimson 1968 · jazz rock · UK
  26. Grateful Dead 1965 · psychedelic rock · US
  27. The Animals 1962 · british blues · UK
  28. Cream 1966 · jam band · UK
  29. Rush 1968 · hard rock · Canada
  30. Ricchi e Poveri 1967 · popular · Italy
  31. The Moody Blues 1964 · art rock · UK
  32. Chicago 1967 · adult contemporary · US
  33. Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young 1968 · soft rock · US
  34. Status Quo 1962 · classic rock · UK
  35. The Stooges 1967 · proto-punk · US
  36. Peter, Paul and Mary 1961 · folk · US
  37. The Mamas & the Papas 1965 · sunshine pop · US
  38. The Monkees 1966 · pop rock · US
  39. The Yardbirds 1963 · blues rock · UK
  40. Accept 1968 · heavy metal · Germany
  41. The Allman Brothers Band 1969 · southern rock · US
  42. Santana 1967 · music of latin america · US
  43. Thin Lizzy 1969 · traditional heavy metal · Ireland
  44. Supertramp 1969 · progressive rock · UK
  45. The Byrds 1964 · country rock · US
  46. Kool & The Gang 1964 · funk · US
  47. Blue Öyster Cult 1967 · occult rock · US
  48. Slade 1966 · glam rock · UK
  49. T. Rex 1967 · psychedelic rock · UK
  50. Nazareth 1968 · traditional heavy metal · UK
  51. Steppenwolf 1967 · acid rock · US
  52. Tangerine Dream 1967 · krautrock · Germany
  53. The Temptations 1960 · doo-wop · US
  54. Buffalo Springfield 1966 · folk rock · Canada
  55. Can 1968 · art rock · Germany
  56. Smokie 1965 · pop rock · UK
  57. Brotherhood of Man 1969 · pop · UK
  58. Canned Heat 1965 · blues rock · US
  59. The Jimi Hendrix Experience 1966 · psychedelic rock · US
  60. Soft Machine 1966 · canterbury scene · UK
  61. The Hollies 1962 · beat · UK
  62. Blood, Sweat & Tears 1967 · jazz rock · US
  63. The Dubliners 1962 · irish folk · Ireland
  64. Traffic 1967 · psychedelic rock · UK
  65. Budka Suflera 1969 · rock · Poland
  66. The Righteous Brothers 1962 · blue-eyed soul · US
  67. Grand Funk Railroad 1968 · hard rock · US
  68. Iron Butterfly 1966 · psychedelic rock · US
  69. Sonny & Cher 1964 · pop rock · US
  70. The Pointer Sisters 1969 · post-disco · US
  71. The Sweet 1968 · bubblegum · UK
  72. UFO 1969 · space rock · UK
  73. Badfinger 1961 · power pop · UK
  74. Herman's Hermits 1963 · beat · UK
  75. Mott the Hoople 1969 · glam rock · UK
  76. Sly and the Family Stone 1967 · psychedelic soul · US
  77. Smile 1968 · blues rock · UK
  78. Van der Graaf Generator 1967 · progressive rock · UK
  79. Golden Earring 1961 · classic rock · Netherlands
  80. Los del Río 1962 · latin pop · Spain
  81. Plastic Ono Band 1969 · experimental · UK
  82. Shocking Blue 1967 · nederbeat · Netherlands
  83. Aphrodite's Child 1967 · psychedelic rock · France
  84. Blind Faith 1968 · blues rock · UK
  85. Booker T. & the M.G.'s 1962 · soul · US
  86. Hawkwind 1969 · space rock · UK
  87. Omega 1962 · space rock · Hungary
  88. The 13th Floor Elevators 1965 · psychedelic rock · US
  89. Love 1965 · rock · US
  90. Mountain 1969 · hard rock · US
  91. REO Speedwagon 1967 · rock · US
  92. Steve Miller Band 1967 · psychedelic rock · US
  93. The Four Seasons 1960 · rock · US
  94. The Mothers of Invention 1964 · blues rock · US
  95. Wishbone Ash 1969 · hard rock · UK
  96. Faces 1969 · hard rock · UK
  97. Fairport Convention 1967 · folk rock · UK
  98. Focus 1969 · art rock · Netherlands
  99. The Troggs 1964 · rock · UK
  100. Caravan 1968 · progressive rock · UK
  101. Elf 1967 · boogie rock · US
  102. The Guess Who 1965 · classic rock · Canada
  103. The Lovin' Spoonful 1965 · folk rock · US
  104. Them 1964 · garage rock · Northern Ireland
  105. Bay City Rollers 1966 · power pop · Scotland
  106. Bread 1968 · soft rock · US
  107. Country Joe and the Fish 1965 · psychedelic rock · US
  108. Ike & Tina Turner 1960 · soul · US
  109. Manfred Mann 1962 · beat · UK
  110. Martha and the Vandellas 1962 · rhythm and blues · US
  111. Mungo Jerry 1969 · pop rock · UK
  112. Ten Years After 1966 · blues rock · UK
  113. The Incredible String Band 1966 · psychedelic · UK
  114. Three Dog Night 1968 · rock · US
  115. Blue Cheer 1967 · hard rock · US
  116. Bob Marley & The Wailers 1963 · reggae · Jamaica
  117. Commodores 1968 · funk · US
  118. Gong 1967 · progressive rock · France
  119. John Mayall & the Bluesbreakers 1963 · blues rock · UK
  120. Ladysmith Black Mambazo 1960 · isicathamiya · South Africa

60s band names by genre

Notable acts from Wikidata, ranked by the number of Wikipedia language editions about them.

60s rock bands

  1. The Beatles 1960 · beat · UK
  2. The Carpenters 1969 · easy listening · US
  3. The Doors 1965 · classic rock · US
  4. The Rolling Stones 1962 · classic rock · UK
  5. Pink Floyd 1964 · experimental rock · UK
  6. Led Zeppelin 1968 · blues rock · England
  7. Black Sabbath 1968 · traditional heavy metal · UK
  8. The Who 1964 · classic rock · UK
  9. Deep Purple 1968 · classic rock · UK
  10. Aerosmith 1969 · traditional heavy metal · US
  11. The Beach Boys 1961 · surf · US
  12. Scorpions 1965 · hard rock · Germany
  13. The Velvet Underground 1965 · avant-punk · US
  14. Fleetwood Mac 1967 · pop rock · UK
  15. Genesis 1967 · progressive pop · UK

60s metal bands

  1. Black Sabbath 1968 · traditional heavy metal · UK
  2. Deep Purple 1968 · classic rock · UK
  3. Aerosmith 1969 · traditional heavy metal · US
  4. Judas Priest 1969 · traditional heavy metal · UK
  5. Scorpions 1965 · hard rock · Germany
  6. Cream 1966 · jam band · UK
  7. Rush 1968 · hard rock · Canada
  8. Accept 1968 · heavy metal · Germany
  9. Thin Lizzy 1969 · traditional heavy metal · Ireland
  10. Blue Öyster Cult 1967 · occult rock · US
  11. Nazareth 1968 · traditional heavy metal · UK
  12. Steppenwolf 1967 · acid rock · US
  13. Budgie 1967 · traditional heavy metal · UK
  14. Alice Cooper 1964 · shock rock · US
  15. Coven 1969 · occult rock · US

60s pop bands

  1. The Beatles 1960 · beat · UK
  2. The Carpenters 1969 · easy listening · US
  3. The Beach Boys 1961 · surf · US
  4. Fleetwood Mac 1967 · pop rock · UK
  5. Kraftwerk 1961 · electronica · Germany
  6. The Jackson 5 1964 · bubblegum · US
  7. Ricchi e Poveri 1967 · popular · Italy
  8. Chicago 1967 · adult contemporary · US
  9. The Monkees 1966 · pop rock · US
  10. Smokie 1965 · pop rock · UK
  11. Brotherhood of Man 1969 · pop · UK
  12. The Righteous Brothers 1962 · blue-eyed soul · US
  13. Sonny & Cher 1964 · pop rock · US
  14. The Pointer Sisters 1969 · post-disco · US
  15. The Sweet 1968 · bubblegum · UK

60s hip-hop & r&b bands

  1. The Jackson 5 1964 · bubblegum · US
  2. Kool & The Gang 1964 · funk · US
  3. The Temptations 1960 · doo-wop · US
  4. The Righteous Brothers 1962 · blue-eyed soul · US
  5. The Pointer Sisters 1969 · post-disco · US
  6. Sly and the Family Stone 1967 · psychedelic soul · US
  7. Booker T. & the M.G.'s 1962 · soul · US
  8. Ike & Tina Turner 1960 · soul · US
  9. Commodores 1968 · funk · US
  10. Funkadelic 1968 · funk · US
  11. Sam & Dave 1961 · soul · US
  12. The Spencer Davis Group 1963 · beat · UK
  13. The Rascals 1965 · blue-eyed soul · US
  14. The 5th Dimension 1966 · psychedelic soul · US
  15. Hot Chocolate 1969 · funk · UK

60s electronic bands

  1. Kraftwerk 1961 · electronica · Germany
  2. Jethro Tull 1967 · art rock · UK
  3. Tangerine Dream 1967 · krautrock · Germany
  4. Popol Vuh 1969 · krautrock · Germany
  5. Konono Nº1 1966 · trance
  6. Organisation 1969 · synth-pop · Germany
  7. Sfinx 1963 · beat · Romania

60s country & folk bands

  1. The Beatles 1960 · beat · UK
  2. Led Zeppelin 1968 · blues rock · England
  3. The Velvet Underground 1965 · avant-punk · US
  4. Creedence Clearwater Revival 1968 · country rock · US
  5. Jefferson Airplane 1965 · psychedelic folk · US
  6. Jethro Tull 1967 · art rock · UK
  7. Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young 1968 · soft rock · US
  8. Peter, Paul and Mary 1961 · folk · US
  9. The Mamas & the Papas 1965 · sunshine pop · US
  10. The Byrds 1964 · country rock · US
  11. T. Rex 1967 · psychedelic rock · UK
  12. Buffalo Springfield 1966 · folk rock · Canada
  13. The Dubliners 1962 · irish folk · Ireland
  14. The Pointer Sisters 1969 · post-disco · US
  15. Fairport Convention 1967 · folk rock · UK

60s-style band name ideas you can use

Original names in the shapes and imagery of the 1960s, screened against 120,000+ notable artists. Original ideas, screened against 120,000+ notable artists when this page was built. Check your favourite before you use it. Generate more →

  1. Payfones
  2. The Teenage Lunch Trays
  3. Rearview Teeth
  4. Bored Waffle
  5. The Mile Markers
  6. Vintage Furnace
  7. Unpaid Gravy
  8. Blood Report Card
  9. The Eastbound Hangovers
  10. The Hall Passes
  11. Broke Babysitter
  12. The Scarred Turnpikes
  13. The Railways
  14. The Uptown Tremors
  15. Downtown Billboard
  16. Hungry Ignition
  17. The Cross-Country Getaways
  18. The Awkward Shakes
  19. Drive-Inz
  20. Mallz
  21. The Caravans
  22. Cherry Bonfires
  23. The Rambling Fireworks
  24. Metro Backbones
  25. Drifter 77
  26. Concrete Curfew
  27. The Shaking Gas Stations
  28. The Citywide Sidewalks
  29. Sugar Transistor
  30. Hallwayz
  31. Homeroom Switchblade
  32. The Urban Walruses
  33. The Flat Tires
  34. The Sunburnt Go-Getters
  35. The Nervous Hot Rods
  36. Rooftop Sock Hop
  37. The Restless Sock Hops
  38. The Chrome Lowlifes
  39. Snow Flames
  40. Coal Headlights

Questions

What were popular band names in the 60s?

The defining shape was "The" plus a plural noun (The Beatles, The Kinks, The Byrds, The Monkees), alongside psychedelic phrase names such as Jefferson Airplane and The Velvet Underground.

Can I use one of these real band names?

No. The names in the notable-bands lists belong to real, well-known acts, so using one would confuse fans and could infringe their rights. Use them for inspiration, then generate an original name and run it through the band name checker.

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