What is the worst band name of all time?

16 December 2023, 14:00

Limp Bizkit - one of the worst band names of all time?
Limp Bizkit - one of the worst band names of all time? Picture: Markus Cuff/Corbis via Getty Images

Or are they actually clever, witty monikers for some of the coolest acts around? Only YOU can decide!

Radio X

By Radio X

Dave Grohl has claimed that Foo Fighters is a terrible band name. But is it really that bad? There are many, many other examples that are far, far worse.

  1. Limp Bizkit

    A few people on Facebook suggested Fred Durst and his bunch of lads and their very nu-metal misspelt name. It probably means something rude, but we can't lower ourselves to think about it.

    The man who IS Limp Bizkit: William Frederick Durst in 2019
    The man who IS Limp Bizkit: William Frederick Durst in 2019. Picture: Richard Shotwell/Invision/AP/Alamy
  2. Green Day

    Yes, we know what it means. But here's a true story: a member of our staff once told a friend they were going to see Green Day. The friend thought they were talking about an environmental fair, not a raucous night of punk pop. Enough said.

    Green Day
    Green Day. Picture: Pamela Littky/Warner Bros
  3. Babyshambles

    We assume this is a pun on Babycham, the supremely naff sparkling wine, popular in the 80s. It is also a terrible name.

    Pete Doherty in the Babyshambles days, 2005
    Pete Doherty in the Babyshambles days, 2005. Picture: Alamy
  4. Arctic Monkeys

    One of the best bands of the last decade. But come on, that name is a clunker. “If you realised you were gonna be doing this 20 years later, you might’ve had another hour in that meeting." Turner told The Guardian in 2022 when the subject of the band's name came up.

    Arctic Monkeys in 2013:  Nick O’Malley, Alex Turner, Jamie Cook and Matt Helders
    Arctic Monkeys in 2013: Nick O’Malley, Alex Turner, Jamie Cook and Matt Helders. Picture: Joel Ryan/Invision/AP/Alamy
  5. The Beatles

    It's a tortuous pun on the classic 50s band name The Crickets and the idea of "beat" music. Still, it's better than "The Silver Beatles", which was on the cards.

    Long John and The Silver Beatles in May 1967
    Long John and The Silver Beatles in May 1967. Picture: Alamy
  6. The Presidents Of The United States Of America

    Little did they know, THE INTERNET was around the corner and their name would be nigh on impossible to Google without finding out about George Washington and Donald Trump. See also 'A', below.

    The Presidents Of The United States Of America in 1996
    The Presidents Of The United States Of America in 1996. Picture: Jim Steinfeldt/Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images
  7. Electronic

    Two of the greatest musicians of the 1980s: Bernard Sumner and Johnny Marr. Together, they came up with this snoozer of a band name.

    Johnny Marr and Bernard Sumner ponder their choice of band name.
    Johnny Marr and Bernard Sumner ponder their choice of band name. Picture: Patrick Ford/Redferns/Getty Images
  8. Puddle Of Mudd

    While they're not the greatest act in musical history, they could have saddled themselves with a more exciting name than something that evokes a damp Glastonbury. And spelt it correctly, too.

    Puddle Of Mudd: there's a 'D' for every member of the band
    Puddle Of Mudd: there's a 'D' for every member of the band. Picture: Alamy
  9. Hootie And The Blowfish

    The very name sums up an image of Chandler from Friends holding a Budweiser in the air at a 1990s house party (RIP Matthew Perry).

    Hootie And The Blowfish
    Hootie And The Blowfish. Picture: Alamy
  10. The Pigeon Detectives

    The band claimed that they were named after a French TV cartoon from the 1970s, but despite several minutes of Googling, We cannot find any evidence of such a programme.

    The Pigeon Detectives in 2009
    The Pigeon Detectives in 2009. Picture: Alamy
  11. The Cardigans

    This woolly moniker doesn't really sum up the studied Scandinavian cool of Nina Persson and co. See also: the title of their album Emmerdale.

    The Cardigans - not pictured: some cardigans
    The Cardigans - not pictured: some cardigans. Picture: Alamy
  12. Hoobastank

    What does it even MEAN? Answers on a postcard, please. Actually, don't bother.

    Hoobastank: which one of you was responsible for the name, then?
    Hoobastank: which one of you was responsible for the name, then? Picture: mpi04/MediaPunch/Alamy
  13. 'A'

    Brit-rock stars in the early 2000s, they released an excellent album called Hi-Fi Serious that included bangers like Old Folks and Nothing. "What's the name of this band?" "A" "I said, What's the name of this band?"

    'A' is the name of this band: Giles Perry, Jason Perry, Daniel P. Carter, Adam Perry and Mark Chapman.
    'A' is the name of this band: Giles Perry, Jason Perry, Daniel P. Carter, Adam Perry and Mark Chapman. Picture: Mick Hutson/Redferns/Getty
  14. The The

    Post-modern joke, or merely irritating? YOU DECIDE. Still, Infected is a great tune.

    Matt Johnson of The The in 1987
    Matt Johnson of The The in 1987. Picture: Michel Delsol/Getty Images