r/AskReddit May 22 '24

What's the dumbest band name of all time?

Upvotes

2.0k comments sorted by

u/Fresh-Hedgehog1895 May 23 '24

From a financial point of view, probably The Butthole Surfers. I remember reading how radio stations wouldn't play them for the longest time because of the name.

KISS considered FUCK as a band name, but Gene had enough business sense to know they'd never capitalize on that name.

u/MyBeardTalks May 23 '24

TIL the non-bass playing members of KISS are fucking idiots.

→ More replies (24)

u/magnetncone May 23 '24

The name butthole surfers maybe put a ceiling on their mainstream potential, but originally their market was punk and college radio. They were one of the biggest underground groups in the 80s. Their live following was almost like the grateful dead. They were filling upside down cymbals with lighter fluid, driving motorbikes into stage, had a half naked stripper and projections of grotesque injuries while laughing maniacally into an effects rack of twisting delay and other effects. They were absolute mayhem.

I think their name was perfect until the major labels started signing every and any of the big underground names after Nirvana hit the scene.

If it wasn't for other dumb financial decisions they could've averted that early nineties cash grab and kept their status as a revered cult band.

→ More replies (3)

u/Rokey76 May 23 '24

When I was in the middle school, in the late 80s, I wrote Butthole Surfers on my shoes with other bands I was into. Since I lived in Florida, the other kids gave me shit for it as surfing was popular. Like, you're 13. You're not a surfer.

u/Byder May 23 '24

that's a stupid fucking shoe
you don't surf you've never surfed
lying little shit with your bullshirt shoes fuck you

→ More replies (2)
→ More replies (3)
→ More replies (25)

u/BenovanStanchiano May 22 '24

The Shitty Beatles

u/MCBusStop May 22 '24

Are they any good?

u/Oenonaut May 22 '24

They suck.

u/goteamnick May 22 '24

So it's not just a clever name then?

u/quadruple_negative87 May 23 '24

I hear Crucial Taunt wail, though.

→ More replies (3)
→ More replies (5)
→ More replies (5)
→ More replies (2)
→ More replies (12)

u/uwill1der May 23 '24

the Oneders

u/CapitalRadioOne May 23 '24

Didn’t they open for Captain Geech and the Shrimp Shack Shooters?

→ More replies (1)

u/pinkkittenfur May 23 '24

Hey, that's the Oh-ned-ers.

u/jordang2330 May 23 '24

I watched that movie for the first time 2 weeks ago!

→ More replies (2)

u/uncre8tv May 23 '24

I wonder what happened to them?

u/jmm57 May 23 '24

The singer was alone in his principles

→ More replies (2)
→ More replies (2)
→ More replies (7)

u/Automatic_Salary_845 May 22 '24

Tim Staffell, the original lead singer of Queen, or as it was known then “smile”, left the band to pursue a more successful career in “Humpy Bong”. They released two songs.

u/Tiredohsoverytired May 23 '24

It's okay - he ended up becoming the chief model maker for the first series of Thomas the Tank Engine & Friends. Less well known, but very cool contribution nonetheless!

→ More replies (2)

u/AstonVanilla May 23 '24

He was also the guy who designed all the models for Thomas the Tank Engine

u/Electronic-Head-1337 May 23 '24

And thus the creator of many of my nightmares

u/MintyGame May 22 '24

Hoobastank

u/Mr_Auric_Goldfinger May 23 '24

This. I worked with a guy who's brother is in that band. I said "it's shame about their name" and he was truly offended. I don't think they understand how off-putting the name is. It sounds like something a bunch of drunk and high guys would say after one of them farted - "Hoobastank, bro!".

u/Smorgas_of_borg May 23 '24

Hoobastank is wish.com Incubus.

u/Photonomicron May 23 '24

Incidentally, incubus openly regrets their own band name, which they picked out of a dictionary when they were 15-17

→ More replies (4)
→ More replies (10)
→ More replies (19)

u/wildcard174 May 23 '24 edited May 23 '24

I immediately thought of this and was delighted to see it as the top comment.

Honorable mention to Puddle of Mud and all the names with a noun and a random number - Eve 6, Stroke 9, Matchbox 20…

Yes I went to high school in the 90s.

u/FuzzelFox May 23 '24

You forgot the extra D in Mudd which just makes it worse lol.

u/[deleted] May 23 '24

[deleted]

→ More replies (3)

u/wildcard174 May 23 '24

Lmao (1) you are right and (2) yes it does. I don’t think I’d ever seen it written.

→ More replies (3)

u/Ham__Kitten May 23 '24

I like the name Eve 6 but it's also a reference to the X-Files so that helps

u/PacSan300 May 23 '24

In fact, I think the band's frontman himself said that he got it from The X-Files, and that he was a big fan of the show.

u/nickfree May 23 '24

Blink 182

Sum 41

Powerman 5000

Eiffel 65

Seven Mary Three

98 Degrees

311

....all from the 1990s

u/Lucas_The_Master May 23 '24

I can’t speak for the others, but Blink 182 was called Blink but had to change their name because of another band named Blink and I believe the number is the day in the year that they got a contract or something.

Sum 41 is named because they got a record deal on the 41st day of summer.

u/Baeker May 23 '24

I heard Sum 41 was called that because it was the sum of their ages when they started.

→ More replies (2)
→ More replies (5)
→ More replies (23)
→ More replies (15)

u/[deleted] May 23 '24

[removed] — view removed comment

→ More replies (2)
→ More replies (27)

u/solongamerica May 23 '24

Cherry Poppin' Daddies (god I wince just typing that)

u/shaidyn May 23 '24

They're on record as saying they regret the name.

u/solongamerica May 23 '24

Can’t blame um lol

u/AFineDayForScience May 23 '24

I just now put it all together in my head. Like I used to group the words in my head as Cherry and Poppin Daddies or something.

u/solongamerica May 23 '24

Yes it’s like a layer cake of terrible

→ More replies (2)
→ More replies (2)

u/DiaDeLosMuertos May 23 '24

I blurted that out when our music teacher asked if we knew any jazz groups. I knew what "cherry popping" was but still didn't make the connection until the room for a bit cold when I said that and my teacher was like ... Ok...

u/izzittho May 23 '24

It truly is horrible.

→ More replies (24)

u/mrjpb104 May 23 '24

Scarecrow Boat, at least until they changed their name to Mouse Rat

u/Swicket May 23 '24

I was a bigger fan of Everything Rhymes with Orange.

u/DillyDally_24 May 23 '24

Nah man. They're nothing compared to Nothing Rhymes with Orange.

u/ArtIsDumb May 23 '24

Yeah but they're all outshined by God Hates Figs.

u/DavidDaveDavo May 23 '24

Just The Tip was my favourite band.

→ More replies (2)
→ More replies (1)
→ More replies (1)

u/youdubdub May 23 '24

Don’t tell anyone, but if you say “jorn” over and over again, you’ll also be saying “orange.”

→ More replies (4)

u/m_g2468 May 23 '24

I always loved listening to department of homeland obscurity

u/rehpot821 May 23 '24

I was more of a Teddy Bear Suicide fan anyway.

→ More replies (9)

u/ConcentricSD May 22 '24

The Lone Rangers

u/BirdsAndBeersPod May 22 '24

How can you pluralize The Lone Ranger?

u/dudeondacouch May 23 '24

There’s three of you. You aren’t exactly lone.

u/satans_bootyhole May 23 '24

“We have no idea what you’re saying…”

u/[deleted] May 23 '24

[removed] — view removed comment

u/Donkeydongcuntry May 23 '24

I know you guys think I’m a dick-cheese-burger

→ More replies (3)
→ More replies (2)
→ More replies (7)

u/amalgamatedson May 23 '24

I ain’t farting on no snare drum.

u/Bombtek504 May 23 '24

I'm gonna stab your heads off! With what? With what?!? With my dick!!!!

→ More replies (1)

u/DethFeRok May 23 '24

Trick question motherfucker! Lemmy is god!

u/randylikecandy May 23 '24

"A one-man wolf pack."

→ More replies (6)

u/CountChoculasGhost May 23 '24

Bands that are so difficult to search for.

The The

The Band

!!!

u/queen-adreena May 23 '24

At least !!! have an AKA of "Chk Chk Chk" which makes it slightly easier for them.

u/notmyidealusername May 23 '24

And Yes. And a much lesser known band once called No (who eventually changed their name for that very reason) And yes, the guy from No once met one of the guys from Yes, I can only imagine how the conversation went!

→ More replies (1)

u/SecondHandWatch May 23 '24

Those 60s bands really should have thought ahead to search engine optimization. Bunch of fools for not seeing 50 years into the future.

→ More replies (1)

u/SixxDet May 23 '24

The Music

→ More replies (26)

u/barneyrubbble May 23 '24

Live

u/Cameronbic May 23 '24

I don't remember a definitive answer on whether it's Live, or Live.

u/SincerelyGlib May 23 '24

It’s Live.

u/DiopticTurtle May 23 '24

Shit, I've always said Live...

u/DrPupipance May 23 '24

You think that’s bad? I used to say Live

→ More replies (1)

u/Hooked__On__Chronics May 23 '24

Got it. I’d better write that down.

u/CaptainStabfellow May 23 '24

I hope to live to see Live live

→ More replies (2)

u/wilderlowerwolves May 23 '24

Long "I". Rhymes with hive, jive, etc.

→ More replies (4)
→ More replies (7)
→ More replies (19)

u/[deleted] May 22 '24

[removed] — view removed comment

u/Yellowbug2001 May 23 '24

There's something so perfect about that though, lol. In a movie if the teenage daughter comes home in the first scene and tells her parents "Johnny is the drummer from Unrelented Redemption and WE'RE IN LOVE" you just know some ridiculous shit is about to go down.

u/Kiro0613 May 23 '24

That sounds like a WKUK skit

→ More replies (2)
→ More replies (1)

u/youdubdub May 23 '24

We wrote a song in 1992 or so in high school called “thriving abhorrently.”  I’m pretty sure our singer must have been recently gifted a thesaurus not long before that one was written.

u/LeutzschAKS May 23 '24

Mine was called Treazon… Not sure why we thought the letter Z was cool

u/SousVideDiaper May 23 '24

Using Z instead of S was trendy as fuck in the 90's and early 2000's.

There's been a more recent trend of using V's to replace U's and even A's. Also using X's for those and other vowels, or just not using vowels at all. At least that's somewhat of a trend among electronic music producers and beat makers.

u/LeutzschAKS May 23 '24

As a lacklustre Green Day tribute band, Treazon was very much a product of its time.

→ More replies (1)

u/[deleted] May 23 '24

To think relentless redemption sounds cool

u/KangarooMaster319 May 23 '24

Sounds like one of the B-sides to Metallica’s Black album

u/[deleted] May 23 '24

Haha! I was in a band with a dumb name too! Strange Occurrence. Nice to be part of the dumb name club.

→ More replies (4)
→ More replies (9)

u/megagirthyguapoboi May 23 '24

Goo Goo Dolls

u/[deleted] May 23 '24

Who were the sex maggots before they went with googoo dolls.

u/Bill_buttlicker69 May 23 '24

Lateral move.

u/Ih8Hondas May 23 '24

Definite downgrade.

→ More replies (1)

u/IEnjoyVariousSoups May 23 '24

But then we'd have missed it on their tour with Lady Gaga. You know, the Goo Goo Gaga tour.

→ More replies (2)
→ More replies (5)

u/ceilingscorpion May 23 '24

Portugal. The Man - the band

u/Michael_DeSanta May 23 '24

PTM is such a great band. The period is odd, but it really fits the band’s style. They have one of the most distinct/unique personalities in indie rock, imo

u/[deleted] May 23 '24

Used to listen to them and minus the bear a lot.

It's complicated being a wizard is such a good album. Especially if you're high as fuck.

I remember I got my cousins iPod full of wacky stuff like that and listened to its complicated being a wizard and at first I was like "this is weird and bad" but it grew on me and man now I need to listen to it again.

→ More replies (1)
→ More replies (9)

u/Jackoff_Alltrades May 22 '24

Diarrhea Planet

u/pelossus May 23 '24

diarrhea planet rips haha

→ More replies (2)

u/Fiendish_Jetsanna May 23 '24

I saw them and they were great.

u/Jackoff_Alltrades May 23 '24

That’s why it’s such a dumb name!!! It’s a good band!

→ More replies (1)
→ More replies (10)

u/[deleted] May 22 '24

[removed] — view removed comment

→ More replies (11)

u/metallizepp May 23 '24

Scrolled through all the comments...

Was surprised no one has mentioned "Day-Glo Abortions"...

→ More replies (3)

u/senik May 23 '24

u/pkfag May 23 '24

Foo fighters are the term WW2 airman gave to unexplained encounters... later it became just UFO for unidentified flying object. Him saying he had read it in a UFO book would be correct.

u/krazykieffer May 23 '24

It's a fun name I think, also they were probably thinking of merchandise with the UFO. Those alien stickers and posters were everywhere in the mid 90s.

→ More replies (1)

u/GameOverMan78 May 23 '24

Remember, the accent is on Fighters. The foo-FIGHTERS

u/marcus_ohreallyus123 May 23 '24

Christopher Walken has entered the conversation.

→ More replies (1)
→ More replies (2)

u/TildaTinker May 23 '24

TBF I've never seen a Foo in my life, so they're doing a good job.

→ More replies (1)
→ More replies (8)

u/LemmingLou May 23 '24

Russell Crowe had a band called "30 Odd Foot of Grunts"

u/[deleted] May 23 '24

Heard them once. The name fit; they were awful

→ More replies (6)

u/Bizzlebanger May 22 '24

Buster Hymen and the Penetrators

u/MrMcgruder May 23 '24

Buster Hymen and the Meat Missles would also work

u/Kelter82 May 23 '24

Or, as stated above, Cherry Poppin' Daddies

→ More replies (1)
→ More replies (2)

u/svenguillotien May 23 '24

Honestly, "Papa Roach" is pretty far up there

→ More replies (4)

u/TheRealSzymaa May 22 '24

Butthole Surfers has to be up there

u/SciFiXhi May 22 '24

Better than all the names they originally chose like:

Fred Astaire's Asshole

The Right to Eat Fred Astaire's Asshole

The Inalienable Right to Eat Fred Astaire's Asshole

u/[deleted] May 22 '24

[removed] — view removed comment

u/Aniki1990 May 23 '24

Before that it was "Shithouse"

→ More replies (1)

u/TheRealSzymaa May 22 '24

The last two sound like late 2000’s emo songs

→ More replies (2)

u/JamesTheJerk May 22 '24

Let's not forget about Fred Astaire's Pubic Wig

u/[deleted] May 22 '24

[removed] — view removed comment

→ More replies (10)
→ More replies (4)

u/cwistofu May 22 '24

Lots of things have been up there. 

→ More replies (4)

u/IAmThePonch May 23 '24

This is a thread about the worst band names, not the best

u/Megamoss May 23 '24

Fits pretty well given their material and audience.

If they were a doo-wop wedding cover band, they might have a claim.

→ More replies (16)

u/Joshfumanchu May 23 '24

The Nonces.
Who the fuck is going to call themselves "child fuckers"?

→ More replies (4)

u/[deleted] May 22 '24

"This Show Has Been Cancelled," the name of one of the bands that bassist Murdoc Niccals ran before he founded Gorillaz. No one ever came to any of the band's shows.

u/Drew-Pickles May 22 '24

My friend was in a band called "Exit only" and he told me when they had a gig, the event room was in the downstairs floor, so they put a sign up pointing the audience in the right direction, and nobody showed up 

→ More replies (7)
→ More replies (4)

u/[deleted] May 22 '24

The 1975

→ More replies (9)

u/SqwertyJungleBees_ May 23 '24

Various Artists
Curse These Metal Hands
Danny Dyers Chocolate Homunculus
The Hair Blair Bunch
Spunk Bubble
Mumma's Kumquat
Executioners Bong
Grandma's Boner
Man Feelings
Chemical Toilet Brothers

One of them maybe

→ More replies (8)

u/_BabyGod_ May 23 '24

If you thought “Finger 11” was bad, before that they were called THE RAINBOW BUTT MONKEYS.

→ More replies (1)

u/Boner666420sXe May 22 '24

We Butter the Bread with Butter

u/[deleted] May 23 '24

Great band though

→ More replies (4)

u/[deleted] May 23 '24

Goblin Cock. Like it’s funny the first time you hear it, but after that, come on man.

→ More replies (2)

u/Bman409 May 23 '24

Toad the Wet Sprocket.. I could never get past how dumb that is to listen

u/OneTreePhil May 23 '24

I believe they got it from a list of fake bands in a month python script

u/Iron_Nightingale May 23 '24

Eric Idle, Rock Notes:

Rex Stardust, lead electric triangle with Toad The Wet Sprocket, has had to have an elbow removed following their recent successful worldwide tour of Finland. Flamboyant, ambidextrous Rex apparently fell off the back of a motorcycle. "Fell off the back of a motorcyclist, most likely," quipped ace drummer Jumbo McClooney on hearing of the accident. Plans are already afoot for a major tour of Iceland.

u/pseydtonne May 23 '24 edited May 23 '24

Now for the turns: it was Eric Idle's way to make fun of the band name Mott the Hoople. That, in turn, was a spin on We the People.

There, I did it. I carried the news.

→ More replies (1)
→ More replies (1)
→ More replies (3)
→ More replies (3)

u/HugoEmbossed May 23 '24

Neutral Milk Hotel is a terrible name.

u/ShadowStudio May 23 '24

it has the same energy as correct horse battery staple

→ More replies (5)
→ More replies (4)

u/[deleted] May 23 '24 edited May 23 '24

[deleted]

u/[deleted] May 23 '24

Came to post this one! It's so cringe. Psychedelic Crumpets would've been fine lol

→ More replies (2)
→ More replies (4)

u/ischickenafruit May 23 '24

X formerly known as Twitter

→ More replies (2)

u/mikec231027 May 23 '24

Rainbow butt monkeys

u/GtrplayerII May 23 '24

Awesome band and awesome album.

→ More replies (2)
→ More replies (3)

u/BenHogan1971 May 23 '24

Hootie And The Blowfish

cringe

→ More replies (4)

u/HeadFit2660 May 22 '24

Chumbawumba

u/Simple_Carpet_49 May 23 '24

How. DARE. You. Those weirdos are an international treasure.

u/ShelZuuz May 23 '24

Don't worry. They'll get up again. You are never gonna keep them down.

u/GrilledCheeser May 23 '24

That song reminds me of the good times.

→ More replies (6)

u/Possible-Source-2454 May 23 '24

The first version of Chumbawumba was such a sick crass style anarchist punk band. Look up the early eps, if was greaf first wave punk

→ More replies (2)
→ More replies (11)

u/BronzeEast May 22 '24

The Testicicles

u/elSpanielo May 23 '24

Test Icicles? The name is silly, but dang, their one and only album is amazing.

→ More replies (2)

u/SincerelyGlib May 23 '24

Not really a band but I had wandered into Palm Springs one weekend when the wind got too violent for camping at Joshua Tree and saw a sign in front of a bar that said ‘Dark Sunday’ and thought “cool, gotta be a Sabbath cover band or something”. It just meant they were closed.

→ More replies (1)

u/jerichos May 23 '24

Papa Roach

u/nightmaresabin May 23 '24

That name must have been their last resort.

u/Robotshark420 May 22 '24

Puddle of Mudd

u/rubber_hedgehog May 23 '24

I can't hear about Puddle of Mudd without thinking about their cover of 'About a Girl'.

I was unfortunate enough to have heard this, so now you all have to too.

u/[deleted] May 23 '24

[deleted]

u/Hi_There_Im_Sophie May 23 '24

Wes Scantlin has a pretty interesting past. He has, variously, been arrested for domestic abuse (twice), been legally pursued for debts to the state and American Express, got banned from Graceland for swimming in the off-limits pool, been arrested for driving while high and without a license, been kicked out of Denver airport for riding the luggage carousel, charged with vandalism for wrecking his neighbour's patio with a buzzsaw, caused an emergency landing on a flight for being drunk and disorderly, got kicked out of another airport for being drunk and disorderly, went on a 100mph police chase, was arrested at an airport (again) for trying to take a BB gun onboard the plane, and has tried to break into his former Hollywood home twice.

→ More replies (3)
→ More replies (8)
→ More replies (9)

u/lust4life May 23 '24

Anal Cunt

u/saanity May 22 '24

Miike Snow. No one in the band is named Miike Snow.

u/rusurethatsright May 23 '24

I had no idea! I had to do some research: “"When we sat down to come up with a name one of us got an email from a mutual friend by the name Mike Snow. We liked it and added the extra "I" because we liked the look of it.”

→ More replies (5)

u/[deleted] May 22 '24

Imagine Dragons

u/DoofusMagnus May 22 '24

Between the name and some clunky lyrics I assumed they were a European band that performed in English and so I cut them some slack. Turns out nope, they're all very American and have no excuse.

u/joenathanSD May 23 '24

My 8 year old loves them.

→ More replies (2)
→ More replies (1)

u/stryph42 May 23 '24

Our the royalty free alternative, Thinkin' 'Bout Wyverns

u/ProximityNuke May 23 '24

Consider Crocodiles.

→ More replies (28)

u/Mobile-Aside8562 May 22 '24

Löded Diper

u/DeltaBelter May 23 '24

Nah, I saw ‘em live and the name fits them. 🤘🏻

→ More replies (2)

u/weaselkeeper May 22 '24

Strawberry Alarmclock

→ More replies (4)

u/JamesTheJerk May 22 '24

The Doodletown Pipers

→ More replies (2)

u/smitty046 May 23 '24

!!! (Pronounced chic chic chic)

→ More replies (1)

u/[deleted] May 23 '24

Not a "band" per se, but a group - Infected Mushroom. I'm pretty sure it's named like a circumcised wanger with a vicious STI

→ More replies (5)

u/Smile_S77 May 23 '24

Wet Wet Wet 💦💦💦

u/[deleted] May 22 '24

Panic! at the Disco

u/saanity May 22 '24

It would be an alright name without the stupid exclamation mark.

u/conman987 May 23 '24

They did drop the exclamation mark around 2008 and added it back after backlash like the next year. I think it just became too much a part of their whole vibe.

→ More replies (7)
→ More replies (7)

u/DeltaBelter May 23 '24

Death Cab for Cutie

u/CaptainNipplesMcRib May 23 '24

Would have been better if they just got rid of “for Cutie.”

u/trojan_man16 May 23 '24

The problem is that even then, their music is not exactly what I'd associate with a band called "Death Cab". I'd imagine a heavy metal band, not the softest indie rock known to man.

→ More replies (2)
→ More replies (1)
→ More replies (5)

u/I_might_be_weasel May 23 '24

Cradle of Filth. A real cradle of filth would be terrible. 

→ More replies (1)