On Quora, someone asked the question: Are band names getting longer? To answer that question I used the Echo Nest API to get the top 500 artists for each five year window starting in 1950 and calculated the average name length for each of the artists.
The answer to the question as to whether artist names have been getting longer is a surprising No. The average length of artist names peaked in the period from 1955-1959. This was the age when bands were called ‘XX and the YY’ like Van McCoy & The Soul City Symphony and Herb Alpert & The Tijuana Brass. Surprisingly, the era of the shortest names is 1990-1994 . The bands “… And you will know us by the trail of the dead” (1994) and “The Presidents of the United States of America” (1993) were really bucking the trend.
And the longest name, and my favorite is 2010’s Tim and Sam’s Tim and the Sam Band with Tim and Sam .
Here’s a chart showing the mean and maximum length over the years.
Overall Longest Names
Here are the longest artist names and their start year:
- 51 2010 Tim and Sam’s Tim and the Sam Band with Tim and Sam
- 48 1994 …And You Will Know Us By The Trail Of The Dead
- 47 1967 Charles Wright & The Watts 103rd St Rhythm Band
- 46 1993 The Presidents of the United States of America
- 44 1959 Van McCoy & The Soul City Symphony Orchestra
- 43 2000 Richard Cheese & Lounge Against The Machine
- 43 1950 Benedictine Monks of Santo Domingo de Silos
- 41 1981 Emir Kusturica & The No Smoking Orchestra
- 39 1972 Afrika Bambaataa & The Soul Sonic Force
- 37 2010 Antoine Dodson & The Gregory Brothers
- 37 2005 Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeroes
- 37 1999 Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin
- 36 1977 Gloria Estefan & Miami Sound Machine
- 36 1970 Jonathan Richman & The Modern Lovers
- 36 1964 Captain Beefheart and his Magic Band
- 35 2010 RPA and the United Nations of Sound
- 35 2005 Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeroes
- 35 1975 Johnny Thunders & The Heartbreakers
- 35 1959 Academy of St. Martin in the Fields
- 34 2010 Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds
- 34 1978 Deutsch Amerikanische Freundschaft
- 34 1959 Van McCoy & The Soul City Symphony
- 33 2010 RPA & The United Nations Of Sound
- 33 1995 Robbie Williams And Jane Horrocks
- 33 1978 Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark
- 33 1974 George Thorogood & The Destroyers
- 33 1965 Big Brother & The Holding Company
- 33 1957 Cliff Bennett & The Rebel Rousers
- 33 1955 The Clancy Brothers & Tommy Makem
- 32 2010 The Ghost Of A Saber Tooth Tiger
- 32 2007 The Pains of Being Pure at Heart
- 32 2005 Margot & the Nuclear So and So’s
- 32 1990 Emily Haines & The Soft Skeleton
- 32 1967 Kenny Rogers & The First Edition
- 32 1962 Mitch Ryder & The Detroit Wheels
- 32 1961 Patti LaBelle & Michael McDonald
- 32 1960 Frankie Valli & The Four Seasons
- 32 1960 Astor Piazzolla & Kronos Quartet
- 32 1959 Maurice Williams and The Zodiacs
- 32 1954 The Sensational Alex Harvey Band
- 31 1992 Jools Holland And Stereophonics
- 31 1990 Armand van Helden’s Sampleslaya
- 31 1977 Erste Allgemeine Verunsicherung
- 31 1976 Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers
- 31 1966 Nancy Sinatra And Lee Hazlewood
- 31 1964 Björn Ulvaeus & Benny Andersson
- 31 1963 The Paul Butterfield Blues Band
- 31 1963 John Mayall & The Bluesbreakers
- 31 1962 Martha Reeves and the Vandellas
- 31 1957 Herb Alpert & The Tijuana Brass
- 31 1950 Frank Zappa & Captain Beefheart
Longest Names by Year
1950 – 1954
Mean name length: 13.086
Median name length: 13
Longest name length: 43
Longest Names
- 43 Benedictine Monks of Santo Domingo de Silos
- 32 The Sensational Alex Harvey Band
- 31 Frank Zappa & Captain Beefheart
- 30 Harold Melvin & The Blue Notes
- 28 The Dutch Swing College Band
- 28 Le Mystère des voix Bulgares
- 28 James Carter & The Prisoners
- 27 Master Musicians of Jajouka
- 26 Los Guaracheros de Oriente
- 26 Los Corraleros De Majagual
- 24 The Dave Brubeck Quartet
- 24 The Charlie Daniels Band
- 24 Lee Andrews & The Hearts
- 24 Gladys Knight & The Pips
- 24 Dutch Swing College Band
- 23 Vieja Trova Santiaguera
- 23 The Oscar Peterson Trio
- 23 Johnny & The Hurricanes
- 22 The Sweet Inspirations
1955 – 1959
Mean name length: 13.486
Median name length: 12
Longest name length: 44
Longest Names
- 44 Van McCoy & The Soul City Symphony Orchestra
- 35 Academy of St. Martin in the Fields
- 34 Van McCoy & The Soul City Symphony
- 33 The Clancy Brothers & Tommy Makem
- 33 Cliff Bennett & The Rebel Rousers
- 32 Maurice Williams and The Zodiacs
- 31 Herb Alpert & The Tijuana Brass
- 30 Van Mccoy & the Soul City Symp
- 30 Smokey Robinson & The Miracles
- 30 Little Anthony & The Imperials
- 29 Van Morrison & The Chieftains
- 29 Nelson Riddle & His Orchestra
- 29 George Clinton and Parliament
- 29 Frankie Lymon & The Teenagers
- 29 Clancy Brothers & Tommy Makem
- 28 John Fred & His Playboy Band
- 27 Rocio Durcal & Juan Gabriel
- 27 Paul Revere and The Raiders
- 27 Cliff Richard & The Shadows
- 27 Byron Lee & The Dragonaires
1960 – 1964
Mean name length: 13.18
Median name length: 12
Longest name length: 36
Longest Names
- 36 Captain Beefheart and his Magic Band
- 32 Patti LaBelle & Michael McDonald
- 32 Mitch Ryder & The Detroit Wheels
- 32 Frankie Valli & The Four Seasons
- 32 Astor Piazzolla & Kronos Quartet
- 31 The Paul Butterfield Blues Band
- 31 Martha Reeves and the Vandellas
- 31 John Mayall & The Bluesbreakers
- 31 Björn Ulvaeus & Benny Andersson
- 29 Sam The Sham And The Pharaohs
- 29 Quicksilver Messenger Serv…
- 29 Nancy Sinatra & Lee Hazlewood
- 29 Martha Reeves & The Vandellas
- 29 La Arrolladora Banda El Limón
- 29 Billy J. Kramer & The Dakotas
- 28 Joe Cocker & Jennifer Warnes
- 28 El Gran Combo de Puerto Rico
- 27 Tommy James & The Shondells
- 27 Sam the Sham & The Pharaohs
- 27 Eric Burdon and the Animals
1965 – 1969
Mean name length: 12.688
Median name length: 12
Longest name length: 47
Longest Names
- 47 The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band & Kris Kristofferson
- 47 Charles Wright & The Watts 103rd St Rhythm Band
- 33 Big Brother & The Holding Company
- 32 Kenny Rogers & The First Edition
- 31 Nancy Sinatra And Lee Hazlewood
- 29 Quicksilver Messenger Service
- 29 New Riders of the Purple Sage
- 28 The United States of America
- 28 Gary Puckett & The Union Gap
- 28 Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young
- 28 Creedence Clearwater Revival
- 27 The Flying Burrito Brothers
- 26 The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band
- 26 The Incredible String Band
- 24 The Chocolate Watch Band
- 24 The Allman Brothers Band
- 24 The 13th Floor Elevators
- 24 Country Joe and the Fish
- 23 Van der Graaf Generator
1970 – 1974
Mean name length: 12.276
Median name length: 12
Longest name length: 39
Longest Names
- 39 Afrika Bambaataa & The Soul Sonic Force
- 36 Jonathan Richman & The Modern Lovers
- 33 George Thorogood & The Destroyers
- 30 Hamilton, Joe Frank & Reynolds
- 30 Grandmaster Flash & The Furiou
- 30 Elvis Costello & The Imposters
- 29 The Ozark Mountain Daredevils
- 29 England Dan & John Ford Coley
- 28 The Love Unlimited Orchestra
- 28 Steve Harley & Cockney Rebel
- 25 The Fabulous Thunderbirds
- 25 Premiata Forneria Marconi
- 25 Manfred Mann’s Earth Band
- 24 The Marshall Tucker Band
- 24 Love Unlimited Orchestra
- 24 Kenny G & Lenny Williams
- 24 KC and The Sunshine Band
- 24 Electric Light Orchestra
- 24 Bachman-Turner Overdrive
1975 – 1979
Mean name length: 11.458
Median name length: 11
Longest name length: 36
Longest Names
- 36 Gloria Estefan & Miami Sound Machine
- 35 Johnny Thunders & The Heartbreakers
- 34 Deutsch Amerikanische Freundschaft
- 33 Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark
- 31 Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers
- 31 Erste Allgemeine Verunsicherung
- 27 Richard Hell & The Voidoids
- 27 Ian Dury and the Blockheads
- 26 Marius Müller-Westernhagen
- 25 Siouxsie and the Banshees
- 24 The Alan Parsons Project
- 24 Television Personalities
- 24 Kenny “Babyface” Edmonds
- 23 Prince & The Revolution
- 23 Os Paralamas do Sucesso
- 23 Evelyn “Champagne” King
- 22 Yellow Magic Orchestra
- 22 Michael Schenker Group
- 22 Martha and the Muffins
- 22 Leevi and the Leavings
1980 – 1984
Mean name length: 11.32
Median name length: 11
Longest name length: 41
Longest Names
- 41 Emir Kusturica & The No Smoking Orchestra
- 29 Lloyd Cole and the Commotions
- 27 The Mighty Mighty Bosstones
- 27 Lloyd cole & the commotions
- 25 Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds
- 25 Frankie Goes to Hollywood
- 25 Fantastic Plastic Machine
- 25 Bruce Hornsby & The Range
- 24 The Jesus and Mary Chain
- 23 The Legendary Pink Dots
- 23 Juan Luis Guerra y 4.40
- 23 Everything but the Girl
- 23 Corrosion of Conformity
- 22 Fields of the Nephilim
- 22 Einstürzende Neubauten
- 21 Red Hot Chili Peppers
- 21 New Kids on the Block
- 21 Katrina and the Waves
- 20 They Might Be Giants
- 20 The Vaughan Brothers
1985 – 1989
Mean name length: 11.322
Median name length: 11
Longest name length: 29
Longest Names
- 29 Béla Fleck and The Flecktones
- 26 The Future Sound of London
- 25 Los Auténticos Decadentes
- 24 The James Taylor Quartet
- 23 Los Fabulosos Cadillacs
- 23 Boogie Down Productions
- 22 Manic Street Preachers
- 22 Die Fantastischen Vier
- 21 Toad the Wet Sprocket
- 21 The Smashing Pumpkins
- 21 The Innocence Mission
- 21 The Brand New Heavies
- 21 Steven Curtis Chapman
- 21 Mary Chapin Carpenter
- 21 Hootie & the Blowfish
- 21 Engenheiros do Hawaii
- 21 Donavon Frankenreiter
- 21 Compton’s Most Wanted
- 20 Terence Trent D’Arby
- 20 Switchblade Symphony
1990 – 1994
Mean name length: 10.872
Median name length: 10
Longest name length: 48
Longest Names
- 48 …And You Will Know Us By The Trail Of The Dead
- 46 The Presidents of the United States of America
- 32 Emily Haines & The Soft Skeleton
- 31 Jools Holland And Stereophonics
- 31 Armand van Helden’s Sampleslaya
- 28 The Brian Jonestown Massacre
- 27 Godspeed You! Black Emperor
- 26 Chester Charles Bennington
- 25 Del tha Funkee Homosapien
- 24 Trans-Siberian Orchestra
- 24 Sixpence None the Richer
- 24 Rage Against the Machine
- 23 Pete Rock & C.L. Smooth
- 23 Medeski Martin and Wood
- 23 John Michael Montgomery
- 23 G. Love & Special Sauce
- 22 Harry Gregson-Williams
- 22 Bonnie “Prince” Billie
- 21 The Chemical Brothers
1995 – 1999
Mean name length: 11.268
Median name length: 11
Longest name length: 38
Longest Names
- 38 Jessica Simpson duet with Marc Anthony
- 37 Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin
- 33 Robbie Williams And Jane Horrocks
- 29 Someone Still Loves You Boris
- 29 Me First and the Gimme Gimmes
- 28 Handsome Boy Modeling School
- 27 Ted Leo and The Pharmacists
- 27 Black Rebel Motorcycle Club
- 25 The Dillinger Escape Plan
- 25 Supreme Beings of Leisure
- 24 The All-American Rejects
- 24 Mindless Self Indulgence
- 24 Damian “Jr. Gong” Marley
- 23 The Cinematic Orchestra
- 23 The American Analog Set
- 23 Queens of the Stone Age
- 23 Flight of the Conchords
- 23 DaRude Vs Zombie Nation
- 23 Bullet for My Valentine
- 23 Buena Vista Social Club
2000 – 2004
Mean name length: 11.26
Median name length: 11
Longest name length: 43
Longest Names
- 43 Richard Cheese & Lounge Against The Machine
- 26 The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus
- 24 Architecture in Helsinki
- 23 The Boy Least Likely To
- 23 The Black Dahlia Murder
- 23 Scary Kids Scaring Kids
- 21 The Whitest Boy Alive
- 21 The Pigeon Detectives
- 21 Streetlight Manifesto
- 21 Death From Above 1979
- 20 The Secret Handshake
- 20 The Polyphonic Spree
- 20 Midnight Juggernauts
- 20 Manchester Orchestra
- 20 Funeral for a Friend
- 20 From Autumn to Ashes
- 20 Bring Me the Horizon
- 19 Theory of a Deadman
- 19 The Beautiful Girls
- 19 Secondhand Serenade
2005 – 2009
Mean name length: 12.118
Median name length: 11
Longest name length: 37
Longest Names
- 37 Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeroes
- 32 The Pains of Being Pure at Heart
- 32 Margot & the Nuclear So and So’s
- 30 Isobel Campbell & Mark Lanegan
- 29 You, Me, and Everyone We Know
- 29 The Good, the Bad & the Queen
- 27 dan le sac vs Scroobius Pip
- 27 The Rural Alberta Advantage
- 25 The Asteroids Galaxy Tour
- 25 Does It Offend You, Yeah?
- 24 The Tallest Man On Earth
- 24 The Airborne Toxic Event
- 24 Selena Gomez & The Scene
- 24 I Set My Friends on Fire
- 24 Forever the Sickest Kids
- 24 Clap Your Hands Say Yeah
- 23 The Last Shadow Puppets
- 23 Reverend and The Makers
2010 – 2014
Mean name length: 11.658
Median name length: 11
Longest name length: 51
Longest Names
- 51 Tim and Sam’s Tim and the Sam Band with Tim and Sam
- 37 Antoine Dodson & The Gregory Brothers
- 35 RPA and the United Nations of Sound
- 34 Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds
- 32 The Ghost Of A Saber Tooth Tiger
- 30 Destroy Rebuild Until God Show
- 27 Pussycat Dolls & Snoop Dogg
- 26 Rend Collective Experiment
- 25 Giorgos Alkaios & Friends
- 25 Frankie Rose and the Outs
- 25 Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir
- 24 Unknown Mortal Orchestra
- 24 Den svenska björnstammen
- 24 California Swag District
- 24 A Pale Horse Named Death
- 23 Young Artists for Haiti
- 23 The Jet Age Of Tomorrow
- 23 Jessie and the Toy Boys
- 23 Black Country Communion
Music Machinery 
#1 by raweber on January 7, 2012 - 10:36 am
I did notice that almost all of the longest names are compound – i.e. Artist Name & The Band Name… that combination, which is not unusual, leads to some really long names.
#2 by Robert on January 7, 2012 - 8:54 pm
1950 Frank Zappa & Captain Beefheart … 1950 does not look right. Frank would have been ten years old according to wikipedia.
1990 Emily Haines & The Soft Skeleton … the band’s albums were out in mid, late 2000s. EH was born in 1974. once again according to wikipedia.
#3 by Tommi Himberg on January 8, 2012 - 8:23 am
Following on Robert’s Wikipedia fact checking, the hit album of Benedictine Monks of Santo Domingo de Silos, “Chant”, recorded in 1974, re-released as a hit album in 1994. I suppose that would have been the one making the top 500.
Anyway, an interesting analysis. “From U2 to Tim and Sam’s Tim and the Sam Band with Tim and Sam”. :)
#4 by Dan Ellis on January 20, 2012 - 1:42 pm
37 2005 Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeroes
…
35 2005 Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeroes
I hear it’s hard to disambiguate different versions of musical artist names. If only there was a service that could help…
#5 by Paul on January 20, 2012 - 1:47 pm
snicker