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Supergroup (music)

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"Supergroup" redirects here. For other uses, see Supergroup (disambiguation).

In the late 1960s, the term supergroup was coined to describe music groups comprising members who had already achieved fame or respect in other groups or as individual artists. The term took its name from the 1968 album Super Session with Al Kooper, Mike Bloomfield, and Stephen Stills. The coalition of Crosby, Stills and Nash (later Crosby, Stills, Nash, and Young) is another early example, given the success of their prior bands (The Byrds, Buffalo Springfield, and The Hollies).

The term has sometimes been applied more loosely by certain music writers to groups that sold huge numbers of albums and headlined massive concerts regardless of the previous fame of their individual members, especially after the success of Cream (of whom only Eric Clapton was widely known). However, the term as correctly applied refers to the architecture of the group, not the achievements. "Supergroup" also generally does not encompass existing bands whose members achieved individual fame after the band's founding, though some have chosen to retroactively deem such bands (including Genesis, Yes, and Broken Social Scene) to be supergroups. There are also instances in which an existing band added a prominent new member or members, where the resulting group might have been considered a supergroup had it not kept its original band name, such as Van Halen after recruiting Sammy Hagar and Gary Cherone. By any standards, it is not a rigidly defined category and has become, more than anything, a marketing term.

Supergroups (of the strict definition) tend to be short-lived, often lasting only for an album or two, perhaps because of the natural conflict of egos between established stars. Additionally, supergroups are often formed as side-projects that are not intended to be permanent.

List of supergroups

This list contains only groups which have performed more than a single song or live show together. One-shot supergroups which came together to record a charity single are the exception.

1960s

Founded Band/project name Members Notes
1966 Cream  
1968 Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young  
1968 Super Blues Band  
1969 Blind Faith  

1970s

Founded Band/project name Members Notes
1970 Emerson, Lake & Palmer  
1973 Bad Company  
1973 Journey Had Prairie Prince (The Tubes) briefly on drums before Dunbar joined. Released 3 albums before Steve Perry joined in 1977.
1979 Rockestra

recorded "Let It Be", "Lucille", "Rockestra Theme", and "So Glad to See You Here" to benefit people of Cambodia suffering from Pol Pot's regime; released as a promotional EP and film

1980s

Founded Band/project name Members Notes
1981 Asia  
1984 Power Station
 
1984 Band Aid
  • numerous British musicians
 recorded "Do They Know It's Christmas?" charity single for famine relief in Ethiopia
1984 Mahlathini and the Mahotella Queens / Mahlathini Nezintombi Zomgqashiyo helped introduce South African "Mbaqanga" music to the USA and Europe
1985 USA for Africa
  • numerous American musicians
 recorded "We Are the World" charity single for famine relief in Ethiopia
1985 Northern Lights (band)
  • numerous Canadian musicians
 recorded the charity single "Tears Are Not Enough" for famine relief in Ethiopia
1985 Hear 'n Aid recorded the charity single and album "Stars" for famine relief in Africa
1985 Artists United Against Apartheid recorded the song and album "Sun City" to protest apartheid in South Africa
1988 Traveling Wilburys recorded two albums together (all under Wilbury pseudonyms), except for Orbison who died shortly after the first one was released
1989 Damn Yankees  
1989 Band Aid II
  • numerous musicians
 re-recording of "Do They Know It's Christmas?" charity single, also for famine relief in Ethiopia

1990s

Founded Band/project name Members Notes
1990 Temple of the Dog
Specially formed to record only one album, as a tribute to Mother Love Bone singer Andrew Wood
1990 Arcturus
 
1991 Arcade  
1991 Voices That Care
  • numerous musicians, entertainers and athletes
 recorded charity single "Voices That Care" to raise the morale of U.S. troops in Operation Desert Storm and benefit the International Red Cross
1992 Golden Smog
1995 Neurotic Outsiders
1995 Me First and the Gimme Gimmes
1999 A Perfect Circle
 

2000s

Founded Band/project name Members Notes
2000 Audioslave  
2000 Oysterhead  
2001 All Star Tribute
  • numerous musicians
 covered "What's Going On" to benefit Artists Against AIDS Worldwide
2002 Velvet Revolver  
2002 Asesino  
2004 Alter Bridge  
2004 Ataxia  
2004 Band Aid 20
  • numerous musicians
 re-recording of "Do They Know It's Christmas?" 20th anniversary charity single, for famine relief in Ethiopia
2004 Dreamtime Christmas All-Stars
  • numerous Australian musicians
 covered "Twelve Days of Christmas"
2005 One World Project
  • numerous musicians
 recorded the charity single "Grief Never Grows Old" to benefit 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami relief
2005 Angels and Airwaves  
2006 Un named (One Performance) The occasion was a one-time supergroup tribute to KISS for the VH1 Rock Honors Award Show|}
2006 (+44)  

Other supergroups

Army of Anyone
Richard Patrick (Filter), Robert DeLeo & brother Dean DeLeo (both of Stone Temple Pilots), Ray Luzier (David Lee Roth, various others).
Bad English
John Waite (The Babys), Neal Schon (Santana, Journey), Jonathan Cain (The Babys, Journey), Ricky Phillips (The Babys), Dean Castronovo (several groups).
Beck, Bogert & Appice
Power trio formed by guitarist Jeff Beck with Vanilla Fudge's Tim Bogert and Carmine Appice.
The Bens
Ben Folds, Ben Kweller, and Ben Lee.
Black Light Burns
Gothic/alternative rock band consisting of Wes Borland (Limp Bizkit, Big Dumb Face, Eat the Day), Danny Lohner (Nine Inch Nails), Josh Eustis (Telefon Tel Aviv), and Josh Freese (The Vandals, A Perfect Circle)
Bloodbath
Death metal supergroup consisting of Dan Swanö (Edge of Sanity); Jonas Renkse and Anders Nyström (Katatonia); Martin Axenrot (now Opeth) (former members: Mikael Åkerfeldt (Opeth), Peter Tägtgren (Hypocrisy).
Boot Camp Clik
Buckshot, Smif-N-Wessun, Heltah Skeltah and O.G.C.
Brakes
The band is made up from Eamon Hamilton of British Sea Power, Tom and Alex White of The Electric Soft Parade and Marc Beatty from The Tenderfoot.
Bruderschaft
European futurepop supergroup consisting of DJ Rexx Arkana, Ronan Harris of VNV Nation, Sebastian Komor of Icon of Coil, Stephan Groth of Apoptygma Berzerk and Joakim Montelius of Covenant.
Broken Social Scene
Kevin Drew, Amy Millan, Leslie Feist, Emily Haines
Burden Brothers
Vaden Lewis (Toadies), Taz Bentley (Reverend Horton Heat, Tenderloin, Izzy Stradlin's band, Loaded), Casey Hess (Doosu, Jump Rope Girls), Corey Rozzoni (Clumsy); (former members: Mark Hughes (Baboon), Mike Rudnicki (Baboon), and Zach Blair (GWAR, Hagfish), Casey Orr (GWAR, Ministry, Speedealer, Rigor Mortis, Blohole, The Hellions)
Captain Beyond
Rod Evans (Deep Purple); Rhino Rheinhardt and Lee Dorman (Iron Butterfly); Bobby Caldwell (The Johnny Winter Band)
Casbah Club
Simon Townshend (The Who), Bruce Foxton (The Jam, Stiff Little Fingers), Mark Brzezicki (The Cult, Procol Harum, Big Country) and Bruce Watson (Big Country).
Class of '99
Layne Staley (Alice in Chains); Tom Morello (Rage Against the Machine); Stephen Perkins (Jane's Addiction); Martyn LeNoble (Porno for Pyros)
Colonel Claypool's Bucket of Bernie Brains
Les Claypool and Brian Mantia (Primus); Buckethead (Guns N' Roses); Bernie Worrell (Parliament/Funkadelic)
Contraband
Bobby Blotzer (Ratt), Michael Schenker (Scorpions, UFO, Michael Schenker Group), Tracii Guns (L.A. Guns), Share Pedersen (Vixen), and Richard Black (Shark Island). The band released one album in 1991.
Cry Cry Cry
a folk supergroup of Richard Shindell, Dar Williams, and Lucy Kaplansky
Cyberaktif
cEvin Key & Dwayne Goettel of Skinny Puppy, with Bill Leeb of Front Line Assembly/Delerium.
The Damage Manual
A quartet of prominent industrial musicians; Chris Connelly, Martin Atkins, Jah Wobble and Geordie Walker.
Dark Lotus
A supergroup consisting of members of Psychopathic Records. Members include Violent J & Shaggy 2 Dope (Insane Clown Posse), Jamie Madrox and Monoxide Child (Twiztid), Blaze Ya Dead Homie, & Anybody Killa (who replaced rapper Marz after the first album). Anybody Killa has since left Psycopathic Records.
Damnocracy
Created for VH1's reality show SuperGroup. Features Sebastian Bach of Skid Row, Ted Nugent, Scott Ian of Anthrax, Evan Seinfeld of Biohazard, and Jason Bonham, son of famed Led Zeppelin drummer John Bonham.
The Daredevils
Brett Gurewitz (Bad Religion); Gore Verbinski (Little Kings); Dean Opseth (Medicine); Josh Freese (The Vandals)
Dark New Day
Brett Hestla of Virgos Merlot, Troy McLawhorn of Doubledrive, Clint Lowery of Sevendust, Corey Lowery of Stereomud, and Will Hunt of Skrape.
Def Squad
Redman, Erick Sermon, and Keith Murray
Demons and Wizards
Hansi Kürsch (Blind Guardian); Jon Schaffer (Iced Earth).
Dirty Mac
Made up of John Lennon (The Beatles), Keith Richards (The Rolling Stones), Eric Clapton, Ivry Gitlis, Yoko Ono and Mitch Mitchell (The Jimi Hendrix Experience). Performed 2 songs on The Rolling Stones Rock and Roll Circus.
Dodgin' Bullets
Hardcore supergroup consisting of members of xDisciplex A.D., No Innocent Victim, and Shockwave. Members include Dan Quiggle and Tom Engler, vocals; Tim Mason and Neil Hartman, guitar; Kyle Fisher, bass; and Jason Dunn; drums.
Down
Phil Anselmo and Rex Brown (Pantera); Pepper Keenan (Corrosion of Conformity); Kirk Windstein (Crowbar); Jimmy Bower (Eyehategod)
DPG-Unit
group formed by 50 Cent's G-Unit and Snoop Dogg's Dogg Pound.
Electronic
Bernard Sumner of New Order and Johnny Marr of The Smiths, with one or both members of the Pet Shop Boys on certain tracks; and one member of Kraftwerk on even rarer occasions.
Eyes Adrift
Krist Novoselic of Nirvana, Curt Kirkwood of Meat Puppets, Bud Gaugh of Sublime
The Falcon
Brendan Kelly (guitar and vocals) and Neil Hennessy (drums) of The Lawrence Arms, Dan Andriano (bass) of Alkaline Trio, and former Rise Against member Todd Mohney (guitar).
Fantômas
Mike Patton (Faith No More); Buzz Osborne (The Melvins), Dave Lombardo (Slayer) and Trevor Dunn (Mr. Bungle)
Far Corporation
A multinational supergroup whose greatest his Led Zeppelin cover Stairway to Heaven.
The Firm (1980s rock music supergroup)
Jimmy Page; Paul Rodgers; Chris Slade.
The Firm (1990s hip hop supergroup)
Nas; Cormega; Foxy Brown; AZ (rapper); Nature.
The Fog Breathers
the group includes Weston DuPree of Eisley, Eisley's tour mangager Boyd DuPree all the members of LuvBeat, members from Midlake, Ivoryline, Brighten, and others.
Free Kitten
Kim Gordon (Sonic Youth): Julie Cafritz (Pussy Galore): Mark Ibold (Pavement): Yoshimi P-We (Boredoms)
G-Unit
an ever-expanding hip hop & rap music group (current members include 50 Cent, Tony Yayo, Lloyd Banks, Young Buck, Mobb Deep, Mase, Olivia, Hot Rod & M.O.P.)
G3
Joe Satriani, Steve Vai and various other guitarists, including Yngwie Malmsteen, Robert Fripp, Eric Johnson, and John Petrucci
Generation X
While recording the group's final album, "Kiss Me Deadly," the band at one point included former Sex Pistols members Paul Cook and Steve Jones. However, the two left after recording one track, and the group was joined by Terry Chimes, formerly of The Clash (whom is formally credited on drums)
Ginger Baker's Air Force
The Glove
a side-project for The Cure's Robert Smith and Siouxsie & the Banshees's Steven Severin.
Go.
Golden State Warriors
Ras Kass, Xzibit & Saafir
GTR
formed by guitarists Steve Hackett (Genesis) and Steve Howe (Yes and Asia).
Gutterball
a Paisley Underground tour de force that consisted of Steve Wynn of Dream Syndicate, Stephen McCarthy of The Long Ryders and Brian Harvey and Johnny Hott of House of Freaks.
Happyland
Pop-rock collaboration between Quan Yeomans of Regurgitator and partner Janet English of Spiderbait. The original name of the band was to be "The Shits", but was renamed for "commercial reasons".
HARP
folk group taking its name from the initials of Holly Near, Arlo Guthrie, Ronnie Gilbert, Pete Seeger. The latter two were in The Weavers.
Hazen Street
formed by Toby Morse, Freddy Cricien, David Kennedy, Hoya and Mackie James.
The Heartbreakers
composed of Richard Hell, Johnny Thunders and Jerry Nolan
The Highwaymen
Willie Nelson; Johnny Cash; Kris Kristofferson; Waylon Jennings. All members had long solo careers behind them.
The Horsemen
Ras Kass, Canibus, Killah Priest & Kurupt
Humble Pie
Steve Marriott (The Small Faces); Peter Frampton (The Herd); Greg Ridley (Spooky Tooth); and Jerry Shirley
Jeff Beck Group
Jeff Beck, Rod Stewart, Ron Wood, Mick Waller, Nicky Hopkins
Jelly Jam
John Myung (Dream Theater), Ty Tabor (King's X), Rod Morgenstein (Dixie Dregs, and previously played with Derek Sherinian as Platypus)
The Jones Gang
Kenny Jones (The Faces/The Who), Rick Willis (Foreigner), Robert Hart (Bad Company)
Katmandu
Peter Green of Fleetwood Mac; Ray Dorset of Mungo Jerry; Vincent Crane of Atomic Rooster
King James
Rex Carroll (Whitecross), Jimi Bennett (Sacred Fire), Tim Gaines and Robert Sweet (Stryper)
L.A. Guns
Phil Lewis (Girl), Tracii Guns (Guns N' Roses), Steve Riley (W.A.S.P.), Kelly Nickels (Faster Pussycat), Mick Cripps (Faster Pussycat)
The Last Hard Men
Jimmy Chamberlin (Smashing Pumpkins); Kelley Deal (The Breeders); Jimmy Flemion (The Frogs); Sebastian Bach (Skid Row)
Liquid Tension Experiment
John Petrucci (Dream Theater), Mike Portnoy (Dream Theater), Jordan Rudess (now Dream Theater), Tony Levin (King Crimson)
Little Village
first formed as John Hiatt's backing group for his album Bring the Family: Hiatt, Ry Cooder, Nick Lowe, and Jim Keltner
Los Super Seven
Latin American supergroup
The Lost Dogs
Gene Eugene, Terry Scott Taylor, Mike Rowe, and Derri Daughtery
Lucy Pearl
Raphael Saadiq (Tony! Toni! Toné!), Dawn Robinson (En Vogue), Ali Shaheed Muhammad (A Tribe Called Quest)
Mad Season
members included Layne Staley of Alice in Chains, Mike McCready of Pearl Jam, and Mark Lanegan of Screaming Trees.
Mike & the Mechanics
members included Mike Rutherford (Genesis); Paul Carrack (Ace, Squeeze); Paul Young (Sad Café).
Mutual Admiration Society
Glen Phillips (Toad the Wet Sprocket), and Chris Thile, Sean Watkins and Sara Watkins (Nickel Creek), who were joined by John Paul Jones (Led Zeppelin) and Pete Thomas (many bands including The Attractions). This may have been a one-shot tour.
Naked City
John Zorn: Joey Baron: Fred Frith (Henry Cow): Bill Frisell: Wayne Horvitz: Yamatsuka Eye (Boredoms)
The New Cars
Greg Hawkes and Elliot Easton of The Cars, Todd Rundgren of Utopia and solo, Prairie Prince of The Tubes.
NiNa
Kate Pierson (The B-52's), YUKI (Judy and Mary), Mick Karn (Japan)
The No WTO Combo
Jello Biafra of the Dead Kennedys, Krist Novoselic of Nirvana, Kim Thayil of Soundgarden
The Ol' Skydaddies
a combination of legendary Australian bands Ol' 55, Daddy Cool and Skyhooks that toured in the 2000s.
Osaka Popstar
John Cafiero (The Misfits), Jerry Only (The Misfits), Dez Cadena (Black Flag, The Misfits), Marky Ramone (The Ramones, The Misfits, The Voidoids), Ivan Julian (The Isley Brothers, The Foundations, The Voidoids), Daniel Johnston
OSI
Jim Matheos (Fates Warning), Mike Portnoy (Dream Theater), Kevin Moore, Chroma Key), Sean Malone (Gordian Knot, Cynic), and Steven Wilson (Porcupine Tree).
Oysterhead
Les Claypool (Primus); Trey Anastasio (Phish); Stewart Copeland (The Police).
Various artists on Perfect Day.
Pinkly Smooth
a side-project band consisting of members from Avenged Sevenfold and Ballistico. They released a 6 song demo tape, titled "Unfortunate Snort", in 2002, but have since never released any other albums.
Pigface
The industrial supergroup. Martin Atkins (Ministry), Trent Reznor (Nine Inch Nails), Jello Biafra (Dead Kennedys), Steve Albini, Nivek Ogre (OhGr, Skinny Puppy).
Planet X
Virgil Donati, Tony MacAlpine and Derek Sherinian.
Praxis
Bootsy Collins (Parliament/Funkadelic), Brian Mantia (Primus), Bill Laswell, Buckethead, Bernie Worrell (Parliament/Funkadelic) and others.
Psychopathic Rydas
A supergroup consisting of members of Psychopathic Records taking on various aliases. Current members include Violent J & Shaggy 2 Dope (Insane Clown Posse), Jamie Madrox and Monoxide Child (Twiztid), & Blaze Ya Dead Homie. Former members include Myzery (1st album), Anybody Killa (3rd album), and Esham (3rd album).
The Raconteurs
Jack White (The White Stripes), Brendan Benson, Patrick Keeler and Jack Lawrence (The Greenhornes).
Rebel Meets Rebel
David Allan Coe; Vinnie Paul and Dimebag Darrell (Pantera and Damageplan); and Rex Brown (Pantera).
The Reindeer Section
27-strong Scottish indie rock supergroup featuring (amongst others) members from Snow Patrol, Belle & Sebastian, Idlewild, Mogwai, Arab Strap and Teenage Fanclub.
The Rising Sons
Named after the famous song 'House of the Rising Sun': Ry Cooder, Taj Mahal, Kevin Kelly (later in The Byrds), and (briefly) Ed Cassidy (later in Spirit). Their one album was recorded in 1965... and then shelved... to be released in 1992! Cooder was also in the two-album band Little Village and would later hit paydirt by organizing "The Buena Vista Social Club" album.
Roadrunner United
A celebration of Roadrunner Records' 25th anniversary, featuring music written by Joey Jordison (Slipknot and Murderdolls), Matt Heafy (Trivium), Dino Cazares (Fear Factory) and Robb Flynn (Machine Head), and performed by a multitude of guest musicians.
Shandie's Addiction
Tom Morello, Billy Gould, Brad Wilk and Maynard James Keenan
Shriekback
members of XTC, The Pop Group and Gang of Four
Sinergy
Formed by Alexi Laiho of Children of Bodom and Roope Latvala of Stone together with former Dimmu Borgir keyboardist Kimberly Goss.
Sky
classical guitarist John Williams, with other classical performers
Stars
Syd Barrett, Twink, Jack Monck
Supernova
Gilby Clarke of Guns N' Roses, Jason Newsted of Metallica and Voivod, Tommy Lee of Mötley Crüe and Methods of Mayhem, along with the upcoming winner of the next season of Rock Star: Supernova
Super Super Blues Band
one album of material by Muddy Waters, Bo Diddley and Howlin' Wolf
Supershine
Doug Pinnick, Jerry Gaskill, and Ty Tabor of King's X, Bruce Franklin and Jeff Olson of Trouble.
Swan Lake
Carey Mercer (Frog Eyes), Daniel Bejar (Destroyer and The New Pornographers; Spencer Krug (Wolf Parade and Sunset Rubdown).
Tapeworm
reported collaborative project of Trent Reznor, Danny Lohner, and Charlie Clouser (Nine Inch Nails), Maynard James Keenan (Tool), Atticus Ross (12 Rounds), and many others. Existed for 8 years, but disbanded without releasing any music.
The Tear Garden
All members of Skinny Puppy and The Legendary Pink Dots.
Tomahawk
Mike Patton (Faith No More, Mr. Bungle); Duane Denison (The Jesus Lizard); Kevin Rutmanis (The Cows, The Melvins); John Stanier (Helmet, The Mark of Cain).
Transatlantic
Mike Portnoy (Dream Theater); Pete Trewavas (Marillion); Roine Stolt (The Flower Kings); Neal Morse (ex-Spock's Beard).
Transplants
Tim Armstrong of Rancid, Travis Barker of Blink-182 and Rob Aston.
TRIO!
side-project fusion supergroup. Consists of renowned banjo player Bela Fleck, legendary bassist Stanley Clarke (Return to Forever), and violin virtuoso Jean-Luc Ponty. Toured in 2005 but have yet to record an album.
U.K.
Eddie Jobson, Terry Bozzio, John Wetton, Bill Bruford and Allan Holdsworth
The Vicious White Kids
Sid Vicious of The Sex Pistols , Rat Scabies of The Damned, Glen Matlock of The Sex Pistols and Rich Kids, Steve New of The Rich Kids.
The Vital Tech Tones
Fusion side-project supergroup. Consisted of bassist Victor Wooten (Bela Fleck and the Flecktones), guitarist Scott Henderson (Tribal Tech), and drummer Steve Smith (Vital Information/ Journey). Made 2 albums but never appeared live.
The Wrights
Consisting of Nic Cester (Jet), Chris Cheney (The Living End), Kram (Spiderbait), Davey Lane (You Am I/The Pictures) & Pat Bourke (Dallas Crane), and featuring guest vocals from Bernard Fanning (Powderfinger) and Phil Jamieson (Grinspoon).
XYZ
ex-Yes and Led Zeppelin members who became a true supergroup on creation, despite the group not surviving long enough to produce any official albums.
Zwan
Billy Corgan and Jimmy Chamberlin (Smashing Pumpkins); Matt Sweeney (Chavez); David Pajo (Tortoise, Slint, Papa M); Paz Lenchantin (A Perfect Circle).

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See also

List of grunge supergroups

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