Top 10 Best Bands with a Number in the Band Name

Typically, you can predict that a new band will fade quickly when they have a number in their name, especially if it's just tacked on without any good reason.

However, some bands have deviated from this norm. They have achieved great success in spite of their names.

The Top Ten

The Jackson 5

The Jackson 5, also known as the Jackson Five and later as The Jacksons, is an American popular music group. The group was formed in 1963 under the name the Jackson Brothers. The founding members were Jackie, Tito, Jermaine, and Marlon, with Michael Jackson joining shortly afterward to complete the classic... read more

This band is simply amazing. Five brothers have created a light, meaningful album. I honestly don't want to single out any one of them. Everyone has talent, from Jackie to Tito to Jermaine to Marlon.
However, young Michael Jackson is undeniably fascinating. He's a little kid singing far beyond his years. That's the distinction between being talented, gifted, and possessing innate, genuine talent. What Michael Jackson has is innate and genius, like magic. It just makes you smile with amazement all the time. He's just too good and so cute.

Of course, The Jackson 5 is #1. They're the greatest group ever, along with The Jacksons, whether with a number or without a number!
30 Seconds to Mars

Thirty Seconds to Mars (stylized as 30 Seconds to Mars) is an American alternative rock band from Los Angeles, California, formed in 1998. The band currently consists of brothers Jared and Shannon Leto.
They released their first album, 30 Seconds to Mars, in 2002. It was a self-titled album with... read more
U2

U2 are an Irish rock band from Dublin. Formed in 1976, the group consists of Bono, the Edge, Adam Clayton, and Larry Mullen Jr. U2's early sound was rooted in post-punk and gradually evolved to incorporate elements of alternative rock, electronic, and pop music. Known for their anthemic sound and use... read more

U2 doesn't deserve this place. They should be in 1st place. Not too loud, not too boring - just PERFECT! The Jackson 5 were very good in their time, but come on, be realistic. Their time of awesomeness has passed.

U2 rocks. They are, of course, the best band of all time with a number in the name. Love those guys. One is awesome; With or Without You is very, very beautiful. I love U2.
Blink-182

Blink‑182 is an American pop‑punk band formed in 1992. The original lineup featured Mark Hoppus (bass, vocals), Tom DeLonge (guitar, vocals), and Scott Raynor (drums). Raynor was replaced in 1998 by Travis Barker. The band rose to mainstream success with the album Enema of the State and has released... read more

They and Green Day are the true kings of pop-punk. Blink's music is absolutely amazing, featuring the epic tunes of I Miss You, Always, First Date, Stay Together for the Kids, The Rock Show, Adam's Song, All the Small Things, Dammit, Josie, and the best being What's My Age Again, among so many more.

Blink-182 revolutionized the pop-punk genre while inspiring most of the biggest pop-punk bands. They also had their own style that very few bands could replicate.

I love Blink-182. I always have and always will. Even though they have split, they are still my favorite band!
Avenged Sevenfold (A7X)

Avenged Sevenfold is an American alternative metal band formed in 1999 in California. Their longest lineup consisted of M. Shadows (vocals), Synyster Gates (lead guitar), Zacky Vengeance (rhythm guitar), Johnny Christ (bass guitar), and The Rev (drums).... read more

When I saw this list, I immediately thought of 30 Seconds to Mars, Blink, U2, and A7X at the top. Seeing The Jackson 5 there was just not fair. Of course, they were good, but should they really count? They certainly don't deserve their 52% of votes while A7X exists. Listen to Beast and the Harlot by A7X, and you'll know what I mean.

I don't think The Jackson 5 should even count. I mean, what?
A7X is the best. It goes without saying. They're better than 30 Seconds to Mars, too.

A7X is much better than J5 or 30 Seconds to Mars. A7X has got it all: super drumming, cool guitar solos, and good vocals. The kind of things that they do requires some real skill, not like some pop artist who becomes famous overnight and has no skill at all.
Maroon 5

Maroon 5 is an American pop and pop‑rock band formed in Los Angeles, California. The group originally came together in 1994 under the name Kara's Flowers, when Adam Levine, Jesse Carmichael, Mickey Madden, and Ryan Dusick were still in high school. They self‑released a demo and a studio album before... read more

They are good. They have some bad songs, but listen to the albums Songs About Jane and Overexposed.

Best band with a number in their name and my personal favorite band of all time.
Nine Inch Nails

Nine Inch Nails is an American industrial rock band founded in 1988 by Trent Reznor in Cleveland, Ohio. They have released eleven studio albums.
The band is known for its dark, moody lyricism and aggressive vocal delivery. Their biggest hits include "Closer," "Hurt," "Wish," "We're in This Together... read more
Three Days Grace

Three Days Grace is a Canadian post-grunge and alternative rock band formed in Norwood, Ontario, in 1992. The original lineup consisted of guitarist and lead vocalist Adam Gontier, drummer and backing vocalist Neil Sanderson, and bassist Brad Walst. Initially named Groundswell, the band changed its name... read more

This band blows my mind! They are in my top 10 favorite bands list. They should be higher up because Adam Gontier has an awesome, sexy voice that I will always remember!

Also, funny thing, Adam is so ugly that if he were halfway good-looking, he would have 100 percent more material, right?

Seriously, who cares about the name of the lineup? They're so awesome they could call themselves Jimmy Carter.
B-52's

The B-52s are an American new wave band, formed in Athens, Georgia, in 1976. The original line-up consisted of Fred Schneider, Kate Pierson, Cindy Wilson, Ricky Wilson, and Keith Strickland. Known for their quirky style and danceable hits, the band achieved success with songs like Rock Lobster and Love... read more

Obvious choice! Although I do love Nine Inch Nails, I have to go with the B-52's here because their first album is one of the greatest new wave/punk albums ever. There's a moon in the sky, it's called the moon. It was 6060-842! And I'm waiting for you! Dial the number to call, get no answer at all. Hello? I'm sorry. Hello?! I'm sorry. HELLO?! I'm sorry. And then they saw a rock, but it wasn't a rock. It was a rock lobster!
Twenty One Pilots

Twenty One Pilots is an American musical duo from Columbus, Ohio, best known for their hits "Stressed Out," "Heathens," and "Ride." The band formed in 2009 with Tyler Joseph, Nick Thomas, and Chris Salih. Today, the lineup consists of Tyler Joseph (lead vocals. Piano. Keyboards. Synthesizers. Ukulele... read more

Why are they only ranked 22? I know they're a newer band, but all of their music is amazing. Just listen to Regional at Best. Love this band.

Number 10? No, they should definitely be ranked higher than some of these bands. This is my favorite band ever.

Twenty One Pilots has found a new creative way to express their love for music.

The Newcomers

?
STU48
?
100 Gecs

100 Gecs are an American hyperpop duo formed in 2015, consisting of Dylan Brady and Laura Les. They self-released their debut album, 1000 Gecs, in 2019 to critical acclaim. This was followed by a remix album, 1000 Gecs and the Tree of Clues, which was released in July 2020... read more

The Contenders

Sum 41

Sum 41 is a Canadian rock band from Ajax, Ontario. Originally known as Kaspir, they were formed in 1996 and officially disbanded in March 2025 following a final worldwide headlining tour and their induction into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame. The final lineup consisted of lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist... read more

These Canadians have some of the best songs of the 2000s, with All Killer No Filler being a top 10 for the best pop-punk albums of all time.

Awesome band! I love Still Waiting, and my favorite is Pieces. I love The Sums, haha.

One of those bands where you can listen to an album without skipping a single song.
OneRepublic

OneRepublic is an American pop rock band formed in Colorado Springs, Colorado in 2002 by lead singer Ryan Tedder and guitarist Zach Filkins. The band gained early attention and success on Myspace as an unsigned act. Their debut single, Apologize, became a major hit after being remixed by Timbaland.

Best band! The songwriting is great. I especially love the cello in their songs.
3 Doors Down

3 Doors Down is an American post-grunge band formed in 1996 in Escatawpa, Mississippi. The original lineup included Brad Arnold (vocals and drums), Todd Harrell (bass guitar), and Matt Roberts (guitar). Chris Henderson soon joined as a guitarist, followed later by drummer Richard Liles.

3 Doors Down is the best current band, in my belief.

Are you kidding me? 3 Doors Down is easily in the top 3.
311

311 is an American rock band from Omaha, Nebraska. The band was formed in 1988 by vocalist and guitarist Nick Hexum, lead guitarist Jim Watson, and bassist Aaron "P-Nut" Wills. Their music fuses rock, reggae, hip hop, and funk, and they are known for hits like "Down" and "Amber."

It does not define them, much like people have trouble defining their sound. Plus, it's the police code for indecent exposure.

What the what!? 311 is also a channel number for ABC Family.
5 Seconds of Summer

5 Seconds of Summer are an Australian pop-rock band from Sydney, Australia, that formed in 2011. The group were originally YouTube celebrities, posting videos of themselves covering songs from various artists during 2011 and early 2012. They rose to international fame while touring with One Direction... read more

They might act like idiots sometimes, but the music they make is good. They have a lot of songs about being social outcasts, broken families, and how everything will be okay in the end.
They're a pop-punk band, not a boy band. Listen to them if you need to chill or feel less lonely.

Just because they have a majority of female fans doesn't mean they don't make good music.
One Direction

One Direction (commonly abbreviated as 1D) was a British and Irish pop boy band composed of Niall Horan, Liam Payne, Harry Styles, Louis Tomlinson, and originally Zayn Malik, who departed on March 25, 2015.
The group formed on The X Factor UK in 2010, finishing third, and then signed with Simon... read more

They've grown musically and have amassed a huge international following.

This is one of the strongest bands with its incredibly devoted fandom called Directioners.

They should be number 1 because they are the best. 1D stands for 1st, duh.
Moi dix Mois

This band is pure art. Created by the Gothic Lolita icon Mana-sama, the band produces a Gothic metal sound with industrial effects and a deep, nocturnal image.

I was just about to say there is no number, but then I remembered "dix" means 10 in French. Gosh, I am dumb...

I love them! They are just great!
Matchbox Twenty

Matchbox Twenty is an American rock band formed in Orlando, Florida, in 1995. They gained widespread popularity in the late 1990s with their debut album "Yourself or Someone Like You," which featured hits like "Push" and "3 A.M."... read more
Sevendust

Sevendust is an American alternative metal band from Atlanta, formed in 1994.
Initially founded by bassist Vince Hornsby and drummer Morgan Rose as Snake Nation, the lineup later expanded to include guitarist John Connolly, lead vocalist Lajon Witherspoon, and guitarist Clint Lowery. After cycling... read more
MC5

MC5 was an American rock band from Lincoln Park, Michigan, formed in 1964. The original members included vocalist Rob Tyner, guitarists Wayne Kramer and Fred "Sonic" Smith, bassist Michael Davis, and drummer Dennis Thompson. The band was influential in the development of punk and hard rock music.
36 Crazyfists
The Four Tops
L7

L7 is an American punk rock band from Los Angeles, California, originally active from 1985 to 2001. They reformed in 2014 and have continued to perform and release new music. Known for their heavy sound and feminist messages, they are often associated with the grunge movement of the late 1980s and early... read more

One of the best bands of the nineties! They had more guts than most death metal bands.
Ben Folds Five
Three Dog Night

Three Dog Night is an American rock band formed in 1967 by vocalists Danny Hutton, Cory Wells, and Chuck Negron. The group was later expanded with the addition of Jimmy Greenspoon, Joe Schermie, Michael Allsup, and Floyd Sneed. Between 1969 and 1975, the band achieved significant success with 21 Billboard... read more