Top 10 Worst Wannabe Tough Guy Bands

Bands that try to sound badass but fall flat on their face. From shoddy lyricism to generic tough guy attitudes in general, some bands fail at it more than others.

So, without further ado, let's take a look at the worst wannabe tough guy bands in existence. What do you consider to be the worst wannabe tough guy band?

The Top Ten

  1. Five Finger Death Punch

    Five Finger Death Punch, often abbreviated as 5FDP or FFDP, is an American heavy metal band from Las Vegas, Nevada. Formed in 2005, the band's name is inspired by the classic martial arts film The Five Fingers of Death. They released their debut album, The Way of the Fist, in 2007.

    They do all of the generic wannabe tough guy things multiplied by a thousand. From their mundane riffs, overdramatic vocals, and really bad songs throughout. How anyone can tolerate this band, let alone like them, is a mystery to me.

    They made ONE good song. ONE. Now they're not just "tough," but their ego is up there.

    Now this at #1 I completely agree with.

  2. Trapt

    Trapt is an American post‑grunge band formed in Los Gatos, California, in 1995. They are best known for their 2002 single "Headstrong," which became a major rock hit. The band has continued to release music and tour despite lineup changes over the years.

    The one-hit wonder behind "Headstrong," generic wannabe tough guy music at its worst. It doesn't help that the singer comes off as bland either. Not an impressive band, to say the least. But any wannabe tough guy band isn't impressive.

  3. Theory Of A Deadman

    Theory of a Deadman is a Canadian post-grunge band. Formed in 2001, the band is currently signed to Roadrunner Records as well as 604 Records. They were discovered by Nickelback lead singer Chad Kroeger. Theory of a Deadman has gone on to release eight studio albums. Their most well-known songs include... read more

    They try to sound badass but really aren't. It doesn't help that they're misogynist either. "No Way Out," "Crutch," and more are some of their several wannabe tough guy songs. It's kind of ironic how soft they made their music lately.

  4. Disturbed

    Disturbed is an American alternative metal, nu-metal, and hard rock band from Chicago, Illinois. The band consists of vocalist David Draiman, bassist John Moyer, guitarist Dan Donegan, and drummer Mike Wengren.

    They are known for hit songs such as "Down with the Sickness," "Stricken," and a powerful... read more

    I remember that during art class in high school, there was this guy who always put on Disturbed songs. The teacher let us play whatever music we wanted on the speakers. The guy really looked like he felt he was the toughest man in the room. It just looked pathetic, to be honest.

    They may not be as bad as FFDP, but that doesn't make them good either. "Guarded," although one of their few tolerable songs, is a generic wannabe tough guy song. Don't get me started on "Down With the Sickness," another wannabe tough guy song that screams pathetic.

  5. Saliva

    Saliva is an American hard rock band that originated in Memphis, Tennessee, in 1996. The group released their self-titled debut album on August 26, 1997, through Rockingchair Records. This independent label was founded by Mark Yoshida, who recorded and produced the album at his studio, Rockingchair Studios... read more

    "Click Click Boom" and "Badass" are average generic wannabe tough guy songs. Not good ones either, but once again that's not surprising. Not as bad as others in the pack, but not that interesting either.

    One of the most generic rock bands I've ever heard. Nothing interesting from any of the band members either.

  6. Limp Bizkit

    Limp Bizkit is an American nu-metal/rap metal/rock band from Jacksonville, Florida, formed in 1994. The band's core lineup includes Fred Durst, Sam Rivers, John Otto, and Wes Borland. They are known for popular singles such as Break Stuff, My Way, My Generation, Nookie, Eat You Alive, Rollin', and Take... read more

    This list wouldn't be complete without one of the pioneers of generic wannabe tough guy music. Fred Durst comes off as corny more than intimidating, in all honesty. "Break Stuff" is your typical generic wannabe tough guy song, and a really bad one at that.

    If there was a list of Wannabe Tough Guy Musicians or Rappers, he would be at the top.

    The favorite band for every Kyle, especially the ones from the 2000s.

  7. Avenged Sevenfold

    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

  8. Hinder

    Hinder is an American post-grunge and hard rock band from Oklahoma. The band was formed in 2001 by drummer Cody Hanson, lead singer Austin Winkler, and guitarist Joe "Blower" Garvey. They gained national recognition with their 2005 debut album Extreme Behavior, which featured the hit single "Lips of... read more

  9. Buckcherry

    Buckcherry is an American rock band from Anaheim, California, formed in 1995. The band released two albums, Buckcherry and Time Bomb, before disbanding in 2002. In 2005, lead vocalist Josh Todd and lead guitarist Keith Nelson reformed Buckcherry with a new lineup and released the album 15 in 2006.... read more

  10. Volbeat

    Volbeat is a Danish heavy metal band formed in Copenhagen in 2001. They are known for blending elements of rock and roll, heavy metal, and rockabilly into their music. The band has released multiple albums and achieved international success with hits like Still Counting and A Warrior's Call.

    11. The Newcomers
  11. ?

    Steriogram

    The singer tries to act tough, but his voice is really annoying to listen to.

  12. ?

    Burzum

    Burzum is a Norwegian black metal and dark ambient music project founded by musician and author Varg Vikernes in 1991. The project became a staple of the early Norwegian black metal scene and is considered one of the genre's most influential acts.... read more

    13. The Contenders

  13. Six Feet Under

    Six Feet Under is an American death metal band from Tampa, Florida, formed in 1993. The band consists of founding vocalist Chris Barnes, guitarist Jack Owen, bassist Jeff Hughell, and drummer Marco Pitruzzella. Known for their groove-influenced death metal style, they have released numerous albums, including... read more

  14. Attila

    Attila is an American metalcore band from Atlanta, Georgia, formed in 2005. The band was started by Chris Fronzak while he was in high school. He chose the name Attila after reading about Attila the Hun, seeking something unique rather than typical death metal terminology.

  15. My Darkest Days

    My Darkest Days was a Canadian rock band from Peterborough, Ontario. The lineup included lead singer Matt Walst, bassist Brendan McMillan, drummer Doug Oliver, and keyboardist Reid Henry. In 2013, Matt Walst left to become the lead singer of Three Days Grace... read more

  16. Crazy Town

    Crazy Town is an American rap rock band formed in Los Angeles in 1995 by Bret "Epic" Mazur and Seth "Shifty Shellshock" Binzer. The band is best known for its 2000 hit single "Butterfly," which reached number one on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart. The success of the single helped their debut album The... read more

  17. Deicide

    Deicide is an American death metal band from Tampa, Florida, formed in 1987 by guitarist brothers Eric and Brian Hoffman and drummer Steve Asheim. Vocalist and bassist Glen Benton joined shortly after, and the band officially adopted the name Deicide in 1989. Known for their blasphemous and anti-Christian... read more

  18. Godsmack

    Godsmack is an American alternative metal and hard rock band from Lawrence, Massachusetts, formed in 1995. The band consists of founder, frontman, and songwriter Sully Erna, guitarist Tony Rombola, bassist Robbie Merrill, and drummer Shannon Larkin. They have released multiple platinum albums and are... read more

  19. Slipknot

    Slipknot is an American metal band that formed in Des Moines, Iowa, in 1996. They're recognized as a key force in the New Wave of American Alternative Metal from the late 1990s through the 2000s. The band is also known for their black and red jumpsuits and horror-inspired masks.... read more

    I've really grown out of this band lately. It's not hard to see why either. They come off as a diet-sounding Slayer with lots of generic wannabe tough guy elements thrown into the mix. Wait and Bleed is one of the biggest examples that comes to mind.

  20. Emmure

    Emmure is an American metalcore band formed in 2003. Originally based in New Fairfield, Connecticut, the group now resides in Queens, New York. They have released eight studio albums, with their debut EP, The Complete Guide to Needlework, released in 2006.

  21. Papa Roach

    Papa Roach is an American rock band from Vacaville, California. Formed in 1993, their major-label debut album Infest was released in 2000 and certified triple-platinum. The band is known for hits like Last Resort and has continued to release albums into the 2020s.

  22. Breaking Benjamin

    Breaking Benjamin is an American alternative metal band formed in 1999. Vocalist Benjamin Burnley has remained the only constant member of the group. The band's former lineup included musicians such as Chad Szeliga on drums, Aaron Fink on guitar, and Mark Klepaski on bass.... read more

    They try to pull it off but fail. With songs like "You Fight Me," "Lights Out," and others, it's really bad wannabe tough guy music. Benjamin Burnley tries to be intimidating but really isn't. He comes off as corny and hard to take seriously.

    They sound like every other Hard Alternative band ever.

  23. Bullet for My Valentine

    Bullet for My Valentine are a Welsh metalcore band from Bridgend, formed in 1998. The band consists of Matthew Tuck (lead vocals, rhythm guitar), Michael Paget (lead guitar, backing vocals), Michael Thomas (drums), and Jamie Mathias (bass guitar). Former members include Nick Crandle and Jason James,... read more

  24. King 810

  25. Hollywood Undead

    Hollywood Undead is an American rap-rock band from Los Angeles, California. They released their debut album Swan Songs on September 2, 2008, followed by the live CD/DVD Desperate Measures on November 10, 2009. Their second studio album, American Tragedy, was released on April 5, 2011. All band members... read more

  26. Nickelback

    Nickelback is a Canadian post-grunge band formed in 1995 in Hanna, Alberta, Canada. The band consists of guitarist and lead vocalist Chad Kroeger, guitarist, keyboardist, and backing vocalist Ryan Peake, bassist Mike Kroeger, and drummer Daniel Adair.... read more

  27. Shinedown

    Shinedown is an American hard rock band from Jacksonville, Florida, formed in 2001. The band was founded by Brent Smith, Brad Stewart, Jasin Todd, and Barry Kerch. Shinedown is known for hit songs such as Second Chance, Sound of Madness, and 45.

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