Here's a list
of the top 25 band logos of all time. It's a good list, but the choices seem informed as much by good design as band popularity and influence. Obviously, the theory is that one leads naturally to the other. But I'm sure there are some hardscrabble designers out there drafting innovative logos as I write this. As for the Spinner list, I do agree with some of their choices, especially Public Enemy, Black Flag and Bauhaus.
I also found this more informative list, which has similar choices (The Stones, AC/DC, Yes, and The Who) but shares a lot more information about the designers behind the logos. The post's author, also a designer, is Koldo Barroso and he writes:
I have noticed that some of the best band logos are related to hard rock and heavy metal bands, such as AC/DC, Motorhead, Iron Maiden, Def Lepard, and Van Halen. For some reason, all of those bands put a special care in the visual aspect and lettering. Many of them had some of the best album cover art ever, like in the case of Iron Maiden and Meat Loaf.
Hmmm...remember all those heavy metal boys in high school who sat in the back of class, making elaborate ink drawings on their blue, hardbound notebooks? Drawings of fire-breathing dragons, swords, and women in metal bikinis with unbelievably impressive ....mammary powers? Gee, I wonder what happened to all of them?
What are your favorite band logos?
Azron
February 20, 2008 at 10:48 PM
In junior high school, I loved the "Dio" logo.
If you turn it upside down it says devil... kind of.
Bauhaus is one of the best... Love and Rockets is almost as good.
(Almost the same band too)
I would also throw in Sisters of Mercy.
Rich Oddie from Los Angeles
February 21, 2008 at 02:35 PM
There's a lot of those logos already at this big blog of band logos: http://pictograms.blogspot.com/
Funny how there aren't more country music logos. Waylon Jennings? Garth Brooks? Anyone else?
Festmaskinen
September 11, 2008 at 08:35 PM
Some good logos and I do agree with most of the listings. However, I do think Metallica should have been listed a bit higher and I also thing Guns-N-Roses should have been included as well!
Aage -
Festmaskinen
