Some bands and musicians have reached a legendary status; there isn’t a time you can ever remember not knowing their songs. They’re the bands that shaped music forever. Here are ten of those bands and the t-shirts you must add to your tee collection if you want to prove you have good taste in music.
Billy Joel’s Uptown Girl Tee
Billy Joel aka “The Piano Man” still regularly sells out shows at New York City’s Madison Square Garden and holds the record of most performances by any artist at the iconic venue. Billy Joel has won five Grammy Awards and has been nominated for 23 total. He’s also listed as one of Rolling Stone’s 100 Greatest Songwriters of All Time. With a resume like that, there’s no such thing as a band t-shirt collection without including Billy.
Recommend listening while dancing in your Uptown Girl tee:
David Bowie’s Space Oddity Tee
David Bowie was awarded ten platinum album, eleven gold album, and eight silver album certifications in the UK during his lifetime. In 1996, Bowie was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. Part of Bowie’s rise to stardom can be traced back to the release of his single Space Oddity and the BBC’s usage of it when they covered the moon landing. After that Bowie created a new musical persona through character Ziggy Stardust. The rest was history. Honor the musical genius of Bowie by adding the Space Oddity tee to your collection.
Recommended listening for channeling your inner Ziggy Stardust while wearing your Space Oddity tee:
Cheap Tricks’ Cubs Tee
Cheap Trick has played more than 5,000 shows since they began touring in 1973. They have sold over 20 million records and were inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2016. While today their music is well known, Cheap Trick actually found fame in Japan, where their first record was an immediate success. It wasn’t until almost two years after the release of their first album that they became successful in the United States. Cheap Trick is still going strong today, after signing with Big Machine, the same label as Taylor Swift!
Recommended listening while rocking your Cheap Trick Cubs tee and deciding which 80s movie to watch on your throwback weekend:
I Want You to Want Me by Cheap Trick
Pink Floyd’s Dark Side of the Moon Tee
According to the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, “Pink Floyd were the architects of two major music movements -— psychedelic space-rock and blues-based progressive rock.” Their 1973 album, Dark Side of the Moon is a defining record in the rock and roll genre, and was on the Billboard’s top charts for 15 years! Pink Floyd was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 1996.
Recommended listening while contemplating the universe in your Dark Side of the Moon tee:
Comfortably Numb by Pink Floyd
Bon Jovi’s Slippery When Wet World Tour Tee
Bon Jovi has sold over 120 million albums since their first album release in 1984. Not only are the number of records they’ve sold a testament to their talent, but so is the over 2,600 concerts they’ve played in more than 50 countries. Bon Jovi has played for over 34 million fans since 1983 - the equivalent to the population of Morocco! They have also won two American Music Awards, a Billboard Music Award and a Grammy. Needless to say, Bon Jovi is a band you can’t ignore in your collection.
Recommended listening while driving around with the windows down in your Slippery When Wet World Tour tee:
Livin’ on a Prayer by Bon Jovi
Wanted Dead or Alive by Bon Jovi
Janis Joplin’s Colors of Janis Tee
Originally from Texas, Janis Joplin moved to San Francisco where she would eventually find fame. Growing up, she was inspired by blues musicians like Bessie Smith and soul musicians like Tina Turner. Joplin initially performed as the lead singer for Big Brother but put out her first solo album in 1969. Joplin died of an overdose in 1970, the day she was supposed to record the lyrics for a song on her new album. That album, Pearl, was released in 1971 and held the number one spot on the chart for nine weeks.
Recommended listening for when you’re swaying to the music wearing your Colors of Janis tee:
Me and Bobby McGee by Janis Joplin
Piece of My Heart by Janis Joplin
Miles Davis The Cool Lives Forever Tee
As a teenager, Miles Davis convinced his parents to send him to the Juilliard School of Music. In reality, this was a scheme that allowed him to join the band of his idol, Charlie Parker. Miles Davis proceeded to lead a number of his own projects after that, including his famous quintet. Davis continued to play and change his sound through the 60s and 70s before falling ill. He returned in the 80s to much fervor, and didn’t disappoint. He released new, original music as well as covers of popular musicians at the time like Michael Jackson and Cyndi Lauper. Davis’ passion was music, and he played until his death in 1991.
Recommended listening for when you’re relaxing around your house with a tumbler of wine wearing your Cool Lives forever tee:
Stella by Starlight by Miles Davis
Duran Duran’s Red Carpet Massacre Tee
Duran Duran is an English new wave rock band formed in the late 70s. They have sold over 100 million records, have 21 songs that appeared in the Billboard Top 100 and have won two Grammy Awards. MTV is partially credited with Duran Duran’s rise to fame. Duran Duran embraced video recording early on, especially during their live shows. Although the band split up in the 90s, they briefly reunited in the early 2000s. With a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, you’d be remiss to count Duran Duran out of your necessary band tees!
Recommended listening for when you’re wearing your Red Carpet Massacre tee and looking through your family member’s yearbook from the 80s:
Hungry Like the Wolf by Duran Duran
AC/DC’s Highway to Hell Tee
A 2003 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductee, AC/DC created a hard rock, heavy metal sound that quickly rose up the charts. Formed in Australia in 1973, their first two albums were released only in Australia. To date, they are the 10th highest selling artist in the United States and have been named one of Rolling Stone’s 100 Greatest Artists of All Time. Their record-breaking album Back in Black has gone platinum 22 times. AC/DC is one of the single-most famous bands of all time, and your band tee collection would not be complete without at least one of their tees.
Recommended listening for when you’re working out at the gym in your Highway to Hell tee:
Aerosmith’s Lines Tee
You can’t think rock and roll without thinking Steven Tyler. His tight pants, big hair, and stick thin form are recognizable around the world, but his voice is what sets Aerosmith apart. Their live shows have enamored people through generations. Aerosmith has been nominated for 17 Grammy Awards, winning four of them. They’ve also won six American Music Awards, four Billboard Music Awards, and 10 MTV Video Music Awards. Their music is so pervasive, Disney even created the Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster featuring Aerosmith’s music. Aerosmith is the best-selling hard rock band of all time, so it goes without saying you need an Aerosmith tee in your band t-shirt collection.
Recommended listening for when you’re wearing your Lines tee and grilling food for all your friends:
You can’t have a good band t-shirt collection without making sure you have the classics covered. Shop for all the greatest band tees in the Sons of Gotham store.