Band Logos: A Powerful Identity for Musical Expression

You might not think logos and graphic design are important in the music industry. But you’d be wrong. From album covers, band t-shirts, stickers and all sorts of other band merch, band logos can be just as important as any business’s logo.

After all, the most successful bands in the world aren’t just music making machines. They’re brands just like FedEx, Microsoft, Tesla or any other big name business.

But band logos aren’t just small images. They’re symbols that represent the people in the band, the type of music the band makes and the people who listen to their music.

And that’s why we’ve put together the following guide on band logos. 

We take a look just why band logos are important, some of the most popular band logos from throughout music history and then we leave you with a few tips on creating the perfect band logo of your own.

Why Do Band Logos Have Such An Impact?

Band logos take music groups beyond the music. They are a touchpoint. Something listeners can remember visually. So band logos can help connect bands with their listeners on a deeper level. 

Let’s now take a look at just how deep a band logo’s impact can go!

Creating a visual identity

One of the most important reasons why a band needs a logo is because it creates a visual identity for the group. From rebellious punk bands like Sex Pistols or Dead Kennedys to popular rock groups like The Rolling Stones, Nirvana or even Blink-182… Every band wants to leave a lasting impression on their listeners.

Representing the genre and music style

Logos can also symbolize genres or music styles. Rock bands often use fun or evocative logos. Death metal bands use satanic or occult imagery. And pop groups use friendlier and more family family designs. 

Building a brand

Bands don’t just make music and call it a day. They make music, sell albums and band merch, sign record deals and sell products. So a logo is just another step in the process of building a brand and connecting it with its target audience.

Band Logos Over The Course Of Music History

If you look back a few hundred years, composers and musicians didn’t have band logos. But then again, they didn’t sell albums, t-shirts or merch either. So it was only more recently in music history that it became necessary for music groups to brand themselves.

That said, let’s now take a look at some of the most iconic bands and their logos from throughout the course of time.

1970s Rock Bands And Psychedelia

Pink Floyd and The Rolling Stones… these are just two iconic bands from the 70s that have popular logos. 70s band logos were heavily influenced by the psychedelic vibes of the time. So they play on experimental imagery and trippier colour palettes.

1980s Glam Rock And Hair Metal

A decade later and bands like Kiss and Van Halen were dominating the music scene during the height of the glam rock and hair metal era. Band logos from the 80s are heavily influenced by bold and flashy designs. They often used shocking imagery or other 80s inspired vibes.

1990s Grunge And Mainstream Rock

Grunge was popular in the 90s right alongside mainstream rock. Which is why band logos like Nirvana’s and Pearl Jam’s have become such popular icons. 90s band logos often took a more minimalist approach. But still leveraged raw images and symbols that got these bands noticed.

Death Metal Band Logos

As we’ve already mentioned, death metal bands often aim for darker and more “metal” designs. These often include skulls, devil horns, demons, blood or other types of occult imagery inspired by the genre’s affinity for brutality and horror.

Abstract Black Metal Band Logos

It’s not unusual for black metal bands to aim for more abstract logo designs. These are often designed to be more intricate in nature and can often look a bit confusing. However, that’s usually done on purpose to leave the viewer (and listener) with a lasting impression of the group and its branding.

How To Design The Best Band Logos With GraphicSprings

AC/DC, Metallica, Lynyrd Skynyrd… All rock bands and all other types of bands need a unique logo that helps them achieve the brand recognition they deserve. 

And by drawing inspiration from the world’s biggest bands, you too can design a great band logo that gets you noticed. 

Here is how GraphicSprings can help you design a band logo!

Templates

We have hundreds of band logo templates for you to choose from. Browse our template gallery, pick a design you like and customize it to fit your band and style.

Custom Design

Still can’t find a band logo that’s right for you? Get in touch with our design team and we’ll design a custom logo for your band. We’ll get to know your group and give you a logo you’ll love.

Logo Maker

Or you can use our Logo Maker and create your own custom band logos from scratch. It’s fun. It’s fast. And it’s easy to describe your ideal logo, select a few logo preferences and within seconds you’ll have a custom-made logo, designed for your band!

Music should always be about music.

But band logos and branding can take bands beyond their music and help them connect deeper with their audience.