Bands Named After Lyrics by Other Bands Quiz

Answer: Queen

In 1984, Queen released a song called "Radio Ga Ga," a song that in my opinion has become the very thing that the song criticizes... stuff that belongs in the garbage bin but for some reason gets played on the radio. Nonetheless, somehow the song charted on the top five in at least ten different countries. It even charted in the top 20 in the U.S. where Queen's popularity had begun to decline by this time. 2000's pop star Lady Gaga took her stage name from this song.

Lady Gaga has an extravagant stage show similar to that of Alice Cooper or Marilyn Manson, except unlike those artists she doesn't do hard rock music, she does dance-pop music. Hit songs that she has recorded include "Poker Face," "Just Dance," "Bad Romance," and "Born This Way," the latter of which Alice Cooper has covered live in concert.

Answer: Bob Dylan

Bob Dylan had a song called "The Ballad of Frankie Lee and Judas Priest." This is where the heavy metal band got its name. This wouldn't be the only time Judas Priest would be associated with Bob Dylan. Judas Priest also covered the song "Diamonds and Rust," which Joan Baez wrote about Bob Dylan.

There are also bands named after Judas Priest songs. The heavy metal bands Exciter and Running Wild both got their names from titles of songs by Judas Priest.

Answer: New Order

Some people think the Killers got their name from the Mountain Goats song "The Best Ever Death Metal Band in Denton," in which "The Killers" is mentioned in the second verse which is about possible names of the death metal band. However, the Killers say that they got their name from the fictional band in New Order's song "Crystal" in which you can see "Killers" written on the drums.

The Killers are one of the biggest rock bands of the 21st century. Their debut album "Hot Fuss" has sold over seven million copies worldwide thanks to the hit songs "Mr. Brightside," "Somebody Told Me," and "All These Things That I've Done."

Answer: Screamin' Jay Hawkins

Screamin' Jay Hawkins was a singer in the 1950's. He is most famous for his hit song "I Put a Spell on You," but it's his song "Yellow Coat," that has lyrics that became the name of a folk-rock band.

The Mountain Goats started off as one man, John Darnielle, calling himself "The Mountain Goats." He began every concert by saying "Hi, we are the Mountain Goats" even when it was just him and his guitar. In 2007, the Mountain Goats became a full band with bassist Peter Hughes and drummer Jon Wurster alongside Darnielle. In 2015, multi-instrumentalist Matt Douglas became part of the group. Darnielle is still the core member of the group, and even when they became a full band, Darnielle occasionally still did solo shows or duet shows with just him and Hughes or him and Douglas.

Answer: Muddy Waters

You might think the Rolling Stones were named after the song "Like a Rolling Stone" by Bob Dylan. Or you might think they were named after the song "A Rolling Stone" that the Kingston Trio performed. However, they say that they are named after the song "Rollin' Stone" by Muddy Waters. There were a lot of songs about rolling stones before that became the name of a band!

The Rolling Stones are one of the top five most popular and influential rock bands of all-time. Hit songs of theirs include "I Can't Get No Satisfaction," "Gimme Shelter," "Sympathy For The Devil," "It's Only Rock and Roll," and "Paint it Black."

Answer: Collective Soul

One might think that Shinedown were named after the Godsmack song "Shine Down." However, they were named after the song "Shine" by 1990's hard rock band Collective Soul. "Shine" was Collective Soul's biggest hit, going to number 11 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 chart. The line "Heaven let your light shine down" is where another band got its name.

Shinedown are one of the most popular hard rock bands of the 21st century. The have 13 number one singles on the U.S. Billboard Mainstream Rock chart, putting them at 3rd place all-time behind Van Halen and Three Days Grace. Hit songs of their include "Second Chance," "The Sound of Madness," "45," "Bully," "I'll Follow You," and a cover of Lynyrd Skynyrd's "Simple Man." It makes me sad that many members of the original Lynyrd Skynyrd, including Ronnie Van Zant, never lived to hear Shinedown's version of "Simple Man." I think they would have loved it.

Answer: Duke Ellington

Duke Ellington is regarded by many is the greatest jazz composer of all-time. There is a bridge in Washington D.C. named after him. His song "Mood Indigo" is where the progressive rock band The Moody Blues got their name. The Moody Blues have sold over 70 million albums worldwide and they have had 18 albums go gold or platinum. Hit songs of theirs include "Nights in White Satin" "Your Wildest Dreams," "Tuesday Afternoon," and "Go Now."

Answer: Hawkwind

Hawkwind were a British hard rock band. They're not well known in the United States, but in the U.K. they have had 22 albums chart and they had a top five UK hit with "Sliver Machine." Their song "Motorhead" became the name of a heavy metal band.

Motorhead are a British heavy metal band. Like Hawkwind, Motorhead aren't well-known in the U.S. but they are well-known in the U.K. They have sold over 15 million albums worldwide and their song "Ace of Spades" charted in the top 40 in the U.K.

Answer: The Ramones

The Ramones are one of the most influential rock bands of all-time. In 2002, Spin Magazine ranked them as the second greatest rock band of all-time behind only the Beatles. Bands that have covered Ramones songs include KISS, the Red Hot Chili Peppers, the Pretenders, Metallica, U2, Green Day, and Pearl Jam. The song "Bad Brain" became the name of a band.

Bad Brains were a punk rock band from Washington D.C. VH1 ranked them at number 99 on their list of top 100 hard rock bands of all-time.

Answer: New Edition

New Edition were an R & B band from Boston. They are famous for hit songs such as "Candy Girl," "Cool it Now," and "Mr. Telephone Man." Their song "Boys to Men" inspired the name of the band Boys II Men.

Boys II Men are an R & B group from Philadelphia. Their hit songs "End of the Road," "I'll Make Love to You" and "Sweet Day" each broke records for number of week spent at number one on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100. "End of the Road" broke the record previously held by Elvis Presley and with the other two, Boys II Men broke their own record.