2,336 articles
Unknown Mortal Orchestra
Unknown Mortal Orchestra (UMO) is a Portland-based psychedelic rock band founded in 2010 by New Zealand-born Ruban Nielson of the Mint Chicks, known for lo-fi funk-psych albums including II, Multi-Love, and the double album V.
Unlimited Love Tour
Unlimited Love Tour, also the 2022 Global Stadium Tour, Red Hot Chili Peppers world tour June 2022 to July 2024 supporting Unlimited Love and Return of the Dream Canteen; 113 shows, 26 countries, 3.4 million tickets, first tour with returning guitarist John Frusciante.
Urge Overkill
Urge Overkill, Chicago alternative rock band formed mid-1980s by Nash Kato and Eddie "King" Roeser, named after a Parliament song; known for Saturation (1993) and the Pulp Fiction Neil Diamond cover "Girl, You'll Be a Woman Soon."
Uriah Heep (band)
Uriah Heep: English hard rock band formed in London in 1969 from the band Spice, named after a Dickens character; known for harmony vocals, Hammond organ, and 1970s gold albums like Demons and Wizards.
Vampire Weekend
Vampire Weekend is an American indie rock band formed at Columbia University in 2006 by Ezra Koenig, Rostam Batmanglij, Chris Baio, and Chris Tomson, known for Afropop- and baroque-inflected albums including Contra, Modern Vampires of the City, and Only God Was Above Us.
Van der Graaf Generator
Van der Graaf Generator: English progressive rock band formed 1967 at Manchester University by Peter Hammill and Chris Judge Smith, named after the Van de Graaff static-electricity machine; known for Pawn Hearts, Godbluff, and punk-era cult status.
Van Halen
Van Halen: American hard rock band formed in Pasadena, California, by Eddie and Alex Van Halen, David Lee Roth, and Michael Anthony; famous for the 1978 debut, the 1984 album and 'Jump', the Sammy Hagar era, Eddie's tapping technique, and 2007 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame induction.
Vanilla Fudge
Vanilla Fudge, American psychedelic rock band formed 1965–66 in the New York area (Stein, Martell, Bogert, Appice), known for slowed-down heavy covers; 'You Keep Me Hangin' On' and debut album both hit #6; proto-metal influence on Deep Purple and others.
Vanity 6
Vanity 6, also known as the Hookers project, was a Prince-assembled Minneapolis female trio (Vanity, Brenda Bennett, Susan Moonsie) whose 1982 Warner Bros. album and single "Nasty Girl" hit No. 1 on the Billboard dance chart before becoming Apollonia 6.
Velvet Revolver
Velvet Revolver, hard rock supergroup (2002-2008) of ex-Guns N' Roses members Slash, Duff McKagan, Matt Sorum, Stone Temple Pilots singer Scott Weiland, and Dave Kushner; albums Contraband and Libertad, Grammy for "Slither".
Vertical Horizon
Vertical Horizon: American alternative rock band formed 1991 in Washington, D.C. by Matt Scannell and Keith Kane; known for the 1999 RCA album Everything You Want and its Billboard Hot 100 number-one title track.
Veruca Salt
Veruca Salt is a Chicago alternative rock band formed in 1992 by Louise Post and Nina Gordon, known for "Seether" and the gold albums American Thighs (1994) and Eight Arms to Hold You (1997); not the Willy Wonka character.
Verzuz
Verzuz: livestreamed song-for-song music battle series created by Swizz Beatz and Timbaland on Instagram Live in March 2020; 20 hits per artist, no official winner, later owned by Triller, then the founders, distributed via X and Complex.
Viagra Boys
Viagra Boys are a Swedish post-punk band formed in Stockholm in 2015, fronted by American-born singer Sebastian Murphy. Four albums: Street Worms, Welfare Jazz, Cave World, Viagr Aboys; satirical songs on masculinity and drugs.
Videosex
Videosex was a Yugoslav synth-pop and new wave band formed in Ljubljana in the early 1980s, fronted by singer Anja Rupel and known for "Detektivska priča" and "Moja mama".
Viola Beach
Viola Beach were an English indie pop band from Warrington, formed 2013 (Kris Leonard, River Reeves, Tomas Lowe, Jack Dakin). All four and manager Craig Tarry died in a 2016 Swedish canal-bridge crash; their posthumous debut album topped the UK chart.
Violent Femmes
Violent Femmes are an American folk-punk band formed in Milwaukee in 1981 by Gordon Gano, Brian Ritchie, and Victor DeLorenzo, known for "Blister in the Sun."
Virtual band
Virtual band: a music group whose members are fictional animated or digital characters, with real musicians recording behind the scenes. Key names: Gorillaz (Damon Albarn, Jamie Hewlett), Hatsune Miku, PLAVE. Distinguished from hologram revivals of real artists by invented characters.
Visage (band)
Visage were a British New Romantic synth-pop band formed in 1978 by Steve Strange and Rusty Egan of London's Blitz Club; their 1980 single "Fade to Grey" topped charts in 17 countries, and the band recorded albums including The Anvil (1982) and posthumous Demons to Diamonds.
Visual kei (ヴィジュアル系)
Visual kei (ヴィジュアル系), a Japanese rock movement from the 1980s built around theatrical makeup, androgynous fashion, and elaborate visuals rather than a fixed sound; named from X JAPAN's "PSYCHEDELIC VIOLENCE CRIME OF VISUAL SHOCK" slogan; peaked in the 1990s, now a resilient live-house and international niche scene.
Vixen (band)
Vixen is an American all-female hard rock/glam metal band founded by guitarist Jan Kuehnemund of St. Paul, Minnesota. Known for 1988's Vixen album, "Edge of a Broken Heart" (#26) and "Cryin'" (#22), gold certification, and continued touring under later lineups.
Vulfpeck
Vulfpeck is an American funk band formed in 2011 in Ann Arbor, Michigan, by Jack Stratton, Theo Katzman, Woody Goss, and Joe Dart; known for Sleepify, independent Vulf Records releases, and sold-out Madison Square Garden shows.
W.i.S.H.
W.i.S.H. ("World Inka Stage Hai") is an Indian I-pop girl group formed in 2024 by producer Mikey McCleary with Sony Music India: Ri, Sim, Zo, and Suchi, debuting with "Lazeez" as India's first girl group in 22 years since Viva.
Walk off the Earth
Walk off the Earth, Canadian indie pop band formed 2006 in Burlington, Ontario, known for multi-instrumental viral videos; its five-people-one-guitar 2012 Gotye cover passed 100 million views and led to Columbia Records and Juno Awards.
Walk the Moon
Walk the Moon: American pop-rock band formed 2006 in Cincinnati, Ohio, also known as WALK THE MOON, named after the Police song. Famous for the 2014 triple-platinum hit 'Shut Up and Dance' (No. 4 Hot 100); on hiatus since 2023.
Wall of Voodoo
Wall of Voodoo, Los Angeles new wave band active 1977–1988 with a brief 2006 return, founded as Acme Soundtracks by Stan Ridgway and Marc Moreland; known for the 1983 MTV hit 'Mexican Radio' and the album Call of the West.
Wallows
Wallows are a Los Angeles alternative rock trio of Dylan Minnette, Braeden Lemasters, and Cole Preston; childhood bandmates behind "Pleaser" and the albums Nothing Happens, Tell Me That It's Over, and Model on Atlantic Records.
Wand (band)
Wand: Los Angeles rock band formed in 2013, led by Cory Hanson (not the Japanese band WANDS or Wooden Wand). Psychedelic garage rock on Ganglion Reef, Golem, 1000 Days; shifted to art rock on Plum (2017); Drag City albums through Vertigo (2024).
Wang Chung (band)
Wang Chung (originally Huang Chung, from Chinese huáng zhōng, 'yellow bell') are an English new wave band of Jack Hues and Nick Feldman, known for 'Everybody Have Fun Tonight' (US No. 2, 1986), 'Dance Hall Days', and the To Live and Die in L.A. soundtrack; active again since 2012.
War (band)
War is an American funk band from Long Beach, California, formed in 1969 (some sources say 1962), known for the 1970 Eric Burdon collaboration "Spill the Wine," the 1973 best-selling album The World Is a Ghetto, and hits "Low Rider" and "Why Can't We Be Friends?"