A Battle of the Bands is a music contest or competition in which a number of bands compete for the title of "best band". The winner is determined by a voice vote of the audience or the band who brings the most people to support them. Traditionally, battles of bands are held at live music events and forums. Popular examples include the yearly Live and Unsigned contest in the United Kingdom and the annual SoundWave Music Competition.
A Battle of the Bands is a contest in which many bands, usually rock or metal bands, but often musical acts from a range of different styles, compete for the title of "best band". Its history though goes back to earlier times, at least the 1930s swing era, when big band battles between famous band leaders like Chick Webb, Casa Loma Orchestra, Benny Goodman and Count Basie were regularly organised in big dancehalls, like the Savoy Ballroom. The winner is determined by a panel of judges, the general response of the audience, or a combination. The winning band usually receives a prize in addition to bragging rights. Prizes usually include cash, free recording time in a local recording studio, support or main slot at a local or large gig, a piece of new equipment, or a gift certificate. For instance, the band Phish won a battle of the bands competition in 1989 in their hometown of Burlington, Vermont, and won recording time at a local studio, which they used to record their second album Lawn Boy . [1]
Battles of bands are sometimes held as part of a live music event; they are also commonly held at high schools and universities. The term "Battle of the Bands" is a trademark in Canada, held since 1998 by the Toronto promotions company Supernova Interactive. [2]
In the United States one of the oldest rows of a Battle of the Bands talent show has been hosted by the Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles, the first time in 1959. [3] The annual contest was meant to showcase teenage musicians and singers, the participants were either independent or associated with high schools and competed in several divisions like school band, vocal group, vocalist and combo. Auditions were being held early in the year, preliminary contests in spring and the finals in the Bowl in the summer. Two later famous musicians that have performed at the Hollywood Bowl Battle were Karen and Richard Carpenter in 1966 (winner in combo and sweepstake). [4]
One of the best-known battle of the bands competitions in the United States was the Rock 'n' Roll Rumble, held by the Boston rock radio station WBCN. The competition was held by the station from 1979 until its closure in 2009, and was then subsequently operated by an independent group. Several winners and participants became nationally popular after appearing in the competition, including Mission of Burma (1979 participant), 'Til Tuesday (1983 winner), The Lemonheads (1988 participant), Letters to Cleo, Morphine, Powerman 5000 (all 1992 participants), The Amazing Royal Crowns (1997 winner) and The Dresden Dolls (2003 winner).
The simultaneous release of albums and singles in 1995 sparked a media-fuelled "Battle of Britpop" between northern England's working-class Oasis and southern England's middle-class Blur. [5] Also in the United Kingdom, the largest annual music contest in a battle of the bands format is Live and Unsigned, which has been operating since 2007. The contest regularly draws 10,000 participants, with the grand prize of a £50,000 recording deal. [6] [7] [8]
A Battle of the Bands event forms the climax of a number of films, including Up in Smoke (1978), Cotton Candy (1978), Freaky Friday (2003), School of Rock (2003), Metal Lords (2022), Bandslam (2009), Bill & Ted's Bogus Journey (1991) and Blues Brothers 2000 (1998). In the horror thriller film House at the End of the Street (2011), starring Jennifer Lawrence, there are scenes resembling Battle of the Bands.
In the mid-1960s, Battle of the Bands events became popular in Texas. The Catacombs, a popular Houston rock nightclub in what is now the Uptown area of Houston, hosted many well known groups of the era including Grateful Dead, Jethro Tull, The Jeff Beck Group and The Mothers of Invention. Dallas, Austin and San Antonio were also popular venues. [9]
In 1968, California rock band The Turtles released a concept album, The Turtles Present the Battle of the Bands , with the band playing in different styles from psychedelic to surf music to bluegrass.
In the Take That musical Never Forget , the show centres on a tribute band working to win the "Battle of the Tribute Bands".
Third World Games have produced a Battle of the Bands card game, which takes a tongue-in-cheek look at the music business. The object is to recruit members into your band, equip them with instruments, win "gigs" and "hit singles" and earn enough "Superstar Points" to win. [10] The game is also available for play on GameTable Online. [11] There is also a Battle of the Bands video game and TV movie. In the music video game Guitar Hero World Tour and all games that followed, a "battle of the bands" mode is featured as an online gameplay mode.
The "battle of the bands" concept has had a heavy influence on reality television. Shows such as the Idol series and The X Factor borrow the basic concept of a "battle of the bands" except with individual singers instead of whole bands, combining the concept with a serial elimination format. There was a brief American series in the vein, The Next Great American Band , that did use whole bands. The former South African competition Rockspaaider followed a battle of the bands format, where rock-bands from all over the country are given the chance to compete for the title "Rockspaaider" and a recording contract. Along with the introduction of the Afrikaans music channel MK, the competition resulted in the resurgence of the Afrikaans music industry, especially the rise of Afrikaans Rock.
In the comedy film Bill & Ted's Bogus Journey (1991), Bill and Ted's band Wyld Stallyns competes in and wins Battle of the Bands performing "God Gave Rock 'n' Roll to You II". California rock band Primus makes a cameo appearance as rival contestants performing "Tommy the Cat".
In the comedy film Blues Brothers 2000 (1998), The Blues Brothers Band and The Louisiana Gator Boys compete against each other in Battle of the Bands. The Louisiana Gator Boys wins the Battle, and Elwood Blues suggests that the two bands perform together on stage, which they do.
The comedy-drama film Drumline (2002) features a battle of the bands with several historically black collegiate marching bands.
In the comedy film Freaky Friday (2003), Anna Coleman's band Pink Slip enters Battle of the Bands at the House of Blues before they perform at her parents' wedding.
In the comedy film School of Rock (2003), Dewey Finn enters Battle of the Bands with his students. It happens in the musical and television adaptation of the same name.
In the video game Rhythm Heaven (2008), there is a Battle of the Bands gamemode. It is similar to the Rockers mini-game, but with songs from other mini games, except That One Song, which is the Rockers 2 song. Drummer Duel (also from the DS game) serves a similar purpose. The Live feature from Rhythm Tengoku serves as a predecessor to this, as it is similar in concept.
The 2010 comic book adaptation film Scott Pilgrim vs. the World features several Battles of the Bands that culminate in actual physical fights. [12]
In the Australian thriller film Swerve (2011), a battle of the marching bands serves as background to most of the scenes set in the small country town.
In the animated film My Little Pony: Equestria Girls – Rainbow Rocks (2014), a trio of banished sirens from Equestria arrive at Canterlot High School and quickly transform the school's upcoming musical showcase into a Battle of the Bands in order to feed on the negative energy created by pitting groups against each other.
Phish is an American rock band formed in Burlington, Vermont, in 1983. The band consists of guitarist Trey Anastasio, bassist Mike Gordon, drummer Jon Fishman, and keyboardist Page McConnell, all of whom perform vocals, with Anastasio being the lead vocalist. The band are known for their musical improvisation and jams during their concert performances, and for their devoted fan following.
A jug band is a band employing a jug player and a mix of conventional and homemade instruments. These homemade instruments are ordinary objects adapted to or modified for making sound, like the washtub bass, washboard, spoons, bones, stovepipe, jew's harp, and comb and tissue paper. The term jug band is loosely used in referring to ensembles that also incorporate homemade instruments but that are more accurately called skiffle bands, spasm bands, or juke bands because they do not include a jug player.
Blues Traveler is an American rock band that formed in Princeton, New Jersey in 1987. They are known for their extensive use of segues in live performances, and could be considered a key part of the re-emerging jam band scene of the 1990s, spearheading the H.O.R.D.E. touring music festival.
Red Rocks Amphitheatre is an open-air amphitheatre in the western United States near Morrison, Colorado, approximately ten miles (16 km) southwest of Denver, which owns and operates it. In addition to several other large sandstone formations nearby, the venue is best recognized by its two massive monoliths, named "Ship Rock" and "Creation Rock", as well as the smaller "Stage Rock", which together flank its 9,525 capacity seating area and naturally form the amphitheater. While the venue is primarily known for hosting concerts and music festivals, other events of various types and sizes are held throughout the year.
CFOX-FM is a Canadian radio station in Vancouver, British Columbia. It broadcasts on an assigned frequency of 99.3 MHz on the FM band with an effective radiated power of 100,000 watts (peak). The transmitter is located on Mount Seymour in the District of North Vancouver, with studios located in Downtown Vancouver, in the TD Tower. The station is owned by Corus Entertainment. CFOX has a modern rock format, as it reports to Mediabase as a Canadian alternative rock station.
A music competition is a public event designed to identify and award outstanding musical ensembles, soloists, composers, conductors, musicologists or compositions. Pop music competitions are music competitions which are held to find pop starlets.
Hoadley's Battle of the Sounds was an annual national rock/pop band competition held in Australia from 1966 to 1972. The winners of the national finals were the Twilights (1966), the Groop (1967), the Groove (1968), Doug Parkinson in Focus and the Affair, the Flying Circus (1970), Fraternity (1971) and Sherbet (1972).
Jesse Blaze Snider is an American comic book writer, voice-over actor, TV and radio host, and rock musician. He is the eldest son of Twisted Sister frontman and vocalist Dee Snider.
The Doors Collection is a music compilation by the American rock band the Doors, released on Laserdisc and DVD in 1995 and 1999, respectively. It compiles three films previously released by MCA/Universal Home Video: Dance on Fire (1985), Live at the Hollywood Bowl (1987) and The Soft Parade – A Retrospective (1991).
Live and Unsigned is a music competition in the United Kingdom for unsigned bands and vocal groups to perform live for substantial prizes. It was founded 2007, and has attracted over 40,000 entrants annually since its inception. Competitors perform in their own genre and style to a paying audience and judging panel. The competition tours the UK holding auditions and finals in various areas and regions, and the Grand National Final is held in London The O2 in London being the last used.
Underground Authority is an alternative rock and rap rock band from India. Formed in early 2010, in Kolkata, their music is flavoured by a blend of protest poetry, reggae, alternative rock, rap rock and hard rock. The band is noted for their socio-political messages and anti-capitalism agenda in their song lyrics.
Chris Grayston is an English music promoter, event organizer, record producer, musician, label owner and talent scout. He is currently employed as a music consultant including working for acts and record labels.
The Trinity Band is a five piece musical group founded in 2004 from Derby, England. The band consists of Rukus (rapper), Dwaine Hayden (singer), Craig Dawkins (keyboards), James Dawkins (drums) and Pete Sharpe (bass).
A jam band is a musical group whose concerts and live albums substantially feature improvisational "jamming." Typically, jam bands will play variations of pre-existing songs, extending them to improvise over chord patterns or rhythmic grooves. Jam bands are known for having a very fluid structure, playing long sets of music which often cross genre boundaries, varying their nightly setlists, and segueing from one song into another without a break.
Waves is the annual cultural festival of BITS Pilani, K K Birla Goa Campus. It is a three-day-long festival held in the late October – early November period. It is a cultural festival that is held annually to celebrate music, dance and art. It is an inter college festival with students coming in to participate in events and competitions from all over the country.
Rock The House is a British Parliamentary live music and venue competition founded by Mike Weatherley MP. The competition celebrates up-and-coming unsigned British artists and the live music venues that support them.
Archean Soundtrack are a British rock/hip hop band from London, England. It was formed by actors from the accredited East 15 Acting School in 2009. Archean Soundtrack are best known for their single Reach, the music video of which was directed by Duncan Guymer, who oversaw the viral marketing videos for Thorpe Park's new ride, "The Swarm". This single was chosen by BBC Essex's Ollie Winiberg for broadcast on BBC Introducing in 2012. The band were also finalists in the sixth year of the widely acknowledged Live and Unsigned competition in the UK.
My Little Pony: Equestria Girls – Rainbow Rocks, known simply as Rainbow Rocks, is a 2014 animated fantasy musical film which is a part of Hasbro's Equestria Girls toy line and media franchise, which is a spin-off of the 2010 relaunch of the main My Little Pony franchise. The film was animated using Adobe Flash, directed by Jayson Thiessen and Ishi Rudell, written by Meghan McCarthy, and was produced by DHX Media's 2D animation studio in Vancouver, Canada for Hasbro Studios in the United States, as a sequel to the 2013's Equestria Girls film. The film premiered in select theaters across the United States and Canada on September 27, 2014, which was followed by broadcast on Discovery Family, a joint venture between Discovery, Inc. and Hasbro, on October 17, 2014, and then a home media release on October 28, 2014, by Shout! Factory.
Rock Wars is a Canadian television variety series, which aired in 1985 on CBC Television. A national "battle of the bands" competition, the series featured unsigned musical groups competing in a series of regional concerts held in various cities across Canada, with the winner of each episode advancing to another round of competition until the ultimate winner was named at a final concert staged in Vancouver, British Columbia.
The International Songwriting Competition (ISC), founded in 2002, is an annual songwriting contest for both amateur and professional songwriters. There is no physical event to attend as the competition is held online, and anyone in the world can enter. Each year the competition gives away over $150,000 USD in cash and prizes, including $25,000 USD in cash to the overall Grand Prize Winner. Additionally, ISC offers an opportunity for artists to have their songs heard by celebrity artists and music industry executives.