What do you get when you mix geography with guitar riffs? These artists took their names straight off the map and onto the marquee. Whether they sound like dusty highways, neon-lit clubs, or epic national anthems, these state-named bands bring the whole country to your headphones.
Alabama
Southern charm meets country stardom. Alabama ruled the ’80s with hit after hit and harmonies tighter than a tour bus on a hairpin turn.
Kansas
Prog-rock grandeur with a Midwestern name. Kansas built sonic skyscrapers with violins, choirs, and enough philosophy to power a think tank.
Florida Georgia Line
Modern country with plenty of bass drops and backroads romance. These two guys turned their state-line namesake into a global party playlist.
Mississippi Mass Choir
Gospel that shakes the heavens. When they sing, you feel it in your chest — like thunder, joy, and redemption in stereo.
Nevada Tan
A German nu-metal band with a name inspired by an internet meme and a U.S. state. Wild, weird, and very MySpace-era.
A R I Z O N A
Dreamy synth-rockers with a cinematic sound from New Jersey. Their music feels like golden hour on a desert road trip — wide open and endlessly listenable.
America
Laid-back acoustic vibes and harmonies that stretch across the desert. America’s “A Horse with No Name” still gallops through FM radio like a mirage with perfect hair.
Texas
They’re not from Texas — they’re from Scotland. But their soulful pop-rock and shimmering melodies still hit like a warm Southern breeze.
Montana of 300
A lyrical force with rapid-fire flow and intense wordplay. Named after a state and a movie, Montana of 300 brings grit and gospel fire to every verse.
Tennessee Ernie Ford
A classic crooner with a name made for radio. His version of “Sixteen Tons” is as iconic as his booming voice and old-school charm
New York Dolls
Glam, grit, and guitar fuzz. The Dolls brought downtown attitude, lipstick, and volume to the punk movement before it even had a name.
Carolina Liar
Pop-rock hooks with emotional punch. Their name blends the charm of the Carolinas with the angst of youth and heartbreak.
Georgia Satellites
Straight-up rock ’n’ roll soaked in Southern grit. “Keep Your Hands to Yourself” never left the jukebox, and neither did their swagger.
Ohio Players
Funk royalty. With grooves as smooth as silk and album covers as bold as their basslines, the Ohio Players made every track a dancefloor magnet.