Today, my friend Roxanne from Coffin Table Reviews has joined me on the blog to share 10 book titles that she thinks would make cool band names.
About Roxanne
In eighth grade, some friends and I started a Latin rock band, in which I was the lead guitarist. I chose our name, Fantasma (Spanish for Ghost). This post combines my love of books with my love of music; in writing it, I recalled fond memories of my band days. I tried to stick as best as I could to Science Fiction and Fantasy; but being more of a Horror girl, a few scary titles managed to make their way in.
10 Book Titles That Would Make Cool Band Names
1. Boys That Bite
by Mari Mancusi
A story of mistaken identity with a paranormal twist, this book focuses on Sunny, a perky high school girl who’s the total opposite of her goth twin, Rayne. Rayne has signed up for a program that assigns her to a vampire mate; but after she drags her twin to the meetup, Sunny gets bitten instead. To turn back to normal, Sunny must work with the vampire Marcus.
Why it’d make a cool band name: The title is pretty cool (and partially what drew me to this book at first). I think it would make a cool name for a boy band that takes aesthetic influence from the Goth band Nosferatu.
2. Neverwhere
by Neil Gaiman
A dark spin on the trope of going down the rabbit hole, Richard Mayhew leads a humdrum life until the day he finds a strange, injured girl on the sidewalk. Thus begins his journey into the curious world of London Below.
Why it’d make a cool band name: This was one of the first Gaiman books I read, and I always found the sound of the title pleasing to the ear. I see this band as a modern-age Joy Division and want them to release a self-titled album.
3. American Gods
by Neil Gaiman
Former convict Shadow Moon gets released early from prison to attend his wife’s funeral. On the way, he accepts a job offer from a mysterious man, who calls himself Mr. Wednesday. Thus Shadow becomes part of an elaborate plan involving gods both old and new.
Why it’d make a cool band name: I remember my mind being blown by the complexities of this book. I see these guys as a smart punk band and want them to play a cover of Bad Religion’s “American Jesus.”
4. The Sickness
Animorphs #29 by K.A. Applegate
The Animorphs each succumb to an illness until one is left standing. This member must complete an important mission by themselves.
Why it’d make a cool band name: Maybe it’s because of the song by Disturbed, but I imagine this band as a heavy metal band.
5. Egg Monsters ‘From Mars’
Goosebumps #42 by R.L. Stine
Twelve-year-old Dana makes an unusual discovery during an egg hunt: a large, strangely colored egg that hatches an even stranger, gross-looking egg creature. Dana reaches out to a local scientist and finds out that the creature is from Mars—and that, with this newfound knowledge, he can’t go back home.
Why it’d make a cool band name: I feel like the name for this band would be just The Egg Monsters, while Egg Monsters From Mars would be the name of an album. I picture them as a mishmash of the Aquabats and Danzig-era Misfits, a fun ska-punk band with lyrics heavily influenced by ‘50s black-and-white horror films.
6. Cuckoo Song
by Frances Hardinge
Young Triss finds herself in a strange situation. She wakes up soaked to the bone in her room, has an unbelievable appetite, and frequently finds leaves in her hair. On top of that, her sister is scared of her. Something is really, really wrong with her.
Why it’d make a cool band name: This book surprised me because it was a lot darker than what I expected (and that’s saying a lot when you consider the cover of the edition I read!). I see the band having a female singer with a similar style to The Birthday Massacre.
7. Everlost
by Neal Shusterman
After dying, Nick and Allie find themselves in a weird limbo called Everlost. They have to learn the rules of this strange place in order to survive, while simultaneously avoiding its dangers, specifically a terrifying monster.
Why it’d make a cool band name: As it turns out, there’s already a Russian metalcore band called Everlost. It’s fitting, as I pictured the fictional band Everlost to be a metalcore band along the lines of Atreyu and Killswitch Engage.
8. Exquisite Corpse
by Poppy Z. Brite
British serial killer Andrew Compton has escaped from prison. He makes his way to New Orleans, where he meets an uncommon equal in murderous photographer Jay Byrne. They set their eyes on Vietnamese runaway Tran, who becomes attracted to Jay even as he pines for his former lover, Luke. (Warning: this is not a book I recommend easily because of its graphic content.)
Why it’d make a cool band name: These guys would form a metal band, or maybe even an alternative band with predominantly dark albums like the Smashing Pumpkins’ 1998 album, Adore.
9. The Lazarus Heart
by Poppy Z. Brite
After his wrongful imprisonment for the murder of his lover, New Orleans photographer Jared Poe is killed in prison and brought back to life by a mystical crow. With help from his lover’s twin sister, he looks for the real killer.
Why it’d make a cool band name: Maybe it’s because this book is part of the Crow universe, maybe it’s because of The Cure song featured in the original Crow film, but I would want this fictional band to be like The Cure in their darker period (from the Seventeen Seconds and Faith years).
10. The Dead Zone
by Stephen King
After a car accident leaves him comatose for years, schoolteacher Johnny Smith wakes up with the ability to see the future. When he has a terrifying premonition about a rising politician, Johnny must figure out a way to keep it from coming true.
Why it’d make a cool band name: It turns out there’s already a Russian metal band named Dead Zone. But in my fictional world, The Dead Zone would be a darkly humorous new wave band along the lines of Oingo Boingo.
Let’s Chat
📚 What’s your favorite band?
📚 What’s a book title that you think would make a cool band name?
Sophia @ Bookwyrming Thoughts says
Boys That Bite! I would definitely want to see that as a band name. I can see Neverwhere and Everlost being K-pop group names too, and it would be interesting to see what concepts would be from a group with those names.
Crystal (Kester) says
Yes for Boys That Bite! It would be interesting to see Neverwhere and Everlost as K-pop group names.
Nicole @ Feed Your Fiction Addiction says
This topic was such a fun one! I especially love that first one you chose!!
Crystal (Kester) says
Thanks so much, Nicole! My friend Roxanne is creative 🙂
ShootingStarsMag says
This is so much fun. I love that you have a lot of titles here that others didn’t share. Neverwhere would be a really cool band name, I agree.
-lauren
Crystal (Kester) says
Thanks, Lauren. My friend Roxanne is super creative! Yes, Neverwhere would be a cool band name!
Shannon @ It Starts at Midnight says
Okay I LOVE these!! Boys That Bite needs to be a band, no question. American Gods would be cool, but they could never be more fabulous than Ricky Whittle, so Idk if I’d buy it hahah. Exquisite Corpse would be so perfect- I’m imagining some young kid begging their parents to see them in concert 😂
Shannon @ It Starts at Midnight says
(Yayyy comment worked!! Thanks!!)
Crystal (Kester) says
I’m so glad that the comments system works now!! Thanks for bringing the issue to my attention ❤️
Crystal (Kester) says
Haha. Yes, Boys That Bite need to be a band! I can totally picture a kid asking their parents to see Exquisite Corpse 😂
Dini @ dinipandareads says
Ooh yes, Boys That Bite! What a helluva band name that’d be 😀 Also love the two Gaiman books as band titles! I can definitely picture them being bands in the genres you mentioned! Great picks 🙂
Crystal (Kester) says
Thanks, Dini. I agree that Roxanne picked some good ones! 🙂
Deanna @ A Novel Glimpse says
Boys that Bite! That would make a great band name! I love it. LOL
Crystal (Kester) says
Yes, it would! I’m glad you love it!
Sam@wlabb says
Boys that Bite for the win! That would be a stupendous band name. I definitely agree, it would be a boy band, but I could imagine one that’s emo like MCR or pop-punk/power-pop ala NFG.
Crystal (Kester) says
I agree. It would be a stupendous band name!
Lydia says
I didn’t know there was already a band named The Dead Zone. Cool!
My TTT .
Crystal (Kester) says
It’s neat how many band names we think would be cool do exist!
Ethan says
I guess a catchy title really would work for a band name since the requirements for each seem pretty similar.
I’ll admit, before I read Roxanne’s bio I was thinking to myself, “About Roxanne would make a great band name!”
Crystal (Kester) says
That’s true! Haha. “About Roxanne” would make me intrigued about the band and the origin of its name!