Bands That Are (Or Were) Couples

Updated April 22, 2024 888.4K views 31 items

Music is a very personal outlet that can unify people in a unique way. It's no surprise that many successful bands feature romantically involved members. While a couple can create magical music, the end of a romantic relationship may mean the end of a band.

Blondie formed in 1974, and members Debbie Harry and Chris Stein dated for years before splitting up after the band did the same. Arcade Fire began in 2001, and bandmates Win Butler and Regine Chasagne got married in 2003. Other bands that include current or former couples: The White Stripes, ABBA, Sonic Youth, Fleetwood Mac. The list goes on, with plenty of success and heartbreak along the way.

Do you think it's a good idea to date a bandmate? From country singers to rockers, here are some of famous bands that were or still are couples.

The White Stripes
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The White Stripes formed in 1997, and for a few years, the duo of Jack White (John Anthony Gillis) and Meg White pretended they were siblings. In reality, the pair were married from 1996-2000. In 2011, The White Stripes announced they would no longer be recording new music because of "a myriad of reasons... mostly to preserve what is beautiful and special about the band"
More The White Stripes
- #145 of 863 onThe 250+ Greatest Rock Bands Of All Time, Ranked
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- #112 of 237 onThe Greatest American Rock Bands
Sonic Youth
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Sonic Youth formed in 1981. The original lineup of the band included Thurston Moore, Kim Gordon, Lee Ranaldo, and Richard Edson. Moore and Gordon were married in 1984, but decided to separate in 2011. Sonic Youth subsequently broke up that same year.
More Sonic Youth
- #28 of 115 onThe Greatest Chick Rock Bands Ever
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No Doubt
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No Doubt formed in 1986 with members Gwen Stefani, Tom Dumont, Tony Kanal, and Adrian Young. Stefani and Kanal were in a seven year relationship, which ended just before the release of their breakout album Tragic Kingdom. Although the relationship ended, the band stayed strong and remain together. Gwen Stefani married Bush frontman Gavin Rossdale in 2002, but split in 2015.
More No Doubt
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Arcade Fire
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Arcade Fire formed in 2001. Current members include Win Butler, Régine Chassagne, Richard Reed Parry, William Butler, Jeremy Gara, and Tim Kingsbury. Win Butler and Régine Chassagne got married in 2003.
More Arcade Fire
- Dig Deeper...The Best Arcade Fire Albums, Ranked
- #697 of 863 onThe 250+ Greatest Rock Bands Of All Time, Ranked
- #1024 of 1,150 onThe Greatest Musical Artists Of All Time, Ranked
Die Antwoord
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Die Antwoord formed in 2008 by Ninja (Watkin Tudor Jones), Yolandi Visser (Anri du Toit), and DJ Hi-Tek. Ninja and Visser were romantically involved for years, and have a daughter together, Sixteen Jones.
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The Dresden Dolls
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  Kyle Cassidy
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The Dresden Dolls formed in 2000 with members Brian Viglione and Amanda Palmer. The duo were never a couple, but admitted they did sleep together often. The band remains active, and in 2010, Palmer married author Neil Gaiman.
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Cults
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Cults formed in 2010. The band consists of Brian Oblivion and Madeline Follin, who dated for a few years before breaking up in 2012. But while the couple split, the band remains intact.
More Cults
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Fleetwood Mac
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Fleetwood Mac formed in 1967, broke up in 1995, reunited in 1997, and still tours today. The core members of Fleetwood Mac are Mick Fleetwood, John McVie, Christine McVie, Lindsey Buckingham, and Stevie Nicks. Buckingham and Nicks dated for years, but the pressures of the band interfered with the relationship. Plus, Nicks had an affair with Mick Fleetwood.

Christine McVie (Anne Christine Perfect), meanwhile, was married to John McVie from 1968-1976. They divorced during the band's infamous Rumours tour.
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- #5 of 115 onThe Greatest Chick Rock Bands Ever
The Mamas & The Papas
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The Mamas & the Papas formed in 1965 with members John Phillips, Denny Doherty, Michelle Phillips, and Cass Elliot. Michelle Phillips and John Phillips were married from 1962-1970. The band split-up in 1968, primarily because Cass Elliot wanted to go solo.
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Mates Of State
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Mates of State formed in 1997. The group consists of Kori Gardner and Jason Hammel, who have been married since 2001.

ABBA
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ABBA formed in 1972, made up of two couples: Agnetha Fältskog and Björn Ulvaeus, who were married from 1971-1980; and Benny Andersson and Anni-Frid "Frida" Lyngstad, who began dating in 1969 and were married from 1978-1981. After both couples divorced, the band called it quits in 1982.
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- #12 of 115 onThe Greatest Chick Rock Bands Ever
Blondie
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Blondie formed in 1974 with Debbie Harry, Chris Stein, Clem Burke, Jimmy Destri, and Gary Valentine. Harry and Stein became romantically involved in the '70s, but eventually split. Blondie broke up in 1982, but reformed in 1997 for several reunion tours.
More Blondie
- #2 of 115 onThe Greatest Chick Rock Bands Ever
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Ike & Tina Turner
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Ike & Tina Turner formed a musical partnership in 1960. They were married from 1962-1978, but their musical relationship ended in divorce.
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Rilo Kiley
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Rilo Kiley formed in 1998 with Jenny Lewis, Blake Sennett, Pierre de Reeder, and Jason Boesel. Lewis and Sennett, both former child actors, dated for several years. Rilo Kiley has been on an indefinite hiatus since 2010.
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Yo La Tengo
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Yo La Tengo formed in 1984 and released its fifteenth album in 2018. Current members Ira Kaplan and Georgia Hubley have been married since 1987.
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New Order
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New Order formed in 1980 after the suicide of Joy Division frontman Ian Curtis. The three remaining members, Bernard Sumner, Stephen Morris, and Peter Hook, asked Gillian Gilbert to join the new band. Gilbert and Morris married in 1993. New Order is currently active minus founding member Peter Hook, who left in 2007.
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Matt & Kim
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Matt & Kim was formed in 2004 by Matt Johnson and Kim Schifino, who are in a relationship. They released their sixth album in 2018.
Tom Tom Club
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Tom Tom Club formed in 1981 with Tina Weymouth and Chris Frantz, who have been married since 1977. They were both also founding members of Talking Heads in 1975.
The Plastic Ono Band
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The Plastic Ono Band was founded in 1969 by Yoko Ono and John Lennon. The band - a project that performed with people like George Harrison and Eric Clapton - was active from 1969 through 1974. More recently, Ono has resurrected the band with a new lineup. Ono and Lennon were married from 1969 until Lennon's murder in 1980.
Siouxsie And The Banshees
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Siouxsie and the Banshees formed in 1976 with Siouxsie Sioux (Susan Ballion) and Steven Severin. One year later, Budgie AKA Peter Edward Clarke joined the band. Siouxsie Sioux and Clarke married in 1991. In 1996, Siouxsie and the Banshees spilt, but Sioux and Clarke continued making music with The Creatures. In 2007, the couple divorced.
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Stereolab
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Stereolab was founded in 1990 by Tim Gane and Lætitia Sadier. The duo had a child, Alex, together in 1998. The couple split in 2004, and the band went on hiatus in 2009.
Cocteau Twins
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Cocteau Twins formed in 1979. Members included Elizabeth Fraser, Robin Guthrie, Will Heggie, and Simon Raymonde. Fraser and Guthrie had a daughter together in 1989. The couple broke up in 1993, though, and the band split in 1997.
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Sonny & Cher
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Sonny & Cher first started recording together in 1964 and were married from 1964-1975. When they split up romantically, they also ended their musical collaboration.
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Miami Sound Machine
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Miami Sound Machine band leader Emilio Estefan Jr. married singer Gloria Fajardo in 1978, three years after the band formed. The couple have been married ever since, and the band is still active today.
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The Submarines
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The Submarines formed around 2006. The band consists of John Dragonetti and Blake Hazard, who have dated on and off for years. They continue to collaborate musically, and have found writing inspiration in their romantic relationship.
The Sundays
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The Sundays formed in 1988 with members Harriet Wheeler, David Gavurin, Patrick Hannan, and Paul Brindley. Wheeler and Gavurin are married and they have children together. The band has not been active since 1997.
The Cramps
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The Cramps were founded in 1976 by married couple Lux Interior and Poison Ivy. The band and the marriage came to an end in 2009 with the death of Lux Interior.
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The Besnard Lakes
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The Besnard Lakes formed in 2001. Current members include Jace Lasek, Olga Goreas, Kevin Laing, and Richard White. Lasek and Goreas have been married since the band's inception.
Amadou & Mariam
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Blind Mali musical duo Amadou & Mariam formed in 1975. The titular members, Amadou Bagayoko and Mariam Doumbia, have been married since 1980.
Handsome Furs
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Handsome Furs formed in 2006 by married couple Dan Boeckner and Alexei Perry. The couple and the band announced that they were splitting up in 2012.
The Smashing Pumpkins
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According to original bassist D'arcy Wretsky, she and guitarist James Iha dated for the first four years of the band's existence. Wretsky ultimately left the group in 1999, having already split with Iha at that point.
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