3 Iconic Musicians and Bands That Were More About Image Than Tunes

Sometimes, bands and musicians focus more on their image and aesthetics than they do on their music as an art form. And honestly, that’s not always a bad thing. Plenty of musicians have influenced pop culture aesthetics through their own. And even though their music wasn’t the primary focus, many of those artists produced killer tunes as well. Let’s look at just a few examples, shall we?

Sex Pistols

Sex Pistols making this list might be controversial. However, punk rock was about so much more than just music in the early years. It was a full-blown countercultural movement. Sure, it involved distorted, aggressive, often politically-charged music. But it also involved a rough-around-the-edges look and an aesthetic that later became a thing of its own. 

Sex Pistols, like many of their early punk rock contemporaries, had more of a focus on the overall attitude and physical look of punk rock. When you compare the band to other hitmakers who focused on the music, such as Pink Floyd or The Who, it is clear where Sex Pistols’ focus really was. And that wasn’t a bad thing. Sex Pistols proved that you didn’t need significant musical knowledge to put together a world-renowned band.

Boy George

Boy George was quite a big figure in the New Romantic movement of the 1980s. His solo career, along with his work in Culture Club, includes quite a bit of music in the new wave, pop, and blue-eyed soul genres. 

However, more people know him for his image than his music. George was notably androgynous back in the day, and his glam rock-inspired sense of fashion was what caught the attention of his early fans. His voice was quite distinguished, and his music was excellent, but his look was the focus of it all.

The New York Dolls

I love The New York Dolls. They made incredible music, and their 1973 self-titled debut record is a standard in any audiophile’s LP collection. That being said, they do deserve a spot on this list of bands that focused more on image than music. Their music was hard rock and inarguably proto-punk; they influenced many heavier rock acts that followed in their footsteps on a musical level. However, what really brought attention to the band was their habit of cross-dressing. 

Like Sex Pistols, that edgy countercultural aesthetic choice is what made people pay attention to them. And I’m certainly glad they went in that direction, considering they are one of the most well-known bands in 70s rock history.

Photo by Richard Creamer/Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images

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