Rock ‘n’ roll tattoos go hand in hand. Both musicians and music lovers use ink to express themselves, pay homage to artists they admire, and have fun. Common tattoo designs include nature images like flowers and trees, skulls, butterflies, tribal swirls, and iconography specific to bands and artists.
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A November 2024 study by Swiss tattoo shop Lebende Legend found the most popular rock tattoos of all time by analyzing search volume data. And while we’re positive there are plenty of old rock heads not contributing their rock tattoos to the mix by not searching for them online, the study is an interesting look into the relationship between music and tattoos.
Now, the most important question: did any of your tattoos make the list?
The 10 Most Popular Rock Band Tattoos
Lebende Legend gathered search volume data pertaining to tattoos “related” or “inspired by” iconic rock bands of the last several decades, per Metalhead Zone. They found Pink Floyd, the British psychedelic rock band behind hits like “Another Brick in the Wall” and “Wish You Were Here,” had the most searches, averaging 13,000 a month. The search volume data drops off by a wide margin from first to second, with Guns N’ Roses coming behind at 10,675 per month.
German metal band Rammstein came in at 10,558 searches. “Enter Sandman” band Metallica came in fourth at 9,367 searches, followed by Linkin Park, Nirvana, Slipknot, Twenty One Pilots, Iron Maiden, and Tool. While this search volume data is undoubtedly an interesting read, it’s not a definitive collection of all the rock band tattoos of the world. If a tattoo wearer doesn’t run an online search for the ink of their choice, their piece feasibly wouldn’t make the list. Similarly, a Google search isn’t the same as booking an appointment and getting a new tattoo.
Nevertheless, Lebende Legend’s study is a fun way to draw connections between fans of particular bands and their affinity for ink. “It’s very interesting to see which rock bands inspire the most tattoo pieces around the world,” Mentor Dedaj of Lebende Legend said. “Rock music and ink are seemingly inseparable, and tats are almost obligatory to big rock heads.”
“Having inked people in our studio with pieces influenced by some of these artists, some of the results are unsurprising,” they continued. “There are also a few interesting bands included in the top ten, as well as a few that surprisingly didn’t make the list.”
Genre Lovers Of All Kinds Love Ink
Tattoos might be commonplace now, but there was a time when American society only associated these bodily adornments with the military or prison. For those in the service, tattoos were badges of honor. Those in prison, outlaws, and other status quo-pushing individuals used tattoos to express their grit, defiance, and strength. During tattoos’ transition from taboo to typical, rock ‘n’ rollers were some of the first to proudly don their ink without serving or serving time.
Now, tattoos have found a more creative, expressive function within modern society. Ink lovers come in all forms, and that includes the type of music they listen to. In April 2023, Ticket Source ran a study similar to Lebende Legend’s rock-specific query across all genres. Using the same methodology, the site found Harry Styles, Justin Bieber, Ariana Grande, Rihanna, and Ed Sheeran to have the most online searches. K-Pop band BTS made this study’s No. 1 for most-tattooed band, followed by Pink Floyd, Slipknot, Nirvana, and Iron Maiden.
So, the only question left is: do you have one of the most popular rock (or otherwise) music tattoos? This writer’s Pink Floyd prism tattoo made the list.
Photo by Westend61/Getty Images
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