The family that plays together stays together, that goes for music as much as it does for games.
A new study showed that musical talent within identical twins is mostly genetic. One twin practiced music regularly while the other didn’t. When they performed, the results were nearly the same. This can mean a few things — talent can trump practice. But talent may also run in the family.
Throughout the years, there have been many families which share their joined musical talent with the world, and have had immense success from it. From the Jackson 5 to the Hanson brothers, here are 10 families who changed the face of music.
1. The Jackson Five
Jackie. Tito. Jermaine. Marlon. And of course, little Michael. How can you talk about music and families without talking about the Jackson Five? Not only were they a gifted family, but they also made history as one of the first groups of black performers, preceded by The Supremes, The Four Tops and The Temptations.
1970 was the year of Jacksonmania as they became the first recording act to have their first four singles to become No. 1s.
The family unity was obviously disrupted in 2009 following Michael Jackson’s death. In his honor, the four older brothers went on their Unity Tour in 2012, showcasing his impact on their family and on music.
Memorable hits: “ABC,” “I’ll Be There” and “I Want You Back.”
The Wilson brothers of the Beach Boys (Brian, Carl and Dennis) were iconic in their unique So-Cal vibe. The Beach Boys are often referred to as America’s first rock band, while the British invaded our music charts with The Beatles and The Rolling Stones.
The Boys suffered the loss of Dennis in 1983 and then Carl in 1998. Since then, the Beach Boys have assembled and reassembled with varying members trying to recreate their surfer sound. But America’s Band always has a spot as a family favorite.
Memorable hits: “Good Vibrations,” “I Get Around” and “Surfin’ USA.”
3. The Osmonds
The Osmond family is the quintessential performing family, singing across genres of music while incorporating mesmerizing stage performances. It’s strange that the most popular member of the group, Donny, wasn’t an original member of the Osmonds. And by the time the Osmond brothers got big, Marie had launched a successful solo career.
As most bands do, a few of the boys went solo after a few years with the family band, and eventually they all contributed to the hit “Donny & Marie Show.” But after a few years, the show was cancelled and the Osmond family fell into spiraling debt.
They recovered, however, re-establishing their music or business careers and keeping close to each other.
Memorable hits: “One Bad Apple,” “Yo-Yo” and “Down by the Lazy River.”
4. The Allman Brothers
The Allman Brothers, composed of Duane and Gregg Allman and a few of their close friends, were pioneers in southern rock. Fats Domino and even Elvis were the primary pioneers, but the Allman brothers hit the genre at the peak of its popularity.
The band is unique in that their first two albums were duds. It wasn’t until they released a live album in 1971 that their popularity skyrocketed. Many people remember them for their song “Ramblin’ Man”, which peaked at No. 2 of the Billboard Hot 100 list. But unfortunately, band founder Duane Allman was killed in 1971.
In an act of brotherly love, the band released the album “Eat a Peach” in his honor in 1972.
Memorable hits: “Ramblin’ Man,” “Whipping Post” and “Blue Sky”
5. Hanson
Oh, the age of boy bands. The 1990s were filled with them. From N*Sync to the Backstreet Boys and everyone in between, the Hanson brothers — Taylor, Zac and Isaac — were a standout among the noise. Their poppy, energetic sound targeted to a younger age, especially teenage girls, drove people absolutely batty and made them want more.
Their success definitely peaked in the ’90s, and many even call them one-hit wonders. But their recent album release, “Anthem,” actually charted at No. 22 on the Billboard Hot 100. The Hanson brothers have definitely stuck it out together, through thin and through thick.
Memorable hits: “MMMBop,” “I Will Come to You” and “Where’s the Love”
6. Gladys Knight and the Pips
Gladys, Merald (Bubba) and Brenda Knight were all siblings, and Brenda and William Guest were their cousins. They were the model of a family band in the ’60s, continuing on through the ’80s when the band was forced to split.
The Pips were one of those bands that put Motown and classic rhythm and blues on the map. The ’60s were a complicated time, especially with segregation still prominent in the South. But Gladys and the Pips didn’t care. They played through the spite and recorded countless singles and records, together as a family.
Memorable hits: “Every Beat of My Heart,” “I Heard It Through the Grapevine” and “Neither One of Us (Wants to Be the First to Say Goodbye).”
7. Heart
Heart was a legendary rock band of the ’70s and ’80s, formed by sisters Ann and Nancy Wilson. They set the bar for “girl power” of the early days of rock.
The sisters were joined by a few close friends to form Heart. The band saw a typical rise and fall of commercial success. Despite the group’s slight setbacks, Heart was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Ann and Nancy still perform today.
Memorable hits: “Barracuda,” “Crazy on You” and “These Dreams.”
8. The Bee Gees
Stayin’ alive, stayin’ alive… It’s hard to meet anyone who doesn’t know this iconic song. First aid specialists even use the song to teach the proper beat when performing CPR. Barry, Robin and Maurice Gibb formed the Bee Gees in 1958, but their greatest success arced over the late ’60s to the early ’70s.
With energetic songs like “Stayin’ Alive” and “More Than a Woman” the Bee Gees were the family behind disco music
Memorable hits: “Stayin’ Alive,” “More Than a Woman” and “You Should Be Dancing.”
9. Creedence Clearwater Revival
John and Tom Fogerty obviously weren’t the only members of the popular classic rock band, but they were the heart.
CCR is another example of a southern rock band focusing on being born on the bayou and other icons of southern life. They had a small setback because of the draft, but this really led to further success as John Fogerty and bandmate Doug Clifford came back full of inspiration.
Tom Fogerty died in 1990, and his brother John said they achieved their dreams of becoming rock stars.
Memorable hits: “Born on the Bayou,” “Down on the Corner” and “Bad Moon Rising.”
10. Lynyrd Skynyrd
You can’t mention southern rock without Lynyrd Skynyrd. The rockers from Florida started with “Ronnie” Van Zant and a few of his teenage friends. Ronnie and company went on to pump out the classics like “Freebird.” While they were toiuring, they boarded a plane in 1977 to perform at LSU. However, the plane crashed, killing several members of the band, including Ronnie, on impact.
His younger brother, Johnny, never played in the band with Ronnie because of the crash, but Johnny took the lead for a reunion tour in 1987, gracing fans with all their hits. Though the two couldn’t share the stage, Johnny and Ronnie were still a family in music.
Memorable hits: “Sweet Home Alabama,” “Freebird” and “That Smell.”
Please read our comment policy before commenting.