Think about nearly any classic rock band you love. When you think of The Rolling Stones, sure, Keith Richard’s scathing, catchy opening riff for “Rocks Off” might spring to mind. It’s more likely you’ll think of the tongue and lips logo first, however.
Pretty much every legendary rock ‘n roll band has had an equally legendary logo. Led Zeppelin had the Zoso insignia. The Grateful Dead had the Steal Your Face.
While it’s impossible to estimate exactly how many bands there are in the world, some speculate there could be as many as 8 million bands in the world. We are inundated with music from every direction, pretty much every second we’re awake. A memorable band logo is one of the simplest ways to help your group stand out from the line noise.
Here are some tips on band logo design to help you create your own iconic band.
Tips For The Ultimate Band Logo Design
Let’s start with the design disclaimer 101. Don’t just follow these suggestions like Rice-A-Roni cooking instructions. Your rock band logo is supposed to emphasize your band’s unique identity. Ignorable logos get ignored.
1. Do Your Research
You don’t have to reinvent the wheel to create a memorable band logo. There’s a ton of ideas and inspiration out there to choose from. It also helps you know what’s already out there, so you can create a memorable design for your rock band.
2. Think Outside The Box
Don’t just limit yourself to looking at rock band logos, either. The entire field of graphic design is at your disposal. Use it.
Looking at successful logos from other industries helps give an idea of current tastes and trends. Consider the Snapchat ghost logo. There’s not even any text, just bold honeybee yellow and a memorable shape.
The same could be said for Instagram’s camera logo. The message is clear – less is more in 2019.
3. Investigate Iconography
Symbols are powerful. They have meaning ascribed to them from the different ways they’re used, sometimes over the span of centuries.
Consider the sign of the Cross. It’s one of the most recognizable symbols in Human history, with whole libraries of significance behind it. As a religious symbol, the Cross has a very special and specific meaning to Christians. They’re likely to be offended if it’s used incorrectly or in a way that doesn’t prescribe to their beliefs.
In short, tread lightly when using symbols. But also don’t be afraid to take advantage of their power and possibilities!
Knowing how to make a band logo requires understanding both design as well as rock ‘n roll. When you have a handle on history, design principles, and understand your audience, you can create a timeless logo that will stick with your listeners.
Ready To Print Your Logo On Your Drums?
Your band logo design on a bass drum head is a kind of portable billboard for your band. It’ll be the first thing people see, and the thing that sticks with them the most, when you play shows or during a photo shoot.
Order your custom bass drum head today!