Bands Born From the Same Womb

Sibling musical groups have harmonized their way into our lives for decades. From the Beegees to the Beach Boys, Creedence Clearwater Revival, The Kinks, AC/DC, Van Halen, Oasis, Radiohead, Dire Straits, The Pointer Sisters, Sister Sledge, The Corrs and the Jackson 5 — among several others — siblings have taken the stage to show us just how much music really does run in the family.

So which sibling groups are captivating us now, in this new century? As it turns out, these special genes have not yet gone extinct. Siblings are still thriving and co-creating. So really, not even a world pandemic can be used as an excuse to not begin a musical project. Call your brothers. Call your sisters. It’s time to make some music!

The list of 21st-century sibling music groups is by no means a small one, so here are a few groups I chose to mention, in no particular order:

1. The Staves

Emily, Jessica, and Camilla Staveley-Taylor

They hail from Watford, Hertfordshire, England, and released their debut album, Dead & Born & Grown in 2012. The album is named after the first song the three sisters wrote together. At the time, Camilla didn’t know how to play the guitar yet, thus only the two bottom strings are heard on a loop, giving full focus to the angelic harmonies that make the Staves unmistakable.

With musical parents — though not professional musicians — the sisters sang and harmonized together from a young age. As a family, it was something that came naturally to everyone. It took some time and confidence for them to take their harmonies into the music industry, but once they did, they undoubtedly left their mark. Starting in 2012, they have since been on tour with The Civil Wars, Ben Howard, Nathaniel Rateliff, Bear’s Den, and Bon Iver. They have also supported First Aid Kit on their tour in 2018.

As of February 2021, they have released 4 studio albums, and continue to mesmerize their fans with their hypnotizing voices. So if you haven’t already, go and listen to these sisters!

2. BAILEN

Fraternal twins Daniel, David, and sister Julia Bailen

This alternative music group hails from New York City and debuted its first album, Thrilled to Be Here, just 2 years ago in 2019. Raised by classically trained parents, the siblings dove into the family's record collection early on, triggering all of the right genes to life. They are multi-skilled and play a range of musical instruments, from bass to guitar, to drums. On top of that, their voices explode together in the most powerfully sung harmonies that go together like bread and butter. Still, brother Daniel confesses, “we’re all really different people and have very strong opinions. It’s an interesting dance.”

There is clearly a trend here with sibling trios and bombing harmonies. Inspired by artists like Simon & Garfunkel, Joni Mitchell, Carole King, and The Band, as well as more current pop artists, this musical group gives us those old-school vibes and something more. And as an added bonus, they have a great sense of humor — just watch their video clip for Something Tells Me. If that doesn’t cheer you up, I don’t know what will!

3. Kings of Leon

Caleb, Nathan, and Jared Followill (plus cousin Matthew)

Maybe you didn’t know it, but this 12-time Grammy-nominated and 4 times Grammy-winner rock band is all family. They hail from Nashville, Tenessee, and made their debut in 1999, but only boomed in 2008 with their Platinum-selling album Only by the Night, which features the hits “Sex on Fire” and “Use Somebody”.

The three siblings grew up traveling across the southern United States with their evangelist father who ping-ponged along Pentecostal churches and tent revivals. They were mainly homeschooled or attended parochial schools where they played some drums in church services. By 1997, their father resigned his position as a preacher, and their parents got divorced, whereby the brothers moved to Nashville to pursue their music.

Initially, Nathan and Caleb played country music, but soon enough they were introduced to rock. By 2002, the two brothers had sparked the interest of RCA Records, who suggested they base their band off of their duo. In an interview, Nathan says he rejected this proposal, saying “we’re going to buy our little brother a bass, he’s a freshman in high school. Caleb will teach himself the guitar, Matthew played guitar when he was 10 and I’ll play the drums.” Caleb then added that the brothers had to “kidnap” cousin Matthew from Mississippi. Ultimately, they convinced their aunt that he would only be away for a week, but then they never allowed him to go back home.

And so, the family members were reunited in Nashville in 1999, and the band was formed. The name Kings of Leon was chosen in honor of their grandfather Leon, who passed away in 2014. This band has certainly honored its family roots, as these four are truly on fire.

4. HAIM

Este, Danielle, and Alana Haim

HAIM is another all-sister trio. This family pop-rock band hails from Los Angeles, California. Once again, a musical family was at the heart of their genesis, and as such, the sisters began playing instruments early on. In fact, in 2000, together with their parents, they were part of an oldies cover band called Rockinhaim. They would all perform together at fairs, charity events, and delis in the San Fernando Valley area.

The band began playing together, without their parents, in 2006, but it wasn’t until 2013, with the release of their first single “Forever”, that their musical career really took off more seriously. They made the BBC’s Sound of 2013 list, and hit the top charts with their debut album Days are Gone. And by 2020, with the release of album number three, Women In Music, Pt III, they are headliners at major festivals and have even been nominated for Grammy’s.

Their nonchalance, in my view, is what makes them stand out in the rock industry. Their videos, which mainly include them dancing to their own choreographies, are, quite simply, captivating. It makes you want to put on your headphones and dance in the street with them!

5. First Aid Kit

Johanna and Klara Söderberg

Swedish sisters Johanna and Klara form the folk duo First Aid Kit, with Klara on the guitar and lead vocals, and Johanna on the keyboard and back vocals. They also have three additional musicians on their lineup, but the sisters are the face of the band.

Following the trends seen above, the sisters’ father was also musical, belonging to a Swedish pop-rock band called Lolita Pop. Although he quit before his first daughter was born, the musical seed was undoubtedly planted. Their mother, a cinematography teacher, undoubtedly left her creativity seed in the mix too. As a result, since they were young, the two practiced their craft using jump ropes as microphone props and wrote songs about their Barbie cars.

Childplay aside, the boom for these two sisters took place in 2008 with their YouTube cover of the song “Tiger Mountain Peasant Song” by Fleet Foxes. In other words, they went viral and it was all uphill from there. Their folk and country-influenced sound and — once again — hypnotizing harmonies, have brought them to worldwide recognition, and to four albums as of 2018. So if you haven’t already, check them out!

6. The Jonas Brothers

Kevin, Joe, and Nick Jonas

And last but not least, these Disney brothers also deserve a mention here. This pop-rock, brother trio, which hails from New Jersey, has certainly left its mark in this new century. Since their debut on Disney Channel in 2005, with the hit movie Camp Rock and its sequel, they have released 5 albums, won a Grammy, an AMA, sold over millions of albums, broken up, gotten back together, and hit number one on the Billboard Hot 100, with their single “Sucker” in 2019.

Needless to say, these brothers really made good use of their musical genes (which came by way of a musical parent, once again). Father Keven Jonas grew up poor with his single mother in North Carolina. By the age of 7, he was singing professionally as a child prodigy. He later became a worship director, but shortly after pursued music again; songwriting and traveling around the country, while his wife and four children stayed with their grandparents. Eventually, he gave up on his dream of being a performing musician, but preserved his love for music and faith, and became director of a music program at an institute he and his wife lead together.

Nick was the first of the three brothers to stand out musically. His voice sounded beautiful even in the hair salon his mother went to, and there, a customer suggested the child get a manager. Shortly after a few auditions, he was discovered and made it to Broadway, and Joe followed thereafter. Keven Jr. made commercials, and Nick proceeding to record a solo album, but soon enough, the trio was formed and the family was back on the road for the band’s tours. Their success thereafter is self-evident; from the tears and screams of fainting girls and being the youngest band to ever make it onto the cover of Rolling Stone.

Final Strums

The moral of the story seems to be that often, music really does run in the family. And what seems to help is to stimulate that musical gene early on at home. Many sibling bands have been singing with their families long before they ever made it anywhere, so it seems like it’s a good old case of nature and nurture!

There are plenty of other sibling bands of the 21st century that have not been mentioned in this article, ranging from Arcade Fire to emo-punk groups like Good Charlotte, My Chemical Romance, Thirty Seconds to Mars, The Veronicas, and even electronic musical groups like Disclosure.

At the end of the day, siblings have a unique bond, and when that bond extends to their musical synchronicity, it has historically proven to make for some great music! I can only hope that after a year of isolation, more siblings will have joined forces, and will produce amazing music!