A Nicholas Sparks must-read is "The Longest Ride," which follows two interconnected love stories: Ira Levinson, an elderly man reflecting on his lifelong love for his late wife, Ruth, and Sophia Danko, a college student who falls for Luke Collins, a professional bull rider. As Sophia and Luke navigate their own relationship and the obstacles in their path, Ira's memories unfold alongside theirs, revealing parallels between the two couples.

The New York Times bestseller, released in 2013, deftly weaves these two love stories together, creating a feeling that is deeply personal. The contrast between Ira and Ruth's enduring, decadeslong relationship and Sophia and Luke's more immediate, uncertain romance adds emotional depth and complexity.

The book shows how love can evolve over time through loss and amid difficult choices. There's also something moving about how art, memory, and sacrifice tie everything together, giving the novel a more reflective, lasting impact.

If you love the book as I do, the movie — released in 2015 and starring Clint Eastwood and Britt Robertson — is equally good.

"The Longest Ride" had a modest box-office performance, grossing about $63 million worldwide against a $34 million budget, making it a mild financial success but not a major hit, according to Box Office Mojo.

Plus, who doesn't want to stare at Scott Eastwood in a cowboy hat?

"The Last Song" is another Nicholas Sparks classic that balances romance with a deeper, more emotional story about family, forgiveness, and growing up.

The New York Times bestseller, released in 2009, follows Ronnie Miller, a rebellious teenager sent to spend the summer with her estranged father in a small beach town. Initially resistant, Ronnie slowly begins to reconnect with him through their shared love of music while also forming a relationship with a local boy, Will. As the summer unfolds, secrets are revealed, and relationships deepen, leading Ronnie to confront difficult truths about love, family, and loss.

Ronnie's journey feels especially real — she's not instantly likable, but watching her slowly open up, reconnect with her father, and find love makes the story more meaningful. It's not just about the relationship; it's about healing and second chances, giving it a different kind of emotional weight than a typical romance. The mix of love, music, and loss made it a story that really stayed with me.

The movie, released in 2010, stands out because it brings the story's emotion to life, with Miley Cyrus and Liam Hemsworth. Their on-screen chemistry feels genuine, especially given their real-life relationship that followed (but eventually ended).

"The Last Song" was a box-office success, earning about $89 million worldwide against a $20 million budget, driven largely by strong domestic performance, per Box Office Mojo data.

"Dear John" is another of my favorites by Sparks because it captures that specific kind of love that feels intense, real, and a little bit out of reach. The New York Times bestseller was released in 2006.

The story follows John Tyree, a soldier on leave, who falls in love with Savannah Curtis, a college student, during a brief summer together. As John returns to the Army, the two maintain their relationship through letters, navigating the challenges of distance and changing life circumstances.

Over time, their love is tested by duty, personal growth, and unexpected choices, turning their story into a bittersweet exploration of what it means to love someone even when life pulls you in different directions.

This feels like a realistic story: John and Savannah's relationship is affected by distance, timing, and real-life responsibilities.

There's something especially emotional about the way their connection unfolds through letters, giving their love story a sense of intimacy and longing. It's not a perfect or easy romance, and that's part of why it resonates — it shows how love can be powerful even when it doesn't work out the way you hope.

The "Dear John" movie keeps the book's emotional heart, while making the romance feel more like Channing Tatum and Amanda Seyfried brought the characters to life. Seeing their story play out in the 2010 film adds another layer to the longing and heartbreak, making the film hit just as hard as the novel.

The "Dear John" movie earned about $115 million worldwide against a $25 million budget, per Box Office Mojo, driven by a strong opening weekend despite mixed reviews.

"A Walk to Remember" is another Sparks staple, released in 1999. It tells a simple, heartfelt story that somehow hits incredibly hard.

The New York Times bestseller follows Landon Carter, a popular but aimless high school senior, whose life takes an unexpected turn when he's forced to participate in a school play and ends up spending time with Jamie Sullivan, the quiet, deeply religious daughter of the town's minister.

As their relationship grows, Landon begins to see the world and himself differently through Jamie's kindness, faith, and unwavering sense of purpose.

What starts as an unlikely connection develops into a profound love story, ultimately revealing deeper truths about compassion, sacrifice, and the lasting impact one person can have on another.

It doesn't rely on grand twists — it's the emotional buildup and inevitability of the ending that really stayed with me. It's one of those books that feels tender and honest, and it lingers long after you finish.

Not only is the book one to remember, but so is the film, which was released in 2002.

Mandy Moore and Shane West bring Jamie and Landon to life in a way that highlights their growth and chemistry, making their relationship feel authentic. These roles couldn't have been cast better.

According to Box Office Mojo, "A Walk to Remember" earned about $47.5 million worldwide against a $11.8 million budget.

If you haven't read the book or seen the movie, I'd highly recommend it. Don't forget the tissues.

"The Notebook" is, hands down, my favorite Nicholas Sparks book. Who doesn't love Noah and Allie's love story?

"The Notebook" was released in 1996. The two young lovers from very different backgrounds fall deeply in love one summer in North Carolina. When life pulls them apart, years pass, and they build separate lives, but their connection never fully fades.

The New York Times bestseller is framed by an older Noah reading their story to Allie in a nursing home, a level of devotion hard to top, turning the novel into something not just about falling in love, but about choosing it again and again.

The love between Noah and Allie feels both idealized and grounded, spanning years, obstacles, and, ultimately, memory loss, making it more powerful than a typical love story. I really admired Noah's strength and patience.

The movie adaptation of "The Notebook" is one of those rare cases where the film is just as good as the book.

It captures the same sweeping romance and emotional depth, while adding a layer of intensity through Ryan Gosling and Rachel McAdams' unforgettable chemistry.

Iconic moments like the rain-soaked reunion bring the story to life in a way that feels just as powerful as it does on the page.

The movie, which earned about $118 million worldwide against a $29 million budget, doesn't just complement the novel — it stands right alongside it.

In my opinion, "Nights in Rodanthe" is worth skipping because it feels less emotionally developed than Sparks's stronger novels.

I know some Sparks fans love this one, but "Nights in Rodanthe" didn't fully hold my attention. The New York Times bestseller felt a bit thin, with a romance that unfolds too quickly to feel deeply immersive or memorable.

The book "Nights in Rodanthe " was published in 2002, and a film adaptation was released in 2008, starring Richard Gere and Diane Lane.

Adrienne and Paul's relationship never quite reaches the emotional depth of Sparks' more layered love stories, which made it harder for me to fully invest in their connection. While the novel includes his signature themes of longing and heartbreak, I think it ultimately lacks the lasting impact that defines his best work.

"Dreamland," one of Sparks' more recent novels and a New York Times bestseller released in 2022, follows two intertwining storylines — a man navigating a complicated relationship and a single father trying to protect his young son — as it explores themes of love, risk, and second chances.

To me, "Dreamland" felt more scattered than cohesive, juggling multiple storylines without fully developing any of them. While it touches on heavier themes, the emotional payoff didn't land as well for me as in Sparks' best novels, which made it hard for me to stay invested.

Compared to his more focused, deeply romantic stories, this one feels less memorable and a bit uneven overall.

"The Wish," which came out in 2021, follows Maggie Dawes, a successful photographer, as she reflects on a life-changing teenage romance and the choices that shaped her future, moving between her past and present to explore love, loss, and second chances.

Yes, the New York Times bestseller has the elements of romance and reflection you'd expect, but the story can feel predictable, and the emotional moments didn't hit me as hard as in his stronger novels.

In my opinion, compared to his best work, it lacks that lasting impact that really stays with you.

The next Nicholas Sparks book I'd skip is one of his newer books that came out in 2024, "Counting Miracles."

The New York Times bestseller follows a group of characters whose lives intersect as they grapple with love, loss, and the idea of fate, ultimately exploring how small, unexpected moments can shape a life.

I felt like "Counting Miracles" tried a little too hard to be emotional, without the depth that makes Sparks' best books stand out. Rather than being moving and uplifting, the story and characters felt pretty predictable, which made it harder for me to stay interested or really connect with it.

It just wasn't my favorite, to be honest.

My final skip goes to "The Return," released in 2020. The book follows Trevor Benson, a wounded Army doctor who returns home to North Carolina after his grandfather's death.

While adjusting to a quieter life, he becomes involved with a local sheriff's deputy, Natalie, and forms an unexpected bond with a young girl named Callie, who may hold answers about his grandfather's past. As Trevor navigates love and unanswered questions, the story explores themes of healing, trust, and second chances.

The New York Times bestseller feels less emotionally gripping and more predictable than Nicholas Sparks' strongest novels. While it has all the familiar elements — romance, mystery, and personal growth — it doesn't quite come together in a way that feels fresh or especially memorable, which made it hard for me to stay fully invested.

Ultimately, this story didn't give me the chills like "The Notebook" or "A Walk To Remember" did.

One of the most successful bands of all time, Alabama has sold over 56 million records, per the The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), and has scored 43 No. 1 hits. It also has 11 multi-platinum albums and two Grammys. The band, which formed in Fort Payne, Alabama, sold more records during the '80s than any other band. Not only is their success impressive by any measure, but they also did a lot to make country music popular in the mainstream.

Jeff Cook, a founding member, lead guitarist, and fiddler for the band, died at 73 in 2022, at his Florida home, leaving behind a legacy as a key architect of the group's signature sound.

Alaska was far away from the rock 'n roll scene that defined the late 1960s and continued into the '70s in the continental United States, and rarely have any bands found success beyond the state's borders. That is, until Portugal. The Man exploded into the alt/indie rock scene.

Since releasing its debut album "Waiter: You Vultures!" in 2006, the band from Wasilla, Alaska, has become an indie-rock phenom, hitting major stops on the festival circuit and collaborating with artists including "Weird Al" Yankovic, Tom Morello, and Danger Mouse.

The band's biggest claim to fame is its 2017 hit single "Feel It Still," which dominated the airwaves and earned the group its first and only Grammy Award for best pop duo/group performance.

The first of the many shock-rock bands of the '70s, Alice Cooper kept fans entranced with their gender-bending outfits and dark onstage theatrics — concert-goers could expect performances to include stunts like Cooper's faux-beheading via guillotine.

But it's the music that kept fans coming back for more, and their riff-heavy brand of hard rock produced a string of hits, including "School's Out" and "Be My Lover." Alice Cooper was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2011.

Despite the goth-metal style that now defines Evanescence, they got their start as a Christian rock band after forming in Little Rock, Arkansas. In fact, their 2003 debut album, "Fallen," which produced hits "Bring Me to Life" and "My Immortal" and won the band two Grammys, was released during their religious days, reaching No. 1 on Billboard's Top Contemporary Christian chart.

However, following a profanity-laden article in Entertainment Weekly in which band founders Amy Lee and Ben Moody renounced their affiliation with Christian music, polarizing many Christian fans, Evanescence turned toward a more secular fan base.

The band has released a total of five studio albums, with a sixth in the works, and they announced a worldwide tour that will start in summer 2026.

During the '60s and '70s, the Laurel Canyon scene in Los Angeles was home to some of the rock world's biggest hits, including Joni Mitchell, Frank Zappa, The Eagles, and The Byrds. Then you had the Bay Area, the epicenter of the counterculture movement, which spawned the careers of Janis Joplin and Jefferson Starship.

But no one was quite as popular as the Grateful Dead.

In addition to some of the best songwriting in rock history, the band's free-flowing jams, Jerry Garcia's epic guitar solos, and the cosmic drum duets from Bill Kreutzmann and Mickey Hart earned the Dead one of the most devout fanbases of all time: the Deadheads. Unlike other bands on this list, The Dead didn't win stacks of awards or sell a record-breaking number of albums. For Jerry and the band, it was all about the live experience; there was just this spiritual energy of seeing the Dead live that no other band has matched since.

Other major bands from California include The Eagles, Van Halen, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Go-Go's, Green Day, No Doubt, and Maroon 5.

In 2015, OneRepublic's third album, "Native," reached 1 million in sales, Billboard reported, following the example of their 2007 debut, "Dreaming Out Loud," which also hit 1 million. In 2024, they released their sixth studio album, "Artificial Paradise."

They were nominated for a Grammy for best pop performance by a duo or group with vocals for their single "Apologize," with Timbaland, in 2009.

The band, which formed in Colorado Springs, is best recognized for singles "Stop and Stare," "Good Life," and "Counting Stars," all of which became Top 40 hits.

Brother and sister team Richard and Karen Carpenter, who were born in New Haven, endeared themselves to the world throughout the 1970s with classic hits like "Top of the World" and "Rainy Days and Mondays."

The pair went on to win three Grammys and host their own variety show on NBC for a short period.

Though Karen died in 1983, her legacy lives on through a previously unreleased solo album released in 1996.

Though often looked down on by blues purists, George Thorogood and the Destroyers' catchy blues-pop sound earned them widespread popularity and five gold albums throughout the '80s, including 1982's "Bad to the Bone." And they can thank their home state for launching their career — the band's first gig together was a show at the University of Delaware in 1973.

The band will be inducted into the Musicians Hall of Fame & Museum in Nashville as part of the 2026 class.

Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers' career spanned almost 40 years and included classic hits like "American Girl," "Refugee," and "Don't Do Me Like That." Their third album, "Damn the Torpedoes," went platinum and cemented the Gainesville band as bona-fide rock stars.

Petty, who died in 2017, was also known for taking a stand against the music industry, most notably by declaring bankruptcy to get out of a contract in 1979 and later threatening to withhold his new album until the label lowered its price, per History.com.

Other famous bands from Florida include Lynyrd Skynyrd, NSYNC, and the Backstreet Boys.

Hailing from Athens, Georgia, R.E.M. was founded in 1980 after drummer Bill Berry, guitarist Peter Buck, bassist Mike Mills, and lead vocalist Michael Stipe all met as students at the University of Georgia.

Between 1982 and 2012, when the band amicably broke up, R.E.M. released 15 albums, six of which went platinum; many others reached gold. The band has won three Grammys from 13 nominations and has released countless songs that have broken into the Billboard Top 10 and Top 40, including "Losing My Religion" and "The One I Love."

Thanks to Buck's iconic 12-string arpeggios, Stipe's cerebral lyrics, and efficient yet catchy rhythms from Berry and Mills, R.E.M. is celebrated as a pioneering alternative rock band that paved the way for '90s grunge and post-punk icons, including Nirvana, Pearl Jam, and The Smashing Pumpkins.

Pepper might be from Hawaii, but don't expect any classic island tunes from the alt-rock trio. The band combines elements of pop, reggae, and punk for a raw yet lively sound.

Pepper released its first full-length album, "Give'n It," in 2000, but found mainstream success with 2002's "Kona Town" and its breakout hit "Give It Up."

Built to Spill formed in Boise in 1992 and first gained critical attention with 1994's "There's Nothing Wrong with Love."

After signing with Warner Brothers in 1995, they released "Perfect from Now On," which diverged from the band's signature short, poppy sound. But the band continued to plug away, and, despite a rotating cast of members and a short hiatus, they're still making music.

In 2022, they released their ninth album, "When the Wind Forgets Your Name."

Earth, Wind & Fire is one of the most popular and critically acclaimed bands of the '70s. The band's breakthrough album, "That's the Way of the World," released in 1975, introduced the hit single "Shining Star" and was followed by a stream of five consecutive multiplatinum albums. Earth, Wind & Fire has also taken home six Grammys out of an impressive 17 nominations, and the band was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2000.

Earth, Wind & Fire has lost several key members over the years — including founder Maurice White, drummer Fred White, saxophonist Andrew Woolfolk, and guitarist Sheldon Reynolds — but the band continues to perform and tour, carrying on its legacy with longtime members, such as Philip Bailey, Ralph Johnson, and Verdine White, and other long-serving bandmates.

Other famous bands from Illinois include Chicago, The Smashing Pumpkins, Cheap Trick, REO Speedwagon, and Styx.

Composed of five brothers — Jackie, Jermaine, Marlon, Tito, and Michael — the Jackson 5, from Gary, Indiana, made music history in 1970 as the first recording artist whose first four Motown singles all became No. 1 hits.

The brothers immediately rose to stardom and sold out 20,000-seat venues within the year, performing hits like "ABC," "I Want You Back," and "I'll Be There."

One of the most prominent nu-metal bands of the '90s, Slipknot was known as much for its image as its music. The band, which is from Des Moines, performed in matching black jumpsuits and horror-themed Halloween masks and used numbers as stage names.

Their self-titled debut album went platinum in 2000, making them the first band on their label, Roadrunner Records, to do so. The band's annual festival, Knotfest, has turned into the world's most popular hard rock and metal festival.

Best known for hits "Carry on Wayward Son" and "Dust in the Wind," Kansas formed in Topeka in 1973. Throughout their 40-year career, the rock legends have sold over 23 million records, per RIAA, and produced 12 gold albums and five multi-platinum albums.

A fun fact: "Dust in the Wind" has been played on the radio more than 3 million times.

My Morning Jacket formed in Louisville in 1998 and released their alt-country debut album, "The Tennessee Fire," the following year.

Their 2005 album "Z" marked a major turning point in the band's history: "Z" laid the foundation for the dreamy jams off "Evil Urges" and the two "Waterfall" albums and paved the way for My Morning Jacket to become one of the most successful contemporary rock bands.

The Jacket is also known for its legendary live performances and made history in 2008 after delivering a nearly four-hour show at Bonnaroo.

The Neville Brothers are an R&B group famously known for embracing their hometown of New Orleans. They won a Grammy in 1989 for best pop instrumental performance and have closed out the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival for years.

Though their last record together was released in 2004, the brothers reunited for a farewell show in NOLA in 2015, USA Today reported. Charles Neville died in 2018, and Art Neville died the following year.

All Portland natives, the Rustic Overtones formed over 30 years ago and released their third full-length — but first commercially successful — album, "Rooms by the Hour," in 1998.

Its 2007 album "Light At The End" was the fastest-selling local album in the state of Maine's history, the Portland Press Herald reported at the time. Perhaps Rustic Overtones' biggest claim to fame is being the first band ever broadcast live on XM Satellite Radio.

The band has a unique style of indie rock pulling from blends of soul music, punk, and jazz. Rustic Overtones has worked with an array of artists over the years, including Imogen Heap and Funkmaster Flex.

In more recent years, The Ghost of Paul Revere, a Portland-based folk trio, has risen to prominence in the state, with its song "Ballad of the 20th Maine" becoming the state's official ballad in 2019.

Good Charlotte is a pop-punk band from Maryland that rose to prominence in the early 2000s with their catchy hooks and angst-driven lyrics.

Formed by brothers Joel and Benji Madden, the group broke through with their 2002 album, "The Young and the Hopeless," which featured major hits such as "Lifestyles of the Rich & Famous," "The Anthem," and "Girls & Boys." The RIAA certified it as quadruple platinum in 2025.

The band's awards over the years have included an MTV Video Music Award and Teen Choice Awards, indicating their mainstream success.

Other Maryland bands include The Orioles and All Time Low.

Aerosmith might be known as the "bad boys from Boston," but since they actually got their start in New Hampshire, arena-rock band Boston is the most famous band formed in Massachusetts.

The group released their eponymous debut album in 1976, which sold more than half a million copies in just a week, jumping straight to the top of the charts and spawning several hits, including "More Than a Feeling" and "Peace of Mind." The album was so successful that Boston became the first band in history to play its debut concert at Madison Square Garden in New York.

Tommy DeCarlo, Boston's lead vocalist who rose from devoted fan to frontman after Brad Delp's death, died at 60 on March 9, following a brief battle with brain cancer.

One of the most successful Black vocal groups of all time, the Temptations, originally known as the Elgins, formed in Detroit in 1961 when two groups merged — Otis Williams and the Distants and the Primes.

Now considered a classic example of Motown's signature sound, the group rose to prominence with hits like "My Girl" and "Since I Lost My Baby," produced under the inimitable Smokey Robinson. Taking a nod from Sly and the Family Stone, the group released the 1968 psychedelic soul hit single "Cloud 9," which won the group and Motown their first Grammy Award.

During its heyday with Motown in the 1960s and '70s, The Temptations produced 37 Top 40 hits, 15 Top 10 hits, and four No. 1 hits. And that was only on the pop charts; the group dominated the R&B charts with 15 No. 1 singles and 17 No. 1 albums.

Several members of The Temptations' classic lineup have died over the years, including David Ruffin, Eddie Kendricks, Paul Williams, Melvin Franklin, and Dennis Edwards.

Though Prince and the Revolution had achieved considerable success beforehand, it was the 1984 film release of "Purple Rain" — and Prince's accompanying soundtrack — that launched the group into superstardom. The "Purple Rain" album sold over 13 million copies, spent 24 weeks at the top of the charts, and produced hits "When Doves Cry," "Purple Rain," and "Take Me with U."

Prince was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2004, his first year of eligibility. He died in 2016, aged 57, at his Paisley Park estate in Minnesota.

Three Doors Down, from Escatawpa, Mississippi, hit it big in the early 2000s with radio-friendly singles "Here Without You," "Kryptonite," and "When I'm Gone."

The post-grunge band saw three albums go multi-platinum, including 2000's "The Better Life," which has gone platinum seven times and became one of the best-selling albums of the year, per Billboard.

Ike and Tina Turner were a wildly successful duo for nearly 20 years, topping R&B and pop charts, touring with the Rolling Stones, and winning a Grammy for their song "Proud Mary." In 1976, Tina left what she described as an abusive relationship with Ike and went on to build her own successful solo career.

Tina Turner was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame as a solo artist in 2021. She died in 2023, at age 83. Ike Turner died in 2007.

The nearly 20-year career of Silkworm, who formed in Missoula, was cut short in 2005 when their drummer, Michael Dahlquist, was killed in a car accident.

In February 2013, filmmaker Seth Pomeroy released "Couldn't You Wait?" a documentary that tells Silkworm's story from their start as childhood friends to their final days together.

The remaining band members went on to form a new band called Bottomless Pit.

Bright Eyes is the main creative vehicle for Omaha-born Conor Oberst. The band has had some notable success on the charts: In 2005 its album "I'm Wide Awake, It's Morning" peaked at No. 10 on the Billboard 200 and its 2007 album "Cassadaga" peaked at No. 4. A

After a nine-year hiatus, the band released a new album, "Down In the Weeds, Where the World Once Was," in 2020. In 2024, it released "Five Dice, All Threes."

In 2015, Imagine Dragons earned its first No. 1 album on the Billboard 200 chart with "Smoke + Mirrors."

The Las Vegas band entered the spotlight with their Grammy Award-winning single "Radioactive," from their 2012 debut album. The song held the record for the longest time on the Hot 100 — 87 weeks, or almost two years — until The Weeknd's "Blinding Lights" overtook it in 2021.

Other famous bands from Nevada include The Killers and Panic! At The Disco.

Aerosmith is one of the most recognizable '70s rock bands and one of the biggest comeback stories in rock history. Aerosmith was flying high and on its way to rock royalty after the release of "Toys in the Attic" and "Rocks" in 1975 and 1976, respectively.

But the band's struggle with drug and alcohol abuse took its toll, leading guitarists Joe Perry and Brad Whitford to temporarily leave the band. Aerosmith seemed to be on the brink of no return until Run-D.M.C. released a cover of "Walk This Way" and catapulted the band back to the mainstream.

Though they're billed as the "bad boys from Boston," many people don't know that Aerosmith formed in New Hampshire before making it big. Lead singer Steven Tyler and Perry spent summers together as children, and the band played at small venues and high school proms throughout the state before making a name for themselves nationally.

Bruce Springsteen himself inducted the E Street Band into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2014, in celebration of the 40 years they spent working together. One of America's most beloved musicians, Springsteen — also known as "The Boss" — is most famous for the work he did with the E Street Band, whom he met in Asbury Park.

Springsteen has released multiple albums that have gone platinum — including his first, 1972's "Greetings from Asbury Park, N.J." — and achieved global fame after the release of the 1975 album "Born to Run." He got his own biopic in 2025, "Springsteen: Deliver Me from Nowhere."

Other famous bands from New Jersey include Bon Jovi, Frankie Valli and The Four Seasons, My Chemical Romance, and The Jonas Brothers, who were recently inducted into the New Jersey Hall of Fame.

Frontman James Mercer started The Shins as a side project in 1996 in Albuquerque, but it quickly evolved to be the state's most notable rock band.

After the soundtrack of the 2004 film "Garden State" included the songs "Caring Is Creepy" and "New Slang," the Shins began earning a significantly larger audience. The band's next album after the movie, 2007's "Wincing the Night Away" peaked at No. 2 on the Billboard 200, cementing The Shins as the Southwest's indie darlings.

Other famous bands from New Mexico include The Fireballs and Xit.

There are plenty of famous bands from New York — The Beastie Boys, The Velvet Underground, and KISS, to name a few — but few have the influence and reputation of The Ramones, who have innumerable hits, including "Blitzkrieg Bop," "I Wanna Be Sedated," and "Sheena Is a Punk Rocker."

There's even a street in Manhattan named Joey Ramone Place, after the lead singer who died of cancer in 2001.

Wilmington's The Charlie Daniels Band, with its rotating cast of musicians, has been an icon of country music since the 1970s.

Their eclectic blend of Southern rock and hardcore country has earned them numerous awards and recognitions, including a Grammy Award.

The band's most famous contribution to the annals of rock and country music is without a doubt "The Devil Went Down to Georgia," which features one of the best fiddle solos ever performed.

Bobby Vee and The Strangers, originally called The Shadows, first performed publicly on "The Day the Music Died" — the group filled in for Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens, and the Big Bopper at a gig in Moorhead, Minnesota, after the three famous musicians were killed in a plane crash in 1959.

The then-15-year-old Vee would go on to earn two gold albums, 38 songs in the Billboard Top 100, six gold singles, and 14 Top 40 hits.

Twenty One Pilots, from Columbus, Ohio, is made up of Tyler Joseph and Josh Dun. They are known for fusing alternative rock, hip-hop, and electronic elements.

They broke into the mainstream with the 2015 album Blurryface, which produced major hits like "Stressed Out," "Ride," and "Heathens." The band has earned significant recognition, including a Grammy Award for best pop duo/group performance in 2017 for "Stressed Out," as well as multiple Billboard Music Awards and American Music Awards.

Other famous bands from Ohio include the Isley Brothers and The Black Keys.

The Flaming Lips, formed in Norman, Oklahoma, in 1983, have only had one hit single in the US, "She Don't Use Jelly," released in 1993.

However, they have earned three Grammy Awards, multiple hit singles in the UK and Europe, and a large indie following.

The band is known for its energetic live performances that feature mesmerizing light shows and wacky stage props like giant robots and laser hands.

No band embodies the woodsy vibe of Portland, Oregon, better than The Decemberists. Since forming in 2001, the band has earned a Grammy nomination and performed at Barack Obama's 2008 presidential campaign stop in Portland.

The Decemberists' sonic architecture — founded on strong lyric writing and a diverse range of folk textures — and whimsical live performances, which usually feature a historical reenactment of sorts, have helped the band become darlings of folk-pop music.

Frontman Colin Meloy and co. scored their biggest success to date with the 2011 studio album "The King Is Dead," which reached No. 1 on the Billboard 200.

Duo Daryl Hall and John Oates formed Hall & Oates in the early '70s and released their debut album, "Abandoned Luncheonette," in 1973.

Hailing from Philadelphia, the pair garnered national attention throughout the '70s and '80s with hits such as "Maneater" and "Sara Smile."

The band won three American Music Awards in the early '80s. More recently, both members released solo albums amid a now-resolved but lengthy legal battle.

Best known for their hits "Psycho Killer," "Life During Wartime," and "Once in a Lifetime," Talking Heads were successful with audiences and professional critics.

Though they rose to fame in New York, the three founding members, David Byrne, Chris Frantz, and Tina Weymouth, began practicing together at the Rhode Island School of Design before becoming Talking Heads.

The band added their fourth member, guitarist Jerry Harrison, shortly before releasing their first single, "Love Goes to Building on Fire"/"New Feeling," in 1976.

Darius Rucker, Mark Bryan, Dean Felber, and Jim Sonefeld formed Hootie & The Blowfish after meeting in the late 1980s at the University of South Carolina in Columbia. Over the next 10 years, they attracted a following throughout the East Coast before releasing their 1994 debut album, "Cracked Rear View," which sold over 16 million copies in the US.

Formed in Sioux Falls in 2002, the pop-punk quartet The Spill Canvas has toured with big-name acts including Motion City Soundtrack, Plain White T's, and OneRepublic.

After a nearly two-year hiatus, The Spill Canvas funded their 2012 comeback album, "Gestalt," with the help of fans on Kickstarter.

The Tennessee Three began as the Tennessee Two, with Luther Perkins and Marshall Grant backing Johnny Cash, and expanded to the Tennessee Three with the addition of drummer W.S. Holland in 1958.

During the 1980s, the band's lineup changed and expanded, and they were called The Great Eighties Eight. Though Johnny Cash participated in various group and solo ventures throughout his long career, with the Tennessee Three, he achieved mega-hits such as "I Walk the Line" and "Folsom Prison Blues."

The band played with Cash through 1999. After the singer's death, the group reformed and released the tribute album "The Sound Must Go On." They've toured the globe playing to Cash fans and in 2012, released the album "All Over Again." Cash won a myriad of awards for his music, most of which feature the Tennessee Three as the backing band.

Other famous bands from Tennessee include Kings of Leon, Paramore, Little Big Town, The Band Perry, and Lady A.

Hailing from Houston, ZZ Top was one of the biggest rock acts of the '80s, with huge hits such as "Legs," "Sharp Dressed Man," and "Gimme All Your Lovin'."

In 2004, the bearded, sunglasses-wearing duo, Billy Gibbons and Dusty Hill, and their drummer, Frank Beard, were inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.

The four older siblings from the Mormon musical group from Salt Lake City made their big debut on the "Andy Williams Show" in 1962, with the others joining later.

Some of the Osmond siblings, most notably Donny, Marie, and Jimmy, dabbled in solo careers, yet continued to collaborate with the group. The Osmonds have reportedly sold more than 100 million albums worldwide.

Jam band Phish has a cult following that rivals that of the Grateful Dead. The original members — Jon Fishman, Trey Anastasio, and Jeff Holdsworth (who left the band in 1986) — met at the University of Vermont and were later joined by bassist Mike Gordon and keyboardist Page McConnell. The band was officially formed in 1983.

In 1997, the band hosted The Great Went, a music festival in Limestone, Maine, which drew a crowd of 62,000 and was the top-grossing concert of that summer.

The Charlottesville-based Dave Matthews Band quickly grew a strong fan base after releasing their live debut album in 1991. "Remember Two Things," their 1993 independently released live album, debuted at No. 1 on the college charts and was later certified platinum.

Today, Dave Matthews Band has sold over 30 million records worldwide and became the first band to have six consecutive studio albums that debuted at No. 1 on Billboard, Billboard reported.

Nirvana rocketed to fame with their single "Smells Like Teen Spirit" off the 1991 album "Nevermind," which brought grunge-rock to the mainstream.

The band officially formed a few years earlier, in 1987, when guitarist and vocalist Kurt Cobain and bassist Krist Novoselic began performing at local parties in the Seattle region.

In 1990, Dave Grohl joined Nirvana as the drummer. The band's tragic end came in 1994 with Kurt Cobain's suicide, though their music continued to inspire and impact the grunge movement.

Other famous bands from Washington include Pearl Jam and the Foo Fighters.

Minor Threat's song "Straight Edge" pioneered (and named) the drug- and alcohol-free lifestyle — one that goes against the wasted-punk-rocker stereotype. The band formed among a wave of punk bands in Washington, DC, and though Minor Threat's career lasted only three years, its influence can still be found in punk music to this day.

After the band's dissolution, frontman Ian MacKaye played with numerous groups before forming Fugazi in 1987.

Asleep at the Wheel got their start in Paw Paw, West Virginia, in 1970, when they opened for Alice Cooper and Hot Tuna.

Since then, they have continued to dominate American country and Western music, winning eight Grammy Awards and a Lifetime Achievement in Performance, not to mention a few chart-topping songs along the way. They continue to tour.

When the Violent Femmes released its critically acclaimed eponymous debut album in 1983, the band was nothing more than an underground sensation — in fact, it took eight years for the album to go platinum, Pitchfork reported. But over the years, the band has evolved into one of the most important and popular post-punk groups, as proven not only by its music but also by the fact that the Femmes' acoustic style inspired the MTV show "Unplugged."

In 2015, the Femmes released their first album in 15 years, "We Can Do Anything" — though the critical reception was not too warm — and followed it up with 2019's "Hotel Last Resort."

Teenage Bottlerocket released their debut album, "Another Way," in 2002 on Laramie's communal label, One Legged Pup.

The twin Carlisle brothers behind the group — Ray on bass and vocals, and Brandon on drums — cycled through various guitarists before finding Kody Templeman.

The band has become a pop-punk mainstay over the years, playing major events like Warped Tour, and is known for its iconic skull-and-rocket logo.

Editor's note: A version of this story was first published in 2022 and was most recently updated in March 2026.