The Top 20 sibling acts, ranked

By Martin Popoff

There are some legendary family units to celebrate for this Top 20. In fact, there are many examples of sibling success, so I’m going to provide fully 10 honorable mentions. They are, in reverse order, No. 30 to No. 21, Mark and Rick Santers. The Cowsills, Gunnar and Mathew Nelson, Michael and Rudolf Schenker, Mark and Peter Brabbs, John and Mark Gallagher, Devo, Sly and the Family Stone, The Osmonds and Igor and Max Cavalera. So, without further ado, heeding the sermon delivered by Brother JC Crawford on the MC5’s Kick Out the Jams, “Brothers and sister, I wanna see a sea of hands out there!”

20. Karen and Richard Carpenter

We begin out family reunion in California, with easy listening titans The Carpenters, who amassed five platinum and multi-platinum albums in a row, beginning with 1970’s Close to You. I always like to point this out when this happens, but the sibling duo’s best seller is actually a hits pack, The Singles: 1969-1973, which is seven times platinum. It’s a tragic story, of course, given Karen’s shocking anorexia death at the age of 32, but hopefully she’s more remembered for being one of rock’s rare female drummers as well as her intoxicating voice.

19. Colin and Jonny Greenwood

Thom Yorke and his grumpy visage get all the glory, but Radiohead was actually formed by bassist Colin and younger brother guitarist Jonny. The band are one of the more opaque, obscure and obscurely British bands to carry over into success in the U.S., but their fierce artistry cannot be denied. In the pantheon of the greats are OK Computer and Kid A, with Amnesiac and Hail to the Thief beloved by bearded record store owners as well. To emphasis the intellectual quotient, when Radiohead were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2019, it was David Byrne who did the pontificating.

18. Bachman-Turner Overdrive

These Winnipeggers actual had three brothers for the first two albums, but then they were down to two—drummer Robbie and leader Randy—by the time we get to the celebrated Not Fragile and Four Wheel Drive period, losing guitarist Tim. Sadly, both Robbie and Tim died recently, with Randy carrying on a questionable lineup that plays a bunch of Guess Who, too. Somewhat along our theme, however, the currently touring version’s got Randy’s son Tal in it.

17. Ron and Scott Asheton

The Stooges are claimed by punks as their proto darlings, but heavy metal can sensibly claim them as well. Ron was the guy kerranging his way through a pile of power guitar on The Stooges and Fun House, but then he was sent over to bass on Raw Power, with James Williamson taking over on guitar. Scott was the drummer and most convincing hoodlum in the band. Both were on the first reunion album, The Weirdness, with only Scott there for Ready to Die. Both Ron and Scott died of heart attacks, Ron in 2009 and Scott in 2014.

16. David and Mark Knopfler

Pretty cool how Dire Straits used the most regular of tools and played completely conservative music and yet managed to come up with a fresh new sound. Guitarist David bowed out after the first two album, leaving Mark and his vision and Bob Dylan voice to lead the band higher and higher. By the time they got to 1985’s ironically titled Brothers in Arms, featuring “So Far Away,” “Walk of Life” and most impactfully, “Money for Nothing,” the band were good for nine times platinum. Both brothers have impressive solo canons, underscoring them as musician’s musicians. And with David leaving early and doing the most, he’s kinda like the Steve Hackett of the band.

15. Dean and Robert DeLeo

Bed-headed, swashbuckling guitarist Dean and the quieter and lankier Rob, bassist, are the musical engine of Stone Temple Pilots. Having interviewed them both, I came away with the impression that they are massive music fans and scientists—and at the same time philosophers—of songwriting and song craft. Even though we think of STP as the most California band in the world after David Lee Roth on the Crazy from the Heat EP, Dean and Rob actually grew up in New Jersey. And don’t call them grunge — man, do they hate that.

14. Dimebag Darrell and Vinnie Paul Abbott

Phil and Rex couldn’t have assembled and executed the Pantera reunion better, but of course this is the tragic story of one brother gunned down onstage, and the other succumbing to heart disease. But they both partied it up to the max, and left this world beloved and immortal members of the metal community. It was Damageplan when we lost Dime and Hellyeah when we lost Vinnie, but it’s the Pantera catalog, at least Cowboys from Hell to the end, Reinventing the Steel, that is unassailable.

13. Don and Phil Everly

Known for a blend—or portfolio—of pop, country, easy listening and early-days rock and roll, Phil and Don are more so famed for their vocal harmonies, which were a big influence on the Avocado Mafia set playing the Troubadour in the early ‘70s. Although they wrote a bunch and were renowned for that, too, the early hits were written by husband-and-wife team Felice and Boudleaux Bryant. There’s “Bye Bye Love,” “Wake Up Little Susie,” “All I Have to Do is Dream” and “Problems” (not the Sex Pistols song).

12. Chuck and John Panozzo

JY and Dennis get all the glory, and later Tommy, but the rhythm section heart of Styx in the early days consisted of Chuck Panozzo on bass and brother John on drums. John’s theatrical drumming was perfect for the band’s similarly arty pomp rock; sadly, he died due to the drink in 1996. Chuck is still with us and occasionally shows up at shows. He’s known for his bravery with respect to coming out about his sexuality, which is addressed in his fine autobiography The Grand Illusion: Love, Lies, and My Life with Styx.

11. Duane and Gregg Allman

It’s right on the nut tin: The Allman Brothers Band, and its key members early on were consummate slide guitarist Duane and his younger brother Gregg, known for the mutton chops, the bad-ass beard and the cough syrup voice. Gregg’s usually singing and playing all matter of organ, including pretty clean Hammond. Just after one of the most beloved double live albums of all time, At Fillmore East, was making the band a respected name, Duane was killed in a motorcycle accident. A year later, bassist Berry Oakley died in a motorcycle accident three blocks away. Brother Gregg finally gave up the ghost in 2017, at a hard-won 69 years of age.

10. The Jackson 5

Jermaine did pretty good, but perhaps you’ve heard of Michael? Plus, folks used to make fun of Tito’s name (sadly, we just lost him at 70). But there were a bunch of them in this dysfunctional, disciplinary family, including Jackie, Marlon and Randy. They racked up a pile of gold and platinum albums, with Victory doing the best, thanks to Michael’s stratospheric fame as The King of Pop, except he wasn’t called that until 1989, and first by Liz Taylor, no less.

9. Chris and Rich Robinson

Are the scrapping Robinson clan and their prestigious brand The Black Crowes too high on this list? Here’s the thing, the Shake Your Money Maker debut went five times platinum, and they were an exciting new (old) thing for a good five years. Then they settled in and became musician’s musicians with intrigue as to their goings-on remaining high during fallow periods. There have been solo records and new bands along the way (or “by your side”), underscoring the idea that these guys walk the walk (and don’t like interviews). The end result is perennial interest, combining characteristics of the level and type of interest enjoyed by Guns N’ Roses, Led Zeppelin, Grateful Dead and Pearl Jam.

8. John and Tom Fogerty

Remember when John got taken to court for copying himself? Pretty ridiculous, but such is the tumult with respect to the Creedence Clearwater Revival story. John was the brains of the band along with the possessor of trademark leonine pipes. Brother Tom was on rhythm guitar, and almost everything the band did went platinum or multi-platinum, with the 1976 compilation Chronicle going diamond, at over 12 million copies sold. Tragically, Tom received a blood transfusion that was not screened for AIDS, and he died from the disease in 1990 at the age of 48. But he leaves behind a canon of timeless music, and boy do I mean that — I’ve long joked that there are two bands, CCR and The Band, who sound like time-travellers to me, Civil War-era bands plunked into the 1960s.

7. Bee Gees

I had to pop these helium popsters high up the grid for three reasons: 1) the major success and continuing cultural impact of their disco days, culminating in the Saturday Night Fever soundtrack at 16 x platinum; 2) the fact that musos, snobs and record collector types respect the hell out of the ‘60s albums; and 3) it’s three brothers as opposed to two, namely Robin, Maurice and Barry, with Sir Barry Alan Compton Gibb being the only one still with us. Plus, they get a bonus point as the world’s most famous purveyors of the falsetto.

6. Liam and Noel Gallagher

The insanity across the pond over the Oasis reunion proves the stature of Noel and Liam, although stature is perhaps an ill-chosen word, given that Liam won’t stand up straight. But that’s part of his amusing hodgepodge onstage persona. Then there’s his distinct whine and yang of vocal disposition, plus his dependable quotability during numerous chaotic and combustible interviews. His frenemy is brother Noel, who is the brains of the explosive operation, writing the songs and playing strummy guitar amplified loudly.

5. Dave and Ray Davies

It’s one of the great squandered careers that the squabbling Davies brothers haven’t been able to keep it together for more Kinks albums past 1993’s Phobia. Having a hand in inventing heavy metal with those two riffy songs in the mid-‘60s, the band went through a folky period, did concept albums and persevered through their quality generalist rock in the late ‘70s. But it was Low Budget and Give the People What They Want that finally stirred some excitement for the guys not enjoyed since they were adjacent to the Mods. It’s Dave on guitar, but Ray on the overwhelming majority of the writing, including a canon of lyrics that really deserves more attention as part of the upper echelon.

4. Ann and Nancy Wilson

For sister acts, I could have included (either here or at least in the honorable mentions) the likes of Haim, The Dixie Chicks, The Breeders and Tegan and Sarah. But none have been more impactful than the front-woman duo of Heart. The hits from the ‘70s are still perennial classic rock radio staples, but let’s not forget how the band got a booze- and coke-fueled second life in the ‘80s, with the self-titled from 1985 going five times platinum. Finally, Ann and Nancy proved their supremacy of art and craft on respected late-era albums Red Velvet Car and Fanatic.

3. The Beach Boys

It’s a sharper, boutique thought, but indeed all manner of wise music swami stick The Beach Boys and The Beatles in the same conversation, maybe even more often than you get The Rolling Stones and The Beatles. It’s because of the expert early-days production values and more pertinently, the complexity of the band’s dovetailed, harmonized vocals. As for the sibling situation, we had the troubled Dennis, the best at being a beach denizen, gone at 39, Carl, gone from lung cancer at 51, and then fragile genius Brian, still with us at 82.

2. Alex and Eddie Van Halen

Ticking many of the boxes, brothers Alex and Eddie were fiercely loyal to each other and had played together since early childhood. They were also in a band of only four members, all the way through. Alex is one of the most respected drummers of all time, and also way up the list in terms of having his own style and sound. Eddie was responsible for the vast majority of Van Halen’s music, and, to my mind, is the only “guitar hero” there is that can be on a list of the two most important and legendary, along with Jimi Hendrix.

1. Angus and Malcolm Young

Similar to the Van Halen situation, AC/DC was a band with brothers at the foundational core. Angus could compete with front-men Bon Scott and Brian Johnson for stage impact and overall persona (a challenge for a non-singing guitarist) and he was a crucial part of the songwriting. Malcolm was the quiet but confident leader, over there on rhythm guitar but also a key writer and the business interface of this billion-dollar band. They’re also here because of the impact of older brothers in the music biz, inspiring and teaching, most significant being brother George in the co-production chair with Harry Vanda. The world lost a bunch of happiness when Malcom died in 2017, from early onset dementia.

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