Musical siblings to listen to on National Siblings Day

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By m_x_ 10 Apr 2019, 5:51am

The bond between siblings goes far beyond blood. Some are strengthened by childhood memories, inside jokes and heart-to-hearts, while some might be challenged by sibling rivalry and other complexities. Siblings Day, which falls every 10 April, aims to recognize these unique dynamics across siblinghood (including friendships that are pretty much second family).

In honor of the holiday, we're spinning some of our favorite songful siblings. Join us in checking out these artists who definitely have music running in the family.

Chance the Rapper and Taylor Bennett

Chance and Taylor Bennett grew up loving rap together. However, the two brothers emerged into the music scene independently, allowing each to fine tune their own sound. While Chance the Rapper keeps his flow pretty casual, Taylor's tends to be snappier. The Bennett brothers first officially collaborated on "Broad Shoulders" off Taylor's 2015 album of the same name, and most recently on "Grown Up Fairy Tales" off Taylor's 2017 release, Restoration of an American Idol.

Boards of Canada

The Scottish electronic duo comprises brothers Michael Sandison and Marcus Eoin. Their sound revolves around bright tones that reminisce a wide-eyed, childlike wonder, while samples of old school broadcasting and nature sounds texture their soundscapes with wistful fuzz. Boards of Canada's debut album Music Has the Right to Children is considered a landmark of its genre.

BOYFRIEND

The K-pop six-piece features twin brothers Jo Youngmin and Jo Kwangmin. Commonly referred to as The Jo Twins, the two started out as child actors with JYP Entertainment before making their debut in BOYFRIEND. The group released their first song, a self-titled single, in 2011 and their most recent drop was their Japanese comeback album, Bouquet, from earlier this year.

The Breeders

The Breeders started as a creative side outlet for Pixies bassist Kim Deal and Throwing Muses guitarist Tanya Donelly. Their breakthrough hit single, "Cannonball," launched them into the '90s alternative rock scene, but when Donelly left to start a new project, Kim's twin sister Kelley joined in. Since then, the two have taken the lead on vocals and guitars, churning out high voltage sludgers in the form of five full-length albums thus far.

Carpenters

Siblings Karen and Richard Carpenter released their debut album as a duo, Ticket to Ride, in 1969. Karen took on vocals and drums, and Richard, the keyboard and vocals as well. The Carpenters later saw major success with original singles "(They Long To Be) Close To You" and "We've Only Just Begun" and went on to be influential to the soft rock and adult contemporary genres, with Karen often regarded as one of the greatest female vocalists of all time.

CocoRosie

Sisters Bianca "Coco" and Sierra "Rosie" Casady lead CocoRosie on vocals and an array of instruments. Combining guitar, piano, harp, woodwind instruments and even children's toys, the duo brings out a fiery and eclectic blend of folk and electronic. Coco and Rosie are also active feminists, with their last release being "Smoke 'em Out," a single written for the Women's March on Washington in 2017.

Disclosure

Music was definitely a household term for brothers Howard and Guy Lawrence of Disclosure. Their parents both performed as musicians and all sorts of genres from house to classical music to hip hop played big parts in the brothers' teenage years. Their breakthrough single, "Latch," was released in 2012, but their most recent drop consists of five singles that followed a one-year hiatus. Disclosure is set to release a third studio album this summer.

HAIM

HAIM is a pop-rock trio comprising sisters Alana, Danielle and Este Haim. The three grew up performing in a cover band with their parents and went on to form their own band in 2007. They did not release any studio material until 2012 EP, Forever, and since then, they've released two critically acclaimed albums, 2013's Days are Gone and 2017's Something To Tell You. Their sound infectiously channels the likes of Fleetwood Mac and elements of pop and R&B.

The Jackson 5

The Jackson 5, which consisted of brothers Jackie, Tito, Jermaine, Marlon and Michael Jackson, continues to be one of the most influential musical groups of all-time. The quintet formed in 1964 and brought a bubblegum sweetness to funk and soul music at the time. Some hit singles from across their extensive catalog include "I Want You Back," "ABC," and "I'll Be There."

Bonus Clip: This Jackson 5 performance with Janet and Randy Jackson.

The Jesus and Mary Chain

Scottland's The Jesus and Mary Chain are led by brothers Jim and William Reid. Inspired by the British punk of the late seventies, The Jesus and Mary Chain went on to become pioneers of the post-punk/shoegaze scene. Their beautifully gauzy debut album, Psychocandy, was met with critical acclaim and their most recent release, 2017's Damage and Joy, keeps that grittiness alive and well.

Jonas Brothers

Joe, Kevin and Nick Jonas launched into fame as the Jonas Brothers seemingly instantaneously. The pop-rock trio definitely led a new wave of pop music during the mid-aughts, releasing four successful studio albums, in addition to starring in their own concert film and multiple Disney Channel programs. After disbanding for six years to pursue separate projects, the Jonas Brothers reunited in 2019 with highly anticipated singles "Sucker" and "Cool," proving that their influence has carried over even after all this time.

The Knife

Siblings Karin and Olof Dreijer formed electronic outfit The Knife in 1999. Taking influence from seventies synthpop, the duo fashioned their own iridescent sound that make them longstanding icons of the electronic community. Their popular single, "Heartbeats," makes a case for this succinctly with its lush sonic gloss and Karin's operatic vocals. Much like their music, the duo was memorably just as enigmatic live, often performing in Venetian masks.

Beyoncé and Solange Knowles

While equally powerful figures in today's music scene, sisters Beyoncé and Solange Knowles actually take on very distinct sounds from one another. Beyoncé, who got her start in Destiny's Child, is known for her powerhouse vocals against fiery pop melodies; whereas Solange adopts elements of soul to create a satiny blend of chill yet fierce R&B. Though they have not officially collaborated on a track, Beyoncé did bring Solange onstage with her at last year's Coachella.

My Chemical Romance

Two of My Chemical Romance's members were brothers Gerard and Mikey Way. As Gerard took lead vocals and Mikey, bass guitar, the group became one of the biggest emo luminaries to emerge from early 2000s alternative. They went on to release four full-length albums before officially disbanding in 2013. These days, Gerard's comic book series The Umbrella Academy has been adapted into a Netflix TV series, while Mikey has made music with Electric Century and played bass with Waterparks.

Oasis

Though brothers Liam and Noel Gallagher don't quite get along anymore, their music as Oasis largely defined '90s rock and Britpop—its influence still carrying on. Their blend of Beatlesque melodies plus punky riffage and refrains made releases like Definitely Maybe and (What's the Story) Morning Glory? seminal to their respective era. Now, Liam performs solo and Noel, with his band, Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds.

Radiohead

Brothers Jonny and Colin Greenwood make up two-fifths of Radiohead. In charge of lead guitar, keyboard and orchestral arrangements, Jonny is the creative mind behind the band's frenetic riffage as well as its ambient synth-driven material. And on bass, Colin's lines often set up the backdrop of a song, which is critical for material as emotive as Radiohead's.

Rae Sremmurd

Brothers Slim Jxmmi and Swae Lee make up hip hop outfit Rae Sremmurd. The duo's breakthrough single, "Black Beatles," was the anthem for 2016 viral trend the Mannequin Challenge. However, their success definitely wasn't limited to the Internet trend, going on to put out more platinum singles including "No Type," "No Flex Zone" and "Swang." Most recently, Rae Sremmurd released triple-album SR3MM in 2018 and is said to be working on SremmLife 4, its fourth studio album.

Tegan and Sara

Twin sisters Tegan and Sara Quin started out as an indie folk duo, dominating airwaves with 2004's breakthrough LP, So Jealous, as well as 2007's landmark album, The Con. Since then, their sound has taken a shift, especially with recent releases like Heartthrob and Love You To Death, taking on punchier indie-pop sounds. But even with the style change, everything has always felt authentic to Tegan and Sara's alternatingly abstract and candid narratives.