History Main / AnonymousBand

* Music/{{HER}} was initially an anonymous solo performer - promotional photos and the first album cover consisted of just her silhouette, there were no live performances, interviews were only held over the phone, and her real name was never mentioned in conjunction with the project. Fans pretty quickly figured out she was Gabi Wilson, in part because her first EP featured a CoverVersion of {{Music/Drake}}'s "Jungle" that she previously uploaded to soundcloud under her own name.

* When the {{bluegrass}} band Music/HotRize go on tour, their opening act is usually a western swing band called Red Knuckles and the Trailblazers, which is actually the members of Hot Rize themselves playfully denying that they are the same people. .

* H.E.R. was initially an anonymous solo performer - promotional photos and the first album cover consisted of just her silhouette, there were no live performances, interviews were only held over the phone, and her real name was never mentioned in conjunction with the project. Fans pretty quickly figured out she was Gabi Wilson, in part because her first EP featured a CoverVersion of {{Music/Drake}}'s "Jungle" that she previously uploaded to soundcloud under her own name.

* Zig-zagged by Music/{{Slipknot}}. On-stage, the members wear masks and use numerals as aliases, but they don't bother showing their identities to the public, and their side projects usually don't have the same schtick. Only three members had their identities left unknown for a while so that fans can guess them, these being Jay Weinberg, Alessandro Venturella and Michael Pfaff.

* Experimental music collective Caroliner are one of these... [[MindScrew among]] [[TrueArtIsIncomprehensible other things]].

* Norway's entry for the 2022 edition of the ''Series/EurovisionSongContest'' were Subwoolfer, a duo who performed exclusively in yellow wolf masks and body-concealing zentai suits. Naturally this led to a lot of speculation as to who they really were, with the band alluding to some of the most popular theories in their videos. In February 2023 the duo finally confirmed that they were Ben Adams (of boyband A1) and Gaute Ormåsen.

* Norway's entry for the 2022 edition of the ''Series/EurovisionSongContest'' were Subwoolfer, a duo who performed exclusively in yellow wolf masks and body-concealing zentai suits. Naturally this led to a lot of speculation as to who they really are, and while the band hasn't confirmed anything they have alluded to some of the most popular theories in their videos.

* Music/DaftPunk, as seen in the page image. While their real identities (Thomas Bangalter and Guy-Manuel de Homem-Christo) are well known, they usually appear publicly wearing masks, and unmasked photos of them are rare. Even before they established the iconic robot personas they are best known for, they hid their faces either with hoods or plastic masks as a conscious way of prioritizing the music over their identities.

* The Swedish band [[Music/GhostBand Ghost]] is completely anonymous. The lead singer, Papa Emeritus, wears heavy makeup and prosthetics covering his face, while the other members are known only as the "Nameless Ghouls" and wear robes and masks that hide their whole bodies. Multiple former members' identities were given in a lawsuit, which also revealed Papa Emeritus' name: Tobias Forge.

* The Swedish band [[Music/GhostBand Ghost]] is completely anonymous. The lead singer, Papa Emeritus, wears heavy makeup and prosthetics covering his face, whereas the other members of the bands are known only as the "Nameless Ghouls" and wear robes and masks covering their bodies and faces. Multiple former members' names were revealed in a lawsuit which also revealed Papa Emeritus' name: Tobias Forge.

* The Traveling Wilburys would be a "not fooling anyone" example. The liner notes list all the musicians as members of the extended Wilbury family, but due to the album photos and [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L8s9dmuAKvU music videos]], they're better known as "that {{Supergroup}} with Music/{{George|Harrison}} [[Music/TheBeatles Harrison]], Music/TomPetty, Music/BobDylan, Music/RoyOrbison, and [[Music/ElectricLightOrchestra Jeff Lynne]]".

[[ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin A musical artist or band that doesn't advertise the identities of its musicians.]] How far this goes can vary: Some bands will just use pseudonyms in the album liner notes, but make no effort to disguise themselves in music videos or live shows. Other bands will be complete {{Reclusive Artist}}s who hide their faces at every live show and only answer to obvious stage names. For the purposes of this trope, either extreme (or anything in between) counts.

* Sapphire Bullets, a Music/TheyMightBeGiants tribute act which has been a supporting band at actual They Might Be Giants concerts. Actual identity: [[spoiler: They Might Be Giants. Of course.]]

* The Swirling Eddies: Had ridiculous pseudonyms like Camarillo Eddy, Gene Pool, and Burger Roy Al. When their first album ''Let's Spin!'' was released, they ran a contest encouraging the public to guess their real identities. It's unknown if anyone guessed correctly. The band came clean on their album ''Zoom Daddy''. Actual identities: [[spoiler:The members of Music/DanielAmos, plus friends like Gene Eugene and Mike Roe.]]
* Neon Horse: Supposedly a group of anonymous musicians fronted by Norman Horse (who at one point was stated to be Moe, the fictional founder of the Moe's Southwest Grill restaurant chain). Norman was also the only musician to show up in their music videos--he wore wigs and heavy makeup. Actual identities: [[spoiler:Norman is Mark Salomon of The Crucified and Stavesacre; the other members are Jason Martin of Music/Starflyer59 and Stephen Dail of Project 86.]]

* Project 86: A partial example. The album ''Picket Fence Cartel'' doesn't give any information about band members, but all their prior albums did. It was known at the time that drummer Alex Albert had left beforehand--and it was later revealed that frontman Andrew Schwab was the only member who ''hadn't'' left. Other than him, it is still unknown who actually played any of the instruments on ''Picket Fence Cartel''. (The band has since reincarnated with Schwab and three new members.)
* Music/{{Jandek}}: The label, Corwood Industries, presents the music as if it were the creation of an anonymous collective. The guy who shows up to play live shows, sometimes with non-anonymous locally-recruited backing musicians, is referred to as "a representative of Corwood Industries". Actual identity: [[spoiler:All evidence points to it being Sterling Smith, who is also the sole employee of Corwood.]]
* The Dukes of Stratosphear, a psychedelic band comprising The Red Curtain, Lord Cornelius Plum, Sir John Johns and E.I.E.I. Owen. Actual identity: [[spoiler: Music/{{XTC}}]].

* Music/{{Slipknot}}. On-stage, the members wear masks and use numerals as aliases. But their identities are well-known to the public, and their side projects usually don't have the same schtick.

* The Swedish band [[Music/GhostBand Ghost]] is completely anonymous. The lead singer, Papa Emeritus, wears heavy makeup and prosthetics covering his face, whereas the other members of the bands are known only as the "Nameless Ghouls" and wear robes and masks covering their bodies and faces. [[spoiler: Multiple former members' names were revealed in a lawsuit which also revealed Papa Emeritus' name; Tobias Forge]].

* Trailer Choir referred to its members as Butter, Big Vinny and Crystal. Real names? Mark Fortney, Vinny Hickerson, Crystal Hoyt.

[[ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin A music band that doesn't advertise the identities of its musicians.]] How far this goes can vary: Some bands will just use pseudonyms in the album liner notes, but make no effort to disguise themselves in music videos or live shows. Other bands will be complete {{Reclusive Artist}}s who hide their faces at every live show and only answer to obvious stage names. For the purposes of this trope, either extreme (or anything in between) counts.

* Music/TheResidents, who appear for live performances, music videos, and promo photos in masks or other face-concealing costumes (usually four eyeballs in top hats, or more recently three eyeballs in top hats and a skull). They also don't even use specific aliases, although once the vocalist adopted the skull mask he became known as Mr. Skull. As far as autographs go, if all four members sign something, it'll read "Residents", "A Resident", "Mr. Resident" and "Mr. Skull".

* The Swedish band {{Music/Ghost}} is completely anonymous. The lead singer, Papa Emeritus, wears heavy makeup and prosthetics covering his face, whereas the other members of the bands are known only as the "Nameless Ghouls" and wear robes and masks covering their bodies and faces. [[spoiler: Multiple former members' names were revealed in a lawsuit which also revealed Papa Emeritus' name; Tobias Forge]].

* BlackMetal band Music/DeathspellOmega have never publicised the identities of their members. Their first vocalist is known to be a man who goes by the pseudonym of Shaxul, while the second is commonly believed to be Mikko Aspa (also of Clandestine Blaze, Fleshpress, Stabat Mater and a number of other bands). Beyond that, nothing is known for certain, only rumours. Metal Archives lists the bassist as Khaos, formerly a live member of Barbatos, and the guitarist as "Hasjarl", formerly of Hirilorn, but it's not clear what the source on that is. The drummer's identity is even more unclear; the most common rumour is that he's the guitarist's brother. (Some people have speculated that the band employs a drum machine, but professional drummers such as John Longstreth of Music/{{Origin}} and Music/{{Gorguts}} have dismissed this as impossible, saying that there are no drum machines with samples this convincing.) Another common fan theory is that the band consists of a rotating lineup of musicians, but no one knows any of this for certain.

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* Viral music/visual project Music/{{Iamamiwhoami}}, although the main participant is Swedish singer-songwriter Jonna Lee. Claes Björklund is probably also involved, and the most likely suspect for [[FanNickname "Captain Underpants"]].

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[[ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin A rock band that doesn't advertise the identities of its musicians.]] How far this goes can vary: Some bands will just use pseudonyms in the album liner notes, but make no effort to disguise themselves in music videos or live shows. Other bands will be complete {{Reclusive Artist}}s who hide their faces at every live show and only answer to obvious stage names. For the purposes of this trope, either extreme (or anything in between) counts.

* The Japanese band Kami-sama, I have Noticed (best known for performing the ending theme to the anime adaptation of ''Manga/KeepYourHandsOffEizouken'') performs in masks and costumes for all of their performances, and the members go by nicknames officially. While many fans think the vocalist is the ''utaite'' and musician Mafumafu, the other members of the band are a mystery.

* Killwhitneydead, in their early days.