Top 10 Most Popular Wedding Bands

Booking wedding entertainment for the most epic celebration of your life is no different. With that in mind, Alive Network, the ultimate entertainment agency, has put together a list of their top ten wedding bands based on the most and the best reviews, including links to their comments so you can read them all. Don’t worry, it won’t take you too long. There are only 1,300+ reviews for these ten banging bands… and counting!

Plus, Alive Network share their ‘5 Simple Tips for Picking a Band’. These five tips will make picking your wedding band a cinch!

The Hot Shots

WINNERS!!! Of the 2015 & 2016 Wedding Industry Awards ‘Best Wedding Band’ in the East of England and National Finalists!

Alright, alright, dial it in, lads – just because you’re winners at the Wedding Industry Awards for two years in a row, have performed all over the world, at festivals like BugJam and V Festival, as well as at the O2 Arena and London Astoria. You have over 230 rave reviews from past clients… wait, how many? Over two-hundred-and-thirty?? Well, alright then, tell us – what makes you so unique?

James drums: “We aim to make each show as exciting as possible, and our mission is to get people on the dancefloor.” *check*

Rob, lead singer and guitarist: “We take great pride in the music we perform. We like taking songs and putting our slant on them, making them really interesting, like covers from Radio 1’s Live Lounge. We want to make your event a night to remember, so we cover an extensive list of songs… things like The Beatles, Blink 182, Daft Punk … something for everybody to get them up on the floor, dancing and having a good time.” *check, and check*

Want to win The Hot Shots for your wedding day? Alive Network is currently running a competition to win the band worth £2000+ here!

Oh, go on then – let’s look at some of those rave reviews…!

“You guys were AMAZING!! Thank you so much for playing at our Wedding. Everyone loved your music. Can we do it again?!!” Liane, Alive client review.

“I just wanted to thank you for entertaining us and our guests at our wedding… So many people have commented on how good you were, and we all had so much fun dancing.” Christy, Alive client review.

Read all reviews for The Hot Shots here or view The Hot Shots’ Profile Page.

Hipster

Well, what can we say? Hipster are one of our most in-demand bands, with a more extended repertoire than you can shake a drumstick at and a list of celeb fans and high-profile clients longer than your playing arm. The guys have serious creds – look at the number of excellent reviews on their profile page, where they have 300+ pleased customer comments! They’ve received royal approval from HRH Prince Harry (he loved them) and regularly perform at weddings and prestigious venues worldwide.

Festival regulars, they’re experts at reading the crowd, with an instinct for performing precisely what you need to keep you on the dancefloor all night long… whether it’s The Kinks or The Killers, ELO or Ed Sheeran, T-Rex or Take That. As well as being some of the friendliest blokes in the business, this killer four-piece can play your spine-tingling first dance, rock your evening reception, or perform a fantastic chilled acoustic daytime set… the choice is yours!

“You guys were amazing! Awesome!” HRH Prince Harry.

“Without a doubt, Hipsters are the best decision you will ever make in planning a wedding or an event. The Lads are by far the best band we have ever seen at an event, and from the first song, the party rocked, and the dancefloor was busy from start to end… a testament to how unbelievable the lads were. We cannot express in words how good hipsters are! … We cannot thank them enough for everything they did to make our day special and one we will remember for the rest of our lives.” Matt, Alive client review.

Read all reviews for Hipster here or view Hipster’s Profile Page.

Breakthrough

Magnetic, original and highly talented, Breakthrough are men of the moment among our wedding couples. A great band with standout vocals, the guys are all graduates of BIMM (the British and Irish Music Institute) and count Tom Odell, George Ezra, Marina Diamandis, James Bay and The Kooks among their alums. Members have performed on Jools Holland and got some severe head-bobbing from the show’s host. Maybe it’s their fun sensibility or killer setlist, but you guys can’t get enough.

Expect current and classic tracks from The Beatles to Justin Bieber – hello, meet your new best friend, The Dancefloor! – plus they can provide live lounge-style acoustic sets for your drinks reception, either as a duo or as the full-force four-piece. If you want a big sound in the evening, they can also use keyboards and synths on playback to pack more punch. They even provide a band-like set where you can join them on stage for the ultimate live karaoke to warm your vocal cords up. *mi-mi-mi-mi*

“The band were excellent, they had everyone up dancing from start to finish in the evening, and everyone commented on how good they were, especially during the drinks reception when they played acoustic versions of many different songs, they also played a brilliant cover mix up of some requested songs – 11 out of 10!” Sammie, Alive client review.

Read all reviews for Breakthrough here or view Breakthrough’s Profile Page.

The Nameless Three

Indie-folk, you say? Why certainly! The Nameless Three is one of our top-rated Mumford & Sons style bands. They perform quirky folk versions of modern hits from the likes of Ed Sheeran, Bruno Mars and Taylor Swift to Paul Weller, Foo Fighters and Oasis, and even bust out a fantastic version of Will Smith and Jazzy Jeff’s Fresh Prince of Bel-Air theme (admit it, you know all the words!). With plenty of notice, they will learn your particular first dance song for free.

Always in high demand, they’ve performed at the London 2012 Olympic Games and The Natural History Museum, among other venues. They can serve unplugged and acoustic or thoroughly excited, so the performance style can be tailored to what you need for your unique wedding vibe. So if it’s that fun, toe-tapping banjo–guitar–Cajon combo sound you love, you got it!

“The Nameless Three took our wedding day to the next level. I would recommend them to anyone. The guys are all so nice and genuine (and hilarious) – they are there because they love it to their core! The dancefloor was never empty from start to finish, even during the DJ set! I cannot thank them enough!! P.S. Pay the extra for trumpet, Tim – worth every penny!” Tamsin, Alive client review.

Read all reviews for The Nameless Three here or view The Nameless Three’s Profile Page.

Fraudio

An absolute fave among brides and grooms, these guys know how to party – and how to get you involved. “We like to give high-energy performances, to bring the feel of a real gig, rather than just a wedding band playing songs at people,” says lead singer and guitarist Liam. “Plus, we get in and among the crowd, get crowd selfies and make the audience feel part of the whole thing.” Curious? Check out their FB page here.

A lively and upbeat rock and pop band, Fraudio have an immaculate indie-rock guitar-based sound. Well-practiced in rocking weddings across the land, members of this fresh four-piece have experience touring UK- and Europe-wide with artists like The Calling, Biffy Clyro and The Bluetones. They have a massive repertoire of tracks from the ‘50s to current-day classics, so you can be sure all your guests will want to tear up the dancefloor all night.

“Fraudio were superb. They were professional, punctual and, most importantly, amazing live! Their repertoire… is excellent, and they were very receptive to playing the songs we requested from their list. They ended the night with an extra special acoustic song in the middle of the dancefloor to send us on our way at the end of our night. I would recommend them to anyone and book again if we had another party!” David, Alive client review.

Read all reviews for Fraud here or view Fraudio’s Profile Page.

The Sonics

Many of these guys have toured with artists like The Vamps, Olly Murs, and Paloma Faith, performing on radio and TV, including Capital FM and MTV. This excellent four-piece is a fresh young talent, with three members recently graduating from the prestigious music college BIMM (the British and Irish Modern Music Institute), soaking up Brighton’s vibrant music and arts scene. They’re flexible to your W-day wants and can offer additional acoustic duo or acoustic band options for your daytime partying. Their complete headline sets for your evening include anything from the Jackson 5, Fleetwood Mac and The Monkees to Maroon 5, Justin Timberlake and the Arctic Monkeys – you know they’ll have you dancing, even if you can’t dance!

“AMAZING!!! Everyone said how awesome the band was and was asking for their details. They were very interactive with our guests; they even had the oldies dancing! I think they will be getting more booking requests from our wedding guests! Highly impressed!!” Georgina, Alive client review.

“The Sonics made the long journey to France to play at our Chateau Wedding. … The music that the guys played was amazing. They generated a great party atmosphere despite the 30-degree heat. My legs were sore from all the dancing for days after… they made our wedding so memorable.” Michelle, Alive client review.

Read all reviews for The Sonics here or view The Sonics’ Profile Page.

Kickstarters

Want to keep the energy up and your guests yelling ‘tuuune’ all night? Then, keep reading. Fresh and funky, Kickstarters are a pop and rock party band with masses of wedding experience who know what it takes to make a night great. With a broad repertoire covering the ‘50s to modern chart hits Lucas, CJ, and Dominic are a tight and versatile band, delivering precisely what you want at your wedding—unadulterated fun. The fellas design their sets so the songs flow well together for an energetic and upbeat performance, keeping everyone dancing and away from the bar queue.

With Kickstarters, the value-to-fun ratio is high, so they’re a great option if you want a stellar band for minimum cost. They can dial things up or down, perform acoustic solo and trio sets or ‘expand the band’ by adding members for a fuller sound. They can also be complete with a three-piece horn section if you want that brassy wow factor at your wedding.

“Kickstarters were perfect! I couldn’t have asked for better. They could double their price and still be good value.” Karen, Alive client review.

“I am so happy we booked the Kickstarters to play at our wedding. They got the whole crowd up and dancing and engaged with the audience to make the evening entertainment memorable. I highly recommend booking Kickstarters if you want a great-sounding band that plays with great energy and enthusiasm. They elevated our wedding’s evening entertainment… a great time enjoyed by all!” Jon, Alive client review.

Read all reviews for Kickstarters here or view Kickstarters’ Profile Page.

The Kicks

This innovative four-piece specialises in covering modern indie, rock and pop music, with a hint of vintage and retro tracks to keep everyone happy. They’re a top-class wedding band performing the biggest hits with energy and passion, keeping the dancefloor pumping for a night to remember. The Kicks can also wow your guests with roaming acoustic sets, serenading as they mingle and take requests. Members all come with tonnes of musical kudos, having shared stages with Fat Boy Slim and 1D, and they’ve had airplay across the spectrum of BBC radio stations. *Mic drop*

“The Kicks played for my wedding, and we could not have been happier! They were so polite and professional and even had my parents dancing the night away! 10/10! A quote from one of our guests was, ‘They’re not just a great band; they are entertainers!’ I highly recommend it and will hire again! 5*” Mark, Alive client review.

Read all reviews for The Kicks here or view The Kicks’ Profile Page.

The Dukes

The Dukes are a seriously high-energy, dynamic, and charismatic band that will rock at your wedding. If you’re after a fun night with a massive mix of music, these four will deliver in spades. Their look says funky grunge rockers and their repertoire says everything! Fancy a cocktail of funk, soul, rap, rock ‘n’ roll, indie, ska, new tunes, and oldies? They can play anything from Rolling Stones, Tina Turner, Michael Jackson, and Queen to Amy Winehouse, Daft Punk, Jessie J, and Bruno Mars, and even a bit of The Sugar Hill Gang… Rapper’s Delight? – yes, please! They’ve much experience, too, and members have toured the UK, USA and Europe with bands like Mumford & Sons, Biffy Clyro and Keane, and performing at South By South West and Glasto. Drink it up!

“If you want a high octane, dynamic, energetic band… you don’t have to look any further! No one can if these lads can’t get you up dancing. Brilliant!!” Peter, Alive client review.

“Amazing, Amazing, Amazing, Amazing! … you made the night!” Andy, Alive client review.

Read all reviews for The Dukes here or view The Dukes’ Profile Page.

The Walks

The Walks have bags of experience at filling dancefloors at hundreds of gigs across the UK, in various guises, since 2013. They’ve also performed at Europe’s largest free music event, Festival Too, and at jazz festivals across the UK, such as the William Shakespeare Jazz Festival and Bracklesham Bay Jazzfest. The band members have written and recorded their original material and enjoyed airtime on BBC Introducing. They come with a wealth of experience and influences, meaning that this awesome five-piece has the talent and repertoire to keep everyone dancing at your wedding reception, playing tracks from The Beatles to Bruno Mars and The Killers to The Weeknd. The band can tailor their look to suit your evening party: classy or casual but always fabulous.

“These guys are awesome!! We had a packed dancefloor at our wedding all evening, and we were all so sad when it ended. I can’t recommend this band enough; being great musicians, they are great fun. Thank you again, The Walks, for giving us such an excellent ending to our special day.” Caroline, Alive client review.

Read all reviews for The Walks here or view The Walks’ Profile Page.

The Good Habits

This is meant to be a Top 10, but let’s sneak in again!

This power trio is the real deal: young and energetic with a fresh, lively feel. The guys are all musical entrepreneurs in their own right, appearing at festivals and touring Europe, supporting bands like The Libertines and Funeral for a Friend, and featuring on Spotify’s New Music Friday. Add to that their repertoire of indie, pop, soul, classics and newbies – everything from The Beatles (of course!) and Bowie to Oasis, Pharrell, Girls Aloud and Mumford & Sons. If you’re looking for northern charm and dancefloor therapy at your wedding, The Good Habits will raise the funky, fun bar and keep it high all night.

“Their performance was superb, even better than I expected; they sounded great, and the setlist kept everyone dancing. It is not just your average wedding band; it is far cooler than that! I’ve had so many compliments about the band; everyone loved them!” Jenny, Alive client review.

“They smashed our first dance song, and now my wife can’t stop singing it…!” Jack, Alive client review.

Read all reviews for The Good Habits here or view The Good Habits’ Profile Page.

For more wedding entertainment ideas and inspiration, advice from experts and real couples, super bright planning tips, and on-the-day details check out Alive Network’s ‘Ultimate Guide to Wedding Entertainment’ here.