Top 10 Masked Musicians

These multimedia pioneers have been making avant-garde and experimental music for over four decades. But, what makes them more unique is their commitment to their art and the methods they’ve taken to remain anonymous: in public, The Residents don’t speak and masquerade as top hat-wearing eyeballs in tuxedos. Though their technology-enhanced live shows have made waves, their true identities remain hidden to this day.

Funk innovator George Clinton leads this collective of musicians, whose P-Funk style is at its best when experienced in concert: thanks to their blend of funk, psychedelic rock, R&B, soul and doo-wop and their bright, freaky and evolving costumes, it’s an explosion of sounds and color. Featuring some of the most skilled musicians and performers out there, Parliament-Funkadelic’s influence reaches far and wide.

These hardcore hip hoppers brought many people’s fear of clowns to life. With their Violent J and Shaggy 2 Dope personas, they added a terrifying dimension to their supernatural and horror-infused lyrics and enhanced the craziness of their live shows. Though the horrorcore genre hasn’t really found a mainstream audience, Insane Clown Posse has spawned a devoted bunch of followers with the Juggalos.

This may come as a shock to some, but this bunch of heavy metallers has two Grammy nominations under their belt. Known for donning latex alien costumes and dousing fans with fake blood, GWAR has found a formula for success that has amassed them thousands of fans. If you love thrash metal, comedy rock or sci-fi and horror, then these intergalactic humanoid creatures are for you.

Popping up on the metal scene around the same time as the masked musicians of Mushroomhead, Slipknot grabbed the masses’ attention with their aggressive sound, terrifying disguises and frenzied performances. The band has defended the masks as a way to gain intimacy with the music and to protect their privacy. Whether you think it’s gimmicky or not, their carefully concocted image works: these Grammy winners have topped charts and sold millions.

“There’s no need to feel down,” when the Village People are in town: their tunes will make you dance and sing! Though their multiple on-stage personas were meant to appeal to disco’s gay fans, these “young men” hit it big thanks to the genre’s worldwide popularity. With their memorable singles and signature costumes, the Village People solidified their place in pop culture for good.

Kraftwerk may have used robots before them, but Daft Punk did it “harder, better, faster, stronger.” At first, the French house duo masked their faces to cover their shyness, but they eventually used them to keep people’s attention on the music. They’ve since become known for their signature robot getups, which give them an air of mystery and match the rich, technology-inspired visuals of their shows and music videos.

While he may not fit your description of one of “the beautiful people,” it’s hard to deny Marilyn Manson’s looks aren’t part of his notoriety and success. By carefully crafting an image around controversial themes like Satanism, sex and drugs, the Antichrist Superstar has shocked and awed countless people. But his graphic lyrics and performances have also allowed him to push numerous political, social and religious boundaries along the way.

Though Screamin’ Jay Hawkins brought macabre to the stage first, it’s Alice Cooper who’s the “godfather of shock rock.” Inspired by horror imagery, he crafted elaborate stage shows laden with execution devices, fake blood and reptiles. He upped the shock factor by dressing up to match with black eye makeup, corpse paint and loads of leather! His heavy metal sound and showmanship also set the stage for many shock rockers thereafter.

Influenced by Arthur Brown’s flashy stage makeup and burning helmet, KISS certainly “dressed to kill.” While their music was loud, catchy and anthemic, it was their eye-catching costumes and standout black-and-white makeup that cemented their hard rockin’ success worldwide. Add pyrotechnics and diverse special effects, and you’ve got a band who’ll not only “rock and roll all night” but who inspired the likes of GWAR, Lordi and more.

Do you agree with our list? Who are your favorite costumed or masked musicians? Be sure to subscribe to WatchMojo.com for more entertaining top 10s.