Your First Band

Starting a band takes work—but if you take on the task, you’ll be happy you did.

Many of the bands that are famous today were once a humble home project, started by a solo artist or a group of friends that enjoyed making music together. Bands like Nirvana, Sleater-Kinney, Radiohead, and even the Beatles each fit this description. And at some point, every artist had to take that first step to share their music with an audience, and by doing so, begin to develop a public reputation for their work.

What’s more impressive is the variety of professional artists who, even though they had success, took it upon themselves to produce their music from an unprofessional space, such as their home. It proves that you don’t have to go to a fancy studio to record an album—that your own creativity and commitment is more important than anything else, and that there’s a lot one can accomplish with simple means.

Listen to some examples of songs recorded in homes and other informal studio spaces below.