Some were released decades after they were first written
Electric guitars, bass, and drums are quintessential instruments in rock music, but not every rock band uses them. There are a number of rock acts that choose not to use this classic trio of instruments to achieve their sound. Some replace the drums with programmed beats, others use the bass as a melodic instrument, and there are also a number of bands opting for keyboards to give their songs all the bass they need.
In this gallery, we list a number of bands that don't have a guitarist, bassist, or drummer. Click on to get to know them.
Jack and Meg White's group never had a bassist. And if you think the intro to the song 'Seven Nation Army' was played with a bass, think again. The line is actually played on a semi-acoustic guitar using an octave pedal.
The Finish metal band is composed of cellists Eicca Toppinen, Paavo Lötjönen, and Perttu Kivilaakso. The band doesn’t have a guitarist, bassist, or drummer!
With a thunderous rhythm section featuring Mike Kerr on bass and Ben Thatcher on drums, the absence of a dedicated guitar player is not actually noticeable in their sound.
The trio consisted of the late vocalist and bassist Mark Sandman, saxophonist Dana Colley, and drummer Jerome Deupree. The band never had a guitarist.
The American rock duo consists of Dan Auerbach on guitar and vocals and Patrick Carney on drums. For many years, the band didn't include a bass player at live shows and it wasn't until 2021 that one was invited to the recording studio.
Keyboard player Ray Manzarek was the man responsible for playing bass lines with his left hand, so The Doors never had a dedicated bass player.
There is no drummer to be found in the band of Roland Gift (vocals), Andy Cox (guitars and keyboards,) and David Steele (bass and keyboards).
To achieve the iconic snare sound in their hit 'She Drives Me Crazy,' producer David Z hit a headless snare drum with a ruler and then blended it with a 12-bit snare sample.
The English goth rockers famously use a drum machine instead of a drummer. In fact, their sound is heavily based on the mechanical sound of these machines.
The English rock band was originally a trio, but in 2011 they added a bassist. Keane has no dedicated guitarist.
The band of Mötley Crüe bassist Nikki Sixx used programable drums in their first two albums. They then resorted to a session drummer to play on their 2014 album 'Modern Vintage.'
The duo only plays bass and drums live, and they have an array of backing tracks, but the band doesn't have a guitarist.
The Canadian duo consists of drums and bass. Bassist and vocalist Jesse F. Keeler shares the stage with drummer and vocalist Sebastien Grainger, but you won’t find a guitarist anywhere in sight.
The Scottish band made use of drum machines and sequencers to add rhythm to their ethereal soundscapes. Guitarist Robin Guthrie was the man responsible for programming the beats.
The duo, composed of American singer Alison "VV" Mosshart and English guitarist Jamie "Hotel" Hince, doesn't include a drummer. Initially, the group used a Roland 880 sequencer at live shows but they later went on to hire touring drummers.
The New York rock band doesn't have a bass player. The band consists of vocalist and pianist Karen O, guitarist and keyboardist Nick Zinner, and drummer Brian Chase. The band invited a second guitarist, David Pajo, for live shows, but a bassist is nowhere to be found.
The Rascals was a '60s rock band consisting of singer and keyboardist Felix Cavaliere, singer and percussionist Eddie Brigati, guitarist and singer Gene Cornish, and drummer Dino Danelli. The group didn't have a bass player.
Progressive supergroup ELP occasionally used guitars, but their sound was mostly dominated by organs and Moog synthesizers.
The English pop-punk outfit consists of guitarists Charlie Simpson and James Bourne, as well as bassist Matt Willis, all of whom sing. As for the drummer—there isn't one.
The alt-rock trio consisted of a vocalist and piano player, a bassist, and a drummer. A guitarist has never been part of Ben Folds Five.
The punk rock band, led by singer and guitarist Steve Albini, used drum machines instead of a drummer. They draw inspiration from bands such as Kraftwerk, paving the way to the '90s industrial rock scene. Albini went on to become one of the world's most influential music producers.
An influential band in the riot grrrl rock scene, Sleater-Kinney relied on two guitars and drums to achieve their sound. There was never a bassist in the band.
The Irish trio, made up of Alex Trimble, Sam Halliday, and Kevin Baird, doesn't have a drummer. Two Door Cinema Club now hires a touring drummer, but their music is written over programmed drum beats.
The duo consists of Brian Chippendale on drums and vocals, and Brian Gibson on the bass. Lightning Bolt doesn't play with a guitarist.
Silver Apples was an influential psychedelic rock duo from the late 1960s. Simeon Coxe III played a synthesizer and Danny Taylor played the drums. They went on to influence many bands that mix rock with electronic sounds.
The American duo, with twin brothers Wyatt and Fletcher Shears, doesn't have guitars in their sound, only bass and drums.
The Canadian du,o described as "one part classic rock, one part punk," is all about guitar, drums, and vocals. Japandroids don't have a bass player.
Author & Punisher is a one-man metal act. Tristan Shone plays a number of machines, but you won't find him playing traditional instruments used in rock music.
Sources: (Loudwire) (Ultimate Guitar) (Listverse)
See also: Famous musicians who can play multiple instruments
Rock bands without a guitarist, bassist, or drummer
Some don't have any of these instruments
MUSIC Instruments
Electric guitars, bass, and drums are quintessential instruments in rock music, but not every rock band uses them. There are a number of rock acts that choose not to use this classic trio of instruments to achieve their sound. Some replace the drums with programmed beats, others use the bass as a melodic instrument, and there are also a number of bands opting for keyboards to give their songs all the bass they need.
In this gallery, we list a number of bands that don't have a guitarist, bassist, or drummer. Click on to get to know them.