20 Best Band Names of All Time Pulled from an Aggregate of 9 Lists: Music Threads 20 (tie). Black Flag 20 (tie). Nirvana 20 (tie). Smashing Pumpkins 19. Throbbing Gristle 18. Iron Maiden 17. Dead Kennedys 16. The The 15. Camper Van Beethoven 14. X 13. The Band 12. Slayer 11. They Might Be Giants