Irish Bands & Artists from Co. Antrim
List of Co. Antrim Bands/Artists
| Band/Artist | Notes |
|---|---|
| Acid Age | Thrash band from Northern Ireland formed in 2013 |
| Aislinn Logan | Multi-instrumentalist, songwriter and vocalist from Belfast |
| Andwella (Andwella's Dream) | Late 60's psychedelic band from Belfast lead by Dave Lewis. a.k.a Andwella |
| Andy White | Belfast-born singer-songwriter, performing since the mis-80s; currently based in Australia |
| Bad Boat | From doom metal to straightforward rock anthems in a classic heavy 70’s sound with an underlying punk and metal edge. |
| Baleful Creed | Heavy Rock from Belfast |
| Bap Kennedy | Singer/songwriter/guitarist from Belfast, also was in Belfast band Energy Orchard. Brother of Brian Kennedy. |
| Big Self | Belfast band from early-to-mid eighties |
| Blackguard Smile | Hard rocking band formed in Belfast in 2006 |
| Blue Steam | Stax inspired Belfast r'n'b band from mid seventies |
| Brian Houston | Singer/songwriter from Belfast |
| Brian Kennedy | Singer/songwriter from Belfast. Worked with Van Morrison |
| Butterfly Child | Indie band that caught the ear of John Peel, lead by Joe Cassidy from Belfast |
| Cashier No. 9 | Jangley pop/rock band from Belfast |
| Chalk | Belfast band that draws from post-punk and techno to make their intriguing, metallic racket |
| Clone Quartet | Belfast indie/electronica outfit active from 2001-2007 |
| Colenso Parade | 80s Belfast new wave band, active 1984-86 |
| Congenital Abnormalities | Death metal band from Belfast |
| Conjuring Fate | Classic heavy metal band from Co. Antrim |
| Creation's Tears | Creation's Tears were a gothic metal band based in Belfast |
| David Holmes | Eclectic Mix DJ/ soundtracker from Belfast |
| Death Of A Salesman | Death Of A Salesman were a Belfast metalcore/deathcore band active between 2010 and 2019 |
| Domhain | Purveyors of atmospheric black metal / blackgaze from Belfast |
| Duke Special | Duke Special is an eccentric Belfast artist (aka Peter Wilson) 'whose bruised romanticism and soft Northern tinged vocals are at sharp juxtaposition with his wild dreadlocks, smudged eyeliner and unfeasibly wide trousers' |
| Eire Apparent | Late 60's psychedelic band, Jimi Hendrix played on their only album |
| Embrace Execution | Belfast metal, hardcore band formed in 2021 |
| Energy Orchard | Belfast band featured Bap Kennedy who went on to record as a solo artist |
| Enola Gay | Belfast-based noise-punk 4-piece formed in late 2019 |
| Ernie Graham | Singer/guitarist from Belfast, formed Eire Apparent in the late 60's, followed with a solo album |
| Etc. Etc. | New wave band that split off from the Tearjerkers, active 1980-82 |
| Exmagician | Belfast duo fromed after Cashier No. 9 disbanded |
| Fireland | Heavy Metal band from Northern Ireland formed in 2003 |
| FOS Brothers | Bucolic folk has a psychedelic head-fit |
| From Ruins | Metal band from N.I. formed in 2023 |
| Fruupp | 1970s progressive rock band, which originated in Belfast |
| Gary Moore | One of the all time great guitarists and master of a variety of styles including hard rock, heavy metal, jazz rock and blues - RIP |
| Ghost Of An American Airman | Northern Irish band of late 80's, early 90's |
| Girls Names | |
| Gregory Gray | Eclectic singer songwriter from North Antrim coast later based in London |
| Haint | Pregressive metal band from Belfast |
| Honey For Christ | Belfast heavy metal band formed in November 1998 |
| Hunger's Mother | Hard rock/classic rock band from Ballymoney/Ballycastle Co Antrim |
| Inch High | Four-piece hard rock outfit from Newcastle, Co. Down and Belfast formed in 2002 |
| Insidious Void | Death metal band from Belfast formed in 2022 |
| Jim Armstrong | Jim Armstrong was the guitarist with 'Them' and also played with the likes of Van Morrison, Jim Morrison, Captin Beefheart & Frank Zappa; Formed his own band - 'The Jim Armstrong Band' in the 1990s |
| Junk Drawer | Belfast based alt-rock four piece formed in 2015 |
| Katmandu | Belfast 5-piece formed in '78, relocated to Dublin for a few years |
| Kneecap | Controversial Hip-Hop Threesome as Béal Feirse |
| Light | Late 70's N.I. rock band formed by Jim Armstrong (ex Them) |
| Lovechild | Indie rock band from Belfast, active from 2002 to 2005 |
| Ludwig O'Neill | Former frontman with Belfast bands Chalice, The Bush Turkeys and Reeferadio, also a solo artist |
| Master and Dog | Belfast band formed in 2007 originallly called John, Shelly and the Creatures |
| Mojo Fury | Belfast/Lisburn rock trio |
| Nihilanth | Belfast Deathcore metal band formed in 2022 |
| Nine Lies | Rock band from Northern Ireland formed in 2003 |
| Oppenheimer | Indie/electronica duo from Belfast |
| Panama Kings | Belfast band fromed in 2007, split in 2010 |
| Panda Kopanda | Indie rock band from Belfast, released one album in 2009 |
| Peacefrog | Belfast based band, formed in 1991 |
| Perfect Crime | 80s New Wave band released two singles on MCA in 1983-84 |
| Protex | Belfast punk band formed in 1978 |
| Putrefy | Long running Northern Ireland Death Metal/Grindcore band on the go since 1992 |
| Riff Master General | Heavy metal group form Northern Ireland formed in 1998 |
| Robocobra Quartet | Belfast collective of musicians inspired by Stravinsky and Dead Kennedys in equal measures |
| Rudi | Punk band formed in Belfast in 1975 |
| Ruefrex | Ruefrex, originally called Roofwrecks, were a punk rock band from Belfast formed in 1977 |
| Runnin' Riot | Belfast Oi punk band formed in 1996 |
| Scald | Death / industrial / progressive metal from Belfast formed in 1993 |
| Shock Treatment | North Belfast Post-punk/New Wave 1978-1983 |
| Silent Running | 1980's Belfast band, recorded 3 albums released on EMI and Atlantic |
| Simon McBride | Rock guitarist and vocalist from Belfast who is a member of Deep Purple |
| Slomatics | Belfast Based Doomy Heavy Heavy Rock band formed in 2004 |
| Snow Patrol | Well known band formed by a group of lads from Northern Ireland while attending university in Scotland |
| St Vitus Dance | Belfast band formed in 1981. Lead singer Noel Burke later briefly fronted Echo and The Bunneymen |
| Stalag 17 | Punk band from Belfast, Northern Ireland that existed from 1980 to 1987. |
| Stand-Up Guy | Belfast thrash metal band formed in 2000, active until 2010 |
| Starjets | Mid-late 1970s power pop/punk group from Belfast |
| Stiff Little Fingers | One of the best bands out of the late 70's punk scene (much rawer, grittier and punkier than the Clash who they are often compared with). Many of their songs such as the classics 'Alternative Ulster', and 'Suspect Device' were about life during the 'troubles' in Northern Ireland. |
| Stormzone | Heavy metal band from Northern Ireland formed in 2004 |
| Sweet Savage | Belfast heavy metal band formed in 1979, once featured guitarists Vivian Campbell and Simon McBride |
| Terminus | Belfast heavy metal band formed in 2012 |
| The Adventures | Formed by ex-members of Belfast band The Starjets; powerful vocal harmonies and catchy melodies |
| The Black Tokens | Belfast rock-n-roll outfit formed in 2005 |
| The Bush Turkeys | Belfast/Portadown based rock outfit active in early 1990s |
| The Dangerfields | Three-piece punk/hard rock band formed in 2000, evolving out of the Belfast DIY punk scene |
| The Defects | Oi/street punk band from Belfast active between 1978 and 1984 |
| The Outcasts | Punk band formed in 1977 in Belfast by the three Cowan brothers |
| The Shakes | Formed in Dublin in 2002 by 3 lads from Belfast & Newry 'to counteract the blandness of the singer/songwriter epidemic sweeping Dublin' |
| Them | Major 60s group led by Van Morrison. Hits such as 'Baby Please Don't Go' and 'Gloria'. |
| Therapy? | With thier quirky but catchy blend of heavy metal and grungy pop, Northern Ireland's Therapy? stood head and shoulders above the rest of the pack in the 90's grunge and 'alternative' scenes. |
| Truth | Formed in 1969 by ex-Them members Jim Armstrong and Kenny McDowell when they moved from Belfast to Chicago |
| Van Morrison | Ireland's first 'Megastar' on the intenational music scene. |
| Victim | Belfast punk band-1977-1989 |
| Vivian Campbell | Belfast heavy metal guitarist played with N.Irish band Sweet Savage as well as international acts including Dio, Whitesnake & Def Leppard |
| Xdreamysts | Late 70's new wave/punk band from Northern Ireland |
| Zlatanera | Belfast stoner rock/metal band formed in 2012 |
Do you know of a noteworthy Co. Antrim act that is missing from this list? If so, you can add them: Add Artist To List
Have your say
Who do you think are the most important Co. Antrim bands/artists?
John O'Shea wrote on 2025-01-15 00:00:00:
A Cow in the Water
A Cow in the Water
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