Choosing your wedding music can be tricky, especially if you’re hiring a wedding band. To make things a little easier, we’ve compiled a list of the top ten most popular wedding bands of 2022, available to hire with Jonny Ross Music for your big day.
All guaranteed to get your guests in the party mood, these wedding acts are the most popular of 2022 and available weddings around the UK and abroad.
Pop, Rock, R&B & Motown
With world-class musicians from a broad range of impressive backgrounds, The Rolling Keys are an experienced 5-piece wedding band with a set list that includes hits from Bruno Mars, Alicia Keys, Queen, and more.
The Rolling Keys never fail to light up the room, fill the dance floor, and charm every wedding guest.
Prices from £1550
8 Piece Show Band Performing Motown, Pop & Rock
These energetic vocalists have played all over the world at weddings and other events. Marc and Abi are known for bringing buckets of charm to their performances and delivering passionate renditions of songs from their vast repertoire — whether it’s “Hips Don’t Lie” by Shakira or “Valerie” by Amy Winehouse.
They’re available to book as a 4-8 piece band. Alternatively, if you’re looking for acoustic wedding entertainment, Marc and Abi can showcase a beautiful array of chilled hits as a duo, too.
Prices from £1550
Motown & Soul Classics with a sprinkle of Modern Pop
Looking for one of the best UK-based Motown function bands? The Northern House Band won’t disappoint!
With powerful male and female vocalists, this 5-piece wedding band are known for getting guests onto the dancefloor with classic Motown hits from Marvin Gaye to The Contours, as well as modern pop and rock anthems.
Prices from £1550
Floor-filling rock, pop, and indie bangers
Dae La Roux are a 5-piece function band with a stellar reputation for bringing their all to every wedding performance. These talented musicians boast a vast repertoire of rock and pop songs from classic acts such as Elvis Presley and Chuck Berry to contemporary bands like Stereophonics and Kings of Leon.
Whether you’re busy planning a wedding, party, or corporate event, Dae La Roux can entertain any crowd with their vast repertoire of certified crowd-pleasers. The Beatles, Queen, Daft Punk, Kings of Leon, Amy Winehouse, Arctic Monkeys… Is there anything this function band can’t do?
Upbeat 90s dance tracks
Something For The Weekend is a professional, charismatic collective with oodles of experience performing at weddings and parties. The four musicians are known for their energetic renditions of 90s dancefloor hits from the likes of Earth, Wind & Fire, Justin Timberlake, and Basement Jaxx.
Indie Rock Band
The Wilde Ones are the quintessential Indie Rock band. Performing everything from The Killers, The Strokes and Arctic Monkeys, this band will have all your guests rocking! This supremely talented group always bring their A-game with powerful lead vocals, sax, and a faultless rhythm section.
The band also offer a Sax & Dj option to end the night!
Prices from £1550
Pop & Indie Rock Wedding Band
Manchester wedding band, Colour Blue, were recently nominated for The Best Wedding Band in The U.K. And it’s not hard to see why! This high-energy group perform a mix of pop, chart, and rock songs that are sure-fire crowd-pleasers but also offer stripped-back acoustic sets for ceremonies and daytime entertainment. Find the perfect balance for a wedding day you’ll remember forever.
Prices from £1180
Noughties Pop Band with Brass Section
Graduates from Leeds Conservatoire, Big Shout Band deliver infectious energy and enthusiasm through their top-tier horn section, guitar and bass prowess, and tight drums and keys.
Big Shout Band have been housemates as well as bandmates, and their bond shines through their slick onstage performances. Performing as a 5-piece or 7-piece band, these lads have an impressive repertoire. Enjoy tracks spanning Prince and George Michael to Jessie J and Daft Punk.
Funk & Soul Band
World-class pop, funk and soul function band, refreshing and recreating the classic soul sounds of the 60s, 70s and 80s, alongside soul-infused contemporary pop and R&B. Club Mojo are a fun, in your face act that is oozing with personality. Famous for their wild and fun filled performances they are the perfect addition to any party or wedding.
Prices from £1550
Sought-after rock and pop wedding band
With years of experience in events, The Jonny Ross Band have a well-earned five-star reputation in the UK and international wedding scene. One thing’s for certain — these musicians know how to put on a big show with chart hits, rock anthems, and party classics.
From Frank Sinatra and Neil Diamond to Avicii and MGMT, they’ll provide something for everyone.
Prices from £2000
You can book any of the ten wedding most popular bands mentioned via Jonny Ross Music. To enquire about any of the bands, simply get in touch with your date and location and we will get back to you within 24 hours. If the band is available, all you need to do is pay a deposit and complete the contract to secure one of the top ten most popular wedding bands of 2022!
With wedding bands mainly playing private events, it is sometimes difficult to see the bands live! We have solved that problem by putting on regular Music Showcase Evenings, where you can see all of the top ten most popular wedding bands live. Follow us in Instagram to find out about upcoming events!
Wedding bands tend to perform 2x 45 minute sessions across an evening reception. Any of the above top ten wedding bands can upgrade their set times to 2x 60 minutes. All of our bands also offer a DJ service to cover the whole wedding reception.
All of the above wedding bands offer a daytime acoustic option. These are all perfect for your wedding breakfast, drinks reception or ceremony. To hear a sample of what the options sound like, please visit our acoustic page. You can also see some of the top ten most popular wedding bands perform an acoustic set every Sunday at Grantley Hall & Dukes 92. Get in touch to find out more!
Jonny Ross Music is an entertainment agency representing luxury function bands, DJs and saxophonists, and acoustic acts for weddings, parties, and corporate events. We’ve provided entertainment to some of the U.K’s most sought after venues, including Grantley Hall, Hedsor House & The Savoy in London. We’ve also been featured in Hello Magazine on the do’s and don’ts of the wedding industry. See the full interview at the bottom of the page.
Good luck choosing your wedding band! If you’d like more information about hiring a wedding band, don’t hesitate to get in touch with the team at Jonny Ross Music.Take a look at all our bands for hire or learn more about hiring an acoustic act, professional DJ, or Sax & DJ service for your wedding.
Wedding music mistakes: One expert reveals how much wedding bands cost, why cost-cutting is a mistake, and what he would have chosen for the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge’s royal wedding.
Having a band or DJ play at your evening reception is often expected at a wedding, but music shouldn’t be left as an afterthought for the first dance and the party.
Jonny Ross from Jonny Ross Music (who has been in the industry for 12 years and has even played for royalty!) revealed your songs should be carefully chosen for every stage of your big day, from walking down the aisle to your wedding breakfast. Granted, the longer you have musicians at your wedding the more expensive it can get – up to around £6k, in fact – but Jonny spoke to HELLO! about why cost-cutting is actually the worst thing you could do. Loading the player… WATCH: 9 of the most stunning celebrity weddings Keep reading to see his top tips for brides and grooms – plus what he would have chosen for a big-budget wedding like the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge’s…
Who wouldn’t want a mid-meal sing-along? Jonny emphasised the importance of having music during the meal, which he predicts is going to be the next big trend in the wedding industry. “I think the wedding breakfast is the opportunity for an unexpected party,” he said. “My band has just put together a package where we play acoustic-style background music during the meal, and then in between and after courses we play big sing-along anthems, roam around the room, stand on seats and put on a huge party. It’s so much fun; when customers book it, it’s the day’s highlight. “No one expects it,” he added. “I think this concept will be the new wedding music trend by next year.”
Unless you have a specific person or band in mind, it’s hard to know where to start when choosing the right musicians, especially since Jonny said, “most bands only play private events.” Jonny Ross gave his top tips for choosing your wedding music In order to prevent couples being disappointed with their choice on the day, he suggests heading to events where you can watch bands perform in advance and get a true taste for their style. For example, his company puts on Music Showcase Evenings which attract around 200 couples and “feature over 8 acts in one night in a Jools Holland format where they play one after one another.”
This is where it gets tricky! Every couple has their own budget, but Jonny suggested that music is one of the most memorable parts of a wedding, and it’s therefore worth investing a little more of your budget. “A 4-5 piece band costs anywhere from £1,500-£1,800. For bands with more extensive lineups and additional singers, you can pay anything within the region of £2,500-£6,000,” the music pro explained.
“My advice would not be to cut any costs on entertainment. Whilst it naturally seems very biased, according to a survey from our 4,000 plus previous customers, the three main things couples and their guests remember the most are the music, the food and the ceremony. If you’re looking to cut costs, consider what suppliers matter to you and how you will look back on your wedding. “Think about the best weddings you have been to and why you valued them as ‘good weddings,'” he added. “Nine times out of ten, you will remember a wedding fondly because it was a great party!”
Once you find your ideal band or DJ, you’ll want to secure them as soon as possible, but with the venue, caterers and more all expecting deposits, it’s bound to put a financial stress on you and your partner. However, you may not need to pay the money in full upfront.
Music can be a great addition to your wedding ceremony “We find that our most popular bands get booked up at least 18 months in advance,” Jonny said. “If you find a supplier you love, my advice is to secure them immediately. If you’re struggling to put several deposits down all at once, most suppliers will allow you to spread payments over a few months, so don’t be afraid to ask.”
“The more progressive the industry has got, the fewer rules there are. If you’re having a civil ceremony, throw the rule book out and make the ceremony what you want it to be,” he said, before explaining that one of his clients recently chose to swap hymns for popular songs such as Hey Jude, Wonderwall and Can’t Take My Eyes Off You.
6. Speaking of rules, how important is it to have a ‘must play list’ and ‘do not play’ list?
Jonny’s advice? Trust the professionals to do their job. “I don’t think it’s essential to give them a list. If you hire a good band or DJ, they will know what gets your guests onto the dance floor,” he said. That doesn’t mean you can’t suggest “songs matter to you as a couple” but he recommended giving them the freedom to play what keeps people on the dancefloor.
“If you’re looking for a wedding venue, you must ask them if there are any noise restrictions. If it is anything under 90dB it’s crucial to let your entertainment know so they can plan around it and bring the best speakers to work around the limitations. “When you book your entertainment, I would also ask them how much space they need so that the venue can account for them in the room plan,” he said. Jonny discussed what music he would have chosen for the royal wedding
Jonny and his band, known as The Jonny Ross Band, played for Prince William and Kate Middleton at the Tour de France opening ceremony at Harewood House in 2014, which he described as “a true highlight of my career.” So what music would he have put together for the royals in 2011, no expense spared? “Oooh, that’s a difficult one!” he joked. “I actually would book a wedding cover band. Whilst they would have a limitless budget to book touring musicians, a wedding is an entirely different kettle of fish. I would have booked The Marc & Abi Band; they’re the best band I’ve ever seen at a wedding.” Jonny described them as “very unique, “fun” and “interactive.”
Speaking of his own wedding ceremony with his wife Ellie, Jonny replied: “We picked a song (Holocene by Bon Iver) that was special to us, and some of our musician friends played an arrangement of it with Saxophone, guitar and piano. As cheesy as it sounds, it was one of the most memorable parts of our day and it still makes us soppy when we hear it being played. It set the scene for a ceremony and was personal to us.”
He added that first dances don’t always have to be to slow, romantic songs. “Whilst that’s a lovely idea, don’t be afraid to consider having a more upbeat song to set the party’s tone. A couple of songs to consider are You Are The Best Thing by Ray La Montagne and Too Late To Turn Back Now by Cornelius Brothers & Sister Rose. They’re great songs and will get your guests involved and ready for a big party!” he concluded.
