Long Runner Lineup

This is a band trope, when a specific line-up of musicians within a band lasts for a total of 10 years or more, as per the traditional definition of Long Runner. Obviously, every band that qualifies for this is itself a Long Runner.

There are 5 categories:

1. A band reaches its 10-year anniversary with no breakups, hiatuses or line-up changes. Often crosses with True Companions.
   • Bands of this type can eventually become the Logical Extreme of this trope: a Long Runner band with only one lineup from formation to breakup (Bands that are still together don't qualify--yet).
2. Various lineups but one or more noted as being long enough to qualify, no breakups or hiatuses after the lineup stabilized. This can look like (or sometimes arguably is) Type 1 when previous lineups are mere blips on the Radar (see ZZ Top).
3. Original members, at least one breakup and/or hiatus, but no other lineup.
4. Various lineups but one or more noted as being long enough to qualify, at least one periodic breakup and/or hiatus after the lineup stabilized.
5. The group went back to a previous lineup. If this lineup lasts 10 consecutive years, it becomes Type 2 (even if it's the original lineup).

Note: For types 3-5 to qualify, that particular lineup has to total 10 active years.

These bands can also fit under Revolving Door Band, especially types 3-5, and can even fit this trope more than once, if multiple lineups have each lasted over 10 years (The Statler Brothers, REM, The Moody Blues, Van Halen. The Oak Ridge Boys fit twice with the same lineup.)

Examples of Long Runner Lineup include:

Type 1: (Ten consecutive years from their formation with their first lineup)

• Alter Bridge has been Myles Kennedy, Mark Tremonti, Brian Marshall, and Scott Phillips since they formed in June 2004.
• Ace of Base was Ulf "Buddha" Ekberg and Jonas, Malin and Jenny Berggren from 1993 - 2007.
• Asian Kung-Fu Generation has been Masafumi Gotoh, Kensuke Kita, Takahiro Yamada, and Kiyoshi Ijichi since their formation in 1996.
• Canadian punk/alt rock band Billy Talent has had the same lineup since 1993, when all four members were still in high school.
• Blind Guardian had the same formation between 1987 and 2005, with Hansi Kürsch, André Olbrich, Marcus Siepen and Thomas "Thomen" Stauch. But with Stauch leaving the band and being replaced by Frederick Ehmke in 2005, the band has already 7 years with the new formation, so it's close to being also a type 2.
• Coldplay has been Chris Martin, Jonny Buckland, Guy Berryman and Will Champion since 1996.
• Aside from being "The Blue Velvets" and "The Golliwogs," Creedence Clearwater Revival consisted of John Fogerty, Tom Fogerty, Stu Cook, and Doug Clifford from the band's formation in 1959 to Tom's departure in 1971.
• Elbow has only been Guy Garvey, Mark Potter, Pete Turner, Craig Potter and Richard Jupp since their formation in 1990.
• The Four Tops, which were Levi Stubbs, Abdul "Duke" Fakir, Renaldo "Obie" Benson and Lawrence Payton from 1953 (when they started) to 1997 (when Lawrence Payton died) — 43 years. So far, they hold the record for the longest-running lineup.
• Franz Ferdinand was Alex Kapranos, Nicholas McCarthy, Robert Hardy, and Paul Thomson from 2002 until McCarthy left in 2016.
• Isaac, Taylor and Zac Hanson have been performing since 1992. You'd think this would be justified in that they are brothers, but Oasis has shown that brotherhood doesn't mean getting along.
• Hootie and the Blowfish has been the same four guys since 1994. They're only semi-active now, owing in part to Darius Rucker's highly successful solo Country Music career.
• Korn kept its original formation of Jonathan Davis, James "Munky" Shaffer, Brian "Head" Welch, Reginald "Fieldy" Arvizu, and David Silveria from 1993 to 2005, when Head left. (they remained as a four-piece, with Silveria leaving one year later but being replaced, and Welch has since rejoined)
• Muse has been only Matt Bellamy, Chris Wolstenholme and Dominic Howard since they formed in 1993.
• New Found Glory has had the same five guys since their formation in 1997 and are still going.
• Pet Shop Boys has only consisted of Neil Tennant and Chris Lowe since they formed in 1981.
• Radiohead has always been Thom Yorke, Jonny Greenwood, Ed O'Brien, Colin Greenwood and Phil Selway. It can be either since 1985 (when they started the band "On a Friday") or 1991 (signed a recording deal and renamed themselves).
• Rammstein has the same lineup from the beginning in 1994: Till Lindemann, Richard Kruspe, Paul Landers, Ollie Riedel, Doom Schneider and Flake Lorenz. They've stated that if any of them quit or die, the band will break up permanently. Oomph!, another, less well-known, German metal band that played a large role in inspiring Rammstein, have had the same line-up since their formation in 1989.
• Rascal Flatts has been Gary LeVox, Jay DeMarcus and Joe Don Rooney since 1999.
• Metal band Sevendust has had the same lineup for a total of 14 years. The only member of the band who ever left was guitarist Clint Lowery, and he ended up returning shortly.
• SHeDAISY has been Kassidy, Kelsi and Kristyn Osborn (sisters) since 1999.
• Slade consisted of Noddy Holder, Jim Lea, Dave Hill and Don Powell from their inception as the N'Betweens in 1966 up until 1991, when both Noddy Holder and Jim Lea withdrew from the band.
• Sloan has been Chris Murphy, Patrick Pentland, Jay Ferguson, and Andrew Scott since they formed in 1991
• U2 has been Bono, The Edge, Adam Clayton, and Larry Mullen, Jr. since their founding in 1976.
• "Weird Al" Yankovic's back-up band hasn't changed since 1982 (though guitarist Jim West is absent from the Self-Titled Album).
• The vast majority of duos, from Simon and Garfunkel to Brooks and Dunn.

Logical Extreme (One lineup from start to finish)

• Led Zeppelin consisted of Jimmy Page, Robert Plant, John-Paul Jones, and John Bonham from their start in 1968 until they broke up after Bonham died in 1980.
• Queen was Freddie Mercury, Brian May, John Deacon, and Roger Taylor from 1971 until Mercury's death 20 years later—which was pretty much the end of Queen. (Queen+Paul Rogers and Queen+Adam Lambert are considered different bands)
• Argentine 80s legend Soda Stereo remained a Power Trio (Gustavo Cerati, Charly Alberti and Zeta Bosio) from 1984 all the way up to their break-up in 1997.
• A-ha was Morten Harket, Magne Furuholmen and Paul Waaktaar from 1982 to 2010 (with a reunion concert during a memorial for the 2011 Norway attacks).
• Brazilian band Skank were the same four guys since its formation in 1991 until their farewell concert in 2023.
• The vast majority of duos which have since split up, from Simon and Garfunkel to Brooks and Dunn.
• Daft Punk was Thomas Bangalter and Guy-Manuel de Homem-Christo from 1993 to 2021.

Type 1 + Type 2: (Ten consecutive years from their formation with their first lineup, then 10 consecutive years with another lineup)

• The Bouncing Souls formed somewhere between 1987 and 1989 (depending on what source you use) and lasted with their original lineup until 2000 when drummer Shal Khichi left. He was replaced by Michael McDermott, and the lineup hasn't changed since
• REM was Peter Buck, Mike Mills, Michael Stipe, and Bill Berry from 1980-1997 (17 years). Then Berry retired for health reasons, and the others soldiered on without him until 2011 (14 years). Even then, there's been a handful of instances of Berry rejoining the band for a song at lower key concerts if they're in his neck of the woods.
• The Statler Brothers were Harold Reid, Don Reid, Phil Balsley and Lew DeWitt from their foundation in 1955 until 1982, when Crohn's disease forced Lew to retire (27 years). His replacement was Jimmy Fortune. This lineup lasted until the band retired in 2004 (22 years).
• The Hives was Howlin' Pelle Almqvist, Nicholaus Arson, Vigilante Carlstroem, Dr. Matt Destruction and Chris Dangerous (and Randy Fitzimmons, who is apparently their songwriter) from 1993 until Dr. Matt Destruction retired in 2013. His replacement since 2013 has been the Johan and Only.
• The Presidents of the United States of America: Chris Ballew on bass and lead vocals, Dave Dederer on guitar and backing vocals, and Jason Finn on drums and backing vocals from 1993–2005; then Dederer left and was replaced by Andrew McKeag, who stayed with the band until they called it a day in 2016.

Type 1 + Type 3 (Got to ten consecutive years from their formation on their first lineup, broke up, then got back together with the original lineup.)

• Aqua was Lene Nystrøm, René Dif, Søren Rasted, and Claus Norreen from their foundation in 1989 until they broke up in 2001 (12 years). They reunited in 2007.
• Garbage has always been Shirley Manson, Butch Vig, Duke Erikson, and Steve Marker since their founding in 1994. Their first run lasted 11 years (1994-2005), after which they put the band on hiatus. They briefly reunited for a few months in 2007 to release a greatest hits project, then went back on hiatus until 2010, when they got together again to start working on a new studio album.
• Luna Sea was Inoran, J, Ryuichi, Sugizo and Shinya (1989-2000). Then they broke up and reformed in 2010.
• Roxette was always Marie Fredriksson and Per Gessle. They formed in 1986, went on hiatus in 2002 (coinciding with Fredriksson discovering a brain tumor), reunited in 2009, and appeared sporadically until the former's death in 2019.
• Daniel Johns, Ben Gillies and Chris Joannou formed Innocent Criminals in 1992, renamed themselves Silverchair in 1994, and remained together until a hiatus in 2003, while also having a reunion from 2005 to 2011.
• Stone Temple Pilots was Scott Weiland, Rob and Dean DeLeo and Eric Kretz from 1986 to 2003, and after a hiatus reunited in 2008. In 2012, Weiland left, completing 21 non-consecutive years.
• Supergrass was Gaz Coombes, Rob Coombes, Danny Goffey and Mick Quinn from 1993 to 2010, with a reunion between 2019 and 2022.

Type 1 + Type 4 (Got to ten consecutive years from formation on their first lineup, changed lineups, but totaled at least another ten years with the original lineup after the first lineup change.)

• The Andrews Sisters (LaVerne, Maxine, and Patricia Andrews), who had an initial run from 1925 - 1951 (26 years), were briefly a duo, reunited in 1956, and split after Maxene died in 1967 (11 years).
• Mötley Crüe was Nikki Sixx, Mick Mars, Vince Neil, and Tommy Lee from 1981-1992 (about 11 years), then from 1997 to 1999, and to qualify twice with the same line-up, 2004 until an announced retirement in 2015. They returned in 2019, and the line-up only changed in 2022 when Mars announced he was retiring from touring.

Type 1 + Type 5 (The original line-up didn't last ten consecutive years, but reunited and got to 10 consecutive years, with or without hiatuses/breakups. )

• The Backstreet Boys were Brian Littrell, Nick Carter, A. J. McLean, Howie Dorough, and Kevin Richardson from 1993-2002 (9 years), split in 2002, reformed in 2005, then Richardson left in 2006. He returned in 2012, and the five have remained together ever since.
• The Bee Gees (founded 1958) consisted of brothers Barry, Robin, and Maurice Gibb. Other members came and went between 1967 and 1970. Robin left in 1969, but returned in 1970. The lineup of Barry, Robin, and Maurice then lasted continuously for 33 years, from 1970 to 2003, only ending when Maurice passed away.
• Black Sabbath was Ozzy Osbourne, Tommy Iommi, Geezer Butler, and Bill Ward from their founding in 1969 through 1979 (aside a couple of months in late-'77/early '78 with Dave Walker when Osbourne left without notice; if you count that the four played in 1968 under the name Earth, another interruption had Ernie Chatway for a month in Iommi's place). They then returned to the original lineup in 1997-1998, 1999-2005, and 2011 - the following year, Ward had a contratual disagreement before the recording of reunion album 13 and was replaced.
• The Cardigans formed in 1992 and have had the same five-piece line-up ever since, but with hiatuses from 2000–01 and 2007–11.
• Peter Paul And Mary (Peter Yarrow, Noel Paul Stookey, and Mary Travers) lasted from 1961-1969 (8 years), broke up, reunited in 1978, and then Mary died in 2009 (31 years).

Type 2 (A lineup other than their first lasted 10 consecutive years)

• ZZ Top was Billy Gibbons, Dusty Hill, and Frank Beard from 1969 until Hill left for health reasons in 2021, dying a few days after the band's first concert with his replacement, a total of 52 years together. The Other Wiki listed these three as being the only members of ZZ Top until Elwood Francis replaced Hill. However...
  • When Billy Gibbons rechristened The Moving Sidewalks as ZZ Top, the other members were Lanier Grieg and Dan Mitchell, and in 1970 they recorded their first single "Salt Lick". Grieg was replaced by Bill Ethridge, then Ethridge and Mitchell were replaced by Hill and Beard soon after. The band's first paying gig was performed by the classic lineup.
• Golden Earring was founded in 1961, but have played with the same line-up since 1970, a total of 42 years.
• Aerosmith (founded 1969) had Steven Tyler, Joe Perry, Brad Whitford, Tom Hamilton, and Joey Kramer for eight years from 1971 (when Whitford joined) to 1979 (when Perry left), and 1984 until calling it quits in 2024 — 48 years total, which places that lineup here rather than Type 5 (where, technically, it would also fit).
• Marillion was founded in 1979, had a revolving door until 1984, had three different lead singers in 1989, and has remained stable ever since.
• The Oak Ridge Boys have done this twice—with the same line up. They were Joe Bonsall, Duane Allen, William Lee Golden, and Richard Sterban from 1973-1987 (fourteen years). That lineup returned in 1995 and has remained stable since (seventeen years so far, a total of 31 years).
• The Grateful Dead were Jerry Garcia, Bob Weir, Brent Mydland, Phil Lesh, Bill Kreutzmann, and Mickey Hart for 11 years, from 1979-1990, when Mydland died.
• Alabama: Randy Owen, Teddy Gentry, Jeff Cook and Mark Herndon from 1979 until the late 2000s. Before Herndon joined, three different drummers had been in the group. Herndon has since quit in the wake of the band's semi-retirement (and a lawsuit filed against him by the other three members), but Owen, Gentry and Cook continue to record occasionally without him.
• Barenaked Ladies: Jim Creeggan, Kevin Hearn, Ed Robertson, Tyler Stewart, and Steven Page from the time Hearn joined in 1995 until Page left in 2009–14 years.
• The Who went through a couple of rosters and a name change before they finally stabilized as Roger Daltrey, Pete Townshend, John Entwistle, and Keith Moon from 1964 to 1978.
• The Moody Blues were Justin Hayward, John Lodge, Ray Thomas, Graeme Edge, and Mike Pinder from 1966 to 1978, when Pinder left and was replaced by Patrick Moraz. The Hayward/Lodge/Thomas/Edge/Moraz lineup then lasted from 1978 to 1991, when Moraz left. The Hayward/Lodge/Thomas/Edge lineup lasted from 1991 to 2002, when Thomas retired. The Hayward/Lodge/Edge lineup is ongoing, so the Moodies have four different lineups which fit this trope.
• Depeche Mode had two lineups that qualify: Martin Gore, Dave Gahan, Andy Fletcher and Alan Wilder from 1982 to 1995, and Gore, Gahan and Fletcher from 1996 onward. The core three members have been Depeche Mode since 1980.
• Iron Maiden qualify under this category since the current line-up has been stable since 1999. Because guitarist Janick Gers remains in the band even though Adrian Smith returned, it is not a Type 5 'previous' line-up.
• Motörhead qualified though they're also listed in I Am the Band, as the last line-up of Lemmy, Phil Campbell and Mikkey Dee remained together from 1995 until Lemmy died in 2015. Technically they got together earlier in 1992, but for the first three years it was with a second guitarist, Würzel.
• Uriah Heep - a band once notorious for its Revolving Door policy- maintained the same line-up from 1986 to 2007 when ill-health forced drummer Lee Kerslake to retire from touring.
• Jon "Bermuda" Schwartz first performed with "Weird Al" Yankovic in late 1980. Jim West and Steve Jay joined around '82 or '83. Nearly (or in Schwartz's case, over) 30 years later, they're still with Weird Al. Ruben Valtierra still gets called "the new guy" by Al in interviews, because he's only been with them for around 20 years. This is an unusual example in that "Weird Al" Yankovic almost completely overshadows them.
• Green Day has had the same lineup since 1990, when drummer Tré Cool joined the band. While during the three years of the Uno, Dos, Tré! era touring guitarist Jason White was promoted to official member, he's been with them since 1999.
• The Levellers have had a constant lineup from 1991, when they brought in Simon Friend, to roughly 2005 when they started listing their touring piano player as a part of the regular band.
• Pearl Jam has had the same line-up since 1998, when current drummer Matt Cameron joined them. Unofficial sixth member Boom Gaspar has also been with them since 2002.
• Metallica was James Hetfield, Lars Ulrich, Kirk Hammett and Jason Newsted from 1986 to 2001. The current lineup with Newsted's replacement Rob Trujillo got there by its tenth year in 2013.
• The Offspring was Dexter Holland, Noodles, Greg K and Ron Welty from 1987 to 2003—which was the duration of the last one's time in the band. The band managed a second line-up with Welty's second replacement Pete Parada, from 2011 until Greg K was fired in 2018.
• Bon Jovi had two changes since their first album in 1984: bassist Alec John Such left in 1994, and the subsequent line-up (officially without a bassist although Hugh McDonald played on every album since These Days and was finally promoted to official member in 2016) was the same for 20 years until guitarist Richie Sambora left. And while Jon Bon Jovi recorded a demo with McDonald and other guys before forming the band, the closest one got to being The Pete Best in Bon Jovi is Jon's neighbor Dave Sabo, who was his original choice to play guitar, but went on to form Skid Row instead.
• ACDC has changed a few members (Bon Scott most famously because of Author Existence Failure), but the line-up that recorded Back in Black - Brian Johnson, Angus Young, Malcolm Young, Cliff Williams, and Phil Rudd - remained together fairly long. Originally it was four years until Rudd returned in 1994, and it remained that way until 2014, when Malcolm was forced to retire due to health issues (he died 3 years later).
• Jethro Tull, infamous for having a Revolving Door Band lineup, has had two consistent lineups in 43 years—the lineup of vocalist/flautist Ian Anderson, guitarist Martin Barre, bassist Jeffrey Hammond-Hammond, keyboardist John Evan and drummer Barriemore Barlow, from 1972 to 1975. A better qualifier would be Anderson, Barre, bassist Jonathan Noyce, keyboardist Andrew Giddings and drummer Doane Perry, who lasted from 1995 to 2007. (Anderson, Barre, and Evan were the nucleus of the band from 1970 to 1980.)
  • Tull had a fairly consistent lineup between 1980 and 1995. Besides Ian Anderson and Martin Barre, Dave Pegg held the bass slot for that period, and of course Doane Perry joined in during the Under Wraps tour and has been with them since (with the exception of Dave Mattacks who toured with them as the drummer in 1992). Other than that the only position that changed was the keyboardist for that period.
• Supertramp kept the lineup of Rick Davies (vocals/keyboards), Roger Hodgson (vocals/guitars/keyboards), John Helliwell (woodwinds/synthesizers/vocals), Dougie Thomson (bass) and Bob Siebenberg (drums) from 1972 to 1983, then Davies/Helliwell/Thomson/Siebenberg for the next five.
• Brazilian band Os Paralamas do Sucesso have been the same Rock Trio since 1982, when drummer João Barone joined the band as the original drummer couldn't attend a gig.
• Also from Brazil, Capital Inicial has had the same line-up since 2002, when guitarist Yves Passarel joined (though the previous one is under Almost Made It, below).
• Dream Theater had the same line-up of John Petrucci, Mike Portnoy, John Myung, James LaBrie and Jordan Rudess from 1999 until 2010, when Mike Portnoy left. The three core members (Myung, Petrucci and Portnoy) had been together since 1985.
• Country music band Sawyer Brown has kept 80% of its membership since founding in 1984. The only change was guitarist Bobby Randall, who left after only 7 years and was replaced by current guitarist (and former Amazing Rhythm Aces member) Duncan Cameron.
• The Dells started in 1952 as the El-Rays with founding members Marvin Junior, Johnny Funches, Verne Allison, Mickey & Lucius McGill, and Chuck Barksdale. The group continued as a quintet when Lucius McGill left (and changed their name to the Dells not long after that), and initially broke up in 1958. They re-united 2 years later minus Funches, who was replaced by Johnny Carter. This lineup stayed intact until Carter's death in 2009 (49 years).
• NRBQ started in 1967 and went through various membership changes over the next 7 years, with founding members Terry Adams (keyboards) and Joey Spampinato (bass—he used the stage name Jody St. Nicholas on the early albums) as the only constants. But the lineup that was finalized in 1974—Adams, Spampinato, Al Anderson (guitar) and Tom Ardolino (drums)--stuck together for 20 years, until Anderson left for a successful country songwriting career. Spampinato's brother Johnny replaced him and they kept going for another decade until they went on hiatus after Adams came down with cancer. Adams recently reactivated the NRBQ name but none of the others were involved.
• Sade was formed in 1983 with Sade Adu, Stuart Matthewman, Paul Spencer Denman, and Paul Anthony Cook. In 1983, Andrew Hale joined the band and in 1984 Cook left. The band has been the same for the past 28 years.
• Status Quo (band) have been around for so long that they qualify for Type 2 with three different line-ups: the classic 'Frantic Four' consisting of Francis Rossi, Rick Parfitt, Alan Lancaster and John Coghlan lasted from 1968 to 1982 (although keyboard player Andy Bown slowly became integrated into the group from 1975 onwards); the post-Live Aid version with Rossi, Parfitt, Bown, bassist Rhino Edwards and drummer Jeff Rich lasted from 1986 until 2000; the present line-up with Matt Letley taking over drums from Jeff Rich has been in existence since 2000.
• Manic Street Preachers have now been a trio for far longer than Richey Edwards was with them. In fact it's highly likely that people getting into them now may not even be aware that they were ever a four-piece.
• Slayer has only ever changed drummers, and the classic lineup with Dave Lombardo on the drums lasted from 1982 to 1992 (save for a break around 1986 after recording Reign In Blood) and finally from 2001 until 2013, when both Lombardo left and Jeff Hanneman died.
• Weezer has had the same line-up since 2001, when bassist Scott Shriner joined (though only two are founding members per se, Face of the Band Rivers Cuomo and drummer Patrick Wilson).
• The Beastie Boys have been Mike D, MCA, and Ad-Rock from 1983 to MCA's death in 2012.
• The Pogues never actually qualified in their original period of activity from 1982-1996, but some of the more prominent members of the "Classic" Lineup(s) reformed in 2001 as Touring-only and are still going, thus now qualifying.
• Dixie Chicks have been Natalie Maines, Martie Maguire and Emily Robison since 1997. Originally they were a quartet consisting of Laura Lynch and Robin Lynn Macy along with Martie and Emily. Lynch and Macy left when the band went from straight-up bluegrass for a more mainstream sound.
• Lacuna Coil were Andrea Ferro, Marco Biazzi, Marco Coti Zelati, Cristiano Migliore, Cristiano Mozzati and Cristina Scabbia from 1998 to 2014.
• Lonestar has danced all around it. They were Richie McDonald (lead vocals/guitar/piano), Keech Rainwater (drums), Dean Sams (guitar), Michael Britt (keyboards) and John Rich (bass, occasional lead vocals) from 1992 to 1998, when Rich was fired. (He later went on to found Big & Rich with "Big" Kenny Alphin.) From then until 2007, they carried on with Robbie Cheuvront and later Michael Hill as unofficial bassist, plus a revolving door of backing band members. McDonald left in 2007 and Cody Collins replaced him, only for McDonald to return 4 years later.
• King's X has consisted of Doug Pinnick, Ty Tabor and Jerry Gaskill since 1983, after two Pete Bests (Dan McCollam and Kirk Henderson) left.
• Cheap Trick's classic lineup of Robin Zander, Rick Nielsen, Tom Petersson and Bun E. Carlos only lasted from 1973 to 1980, when Petersson left the band and was replaced by a series of bass players. He returned in 1987 and the band has since achieved Long Runner status by never changing their lineup permanently again. Carlos has recently stopped touring with the band for an indefinite period, replaced in concerts by Nielsen's son Daxx, but remains an official band member.
• Since 1989, The 69 Eyes has had just one change in their line-up - in 1992.
• Although not the classic lineup of their commercial heyday, Def Leppard have remained unchanged since 1992, when Vivian Campbell was hired to replace the late Steve Clark on guitar.
• Fleetwood Mac spent its first eight years as a prototypical Revolving Door Band, right up to the New Sound Album that introduced Stevie Nicks and Lindsay Buckingham. This line-up would remain stable for more than a decade, and would so define the band's sound that few people are even aware of its early albums and original blues-based aesthetic.
• NOFX started as a three-piece in 1983, became a bit of a Revolving Door Band starting in 1985, became a four-piece in 1986, and then stabilized in 1991 and has featured the same lineup since. Bonus points for still featuring all three original members (the original drummer left for about a year at one point and then came back).
• Rancid, formed in 1991, lasted for 13 years without any changes, from 1993 (when they added a second guitarist) through 2006 (when the original drummer left)
• Anti-Flag started as a three-piece, went through a few bassists, became a four-piece in 1997 and finally settled on a bassist, Chris #2, in 1999 and has featured the same lineup since.
• Linkin Park was Chester Bennington, Rob Bourdon, Brad Delson, Dave Farrell, Joe Hahn and Mike Shinoda from 2000 until Bennington killed himself in 2017.
• The Foo Fighters spent four years as a Revolving Door Band (only founder/frontman Dave Grohl and bassist Nate Mendel never left), but it started to get stable in 1999, when guitarist Chris Shiflett joined. The band remained Grohl, Mendel, Shifflet and drummer Taylor Hawkins until 2010, when guitarist Pat Smear (who was part of the band's first formation, and had been part of the touring band since 2006) rejoined as a full-time member. Another similar promotion happened with keyboardist Rami Jaffee, who was promoted to full-time member in 2017 after more than a decade of collaboration. This period of stability ended with Hawkins' death in 2022.
• Kamelot had the same line-up from 1998, when Roy Khan joined Thomas Youngblood, Casey Grillo and Glen Barry, until Barry's departure in 2009. In 2005, long time tour keyboard player Oliver Palotai was also admited as a full-time member, though the other four remained.
• The Cranberries was Dolores O'Riordan, Noel and Mike Hogan, and Fergal Lawler from 1990 to a hiatus in 2003, then reunited in 2009, breaking up once O'Riordan died in 2018. (not Type 1 because O'Riordan replaced a short-lived original singer)
• Paul McCartney's back-up band has been the same since 2001.
• TLC was Tionne "T-Boz" Watkins, Lisa "Left Eye" Lopes and Rozonda "Chilli" Thomas from 1991 (when Chili entered instead of the one who started the band) to 2002 (when Lopes died).
• The J. Geils Band was J. Geils, Peter Wolf, Magic Dick, Danny Klein, and Stephen Bladd in 1967. In 1968, Seth Justman joined, and this lineup lasted until the band called it quits in 1985. They've reteamed a few times since.
• The Rolling Stones after Ron Wood joined in 1975. Depending on the stance regarding keyboardist Ian Stewart (who was a founding member, but on their producer's advice had been just a collaborator and manager since 1963), it's either until Stewart died in 1985 or until original bassist Bill Wyman left in 1995. And Wyman's departure led to another constant line-up, that only changed once drummer Charlie Watts died in 2021. Also noteworthy is how Watts, Mick Jagger and Keith Richards played together for 58 years, 32 of them with Wyman.
• Sepultura was Max Cavalera, Andreas Kisser, Paulo Jr., and Igor Cavalera from 1987 until Max left in 2007. (the subsequent one is on Almost Made It)
• Killswitch Engage followed a close call of 9 years by bringing back original singer Jesse Leach in 2012, and it hasn't changed since, which is only not Type 5 because it has another member other than the four founding (one of the guitarists started as a drummer).
• While Tears for Fears has had Roland Orzabal and Curt Smith as the only official members since 2001 (they're also the only reminders of the original formation), it counts more since 2006, given their backing band hasn't changed ever since.
• L7 has been the same since their 2014 reformation, with three founding members and the drummer before their 2001 hiatus.

Type 3 (The band broke up at some point, but lasted 10 total years with the original lineup; no intervening lineups)

• New Order's original lineup of Bernard Sumner, Peter Hook, Stephen Morris and Gillian Gilbert lasted from 1980 until Gilbert's retirement in 2005 (she was replaced by Phil Cunningham, although she has since returned to the band), with a hiatus between 1993 and 1998 (20 years total) Counting their years in Joy Division, Sumner, Hook and Morris performed together from 1976 until 2007. (31 years total - When the band reunited in 2011, Hook was not involved)
• Rage Against the Machine formed in 1991, first broke up in 2000, and has since reunited a few more times, most recently since 2019. The band's lineup has never changed from Zack de la Rocha, Tom Morello, Tim Commerford, and Brad Wilk.
• Swedish House Mafia formed in November 2008, broke up in March 2013, and reunited in March 2018. The group has always been Axwell, Steve Angello, and Sebastian Ingrosso.

Type 4 (The band broke up at some point after changing lineups, but lasted 10 total years with the changed lineup with no intervening lineups)

• Punk/Post-hardcore band Fugazi started as Ian MacKaye, Joe Lally, and Colin Sears in the summer of 1987. Sears left the band before they ever played a show and was replaced by Brendan Canty. Guy Picciotto was a glorified roadie/backup vocalist before becoming the official fourth member in less than a year. This lineup continued unchanged until 2002, when the band went on hiatus.
• No Doubt (founded 1986) has been Gwen Stefani, Tony Kanal, Adrian Young, and Tom Dumont from 1995 - 2004, then 2008 until 2015, and since 2024, which would have been 30 years if not for those hiatuses.
• Rush was founded in 1968 and was Geddy Lee, Alex Lifeson, and Neil Peart from 1974 until 2020, though with a five year hiatus from 1997 - 2001 due to Peart losing his wife and daughter.
• Madness was Graham "Suggs" McPherson, Mike Barson, Lee Thompson, Chris Foreman, Mark Bedford, Daniel Woodgate, and Carl Smyth from 1979 until they broke up in 1987 (8 years). In 1993, they started doing reunion tours. In 2005, Foreman left, but patched things up near the end of 2006.
• Napalm Death, despite being such a Revolving Door Band during their early years that no founding members are left in the band (nor are any of the members from their first recording, which was a significantly different line-up - in fact, the two sides of the LP had completely different line-ups except for the drummer), has had a stable lineup since 1997 (and, had Barney Greenway not departed briefly in 1996-1997, would have been stable since 1991).
• Pink Floyd had two line-ups that qualify: from 1968 to 1979, plus a reunion concert in 2005, was Roger Waters, David Gilmour (who replaced original leader Syd Barrett), Richard Wright and Nick Mason - ending when Wright was fired during the recording of The Wall; from 1986 (recording of A Momentary Lapse of Reason) to 1996 (end of The Division Bell tour, band went on hiatus afterwards) it was Gilmour, Wright and Mason (who decided to not listen when Waters said the band was finished when he left in 1985).
• Van Halen was David Lee Roth, Eddie Van Halen, Michael Anthony, and Alex Van Halen from 1974-1985, then Sammy Hagar, Eddie Van Halen, Michael Anthony, and Alex Van Halen from 1985-1996. After a Dork Age, a hiatus from 1999 to 2003, then a reunion of the Hagar lineup in 2004. And ultimately the band managed a third line-up of David Lee Roth, Eddie Van Halen, Wolfgang Van Halen, and Alex Van Halen, from 2006 until Eddie died in 2020.
• Blur was only Damon Albarn, Graham Coxon, Alex James and Dave Rowntree from 1989 to 2002, when Coxon left the band. After going on hiatus in early 2004, the original lineup reunited in 2009 and has remained together since.
• The early 21st-century incarnation of the Eagles (Don Henley, Glenn Frey, Joe Walsh, and Timothy Schmit) began touring since 2001, and just passed the 10-year threshold in February 2011, and only changed when original guitarist Bernie Leadon returned in 2013 (he remained there for two years, and afterwards Frey died). The previous and most well-known line-up almost qualified themselves, see "Almost Made It" below.
• Slipknot from 1999 to 2010 were Corey Taylor, Joey Jordison, Mick Thompson, Shawn Crahan, Craig Jones, Paul Grey, Jim Root, Chris Fehn, and Sid Wilson, with various hiatuses between albums as the various members worked on other projects. This lineup came to an end after Paul Grey died of an accidental overdose. Slipknot has since returned to the stage, with former band member Donnie Steel returning to the group to provide bass, though how long this lineup will last is anybody's guess.
• Bassist Ben Shepherd joined Soundgarden in 1991, the band dismantled in 1997, reunited in 2010, and remained stable until Chris Cornell's suicide in 2017, marking 15 years with that line-up.
• Kiss' original formation of Gene Simmons, Paul Stanley, Ace Frehley and Peter Criss played for 13 non-consecutive years - 1972 to 1980, then from 1996 to 2001 (both times being interrupted by Criss leaving). The subsequent line-up with Simmons, Stanley, Tommy Thayer and Eric Singer - the latter two wearing the same make-up as Frehley and Criss - had a few performances together in 2002 before becoming a full-time deal one year later, and it lasted until the band's farewell tour in 2023.
• Legendary Kraut Rock band Tangerine Dream has also been legendary for its revolving door lineups almost from the day of its founding in 1967, with at least 16 former full members to its credit (this in a band that rarely had more than two or three active members at any given time). They did, however, manage to hold one of their numerous lineups together long enough to qualify for this list: their 1990-2005 incarnation, which consisted of Edgar Froese, his son Jerome, and Linda Spa.
• Mexican band Maná has been stable since 1995 (though only the singer and the bassist are founding members).
• Blink-182 was Mark Hoppus, Tom DeLonge and Travis Barker from 1998 (when Barker joined) to 2005 (break-up). They reunited in 2009, eventually completing 10 non-consecutive years, and only not being the same during a period without DeLonge between 2015 and 2022.

Type 5: (A lineup that lasted 10 total years despite intervening lineups)

• The following bands would be here if they weren't already Type 1:
  • Motley Crue
  • REM
  • The Andrews Sisters
• The following bands would be here if they weren't already Type 2:
  • ACDC
  • Aerosmith
  • The Bee Gees
  • Depeche Mode
  • The Oak Ridge Boys
  • Again, REM
  • Slayer
  • The J. Geils Band
• Deep Purple Mark II (Ian Gillan, Ritchie Blackmore, Jon Lord, Roger Glover, and Ian Paice) just barely make it, first lasting from July 1969 to June 1973 (3 years 11 months), then reuniting from April 1984 to April 1989 (5 years), and finally from August 1992 to November 1993 (1 year 3 months), thus totaling 10 years and two months.
• The "classic" lineup of The Fixx (Cy Curnin, Jamie West-Oram, Rupert Greenall, Adam Woods, and Dan K. Brown) has been together for approximately 13 years total. Brown was the band's bassist for just less than 10 years between 1983 and 1992, and has been back with them since 2008 (4 years so far). The band has had several other bass players both before Brown joined and during his absence; if not for that one revolving door they would qualify for type 3 status. The other four members have all been performing together since 1980, save for a few years' hiatus in the 1990s.
• Genesis lasted from 1971 to 1975 with the lineup of Peter Gabriel, Tony Banks, Phil Collins, guitarist Steve Hackett and guitarist/bassist Mike Rutherford. Gabriel left in 1975, to be replaced with Collins on vocals, the band continuing as a four-piece. Hackett would leave in 1977. Collins, Rutherford and Banks would remain in the line-up from 1978 to 1996, when Collins left. After one album was made with vocalist Ray Wilson of Stiltskin replacing Collins (Calling All Stations in 1997), the band called it quits. Collins, Rutherford And Banks returned for a reunion tour in 2006, but Collins' spinal injuries (which prevent him from drumming) put Genesis on ice.
• The Hollies lineup of Allan Clarke, Terry Sylvester, Tony Hicks, Bernie Calvert, and Bobby Elliott lasted from 1968 to 1971, split with Clarke for a while, then reformed and lasted from 1973 to 1981, totalling 11 years.
• Judas Priest had three such line-ups, all with Rob Halford, Glenn Tipton, and Ian Hill:
  • From 1979 to 1989, along with drummer (the sixth overall) Dave Holland and guitarist K.K. Downing; Holland left...
  • ...and Scott Travis took over the drums, with the line-up lasting three years until Halford left and the band took a 4-year hiatus. After some time with Replacement Scrappy Tim "Ripper" Owens, Halford and rejoined in 2003. Just when the Halford-Travis-Downing-Tipton line-up managed a decade in total, in 2011, K.K. Downing retired and was replaced...
  • ...and the new line-up with guitarist Richie Faulkner has not changed, completing a decade in 2021 (although Tipton's issues with Parkinson's make him not tour full-time since 2018).
• Limp Bizkit was Fred Durst, Wes Borland, Sam Rivers, John Otto and DJ Lethal from 1996 to 2001, when Borland left. After three years with another guitarist, Borland returned in 2004, only for the band to enter a hiatus from 2006 to 2009. Since the last reformation, Lethal left in 2012 and rejoined in 2018, while Rivers left in 2015 and rejoined in 2019. This adds up to 18 years with this line-up.
• Loudness was founded in early 1981 with Minoru Niihada, Akira Takasaki, Masayoshi Yamashita, and Munetaka Higuchi; this lineup lasted until 1988 when Niihada was fired and replaced with an English-speaking vocalist after their producer suggested this might help them break through in the American market. After two more lineup changes in 1992 and 1994 that left Takasaki as the only original member, the group returned to its original lineup in 2001; this lineup lasted an additional seven-plus years until Higuchi's death from cancer in late 2008, over 15 years total but never even 8 consecutive years.
• Red Hot Chili Peppers was a revolving door until Chad Smith and John Frusciante joined Anthony Kiedis and Flea in 1988, and that subsequent four-piece managed to have four stints together, 1988-1992 (A bit under 6 years), 1998-2006 (8 years), a few months in 2008, and since 2019. In-between one of Frusciante's two replacements, Josh Klinghoffer (the other was Jane's Addiction's Dave Navarro) managed to get over a decade of its own between 2008 and 2019, leaving exactly to let Frusciante rejoin.
• Brazilian band O Rappa's most stable lineup started in 2001 (not counting extra musicians), as their drummer was shot and replaced with the keyboardist. In 2009, they took a break, only returning two years later, and decided to call it quits in 2018.
• Also from Brazil, but one with many more break-ups: RPM was the same quartet between 1985 and a 1989 hiatus, a brief reunion from 2001 to 2003, and a more stable one from 2011 to 2018, when Lead Bassist Paulo Ricardo left. It's only not Type 4 because they recorded an album together during the original break-up with another drummer.

Almost Made It

These bands are bands that lasted more than 9 years with a single line up, but never made it to 10. These bands may be moved to Types 3-5 if they return to that lineup long enough to finally qualify.

Type 1

• They Might Be Giants were John Linnell and John Flansburgh from August 1982 until recruiting a full band in June 1992, lasting 9 years and 10 months with the original line-up.

Type 3

• The classic Jane's Addiction formation of Perry Farrell, Dave Navarro, Eric Avery and Stephen Perkins first played together from 1985 to 1991, added three more years from 2008 to 2010, when Avery left (he also was not in the band's previous two reunions in 1997 and 2001-04), and once Avery rejoined in 2022, Navarro's issues with COVID forced guest guitarists to take his place on the tour, and once the four were finally playing together again in 2024, it only lasted for two months until Farrell and Navarro fought on stage and led to a hiatus, meaning they couldn't complete the full ten non-consecutive years.

Type 4

• Brazilian band Capital Inicial started as Dinho Ouro Preto (vocals), Loro Jones (guitar), and brothers Fe (bass) and Flávio Lemos (drums) in 1982. In 1988 they added a keyboardist, who left in 1992. Thus the original line-up lasted another year until Dinho left in 1993. In 1998, Dinho returned, and the band had a Career Resurrection. In 2001, Jones left, leading to a line-up lasting 9 non-consecutive years (the subsequent one hasn't changed ever since).
• The most stable formation of Bruce Springsteen's E Street Band lasted 9 years, from 1998 to 2007 (when the organist left due to a melanoma - that lead to his death one year later).
• Drummer Justin Foley joined Killswitch Engage in 2003, the band had its commercial breakthrough, and the line-up ended at 9 years once singer Howard Jones left in 2012.
• The most well-known incarnation of the Eagles (Don Henley, Glenn Frey, Joe Walsh, and Timothy Schmit, and Don Felder), having recorded The Long Run in 1977 and releasing it in 1979, then having an acrimonious breakup in 1980...and then Hell Freezes Over in 1994...but Felder was booted from the group in February 2001 just short of the 10 year mark. The subsequent line-up got a spot in Type 4 above.
• Sepultura was Derrick Green (replacing Max Cavalera, with whom they had a ten-year line-up), Andreas Kisser, Paulo Jr., and Igor Cavalera from 1997 to 2006, when Igor left to join his brother in Cavalera Conspiracy.
• Also from Brazil, Titãs had the same line-up for 9 years, from 1992 (when singer - one of many, in fact - Arnaldo Antunes left) to 2001 (when guitarist Marcelo Fromer died).

Special Award

• Vera Lynn was a solo singer, so she normally wouldn't qualify for this list - but she had releases chart on the very first singles chart back in 1952 and the UK Album Chart in 2017 (and again a month before her death in 2020).