Him, Her, and Them: Artists and Their Alter Egos

Creating not just one but multiple identities is something artists have been doing for centuries. For many, it’s more than just a stage name. Remember when The Beatles wanted to get rid of their mop-top boy band image and start to be taken seriously? That’s when Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band showed up out of nowhere.

Beyonce performing during the Rose Bowl / Jennifer Lopez on the red carpet in 2009 / Tupac posing against a wall with a bandana tied around his head / A close-up photograph of Marilyn Manson

Photo by Kevin Mazur, WireImage, Getty Images / Stephen Lovekin, FilmMagic, Getty Images / Raymond Boyd, Getty Images / Mick Hutson, Redferns, Getty Images

It was all about industry pressure for other artists, like when Simon & Garfunkel were told that their names were too “ethnic-sounding,” so they became “Tom And Jerry” for a while. But not all alter egos worked or were taken seriously. Take Garth Brooks’ rock star persona, Chris Gaines. Yeah, exactly. So, let’s look at some of the best (and worst) alter egos in music history.