10 Relationships That Started in Bands

Emma Watkins & Lachlan Gillespie

The Wiggles

For years, they've entertained children around the globe with their catalog of wholesome and often educational songs. In 2012, two new replacement members - Emma Watkins and Lachlan Gillespie - were added to the line up. The two grew close during their first year in the band, and by 2013, they entered a secret relationship. They went public in 2015, and months after that, they announced their engagement. Their wedding occurred the following year, with fellow member Anthony Page serenading them with a bagpipes performance. Unfortunately, their intense touring schedule with the Wiggles made it impossible for them to go on a honeymoon, let alone foster a long term marriage. The two split in 2018, and while they still work together, they have both found new partners.

Hayley Williams & Taylor York

Paramore

They're the very definition of a slow burn romance. When Taylor York first joined Paramore in 2007, his future girlfriend Hayley Williams was already in a couple with their fellow band member, Josh Farro. Though they broke up that year, she and York remained platonic bandmates for over a decade. In the 2020s, fans began speculating that the two were much more than musical collaborators, citing Instagram stories and song lyrics as proof. In 2022, they officially confirmed they were dating, to the delight of shippers everywhere. Williams even went on to explain that their 2023 track “Liar” was about her realizing her true feelings for him. While some fans have since speculated there might be trouble in paradise, others hope their bond is endgame.

Lux Interior & Poison Ivy

The Cramps

Some bandmates opt for a slower start to a relationship, and others know right away they want to date one another. Rock stars Lux Interior and Poison Ivy of The Cramps definitely fall into the second category. They met as college students in 1972, and by 1976 they had staked their claim within the punk scene. It wasn't long before they cemented themselves as a power couple, whose intense passion for one another helped fuel their raunchier lyrics. As the years went by, the two never stopped loving or working with one another, even as other members of the band came and went. They remained together happily for over three decades, until Interior's untimely death in 2009.

Grace Slick & Paul Kantner

Jefferson Airplane

Though they were considered some of the trailblazers of psychedelic rock, one thing they didn’t invent was an inter-band coupling. Rhythm guitarist Paul Kantner and keyboardist Grace Slick initially began as purely platonic members when Jefferson Airplane formed in 1966. In fact, the latter was reportedly committed to another man, all while Kantner pined for her from the sidelines. He finally got a chance to shoot his shot in 1969, and the two quickly fell for one another. While they never wed, they welcomed their daughter to the world in 1971, and released multiple projects with one another. Even after she broke things off in 1975, the two remained collaborators within the newly-formed Jefferson Starship for years.

Jenny Lewis & Blake Sennett

Rilo Kiley

In the late 1990s, they took the indie scene by storm with their L.A. based rock band. While Jenny Lewis and Blake Sennett proved to be solid collaborators in Rilo Kiley, they showed they were a successful romantic couple as well. The two dated throughout the turn of the century and the release of their debut album in 2001, before breaking up in 2002. Luckily, that didn’t stop them from continuing to work together. They remained bonded through music, even when it was about one another. Their creative partnership seemingly came to an end as well in the early 2010s, when the group officially disbanded. However, Rilo Kiley made their comeback in 2025, and it’s hard not to hope their relationship will as well.

Wyclef Jean & Lauryn Hill

Fugees

While some romantically linked bandmates can continue working together after breaking up, others end up quitting the group altogether. The latter was unfortunately the case for the Fugees. When they initially went their separate ways in 1997, many assumed it was so each member could pursue a solo career. It wasn’t until 2012 that the truth came out. In his memoir, Wyclef Jean revealed that he and Lauryn Hill had been having an affair despite him getting married to Marie Claudinette in 1994. Their fling continued until 1997, when Hill became pregnant and claimed it was Jean’s. When that turned out to be a lie, it signaled both the end of their love and the group as a whole.

Bruce Springsteen & Patti Scialfa

E Street Band

Not every relationship between group members ends in heartbreak. Some - like Bruce Springsteen and Patti Scialfa of the E Street Band - have kept the flame alight for decades. After meeting at a bar in the 1980s, Scialfa soon joined the group as a backup singer. The two dated other people for years, until Springsteen separated from his wife in 1988. That year, he and Scialfa began dating. Though they were criticized, their love prevailed through the gossip. They had their first child in 1990, and were married by 1991. Their fairytale doesn’t end there. They raised their children privately, and welcomed their first grandchild in 2022. Through it all, they’ve continued to perform together, and don’t show signs of stopping any time soon.

Debbie Harry & Chris Stein

The Stillettoes

Even if an intimate bond doesn’t work out, it doesn’t mean you have to cut a former partner out entirely. Chris Stein and Debbie Harry are the perfect example of this. The two met while working in The Stillettoes in the 1970s, and they began dating soon afterward. They eventually split off and formed Blondie, where they achieved worldwide success together as bandmates and partners. Even after Blondie disbanded, they remained significant others until 1987. It was then that the two sought treatment for their substance use, which coincided with the end of their time together. Although they were no longer romantically or professionally linked, they remained close. Decades later, they’re still good friends, and Stein has even served as a godfather to Harry’s daughters.

Gwen Stefani & Tony Kanal

No Doubt

One thing that’s practically guaranteed with any inter-group relationship is some incredible music about said pairing. This was the case for Gwen Stefani and Tony Kanal, whose breakup led to a truly iconic breakup track. No Doubt formed in 1987, and they started dating shortly afterward. They initially kept it under wraps, as they felt they were breaking the rules by seeing one another. They dated throughout the early 1990s, until they broke up in 1994 amongst other issues with the band. While it signaled the end of their love, it marked the beginning of their breakthrough. The fallout served as inspiration for Stefani, who wrote several songs, including “Don’t Speak”. She and Kanal have maintained a professional bond, and perform together throughout each reunion.

Stevie Nicks & Lindsey Buckingham

Fritz

Given that they have a whole album about their relationships, it’s no surprise that Fleetwood Mac is on this list. The short-lived marriage between bassist John and sessions-artist-turned-keyboardist Christine McVie is dramatic enough. However, Stevie Nicks and Lindsey Buckingham put their drama to shame. The two met in high school, and joined the band Fritz. When the group ended, their romance began. They released music under the name Buckingham Nicks, until they joined Fleetwood Mac in 1975. They broke up a year later, and several iconic songs followed. The cherry on top was Nicks’ affair with Mick Fleetwood in the late ‘70s, which reportedly hurt Buckingham even more. Their connection seemed dead in the water - but as of 2025, the two have begun to reconcile.

Which romantically-linked band members do you think have made the best music together? Let us know in the comments below!