2 days ago
The Killers fans are only just realizing what the iconic band's name means after 25 years
After 25 years, fans of the rock band The Killers are only just discovering the origin of the band name.
The musicians behind iconic anthems such as Somebody Told Me and Mr. Brightside were initially formed in Las Vegas in 2001 by singer Brandon Flowers and guitarist Dave Keuning.
The following year, they added additional band members in bassist Mark Stoermer and drummer Ronnie Vannucci Jr.
But it seems that even die-hard fans have been in the dark about the popular band's name, only now realizing what it really means.
The Killers name actually came from the fictional band featured in the music video for New Order's song Crystal from 2001.
Brandon was a huge fan of New Order and spotted the name on the drum kit of the fictional band in the music video, per The Mirror US.
The name has previously been a topic of conversation on Reddit with people questioning where the band's name originated.
'How did the band name "The Killers" survive until the early 2000s without being claimed by someone else? You'd think something like that would have been the name of some mildly successful band by then,' someone asked.
A person responded: 'It's very surprising indeed. I wouldn't be shocked if some guys in some dorm room in the '70s or something had called themselves The Killers for two gigs and then called it quits, but at that point, it would be so hard for anyone to prove the name was ever theirs.
'That would be like me saying I created the name "Post Malone" when I was eight years old, and that it is rightfully mine.
'The band actually saw the name "The Killers" on the drum head of a fictional band in a New Order music video, and when they found out it was available, they decided to take it. That was actually while the band was still forming, in 2001.'
Another user said: 'I guess it's just one of those things...
'I bet there were a dozen heavy metal bands called The Killers in the early 80's that never got off the ground.'
Fans of another famous 2000s band - MGMT - recently found out how to pronounce the name and what it means.
Resurfaced footage showed MGMT members Andrew VanWyngarden and Ben Goldwasser when they were fresh-faced students at Wesleyan University in 2003.
They were playing an early version of their hit single Kids to a small crowd.
While many have marveled over how long ago the song came out, it was the duo's pronunciation of their name that has truly sent fans into a spin.
Many longtime fans were shocked to learn that it's not actually pronounced em-gee-em-tee like the letters of MGMT, but it actually stands for 'Management.'
In the clip, VanWyngarden introduced the band, telling the crowd: 'We are the Management.'
According to an article published by Vulture in 2008, the band's label, Columbia, and a publicist told the outlet it's 'definitely pronounced "Em-gee-em-tee."'
Several sources noted that the band's original name was The Management, but they shortened it to MGMT after discovering another artist had the rights to it.
