Music bands are companies or groups of musicians, or musical ensembles, that improvise musical arrangements on two or more different musical instruments. Music bands can be composed of string instruments, keyboards, brass instruments, or whatever a particular band wishes to put together to create music – or sound. Music bands can be made up of all women, folk musicians, church or Christian groups, military musicians, ethnic entities, rap artists, or whatever a particular group decides to embrace.

By far, the most popular music bands today are the rock bands. Rock bands evolved from Rock ‘n’ Roll, which originated in the mid 20th century and generally featured a vocalist supported by complementary musicians playing electric guitars, bass guitars, and drums. Synthesizers and other keyboard instrument have been added to embellish sounds of rock bands, and music bands of the rock genre often add string, brass, and woodwind instrumentalists to create unique and varied sounds.

Rock music bands have evolved into genres of rock music, such as West Coast-influenced surf music (incorporations of instrumental sounds – The Beach Boys, Jan and Dean), folk rock (acoustic instruments conveying social messages – Bob Dylan, Woody Guthrie), psychedelic rock (folk and jug band music with additions of electrical instruments – Grateful Dead, Pink Floyd), progressive rock (additions of brass, wind, and string instruments for full orchestrations – Genesis, Electric Light Orchestra), heavy metal (amplified guitar – Led Zeppelin, Deep Purple), and others – hard rock, punk rock, disco, soft rock, classic rock, – some with origins in various countries with ethnic overtones.

Many music bands of the rock genre got their starts as “garage bands” – groups that started their careers with music bands as teenage amateurs, who formed groups of guitarists and drummers to rehearse and perform for friends in family garages. The term garage band, however, has evolved into other meanings. It may indicate music bands made up of amateurs that rehearse and perform in garages because they are not interested in performing publicly or not talented enough to earn recording contracts. Garage bands may refer to music bands made up of "kids" that play any type or genre of music. Another use of the term garage band implies amateur music bands that produce “garage rock” music that becomes popular in the region in which those music bands reside and perform.

Music bands of the “big band” variety are large ensembles with their bases in jazz music. These music bands came into being in the U.S. in the early 20th century during the “Swing Era,” named for the type of dance (swing) that became popular at that time. Music bands that earned the title of “big band” employed at least a dozen musicians and incorporated brass and rhythm instruments to create “big sound” orchestrations. Big bands play arranged rather than improvised music, often created by the band leader or conductor. Music bands of the big band type can also be called dance bands, stage bands, jazz bands, or jazz orchestras. Some of the most well-known music bandsof the Swing Era are Cab Calloway, Jimmy Dorsey, Duke Ellington, and Benny Goodman.

Big band music bands faded with the advent of Rock ‘n’ Roll. They have, however, made a sizeable comeback in recent years, along with the interest in ballroom dancing, to which these music bands catered: waltz, two-step, tango, foxtrot, etc.

There are many other kinds of music bands made up of ethnic groups, jazz artists, symphonic instrumentalists, vocalists, school groups, old-timers, folk singers, and more, that perform for weddings, benefits, local dances, and that entertain and indulge interests of all kinds.

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