Cute Girls Doing Cute Things is a big and beloved genre, but like any big and beloved genre, it's now starting to spawn enough series where all the girls are doing the same thing.

Just like the isekai genre emerged from a lot of fantasy anime with a normal guy being sent to another world, now is the era of the Girls in a Band subgenre of CGDCT anime! – But, you know, hopefully with a catchier name.

Regardless of the genre name, anime music is always appreciated, and musical anime is the perfect excuse to fill up on a bunch of bops. Since many also appreciate cute anime girls, it’s no wonder that “x number of girls forming a band” has become an increasingly popular musical anime setup.

If you're looking for more anime recommendations about girls starting a band for fun, head on over below.

Girls starting an anime band

K-on

While K-on is basically four girls in a light music club rather than an indie rock band, there's no arguing that K-on wrote the original formula for the emerging "girls in a band" subgenre of musical anime.

A group of girls form a band. Mostly cute life interactions. A heavy dose of documentation of creative struggle. They play the occasional banger.

That's it, that's the formula. That's K-on.

However, since K-on follows what is still just a high school club, it keeps music mostly at the school level and may not offer the glimpse into the world of professional music that some may desire. Plus, considering the main character can't play any instruments, it takes a lot longer to get into music. Well, music that sounds like goodanyway.

Bocchi, the Rock

Bocchi the Rock is K-on returning in a more relatable guise. The series follows a socially anxious girl who learned to play the guitar as a way to help make friends. The initial plan failed spectacularly over the years, but it allowed the titular Bocchi to develop impressive guitar skills over years of diligent practice and illegally uploading YouTube videos.

This eventually helps her make new friends in the form of being recruited into a band, but as you would expect, social anxiety remains even when people make the first move. While Bocchi the Rock has great music, much of its charm lies in its creative depictions of anxiety in a way that resonates with a lot of people.

Jellyfish can't swim at night

While “girls in a band” is a modern but growing trend, many of the stories lack a modern feel. They take place in the age of YouTube and Facebook, but Jellyfish Can’t Swim at Night lives in the age of TikTok and Instagram.

These eras are so similar, but the feelings of portraying trying to launch a new band in the modern age of social media feel so different, and that's actually a big part of why Jellyfish Can't Swim at Night stands out.

The other part of Why Jellyfish Can’t Swim at Night stands out because of the relatable—and, again, modern—failures and personal/professional issues it explores. From a closeted Vtuber with what appears to be subtle gender dysphoria, to a failed idol, to an illustrator who’s faded into obscurity, to a talented musician living in a xenophobic nation, this series explores a veritable mix of modern misfits through the lens of contemporary amateur music production.

Carole and Tuesday

If you want a musical anime that has the densest collection of amazing insert songs, look no further than Carole & Tuesday. Left in the capable hands of Shinichiro Watanabe, known for his expert use of music in Cowboy Bebop, Samurai Champloo, and Kids on the Slope, Carole & Tuesday delivers a true rags-to-riches “well, we made it” story about two very different girls breaking into the world of professional music.

Taking place on a futuristic Mars, a rich girl on the run and a scrappy girl just trying to bond over a shared love of music and form a duo.

Carole & Tuesday is less about “cute girls” and more about the real struggle to rise from obscurity to becoming a real professional musician. While the girls themselves sing a number of great songs, Season 2 features an American Idol/Eurovision-style song contest that really allows this series to stretch its auditory legs.

BanG Dream

In a vast sea of idol anime, BanG Dream and its very “idol”-sounding title often gets lost among the waves. However, contrary to what the title or the promo might say, BanG Dream is actually about several high school girls who decide to form a band.

While BanG Dream originally only showcased one new band, it quickly expanded to include multiple female bands of various types and niches in the music industry. As such, while it follows the bands, in its own way, BanG Dream also treats the members of the large female band roster as idol-type characters, truly fleshing out their various marketable personalities.

Girl band cries

One of the most charming characteristics that truly defines the “girls in a band” subgenre of music anime is that each member of the band isn’t just a stereotype, but is often a flawed, relatable character who grows through their journey into music.

While many of the above series do them well, Girls Band Cry puts the most focus on the growth of its flawed characters through their turbulent journey in life and music.

While criticized for its sub-par CGI animation, it's one of those series where that all-too-common entry bar is a real shame given the high quality of the music and characters.

Irodorimidori

Not every anime can be a gem, but those that aim for average will always fall short of that standard. It's very clear that Irodorimidori was aiming for average, being an unambitious fan service anime following one of Sega's bands. Chunitmo rhythm action arcade game.

This series follows a girl who falls for an urban legend at her school that has produced several students who will become big stars. This urban legend claims that if a student excels at the upcoming festival, they will receive extra credit. Since the main character is failing her classes, she decides to form a band and give it a try.

Irodorimidori is a Cute Girls Doing Cute Things anime that's very similar to K-on, but without even a fraction of the personality and with minimal production. Even the lackluster CGI in Girls Cry Band can be overlooked for the good character story, but there's no depth like that here.

SoniAni – Super Sonico The Animation

Similar to Irodorimidori, SoniAni is an unambitious anime produced to represent a company rather than to tell a story. This time, SoniAni follows Super Sonicthe mascot character of the Nitroplus games.

As you'd expect from an anime about a company mascot, SoniAni follows the world's most perfect girl as she gets excited about cute things, has that highly marketable "adorable clutz" personality, works not only as a professional model but also as a waitress for her grandmother's restaurant, and finally, in that vast free time she must have - starts a band with her college friends.

At the very least, SoniAni offers a cute anime girl to watch and not much to think about.

Do you have any more anime recommendations that you think fall into the “girls in a band” subgenre of musical anime? Let fans know in the comments section below.