Discover amazing facts about some of the world's most popular songs
Together, Plácido Domingo (left), José Carreras (center), and Luciano Pavarotti were known as the Three Tenors, a popular operatic singing group that performed all over the globe during the 1990s and early 2000s.
The best-known Destiny's Child lineup comprised Michelle Williams, Kelly Rowland, and Beyoncé Knowles. The group officially disbanded in 2006, with Beyoncé especially enjoying huge success as a solo artist. The girl group trio have reunited on a number of occasions to perform at high-profile events.
'Duck Soup' (1933), 'A Night at the Opera' (1935), 'A Day at the Races' (1937) ... Groucho, Chico, and Harpo were responsible for some of the funniest movies to come out of Hollywood in the 1930s and 1940s. A fourth brother, Zeppo, joined them on occasion, but it's as a slapstick threesome that everybody remembers the Marx Brothers for.
This popular US sitcom aired from 1977 to 1984 and featured three single roommates, Jack Tripper (John Ritter), Janet Wood (Joyce DeWitt), and Chrissy Snow (Suzanne Somers) who all live together platonically in a Santa Monica apartment. The three of them are pictured leaving the studio after the taping of a show.
English rock band the Police are another one of music's best-selling groups. The three members, Sting, Andy Summers, and Stewart Copeland, no longer perform together, but their influence as one of the pioneers of the British new wave music scene endures.
The classic lineup of Fayette Pinkney, Valerie Holiday, and Sheila Ferguson from 1967 to 1976 would see the Three Degrees release some of their biggest hits.
Sources: (Billboard) (NASA) (Time) (The Hollywood Reporter) (Britannica)
Formed in 1994, Muse is an English rock band consisting of Matt Bellamy, Chris Wolstenholme, and Dominic Howard. The trio have been described by Rolling Stone as possessing "stadium-crushing songs."
The slapstick trio of Larry Fine, Curly Howard, and Moe Howard were at the peak of their popularity between 1934 and 1946. Their act owed much to the American vaudeville style of comedy entertainment.
Western comedy 'The Three Amigos' (1986) stars Steve Martin, Chevy Chase, and Martin Short. The trio play silent films stars who accept an invitation to a Mexican village to perform their onscreen bandit gunslinging roles, but are mistaken for real heroes by the inhabitants.
Blossom, Bubbles, and Buttercup are three kindergarten-aged girls with superpowers. The animated television series (1998–2005) saw the sassy, big-eyed trio see off monsters, criminals, and other would-be conquerors.
The 1935 production of 'The Three Musketeers' was the first English-language talking picture version of Alexandre Dumas's 1844 novel. During their adventures, the three heroic, chivalrous swordsmen—Athos, Porthos, and Aramis—are often joined by a fourth, d'Artagnan.
Apollo 11's three-man crew were commander Neil Armstrong, lunar module pilot Buzz Aldrin, and command module pilot Michael Collins. Armstrong was the first human being to set foot on the moon, on July 20, 1969.
The playful trio of ducklings called Huey, Dewey, and Louie are Donald Duck's mischievous nephews. They made their debut in 1937. 'The Hockey Champ' was released in 1939.
The story of the Three Little Pigs dates back to at least the 1840s, but may be older. Three piglets build three houses from three different materials. A Big Bad Wolf blows two of them down, but is unable to destroy the third, as it's made of brick. Disney brought them to life in several cartoons.
Three siblings, Maxene, LaVerne, and Patty, became the Andrew Sisters in 1925. Their close harmony singing style helped define the swing and boogie-woogie eras: the 1941 hit 'Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy' is regarded as the sisters' signature song.
The finale of Sergio Leone's epic Western features Clint Eastwood, Eli Wallach, and Lee Van Cleef in an extraordinary three-way duel in one of the most famous and influential showdowns in cinema history.
English mod revival/new wave band the Jam featured guitarist Paul Weller, drummer Rick Buckler, and bassist Bruce Foxton. Active from 1977 to 1982, the trio were known for their social protest and cultural authenticity, exemplified in songs like 'That's Entertainment' and 'Eton Rifles.'
Formed in 1957, the Kingston Trio contributed towards the development of the American music industry in its formative years in the 1950s, and helped spark the folk music revival of the 1960s. The original members, Bob Shane, Nick Reynolds, and Dave Guard, seen here in a 1959 backstage group photo, influenced performers like Bob Dylan and Peter, Paul and Mary.
Pianist Nat King Cole (seated), guitarist Oscar Moore, and Johnny Miller (who replaced Wesley Prince) on double bass formed the trio that became the model for jazz ensembles everywhere. The absence of a drummer made the combo unique among the swing/jazz outfits of the late 1930s.
One of the best-selling and most influential bands in rock music history, Nirvana led the grunge movement of the mid-1980s. Fronted by Kurt Cobain with Krist Novoselic on bass guitar and Dave Grohl on drums, the band survived until 1994, when Cobain killed himself.
Billy Gibbons and Dusty Hill defined their look with long, bushy beards. Ironically, third band member Frank Beard was the only one not to cultivate facial hair. They all wore sunglasses, though. The trio known as ZZ Top had been playing music for over 50 years before Hill's death in 2021.
The late 1960's powerhouse trio of Eric Clapton, Jack Bruce, and Ginger Baker, collectively known as Cream, were highly regarded for their instrumental proficiency, with their style and technique influencing generations of musicians ever since.
Snap, Crackle and Pop are the cartoon mascots of breakfast cereal Rice Krispies. The trio are named after the "snap, crackle, and pop" sounds the cereal makes after milk is added.
A premier act of Motown Records during the 1960s, the Supremes were one of music's most successful female singing groups. Originally a quartet, the act became a threesome in 1962 consisting of Diana Ross, Mary Wilson, and Florence Ballard.
Barry Gibb and twins Robin and Maurice formed themselves as the Bee Gees in 1958. They became one of the best-selling musical acts of all time, and are especially remembered for their work during the disco music era in the mid- to late 1970s.
The Jonas Brothers—Nick, Joe, and Kevin—split up in 2013 only to bounce back again in 2019 and top the US Billboard 200 with their fifth studio album, 'Happiness Begins.'
Farrah Fawcett, Kate Jackson, and Jaclyn Smith were the original "angels"—three crime-fighting women who work at a private Los Angeles detective agency. The show, which originally ran from 1976 to 1981, enjoyed huge popularity with audiences for its first two seasons.
The three witches, characters from William Shakespeare's play 'Macbeth' and also known as the "weird sisters," speak in rhyming couplets, their most famous line being "Double, double, toil and trouble, / Fire burn and cauldron bubble." The witches eventually lead Macbeth to his demise, and hold a striking resemblance to the three Fates of classical mythology.
The Three Bears made their first appearance in the 19th century as characters in the British fairy tale 'Goldilocks and the Three Bears.'
David Crosby, Stephen Stills, and Graham Nash were one of the most recognized folk rock trios of the late 1960s and early 1970s. Neil Young joined the band for a brief period and together all left a lasting impression on American music and culture.
Probably the most famous fictional trio of the 21st century, Harry (Daniel Radcliffe) Ron (Rupert Grint), and Hermione (Emma Watson) fired the imaginations of millions of kids around the world. The trio are pictured in a chilly scene from 'Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince' (2009).
The biblical Magi are also referred to as the Three Wise Men, a trio of distinguished foreigners who visited the infant Jesus bearing gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.
Three's a crowd, so they say. On the other hand, don't all good things come in threes? When we think of a trio, music acts like the Three Tenors or the Bee Gees often spring to mind. But a trio can also mean a group of things. In fact, it's a reference to absolutely anything that exists in the number three. So, how many three of a kinds do you know?
Click through and take a look at these famous trios.
Three of a kind: famous celebrity trios
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CELEBRITY Acts
Three's a crowd, so they say. On the other hand, don't all good things come in threes? When we think of a trio, music acts like the Three Tenors or the Bee Gees often spring to mind. But a trio can also mean a group of things. In fact, it's a reference to absolutely anything that exists in the number three. So, how many three of a kinds do you know?
Click through and take a look at these famous trios.