30 iconic trios from all over the world: Pop culture and real life
Many of the most famous groups in pop culture and real life have been trios. As they say, good things come in threes; perhaps this applies to trios very well. This article highlights some of the most iconic trios that have eroded the once-general belief that three is a crowd, from popular bands to animated characters.
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For centuries, trios have been an essential part of human culture, with their popularity spanning across the globe. They have captured our imaginations and entertained fans in countless ways. Discover some of the world’s most famous trios that have proved that three has several strengths and potency.
Most iconic trios
What are some popular groups of three? Numerous well-known groups are in threes. Interestingly, some of these groups are famous trios in mythology, movies, music bands, and historical literature characters.
Iconic trios in music
The music industry is a testament to the successful stories of most trio groups. Trios can leverage an album into the award-winning bracket. Here are some of the famous musical groups that come in threes.
1. Destiny’s Child
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This was an American musical girl group comprised of Kelly Rowland, Beyoncé Knowles, and Michelle Williams. As of 2013, the group had sold more than 60 million records.
Billboard ranks Destiny’s Child as one of the greatest musical trios ever. Despite commercial success and critical acclaim, the group parted ways in 2006.
2. Bee Gees
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The Bee Gees are one of history’s best iconic British trios and renowned music stars. Formed in 1958, the group consisted of brothers Robin, Barry and Maurice Gibb.
They have been called The Kings of Dance Music, The Disco Kings, and Britain’s First Family Harmony. Sadly, Barry is the only surviving member of the trio.
3. The Top Gear team (Jeremy Clarkson, Richard Hammond, James May)
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These trios have remained among the best groups known for their hot-air travel escapades. The ability of the team to use special techniques to face the adversities they face during their tours makes them top-notch. The team hosts one of the most-watched Amazon series, Grand Tour.
4. The Magi
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Also known as the Three Wise Men or Three Kings, they are a popular mythological trio in history and among Christians. These men from the East paid homage to baby Jesus with three expensive gifts. The gifts were Myrrh, Gold and Frankincense. It is well known that Christmas celebrations worldwide are only complete with recognizing these events.
5. The Three Musketeers
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This is a French historical adventure novel written in 1844 by Alexandre Dumas. After its cinematic version in 1993 and its movie adaptation on 14 October 2011, its fame increased.
D'Artagnan" is the story's protagonist, joined by the Musketeers to protect the French king. Most people believe it was a real story in the 1600s; however, these trios have been adapted into cartoons, films, and other media forms.
6. The Three Tenors (Luciano Pavarotti, Plácido Domingo, José Carreras)
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This group was a famous singing trio in the 1990s and early 2000s. It consisted of Spaniards Jose Carreras, Plácido Domingo, and Italian Luciano Pavarotti.
They performed to a global audience at three World Cup Finals: 1994 in Los Angeles, 1988 in Paris, and 2002 in Yokohama. Their last performance was on 28 September 2003 at an arena in Columbus, Ohio.
7. Rush band (Neil Peart, Alex Lifeson and Geddy Lee)
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Rush was a Canadian rock band comprised of Alex Lifeson (guitar), Geddy Lee (bass guitar), and Neil Peart (lyricist, drums, percussion). The group has been nominated for seven Grammy Awards and won several Juno Awards. They were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2013.
8. Nirvana band (Kurt Cobain, Krist Novoselic and Dave Grohl)
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Nirvana, an American rock band, was formed in 1987 and by 1990, they had the nearly perfect trio of Kurt, Krist and Dave. The band's success popularized alternative rock and was often referred to as the figurehead band of Generation X.
To date, their music is still popular and continues to influence modern rock culture. In addition, the band is considered one of the best-selling of all time, having sold over 75 million records globally.
9. Jonas Brothers (Joe, Nick and Kevin)
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The Jonas Brothers are an American pop-rock band comprised of Joe, Nick and Kevin. The band has released six albums: It's About Time (2006), Jonas Brothers (2007), A Little Bit Longer (2008), Lines, Vines and Trying Times (2009), Happiness Begins (2019), and The Album (2023).
10. The Supremes
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This trio is best known under the lineup of Diana Ross, Florence Ballard, and Mary Wilson. The Supremes helped open many doors for aspiring African-American musicians. The group later split, and Ross had a successful solo career.
11. Beastie Boys
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Beastie Boys were an American hip-hop group formed in 1981. It consisted of Ad-Rock (guitar, vocals), MCA (bass, vocals) and Mike D (drums, programming, vocals). From 1986 to 2004, the group sold 20 million records in the US and had seven platinum-selling albums.
Iconic trios in films
One of the perfect sources of unique trios is from the acting industry. For ages, movies and films have produced several groups people remember. Below are some of these talented characters.
12. The Golden Trio (Harry, Hermione and Ron)
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Harry Potter is a series of seven fantasy novels by award-winning author J.K. Rowling. It narrates the tales of three friends who are Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry students. Harry is the boss, Ron is the sidekick, and Hermione is the brain behind the team’s operations.
13. The Three Amigos
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Three Amigos is a comedy film starring Chevy Chase, Steve Martin and Martin Short. The story features three silent characters who use their skills to fend for themselves in the village. Mistaken for real heroes by the villagers, the actors must find a way to live up to their reputation and stop a group of bandits.
14. Ferris Bueller's Day Off (Matthew, Mia and Alan)
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The 1986 American teen comedy film stars Matthew Broderick, Mia Sara, and Alan Ruck. Ferris Bueller is a popular high school student who fakes his sickness to stay home and enjoy a fun-filled day with his girlfriend and best friend. Meanwhile, his dean tries to spy on him.
15. The Three Stooges
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The Three Stooges were a comedy team renowned for their 190 films by Columbia Pictures. The Larry, Moe and Curly group was widely recognized for their farce, slapstick and physical style. The team was active for over four decades until all its members died under different circumstances.
16. Charlie’s Angels (original)
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One of the iconic female trios in the movie is the original Charlie's Angels lineup of Kate Jackson, Farrah Fawcett-Majors, and Jaclyn Smith. The 1970 movie depicts three beautiful female detectives working for Charlie in Angel City. It is a famous television show with many franchise products.
17. Three’s Company (Janet, Jack and Chrissy)
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Three’s Company is an American sitcom TV show aired for eight seasons. The film revolves around three single roommates, Janet, Chrissy and Jack. It chronicles the escapades of the trio’s constant misunderstandings, financial struggles and social lives.
18. Hocus Pocus (Mary, Sarah and Winifred)
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This iconic supernatural comedy follows a villainous trio of witches, Winifred, Sarah and Mary. Upon its release, the show got a lot of mixed reviews from film critics, and eventually, the company lost around $16.5 million on its theatrical run.
However, Disney Channel and Freeform decided to do several annual airings throughout October, making audiences rediscover Hocus Pocus.
19. Star Wars (Leia, Han and Luke)
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Star Wars is an American multimedia franchise created by George Lucas. Since hitting the theatre in 1977, the franchise has expanded beyond its fans’ expectations.
But to date, the series’ fans agree that the original trilogy is the best, thanks to the incredible relationship between Han, Leia and Luke. The characters did not develop independently throughout the original trilogy; they complemented each other’s development.
20. Star Trek (McCoy, Spock and Kirk)
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Star Trek is a famous science fiction franchise that debuted on television screens in the 1960s. Kirk, Spock and McCoy is the threesome relationship in the show’s original series. Spock is the logical superhero, McCoy is the instinctive id, and Kirk mediates and falls between his friends as the balanced ego.
21. The First Wives Club (Goldie, Diane, Bette)
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Directed by Hugh Wilson, this 1996 film features three divorcees, Goldie, Diane, and Bette, who seek revenge against their ex-husbands for leaving them for younger women. The show was a commercial success, grossing $181 million after its release.
22. Two and a Half Men (Alan, Jake and Charlie)
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Two and a Half Men is an American series that aired for 12 seasons (2003-2015). It narrates the story of a jingle writer, Charlie Harper, his broke brother, Alan and Alan’s mischievous son, Jake. Alan moves into Charlie’s beachfront house with his son, interrupting his freewheeling life.
Popular Disney trios
Walt Disney is one of the most famous animated productions in the movie industry. It is one of the kids’ favourites as its content ranges from comics, princesses, fairy tales and adventures. What are some dynamic trios on Disney?
23. Timmy, Cosmo and Wanda
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Timmy Turner was designated fairy godparents called Cosmo and Wanda after spending ten years of his exceedingly unhappy existence. Cosmo and Wanda are supposed to offer Timmy wishes.
However, a few wishes have repercussions, which leave it up to the three individuals to reverse them and restore normalcy. Throughout the series, you can see how connected the three are and how much they adore each other.
24. Ed, Edd and Eddy
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Created by Danny Antonucci for Cartoon Network, the series revolves around these three friends. Under Eddy's leadership, they usually devise plans to extort money from their peers to purchase their favourite confection, jawbreakers. This iconic trio of Gen Z is highly amusing and complements each other well.
25. Billy, Mandy and Grim
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Mandy and Billy compelled Grim to be their lifetime best friend after striking a deal and defeating the Reaper of Death in a game. The trio stands out because each individual has their own beliefs and character.
With Mandy’s spitefulness, Billy’s silliness, and Grim’s hostility, you would think the crew would disband as quickly as it was established. Catch them on The Grim Adventures of Billy & Mandy.
26. Danny, Sam and Tucker
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Danny Phantom is an animated TV series featuring Danny, a failure at school and constantly harassed. Nonetheless, he uses his ghost powers to fight crime in his residence alongside his two buddies, Sam and Tucker.
Sam is a barbarous activist, campaigning for issues such as nature and wildlife, while Tucker is a happy young man who enjoys meat and technology.
27. Ben, Gwen and Grandpa
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Produced by Cartoon Network, Ben 10 is an animated film that revolves around a boy, Ben, who, with his cousin Gwen and grandfather, finds a mysterious watch. The watch enables Ben to transform into various species and save the world from unknown attacks. Despite comprising an older man and two kids, the group is an unstoppable alien battling force.
28. Blossom, Bubbles and Buttercup
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This superhero animated TV series was created by animator Craig McCracken and produced by Hanna-Barbera for Cartoon Network. One of the most famous female trios in history, Blossom, Bubble and Buttercup play the star roles in the animation. The three girls live in a fictional city, Townsville, with their dad, Professor Utonium.
29. DuckTales (Dewey, Louie, Huey)
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DuckTales is an American animated TV series produced by Walt Disney. It originally premiered in 1987 and has 100 episodes in more than four episodes.
The show is about Scrooge McDuck and his three grandnephews Louie, Dewey and Huey and their close friends. They are on different adventures, mainly searching for treasures or preventing villains from stealing Scrooge's fortune.
30. SpongeBob, Patrick and Squidward
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This trio features in the animated television series SpongeBob SquarePants. The show chronicles the adventures of SpongeBob and his aquatic friends in an underwater city.
What are the famous trinities?
The famous and most iconic trinity comprises the Father, Son and the Holy Spirit. This is undoubtedly one of humankind’s most impactful trios.
What are the iconic trios for Halloween?
The most iconic trios for Halloween are the fun world Rock, Paper, and Scissors. Dress up as this ageless trio, and you will be the centre of attraction.
These famous iconic trios have left a significant mark in the entertainment industry. They have shown that good things can come from a group of individuals with a common goal. These groups have arguably given their audiences unforgettable moments.
READ ALSO: Top 20 safest and most dangerous countries in Africa ranked
Briefly.co.za recently published an article ranking Africa's safest and most dangerous countries. Africa is a vast and diverse continent with 54 countries that vary in terms of safety and security.
While some countries are known for their peaceful and welcoming environments, others are known for their high crime rates and political unrest.
Source: Briefly News
