Editing 2905: Supergroup

{{comic
| number    = 2905
| date      = March 11, 2024
| title     = Supergroup
| image     = supergroup_2x.png
| imagesize = 335x321px
| noexpand  = true
| titletext = I love their cover of 1,200 Balloons, Dalmatians, and Miles.
}}

==Explanation==
In popular music, a {{w|supergroup (music)|supergroup}} is a musical group formed by collaboration of existing solo artists and members of other musical groups.

This comic shows a marquee announcing a concert by a supergroup formed from members of 10 musical groups whose names all begin with a number. The name of the supergroup is the sum of all those numbers, 176, followed by the names of the original groups without their numbers. It's reasonable to estimate that there could be up to 32 members of the supergroup (see [[#band_member_numbers|below]]).

Musical groups mentioned in the comic:
* {{w|Twenty One Pilots}}
* {{w|5 Seconds of Summer}}
* {{w|4 Non Blondes}}
* {{w|2 Live Crew}}
* {{w|100 gecs}}
* {{w|3 Doors Down}}
* {{w|Nine Inch Nails}}
* {{w|OneRepublic}}
* {{w|One Direction}}
* {{w|Thirty Seconds to Mars}}

Sum: 21 + 5 + 4 + 2 + 100 + 3 + 9 + 1 + 1 + 30 = 176

It should be noted that this summation, taken literally, is mathematically wrong, as it not only adds numbers with different units and dimensionality (eg, pilots are not the same dimensionality as seconds), but one of the summands (3 in 3 Doors Down) is an ordinal number and another (9 in Nine Inch Nails) is part of an adjective phrase, which is analogous to saying that four metres and one metre cubed add up to seven metres.

The title text indicates that this supergroup performs a {{w|medley (music)|medley}} or {{w|mashup (music)|mashup}} of songs whose titles begin with numbers. The title of this "supersong" is similarly formed by adding the numbers and following with the rest of all the titles. Notably, none of the referenced songs were written by any of the referenced artists.

Songs mentioned in the title text:
* {{w|99 Luftballons}} (by {{w|Nena (band)|Nena}}). 99 Red Balloons is the title of the English-language adaptation of the song.
* {{w|One Hundred and One Dalmatians#Music|One Hundred and One Dalmatians}} (Disney film soundtrack). The titular song by the {{w|Sherman Brothers}} is not featured in the film, but was released in separate Disney recordings.
* {{w|A Thousand Miles}} (by {{w|Vanessa Carlton}}). Other songs titled "{{w|1000 Miles}}" or "Thousand Miles" also exist.

Sum: 99 + 101 + 1000 = 1200

"{{w|I'm Gonna Be (500 Miles)}}" by {{w|the Proclaimers}} is about walking "500 miles, and [...] 500 more", therefore a thousand miles in total. There are two more songs titled (or known as) {{w|500 Miles (disambiguation)|"500 Miles"}}, by Hedy West and Tori Amos, which could be added up to replace "A Thousand Miles" (or "1000 Miles") in the tally as well.

<span id="band_member_numbers">The supergroup could have 32 members:</span>
* Twenty One Pilots: This band has 2 members, Tyler Joseph and Josh Dun.
* 5 Seconds of Summer: There are 4 members in this band, including Luke Hemmings, Michael Clifford, Calum Hood, and Ashton Irwin.
* 4 Non Blondes: Originally, this group had 4 members, but it disbanded in 1994. The lead singer was Linda Perry.
* 2 Live Crew: This group's core lineup included 2 to 4 members over different periods, with notable members being Luther Campbell, Brother Marquis, Fresh Kid Ice, and Mr. Mixx.
* 100 gecs: This band consists of 2 members, Laura Les and Dylan Brady.
* 3 Doors Down: This band typically has 5 members, although the number has varied with lineup changes over the years.
* Nine Inch Nails: Officially, Trent Reznor is the only constant member of Nine Inch Nails, with a changing lineup of touring members and collaborators.
* OneRepublic: This band has 5 members, including Ryan Tedder, Zach Filkins, Drew Brown, Brent Kutzle, and Eddie Fisher.
* One Direction: Originally, there were 5 members in this band, but after Zayn Malik's departure in 2015, it continued with 4 members until their hiatus.
* Thirty Seconds to Mars: This band has had various lineups but is centered around Jared Leto and Shannon Leto, with other members joining and leaving at different times.

Sum: 2 + 4 + 4 + 2 + 2 + 5 + 2 + 5 + 4 + 2 = 32

These counts mostly reflect the bands' most well-known lineups and may vary with time due to changes in membership or the band's status. Combined groups may feature {{w|McBusted|fewer than}} the sum of their original memberships, even down to just single musicians/vocalists coming from any or all of their prior collaborations. On the other hand, especially for {{w|Charity supergroup|worthy causes}}, it is possible that groups with {{w|List of Hawkwind band members#Members|many changing lineups}} could perhaps rustle up far more members than they ever had at a given time, never mind any prominent artists who may guest-star in their own right. It is unclear whether the band names would be pro rated in these circumstances (for example, if only one of 100 gecs joined the supergroup, would they only count for 50?).

=== Potential connection to mathematical supergroups ===
Randall may be making a subtle reference to mathematical physics, in which a {{w|supergroup (physics)|supergroup}} is a generalization of a group based on the concept of {{w|supersymmetry}}.

Readers with a background in mathematics or physics might find their expectations thwarted upon realizing that the comic is about mundane musical collaborations. But then, "every supergroup carries a natural group structure, but there may be more than one way to structure a given group as a supergroup"<ref name="wiki_supergroup">{{w|Supergroup (physics)|Supergroup (physics) on Wikipedia}}, accessed 2024-03-13</ref>, which applies to both contexts.

=== Miscellaneous numeric observations ===

100 gecs provides the most "bandname per member" (100 / 2 = 50), with OneRepublic and One Direction each vying for most "members per bandname" (both 5, at their most complete). Counting the songname mashup ratios is more complex: if it is not a single "1000 miles", ''perhaps'' the two Proclaimers can be said to be each singing 500 miles, to match the other solo artists' alternate 500s (depending upon which source(s) are chosen as canon), but a single luftballon requires just slightly over 1% of Nena (whether the {{w|Nena|eponymous singer}} or shared throughout {{w|Nena (band)|her band of five}}) and a lone Dalmatian slightly less than 1% split amongst {{w|101 Dalmatians|an uncertain number of originators}}.

== References ==
<references/>

==Transcript==
:[Ponytail, Cueball, Megan, Knit Cap, and Hairy are in line at a theater box office with Ponytail looking in at the window at the tickets sale. The window is partly shaded/reflectively-marked and cannot be seen through in the comic. There is a speaking grille in the window, plus a opening at the bottom for passing payment and tickets. To the left of the window are double doors and above all this there is a large theatrical billboard with small lights all around it. It reads:]
:<big>Playing Tonight</big>
:''The New Supergroup:''
:176 Pilots, Seconds of Summer, Non Blondes, Live Crew, gecs, Doors Down, Inch Nails, Republic, Direction, and Seconds to Mars

{{comic discussion}}

[[Category:Comics featuring Ponytail]]
[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]]
[[Category:Comics featuring Megan]]
[[Category:Comics featuring Knit Cap]]
[[Category:Comics featuring Hairy]]
[[Category:Music]]
[[Category:Math]]