Music Tattoos - Designs, Ideas & Inspiration

Music note with wings tattoo — Music Note with Wings - a Cool and Original Music Tattoo Idea

Music has the power to move us. It gives us pleasure and pain. It makes us feel love, hate and every other human emotion you can think of, so it is no wonder that it is also the inspiration for tattoos. Many people want to show their deep appreciation for music by permanently adding it to their body as a piece of art and these types of tattoos are becoming increasingly popular with both men and women alike. Since the term “music tattoo” can bring very vague images to mind, in this article we will discuss particular tattoo designs that are inspired by the love of musical things.

Who Gets Music Tattoos?

Although anyone can choose a music tattoo, there are certain types of people who are more likely to choose a musical designs for their body art.

People who are avid listeners of music may choose to show their love of this art by adding art to their body.
Those in the music business are the most likely candidates for getting music tattoos.
A person who plays a particular instrument may choose a tattoo that symbolizes something musical. This can be a professional artist or someone who simply plays an instrument as a hobby. For example, I have played the flute since Jr. High School. I am not a professional by any means, but I do love the flute so I have a tattoo of a small flute with music notes rising out of the holes.
Those who write music may get a tattoo to symbolize their love of their profession.
Even music teachers may get one of the amazing tats!

What Are Some Popular Music Tattoos?

You may be wondering exactly what a music tattoo may look like. This question cannot be fully answered as tattoos are personal works of art and can be anything the wearer chooses them to be. However, to give you an idea (and maybe some inspiration), the following are some of the more popular types of music tattoos.

Crosses are very popular tattoos, so it is no surprise that many people incorporate them into their musical tattoo design. One of the most beautiful designs I have ever seen is a wooden cross with music notes whimsically surrounding it as if they were being blown by an invisible wind. If you love both music and crosses, you can put a small cross in the middle of lines of music. This would look like a music sheet with a cross in the center. Another cool idea is to have a cross made out of music notes!
Tribal tattoos are fantastic for musical designs. Tribal art is something that can be used for any sort of design and brings special meaning to all designs. Some examples would be a tribal art guitar and a tribal design that has notes woven through it.
One of the most personal instruments that one can play is their voice. Yes, your voice is a musical instrument that can move mountains and strike emotional cords on every level. This is why so many people choose to have words from their favorite songs tattooed on their body. If you are a singer, you may want to consider getting a tattoo of a microphone!
Tangible instruments are also a great choice for music tattoos. Horns, woodwinds, guitars, drums, etc are all great choices for the music lover in you! They can be done in traditional or tribal fashion. They can even be done in abstract design, as can any type of tattoo.
Though it is more unusual, some people get tattoos of music artists on their bodies. This is especially true of singer who have passed away. I
Great Bob Marley tattoo

do not have any statistics to back this up, but I would be willing to bet that there are thousands of people walking around with tattoos of Elvis, Marilyn Monroe, Biggie Smalls and TuPac on their bodies. This shows a love of music and the love one has for their favorite artist.

One of the coolest music tattoos I have ever seen stretched across the persons back, from shoulder blade to shoulder blade. On the left side lines from a heart monitor with the scan showing that the heart is beating. These lines are connected to the next part of the tattoo-a large red heart that is outlined in black. Next to that heart is a grouping of music notes. This tattoo shows that the wearer’s existence is only possible because they have music in their lives.

Music Tattoos and Color

The majority of music tattoos I have seen are plain black/blue ink. I think this is the most popular way to do a tattoo of this sort, but not all people like the plain nature of one sole color. The great thing about tattoos is that they can be anything you want them to be! Some people like to add some color to their music tattoos. There are even some who get a set of music notes that are all colors of the rainbow. If getting an instrument tattooed on you, consider using the color that your instrument is. Music is creative so music tattoos should be as well!

Popular Places for Music Body Art

This is a hard thing to estimate. There are so many types of music tattoos that where you can put them vary greatly. Musical notes can be put on the shoulder blade, the leg, the wrist, the neck, the foot, the ankle, the chest and the arms. Larger tattoos can be put in the middle of the back. Again, it all depends upon the exact tattoo you are getting as to where it will go. For women, the most popular place is on the lower back where they can extend out in either direction.

Celebrities with Music Ink

Angelina Jolie has song lyrics tattooed on her upper right arm.
Lea Michele has the music notes from the song Bohemian Rhapsody on her body! Not only is she beautiful, she has fantastic taste in music!
Some musical tattoos can be found (if you look really hard that is!) on the following men; Tommy Lee, Eminem, Eminem and rapper Fifty Cent.

If music is something that stirs your sole or plays an important part in your existence, consider what type of tattoo design you can choose to express your emotions to the world!