Q. What is the protocol for alphabetizing a band name that includes a proper name? For example, Dave Matthews Band, or Les Claypool’s Frog Brigade? In both cases, the name is of someone in the band. Is the protocol different if the proper name is of someone not in the band?
A. The name of a band is like the name of a company, so begin with the first letter of the first word (aside from articles like The). When alphabetizing, try to think like someone who is going to be using the list. Basing alphabetization on something like whether a name belongs to someone in the band would not be helpful. First, a reader would never guess that you were using that organizing principle, and second, even if you noted it at the top of the list, a reader might not know which names belong to band members.