Spot the patterns (fun music quiz, NOT politics/epidemiology/etc)

[ckd]

I hate that I had to put that disclaimer up there.

What do the following sets (and sets of sets) of musical artists have in common?

A.
1. Natalie Merchant, k.d. lang, The Flaming Lips
2. Annie Lennox, Seal, Victoria Williams & The Williams Brothers
3. Pearl Jam, Big Country, Bon Jovi
4. Tori Amos, Willie Nelson, Johnny Cash

B.
1. Everything but the Girl, Bob Seger & The Silver Bullet Band, Mary Chapin Carpenter[, Rod Stewart]
2. Marc Cohn, Hootie and the Blowfish, 10,000 Maniacs
3. Sarah McLachlan, Allison Moorer & Shelby Lynne, Richie Havens[, The Eagles]

C.
1. Joseph Arthur, Don Ho, Ben Neill featuring Andrew Montgomery
2. Erasure, Sarah McLachlan, Lou Reed
3. Dave Matthews Band, Supreme Beat featuring Dave Wakeling, Jamie Woon

D. [Bob Dylan (answered by bibliophile)]
1. Edie Brickell & New Bohemians, Jason Mraz, Ann Wilson
2. Thea Gilmore, Indigo Girls, XTC[, Jimi Hendrix]
3. My Chemical Romance, Robyn Hitchcock, Grateful Dead
4. Mungo Jerry, Warren Zevon, Avril Lavigne
5. Crowded House, Duane Eddy, Frankie Valli & The Four Seasons[, William Shatner]
6. Great White, Joan Osborne, KT Tunstall

[ETA 2020-06-27: added a few more as hints]

Comments

[cmcmck]

I'd never have guessed if you hadn't said! :o)

[gingicat]

If it has to do with their oeuvre, I haven't any idea.

[ckd]

It does have to do with things they have recorded.

[bibliofile]

Rats! I miss The Covers Project.

[asakiyume]

Very curious to know the answer! Is it something apparent just on examination of what you've got here, or would it require outside knowledge (e.g., place of origin, album names, etc)?

[ckd]

It requires outside knowledge, but not of their biography—only their discography.

[carbonel]

I am insufficiently familiar with any of these other than Mary Chapin Carpenter and Indigo Girls (oh, and I guess Johnny Cash) to be able to even consider any guesses. (I mean, I can name a song or two from several others, but that's not enough.)

Which is kind of frustrating and sad. Listening to music has mostly fallen out of my life, because I can't do it as background noise.

[minnehaha]

They're all musical artists.

K.

[lcohen]

insert laugh emoji here!

[minnehaha]

Can I call 'em, 'r wut?

K.

[bibliofile]

I don't have the in-depth knowledge for these, but I can look things up online. DOes that count?

[ckd]

That counts. I had to look things up to make the lists!

[bibliofile]

D is for Dylan....

[ckd]

Correct!