The 121 Most Popular T-Shirt Designs Ever Made

T-shirts have been around for at least 100 years now and it is going strong. Nothing can replace the comfort and ease it provides us when being worn and there are classic ones which have remained fashionable because of the iconic designs that have been printed on it. In honor of our beloved t-shirt, I will list its most popular designs in this article.

What are the most popular t-shirt designs ever made? These are the 12 most popular t-shirt designs ever made and shown below in no particular order:

I Love New York

Rolling Stones Tongue

Frankie Says Relax

Wham’s Choose Life

Smiley Face

I’m With Stupid

Mickey Mouse

Stussy

Superman

Hard Rock Cafe

…And All I Got Was This Lousy T-Shirt

Che Guevarra

I will discuss these t-shirts and what makes them really stand out for a very long time. I will also add more iconic t-shirts on the list with this article.

1) I Love New York

This design came out in 1977 to promote tourism in the entire New York City. It also serves until now as the slogan for the Big Apple which is the city’s nickname. If you go to the city, you will definitely see a lot of t-shirts, other items of clothing, and souvenirs being sold carrying this design.

This design is timeless and has seen an upsurge of wearers after the 9/11 terrorist attacks. People wore these t-shirts to show solid support for the victims of this tragedy.

You will see copycats of this design everywhere you go with the name of a different place replacing the NY characters.

2) Rolling Stones Tongue

This t-shirt design represents the world’s greatest rock and roll band and no rock and roll collection is complete without it. It represents the pout and tongue out gesture of Mick Jagger, the Stones timeless frontman.

This design came out in 1970 and for history buffs out there, this served as the alternative album cover for the Rolling Stones’ Sticky Finger album.

The band’s longevity is a marvel and this design is a staple sold in their concerts. People wearing these t-shirts are more than likely Rolling Stones fans although don’t be amazed to see teens wearing them also. The design is simply magical and attractive.

3) Frankie Says Relax

This paid homage to Frankie Goes To Hollywood or (FGTH) which was a very famous British band during the 1980s. Their song “Relax” was effectively banned from the airwaves by BBC due to its non-PG content.

This t-shirt design served as a de facto protest for this censorship. And I would like to add, the song went to the number 1 position on British charts and attained a high position in other countries charts.

The block letter designs have become a graphical inspiration in the preceding years.

4) Choose Life By Wham!

This design shown on huge block letters and printed on oversized t-shirts was very popular. It was famously worn by George Michael, Wham!’s lead singer in the video “Wake Me Up Before You Go Go” single. This song was a massive hit which also led to this design becoming very popular during that time.

5) Smiley Face

The original version of this smiley icon was created about 50 years ago by graphic artist and ad man, Harvey Ross Ball. This was for an insurance company for a program encouraging employees to smile more.

This design has seen a massive upsurge in popularity with the rise of the emojis.

6) I’m With Stupid

This is a very brash design considering that it is making fun of the person the t-shirt wearer is with. There is no other way but to just consider this directional t-shirt as a humorous design.

There is not a lot known about its origin.

7) Mickey Mouse

The first Mickey Mouse designs printed on t-shirts appeared during the 1940s. It has shown no signs of declining influence ever since this time.

A Miami-based company named Tropix Togs has bought the exclusive rights to this design for printing on t-shirts.

8) Stussy

Even though this design is already 35 years old, it is still famously worn in the streetwear world. This was originally designed to complement surfboards made by its designer, Shawn Stussy.

9) Superman

This design has outgrown its original wearer to be a very famous pop symbol nowadays. It has now been around for about 80 years.

It seems that there is a spike in sales for these t-shirts every time a new Superman movie or television series is coming out.

You still see this design prominently worn by NBA players inside their jerseys during Slam Dunk contests.

10) Hard Rock Cafe

This design traces its history to a football team in London that Hard Rock sponsored. Extras were given away to customers.

There is a specific t-shirt for each Hard Rock Cafe location around the world and there are 168 of them in total. It is known that some people have a collection of each of these location t-shirts.

11) … And All I Got Was This Lousy T-Shirt

Tourist spots, adventures, camping, outdoor activities, and even funny situations have a t-shirt just like this. It is meant to be humorous and a souvenir.

12) Keep Calm And Carry On

The message for this is to stay in control always no matter what is happening around you.

It was originally distributed to the British populace during World War II. It was rediscovered in 2000 and has attracted a lot of adherents since then.

13) Che Guevarra

Che was a Marxist revolutionary and one of Mr. Fidel Castro’s contemporaries. He died in 1967. He got more famous after his death due to this t-shirt design.

14) Vote For Pedro

This t-shirt was borne out of the famous Napoleon Dynamite movie dance scene. It sure has outlived the same film in terms of fame.

15) Aladdin Sane

David Bowie was a rock icon. He had a lot of personas and this Aladdin Sane was simply the best considering how popular the design has become. Just like the Rolling Stone’s Lick tongue design, no rock and roll collection will be complete without this.

16) Tuxedo T-Shirt

If you need to wear a tuxedo in the form of a t-shirt, this is the right one for you. It is a classic smart casual wear.

During the 1980s, kids wore this t-shirt for proms. They paired this t-shirt with formal slacks or casual jeans depending on how relaxed they want to be.

17) Helvetica List

How it works is that you will list the first name only of members of a famous group. You don’t indicate the group’s name on the design.

The fun part of this is that it will usually a good conversation piece for someone wearing this t-shirt.

18) Harley Davidson Logo

There is a feeling of rebelliousness and being an outlaw for this design which is ironic since it is for a very expensive motorcycle. This is so because it was distinctly related to the Hells Angels.

It also promotes a sense of freedom into the great wide open road for these corporate rebels giving them a chance to escape even for just a weekend.

Biker fanatics and people who are not fully into mainstream ways are attracted to wearing this design.

19) The Ramones

This t-shirt brings the punk rock scene heydays from years back. The Ramones were one of the pioneers and leading lights of this musical genre. Their logo is simply iconic.

It is sure hard to say if this design is still true to its roots of being wild and not beholden to society considering that you can purchase this t-shirt from department stores. It simply has gone mainstream.

20) Lifeguard

Usually, people who are physically fit are attracted to wearing this t-shirt. It is not guaranteed that they can save lives though, much less know how to swim. That is the humor with this design.

There are two classic types of Lifeguard t-shirt. One is a red t-shirt combined with a white cross and the other is a white t-shirt mixed with a red cross.

This is inspired by the hit movie and TV series Baywatch. You can see these t-shirts worn during summertime near beaches and swimming pools.

21) Bazinga

Big Bang Theory fans know this design very well. No wonder that this t-shirt is very popular.

22) Three Wolf Moon

The design originated from an Amazon review where a customer left a 5-star review. The review was very hilarious and became an internet sensation. There were further reviews of this design made that were mocking in nature and also became famous.

No wonder that the design became popular because of these same reviews.

23) FCUK

This design obviously becomes controversial because of the play in words leading to an obscene one. London-based fashion retailer French Connection made this design based on the concept of adding the letters UK to their acronym.

The result has since become very famous because it is eye-catching.

24) Jesus Is My Homeboy

The popularity of this can be related to the people trying to lend a modern vibe in their religious beliefs. They are followers but they don’t want to be seen as very rigid about this.

There is a controversy as to who is the creator of this design. Both David LaChapelle and Van Zan Frater claim that this design originated from them.

25) Jurassic Park

There is something about raptors that attract people. Whether it be the movies bearing this title or just simply the picture of a T-Rex in the logo, it sure attracted a lot of buyers. There is an obvious cool factor in wearing this t-shirt.

26) The Godfather

This is a classic book and film t-shirt. All three films in this series were big box office hits. It plays to America’s love with everything related to the Mafia.

The puppet strings part of the design adds a haunting touch. It has become a cultural phenomenon and every film buff seems to have this t-shirt in his collection.

27) Nirvana Smiley Face

90’s rock icon Nirvana took the classic smiley face and placed it under their name in this logo. The smiley face is not the exact replica of the original for the eyes are shown as the letter x and the tongue is sticking out.

You can say that this smiley face has “grungiefied” look.

28) Anarchy

This design shows the symbol of anarchy. This became popular first as a true symbol of the rowdy punk rock movement during the 70s.

It has and is still is touching a nerve with people who have gone and is going through the rebellious phases in their lives.

29) The Runaways

This is another t-shirt that came from the punk rock era of the 70s through one of its all-girl bands with the same name. They created this t-shirt for their world tour that was staged in 1977.

Price for an original t-shirt of this is now set at $7500 so you can just see how valuable it has become.

30) Metallica

Metallica, one of the truly all-time great rock n roll and heavy metal bands, is the inspiration for this t-shirt. Sales have been consistent for this because the band is still well-liked, active and regularly staging world tours.

Metallica is famous for inspiring designers to include their logo in the designs created.

If you remember the MTV series named Beavis and Butthead which was shown around twenty years ago, you will see one of the show protagonists always wearing this shirt.

31) AC/DC

Since we discussed the Beavis and Butthead show previously, we might as well share with you what is the other t-shirt worn by the leading men there. It’s an AC/DC shirt and yes, they are also a famous rock n roll band, only they are from Australia, not from the US.

If you look closely at the design here, you will notice that the slash is replaced with a lightning bolt which obviously added another layer of appeal to this.

32) Aerosmith Aeroforce One

This is another t-shirt made famous in Wayne’s World. In this case, this is Garth, played by Dana Carvey.

You can even argue here that this t-shirt played a key part in letting Aerosmith come back strong again during the 90s.

33) Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles

Turtle Power! These cartoon characters were especially prominent during the 90s. It helped that they were named for famous Italian Renaissance artists – (Leo for Leonardo, Donnie or Donatello, Mikey for Michelangelo, and Ralph for Raphael).

You can add the pizza (they love to eat pizzas!) and the ninja mystique as to the reasons why they ultimately were and still are popular today.

34) Charlie Brown

Good old Charlie Brown and his gang are well represented here with this classic t-shirt design. Nobody can forget Snoopy, the beagle who pretends that he is the World War I fighter pilot flying ace and his adventures.

However, this zigzag look combined with the yellow color is immediately attributable to Charlie Brown and his bum luck.

35) Led Zeppelin

I must admit that there is something alluring and captivating with the fallen angel design of this well-known and legendary great musical band. I guess many people also share this sentiment for this t-shirt design is always been famous and sold consistently even though the band is already disbanded.

Of course, their music is timeless and that is obviously the main reason for their continued popularity.

36) College

John Belushi, a leading comedian way back in the 80s and who has since died from a fatal drug overdose, made this t-shirt famous when he wore this in the film, Animal House. He made this design an icon in college life. This design has been used a lot by fraternities and college students.

37) Batman

You can basically say that this falls under the same category as with Superman since they are stablemates in the group Justice League. A massive resurgence of sales of this design had happened since this same superheroes group has been revived by DC Comics in movies.

What I mentioned earlier for Superman is also applicable here.

38) D.A.R.E.

This is the acronym for Drug Abuse Resistance Education, which has provided t-shirts bearing this design in 1983. The aim here was to educate the kids as a part of the drug control strategy. The graphic used became a good fashion statement.

This was mostly used as sleepwear then.

39) Pink Floyd’s Dark Side Of The Moon

The Dark Side of the Moon album by iconic band Pink Floyd has stayed at the bestseller album lists for decades, not just years. This design of this graphic which shows a distinct ray of light entering a prism and passing through within a rainbow of colors is a classic masterpiece.

This is also in the cover for the same album.

40) Run DMC

You can say that Run DMC started the rap music scene and you wouldn’t be wrong. This t-shirt design which shows block letters of the group’s name is also memorable because it reminds people of rap in its original form.

41) Nike’s Just Do It

This is Nike’s catchphrase and has served as the popular tagline for its shoes and apparel products.

42) Bob Marley

You can credit this shirt somewhat for bringing reggae along with Rastafarianism and Jamaica to the mainstream consciousness. Bob Marley is a legend in the musical, fashion, and Rastafarian movement.

He is still highly regarded today.

43) Ghostbusters

This is a universally recognizable t-shirt design due to the sustained and continued popularity of its movies, animated TV show, and video games.

The picture of a ghost locked inside a diagonal bar serving as a prison is so popular that you can’t help but say Ghostbusters every time you see it.

44) Tie Dyed T-Shirts

When you see this type of t-shirts, you immediately think of hippies, psychedelia, LSD, free love, and peace. This was really marketed to the youth during the 60s and 70s where they say that psychedelic colors were indeed used in the dyeing process.

45) Grateful Dead

This is an extension of the popularity of tie-dyed t-shirts. They serve as the background for this band’s official logo of a skeleton doing things. Grateful Dead allows sales of these t-shirts even though it’s unofficial as long as their logo is included in it.

These t-shirts are always worn by Deadheads, the beloved monicker for the fans of the Grateful Dead.

46) Kiss Me I’m Irish

These t-shirts are very popular especially during the celebration of St. Patrick’s Day. It is believed that you will get lucky if you kiss an Irish person during this day.

47) Army

Block letters printed on a cool gray t-shirt makes this a comfortable wear for the soldiers. This is also called the ‘quarter sleeve’ t-shirt.

48) Peace Sign

This design was among the prominent ones worn during anti-war demonstrations starting with the Vietnam War all the way to the conflicts today. You can see this design worn worldwide during these type of rallies.

49) Plain White T-Shirt

James Dean (Rebel Without A Cause, East of Eden movie fame) popularized this type of t-shirt during those iconic movies. This obviously comes with no design but still sends a powerful anti-establishment message.

50) I Want My MTV

When MTV came out during the early 80s, it revolutionized the music industry with the videos it keeps on playing.

This is also the opening line for the famous Dire Straits song, “Money For Nothing”.

51) Coca Cola

This cola company is famous worldwide so this shouldn’t be a surprise. Its script logo adds a tantalizing effect on the design that doesn’t seem to go out of fashion.

52) CBGB

This stands for Country, Blue Grass, and Blues. It is a club located right within New York City which had its heyday during the 70s and 80s. This club has seen its share of famous performers such as the Ramones, Blondie, and Beastie Boys.

It is now a retail store today.

53) No Fear

It had its heyday during the 90s when extreme sports were very popular. The logo showing a fierce set of eyes reinforce the feeling of living life on the edge and defying death.

54) Hypercolor

This t-shirt design with four hands plastered as the design has sold over $50 million worth of t-shirts during the 80s within a four-month period.

55) Jack Daniels Tennessee Whiskey

This is a classic American brand with a classic drink. Its design greatly contributes to this popularity which the owners have duly taken advantage of.

56) Bikini

I guess it is safe to declare that this is the female counterpart of the tuxedo t-shirt design. People who may be a bit conscious of their figures wear this to say that they are wearing a bikini.

57) Legends Of The Hidden Temple

Followers of the long-defunct Nickelodeon series with the same name can’t just forget this show. That’s why they still wear t-shirts bearing this logo although there is a good chance that people who are shown wearing this would not have an idea of this long-gone TV show. They just like the design and that’s it.

58) Peace Frogs

Frogs are an international symbol of peace and good luck. Peace Frogs is the name of a company that is selling multi-colored flag shorts.

59) Save Ferris

This term has an obvious reference to the cult favorite movie “Ferris Bueller’s Day Off”.

It is also the name of a ska band.

60) Adidas

The biggest or the second biggest sports brand shoes and apparel provider depending on who you ask. It is just right that their t-shirts with the logo is a part of this list or they wouldn’t have become this popular.

61) Make 7 Up Yours

There is a prescribed style with this design. The first two words would be printed at the front and the last two will be at the back. It is a humorous design and that’s why it’s popular.

62) Abbey Road

This is the design on the cover for the Beatle’s last album. I am sure you have seen also a lot of spoofs and caricatures of this same design.

63) The Flash

Another DC superhero with a great design on this list and I guess it shouldn’t be a surprise anymore. I just like to add that the lightning bolt makes you feel faster when you put this t-shirt on.

64) Rock The Vote

This was first used during the 1992 elections. It was spearheaded then by MTV. Aside from encouraging people to go out there and vote, it also promoted free speech targeted towards the youth.

65) Boston Red Sox

Supposedly the popularity of this t-shirt is due to the reality that this team is a perennial and lovable loser. But it shouldn’t be anymore considering that they have won 4 World Series rings in the last 16 years.

66) Captain America

The first entry for a Marvel superhero in this list. It is a symbol of Americana and patriotism.

67) Hello, My Name Is…

This t-shirt design is an icebreaker. You simply don’t have a need for name tags anymore with this one. It will make you no doubt popular and well-known right away.

68) Thundercats

This is another popular kids show during the 80s. T-shirts bearing this design have experienced a resurgence during the mid-1990s and 2000s, There were new designs and apparel like hats and belt buckles that were added to the collection.

69) Where’s The Beef

Wendy’s popularized this term to promote its supersized hamburgers. This term became so popular that it even reached Presidential level attention.

70) Yo! MTV Raps

The show might have run its course out in during the mid-90s but the design is still out there being worn by hip hop enthusiasts.

71) Green Lantern

Another DC superhero making this list. You have to give it to this company because they have come up with iconic designs for their superheroes.

72) John Deere

This is especially popular with people who belong to the farming community since this is a brand for tractors and heavy equipment. You see plenty of people wearing this shirt with a hat at country fairs.

73) John Lennon’s New York City

This iconic design was worn by the late John Lennon, one of the Beatles, in the famous photo shoot. He crossed his arms in response to the frank question as to what it means to be a New Yorker to him. This happened during the time he had moved into this city.

74) We Can Do It

This is the American counterpart for the British t-shirt (see item #12) promoted during World War II. You can see Rosie The Riveter with her biceps as a show of strength. This was designed to increase morale during the dark years of this world war and after it, was used to promote women’s rights.

75) Transformers Autobots Logo

People seem to be fond of robots that can turn to cars and other vehicles. That’s why the movies for this are all a hit regardless of who are the actors and actresses playing them. The t-shirts bearing this logo performed well also.

76) Alvin & The Chipmunks’ A

This longest performing bunch of rodents have seen the same results with their t-shirt showing their lead singer’s first initial.

77) Hello, Kitty

This simple design has spawned a $5 billion empire that started in Japan and is present now all around the world. T-shirts with this design comprise a significant chunk of its sales.

78) Hulkamania

Professional wrestling fans who were present during the 80s can’t miss this t-shirt because it was everywhere. This t-shirt is worn by Hulk Hogan’s fans which were running wild during that era.

Red typography printed on a yellow t-shirt is the standard fare but there are other variations as well.

79) I Survived …

This is simply a plugin t-shirt for you can just insert all the situations, events, and adventures after these first 2 words and you have a design right away. It’s meant to show the success in hurdling an obstacle.

80) Bart Simpson

The Simpsons TV show just got renewed in case you missed it. This means that Bart Simpson and all his expressions (“Cowabunga”, “Don’t Have A Cow”, etc.) are here to stay.

81) Brew Thru

This is a drive-through beer store located in North Carolina. Since they opened the store in 1977, they have sold at least 4 million t-shirts. They come up with a new design every year.

82) Don’t Worry Be Happy

This is based on the hit song by Bobby McFerrin way back in 1988. The design is basically the title of the song surrounding a smiley face.

This design promotes positivity.

83) Kiss

Kiss is another famous rock n roll band who had its heyday during the 70s and the 80s. Their logo is superimposed on t-shirts and it is still popular today.

84) Punisher Skull

Something’s very captivating about this skull logo of this anti-hero but this design was modified. It used to have bullets for teeth.

He first appeared with Spiderman in 1977.

85) Notre Dame

Even though Notre Dame hasn’t won a college football championship for decades now, it still has a loyal following. They are still a draw everywhere they go to play.

The Leprechaun in their design adds a touch of humor to the design.

86) Obey

This is Shepard Fairey’s design. He became well-known during the 2008 presidential elections and this has spawned to Obey Giant, a full line of art and apparel.

87) Property Of …

Just like previous entries on phrases and expressions, this design has plenty of variations. This could be for a school, person, place, and other things.

88) Union Jack

The flag of the United Kingdom or the UK was worn on t-shirts by bands such as Def Leppard and The Sex Pistols. This is the reason why this t-shirt became wildly popular when these bands were touring.

89) FBI

This can also stand for a not so politically correct Female Body Inspector.

90) Mighty Mouse

Mighty Mouse is another cartoon character whose TV series ran from the 40s all the way to the 80s.

91) nWo

nWo was a wrestling staple of which Hulk Hogan was a prominent part of during the late 90s. They were very popular during that time and people bought their shirts aplenty.

These t-shirts were very prominent in arenas where wrestling matches were held.

92) Woodstock Festival

This is another counter culture design honoring the iconic festival promoting peace, love, and music.

93) Big Dogs

This clothing brand was launched in 1983. They are known for their racy shirts where sexual innuendos are a part of.

94) Don’t Mess With Texas

This is the unofficial state motto of Texas. Together with the expression “Everything Is Big In Texas”, these phrases have turned into solid impressions of people about Texas.

95) Cookie Monster

Cookie Monster is one of the famous puppets in Sesame Street. He has been around since 1966 with no signs of slowing down.

96) Rainbow Brite

This icon shows Twink who is part of this Rainbow Brite cartoon. Rainbow Brite is about color kids, rainbow horses, and others.

97) Camouflage

These type of design was popularized by the military and hunters. It helps them with their mission or search. Lately, fashion is cashing into this design by incorporating it to their apparel.

98) Austin 3:16

“Stone Cold” Steve Austin, a very famous wrestler during the last decade but now retired, coined this expression. This is in response to one of his opponents who was using John 3:16 in his lines.

It obviously caught on since this t-shirt is a now part of this list.

99) Coed Naked

There is obvious mischief with this brand’s name. They add further to this by coming up with designs that turn any sport into something that can be done without clothes.

It was very popular during the 90s and they have to run to court to protect their hard-earned right to free speech since lawsuits were piling against them.

100) Neon Tee

There are variations in the color used here. It is available pink, yellow, green, and orange. During the 80s, people wore this shirt in groups for sporting activities such as running.

101) YOLO

Stands for ‘You Only Live Once’, this is a famous phrase that even got nominated for the Word of The Year contest.

102) The Max

Saved By The Bell, a teen TV hit during the 80s, was the source of this iconic design that is very prominent in pop culture.

103) Star Wars

The Force is still very strong today even after the first movie which opened in 1977.

104) Killer

There are variations of this design with a first word added to make it humorous.

105) Mustache Rides

Another classic design from years ago that is making a comeback because of the resurging popularity of its subject.

106) Iron Man

There are different designs for this superhero. The one that stands out the most is the power coil design centered on the chest area.

107) Team Jesus

These designs are wildly popular with people who are proud of their faith.

108) Guns N Roses Appetite For Destruction

Guns N Roses had its heyday during the 80s that this t-shirt can be seen almost everywhere then.

109) NASA

The famous space agency has its own collection of t-shirts for its followers.

110) Pepsi Logo

If you have a Coca Cola logo in this list, you need to have Pepsi also for they are both popular. I like to point out here that there is also a good vintage logo for Pepsi that is available out there.

111) Red Hot Chili Peppers

The Chili Peppers are a staple in the Best Alternative Band list for all time. They are still doing albums these days.

112) Chanel

There is something alluring about two back-to-back and interlocking letter Cs which serves as Chanel’s logo.

113) Gucci

The logo for this other fashion house is also popular just like its competitor, Chanel.

114) Angry Birds

Give credit to the game app that has gripped the world several years ago. There are also a lot of poses and styles for this design.

115) Shit Happens

This is another quote that was said during the Forrest Gump classic movie. Everybody can definitely relate to this expression.

116) Martin Luther King

The celebrated civil rights hero has a lot of designs in t-shirts bearing his name. One of the more popular ones is the ‘I Have A Dream’ t-shirt.

117) Hooters

Casual food restaurant Hooters’ logo is very familiar and popular. Its attractive waitresses popularized these t-shirts when worn during their work shifts.

118) Spuds McKenzie

This terrier dog was the original party animal. He was one of the reasons why people started to drink Bud Light. There is also a lot of designs here.

119) Quiksilver

This outdoor apparel company has its own t-shirts that are well worn by its customers.

120) WWJD

This stands for the phrase What Would Jesus Do. It is similar to the Team Jesus t-shirt described above for it aims to foster a strong Christian faith for its wearer and people who see the design.

121) Raiders

Raider fans wear this t-shirt with passion regardless of where it’s at – LA, Oakland, Las Vegas. It further adds to the mystique of this football franchise.

The pirate logo promotes the tough, macho, borderline subversive and outlaw image of the team and its fans. It is very common for fights and violence to break out during Raiders game due to its rabid fans.