| 100% | NICKELBACK | 10 | Band with the 2001 #1 hit "How You Remind Me" … or a hint to entering 54-Across |
| 58% | NICKELBACK | 10 | Rock band with the 2001 #1 hit "How You Remind Me" |
| 49% | NICKELBACK | 10 | "Metallic" band with the 2001 hit "How You Remind Me" |
| 45% | THIRDEYEBLIND | 13 | Band with the 1997 hit "Semi-Charmed Life" … or a phonetic hint to this puzzle's theme |
| 43% | UTURN | 5 | One-eighty ... or a hint to how to complete the incomplete answer at 1-Across |
| 40% | CHEAPTRICK | 10 | Band with the 1979 hit "I Want You to Want Me": 2 wds. |
| 40% | NICKELBACK | 10 | "How You Remind Me" band that had a 2005 hit that shared 18-Across's title |
| 38% | DEFDOGNIGHT | 11 | Band with the 1970 #1 hit "Mama Told Me (Not to Come)" |
| 38% | CHEAPTRICK | 10 | *Rock and Roll Hall of Fame band with the hits "The Flame" and "I Want You to Want Me" |
| 38% | ITGOESUPANDDOWN | 15 | How life is like the ocean, or a hint to entering the starred answers |
| 37% | THREEDOGNIGHT | 13 | Band with the 1970 #1 hit "Mama Told Me Not to Come": 3 wds. |
| 37% | VERBALGYMNASTICS | 16 | Fancy, evasive language ... or a hint to the ends of 18-, 26-, 54- and 65-Across |
| 37% | RENTACARS | 9 | Some vacation expenses ... or a hint to the starts of 17-, 23-, 38- and 54-Across |
| 37% | DIDYOUCATCHTHAT | 15 | "Someone say something?" or a hint to the ends of 18-, 20-, 54- and 59-Across |
| 37% | EVERCLEAR | 9 | 90's band with the hit "I Will Buy You a New Life" |
| 36% | IMSHOOK | 7 | "This news has got me rattled!" ... or a hint to 1-, 20-, 37- and 54-Across |
| 36% | ABBA | 4 | Band with the 1978 hit "Take a Chance on Me" |
| 35% | ENDSUPONTOP | 11 | Prevails eventually … or a hint to entering the answers to the six starred clues in this puzzle |
| 35% | THEDOORS | 8 | Band with the 1968 hit "Hello, I Love You": 2 wds. |
| 35% | SIMPLEMINDS | 11 | Band with the 1985 hit "Don't You (Forget About Me)": 2 wds. |
| 35% | NSYNC | 5 | Boy band with the No. 1 hit "It's Gonna Be Me" |
| 35% | ABBA | 4 | Swedish band with the 1978 hit "Take a Chance on Me" |
| 34% | INXS | 4 | Band with the 1988 #1 hit "Need You Tonight" |
| 34% | BLACKCOMEDY | 11 | Morbid humor ... or a hint to how the thematic clues in this puzzle reimagine representation on TV? |
| 34% | TWINKILLING | 11 | Baseball double play, in slang ... or a hint to understanding the 12 Across answers that have circles |
| 34% | POSTHASTE | 9 | With immediacy, or a hint to the four other longest puzzle answers |
| 34% | TURNONADIME | 11 | Pivot without warning … or a hint to entering 19-Across |
| 34% | CORPORATEMERGER | 15 | Business acquisition ... or a hint to how the answers to the starred clues in this puzzle were formed? |
| 34% | FLIPONESLID | 11 | Go crazy ... or a hint on how to enter five answers in this puzzle |
| 33% | SPEAKNOW | 8 | Title track on Taylor Swift's 2023 rereleased album with the lyrics "Don't wait, or say a single vow / You need to hear me out" (2 wds.) |