
The bandwagon fallacy is often used to justify or normalize a specific position. Other fallacies of relevance include the ad hominem fallacy and the red herring fallacy. That means it’s illogical because the “proof” that something is true-its popularity-has no actual impact on whether it’s true.

The fallacy lies in the claim that because something is popular, it must be effective, true, or otherwise positive.Ĭategorizing it further, the bandwagon fallacy is a fallacy of relevance. In other words, there’s nothing inherently illogical about claiming that something is popular, positive, or effective because it’s enjoyed by many. The bandwagon fallacy is an informal fallacy, which means that the illogical part of a bandwagon argument is its content, not its construction. A similar phrase, “the bandwagon effect,” refers to individuals joining social movements in response to the movements becoming more mainstream. The bandwagon fallacy gets its name from the nineteenth-century practice of political supporters jumping onto their parties’ bandwagons-literal wagons used to transport musical bands at rallies and parades.


The bandwagon fallacy, also known as the appeal to the masses or appeal to common belief fallacy, is the logical fallacy of claiming that something is true because everyone believes it. Grammarly helps you communicate confidently Write with Grammarly What is the bandwagon fallacy?
