Top 10 Cameos By Bands in Movies

"Back to the Future" (1985)
Most people have heard at least one tune by Huey Lewis and the News. Back in the early 1980s, they were just starting to see some success with their album “Sports”. When “Back to the Future” came out, the band saw their popularity skyrocket as “The Power of Love” became synonymous with the iconic movie. Lewis himself actually makes a cameo as the Battle of the Bands judge who tells Marty, who’s playing Huey’s hit song, that his music is too loud. Part III would feature a cameo from ZZ Top. However, it was Huey Lewis’ cameo that would become iconic.

"Airheads" (1994)
White Zombie earned themselves legions of fans in the 1990s with their unique blend of groove and industrial metal. The frontman, Rob Zombie, would later also become known for his directorial efforts in the horror movie genre. Long before he ever scared us to death with “House of 1000 Corpses”, however, Zombie and his bandmates made a quick cameo in the movie “Airheads”. When Officer Wilson heads into the Whiskey a Go Go, the band can be seen playing on stage. Given the metal theme of the movie, it only seems right to include a heavy metal cameo.

"xXx" (2002)
Nothing says “this movie’s going to be intense” like opening to the sounds of Rammstein’s “Feuer frei!” You’d be forgiven for assuming that this was done simply for the benefit of the audience, but you’d be wrong. You’re walking into a Rammstein concert in all its glory. Sure enough, there’s the band performing that very same song on stage. It’s a perfect choice for this particular opening scene, as the pillars of fire from the stage, paired with the action of the crowd, easily cover up the assassination in progress. Plus who doesn’t want to see a guitar player shoot fire out of his mouth?

"Clueless" (1995)
Quite often in movies, a band (or other musical act) will be featured in the background. The focus of the camera stays on the central characters and what they’re up to, but the band really adds to the energy and dynamics of the scene. Such is the case for “Clueless” when we find Cher and co. out at a dance. There’s a band playing, and this time around, it’s none other than The Mighty Mighty Bosstones serving as the soundtrack to the party. The band actually gets to take center stage in a few shots, and we love the addition of the stage dive when the show ends.

"I Love You, Man" (2009)
Paul Rudd makes a second appearance today with a cameo from Rush in the 2009 buddy comedy, “I Love You Man”. Paired up with Jason Segel, these two deliver plenty of laughs over the course of the film as their bromance develops. Among the various things the characters bond over is their love of Rush. The band performs in the film and both friends can be seen at the concert, clearly having the time of their lives. The band actually makes another cameo with this duo in a fantastic skit from “Funny or Die.” Rush always put on a fantastic show, but it’s also nice to see that they had such a sense of humor about themselves. RIP to the late, great Neil Peart!

"Pee-wee's Big Adventure" (1985)
Throughout the ‘70s and ‘80s, we saw the rise of many notable hair metal bands. But few made an impression quite like Twisted Sister. Best-known for “We’re Not Gonna Take It”, the band went on to have a great career. No one would have ever predicted, however, that an outfit like them would collaborate with Pee-wee Herman for this great cameo. As Pee-wee attempts to bike his way out of trouble, he drives through what appears to be the video shoot of Twisted Sister’s “Burn in Hell'' song. Thanks to Pee-wee’s unique brand of chaos, the shoot is quickly interrupted. Since no video for this song was ever actually shot, this cameo gives us a little extra Twisted Sister.

"Ace Ventura: Pet Detective" (1994)
When Ace goes to see Woodstock to get some help on his case, fans are treated to a cameo by death metal band Cannibal Corpse. They’re playing a show in the club where Ace makes his way downstairs. In an alternate version of the movie, often shown on television, there’s an extra scene which includes Ace himself joining the band as an impromptu singer. What follows is the eccentric pet detective’s own “death metal” performance, with the band playing along for gags. Whether it’s the original short version, or the extended one, both make for an appropriately odd cameo—perfect for a zany Jim Carrey movie.

"American Pie" (1999)
A classic ‘90s era sex comedy, “American Pie” featured a killer soundtrack with many notable alternative and punk acts of the time. Blink-182 had released “Enema of the State” that same year and had skyrocketed in popularity. Unlike most of the entries on this list, their cameo stands out because they weren’t just another band in the background. Several short scenes of them watching Jim’s “broadcast” over webcam are peppered throughout the sequence. It’s novel seeing them in the movie, but the real treat is their reactions to Jim’s antics. Given the band’s juvenile jokes and potty humor, this felt like a truly perfect fit.

"Detroit Rock City" (1999)
It’s a movie named after a Kiss song, about a group of teenagers who sing in a Kiss tribute band, and want to see the real thing live. Could they really make the movie and NOT have Kiss make a cameo? Considering the wild adventure that the boys go on throughout the film, it’s all the sweeter when they finally get to see their musical idols in the flesh. Yes, it’s yet another cameo of a band playing a show, but the sheer magnitude of it for these fans makes it feel like the perfect ending to this rock n roll film. Plus, what fan wouldn’t love catching a drumstick from Peter Criss?

Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions.

The Grateful Dead & Big Brother and the Holding Company
“Petulia” (1968)

The Donnas
“Jawbreaker” (1999)

Green Day
“The Simpsons Movie” (2007)

Primus
“Bill & Ted’s Bogus Journey” (1991)


Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds
“Wings of Desire” (1987)

"Wayne's World" (1992)
Even as far back as the days at Saturday Night Live, Wayne’s World was pulling in cameos from famous musicians. When they finally hit the big screen, it was only a matter of time before the boys would utter their famous line. Alice Cooper serves as the subject of their praise this time around. Given Cooper’s intense stage presence, we loved seeing him in a part that showed a very serious, and intellectual side to his persona. Meat Loaf also has a cameo as a doorman! The sequel followed these up with a cameo from Aerosmith.