Sometimes musicians just can‘t get enough of the spotlight. If the stage isn’t enough, they might head over to the big screens. Sometimes they just pop in for a quick cameo, and sometimes they’ll really catch the acting bug and snag themselves full credited roles. For you music fans and film buffs alike, here are our favorite musician cameos and appearances. 

 

Green Day—The Simpsons Movie (2007)

Role: Green Day

 

The Clash—The King of Comedy (1982)

Role: Street scum

 

Bo Diddley—Trading Places (1983)

Role: Pawnbroker

 

Lou Reed—Get Crazy (1983)

Role: Auden

 

Flea—Back to the Future II (1989), Back to the Future III (1990), Psycho (1998), The Big Lebowski (1998), Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas (1998)

Role: Needles, Douglas J. Needles, Bob Summerfield, Nihilist #2, Musician

 

The Offspring—Idle Hands(1999)

Role: The Offspring

 

Dave Grohl—The Muppets(2011)

Role: Animool

 

Chester Bennington—Saw 3D: The Final Chapter (2010)

Role: Evan

 

Ozzy Osbourne—Little Nicky(2000)

Role: Ozzy Osbourne

 

Alice Cooper—Wayne’s World (1992)

Role: Alice Cooper

 

Lyle Lovett—The New Guy (2002), Psycho (1998), Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story (2007)

Role: Bear, Road Person, Lyle Lovett

 

Steve Vai—Crossroads (1986)

Role: Jack Butler

 

Nancy Wilson—Fast Times at Ridgemont High (1982)

Role: Beautiful Girl in Car

 

Glenn Frey—Jerry Maguire (1996)

Role: Dennis Wilburn

 

Anthony Kiedis—Point Break (1991)

Role: Tone

 

Keith Richards—Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End (2007), Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides (2011)

Role: Captain Teague

 

Bruce Springsteen—High Fidelity (2000)

Role: Bruce Springsteen

 

Miles Davis—Scrooged (1988)

Role: Street Musician

 

Aimee Mann—The Big Lebowski (1998)

Role: Nihilist Woman, Franz’s girlfriend

 

Sting—Quadrophenia (1979), Dune (1984)

Role: Ace Face, Feyd Rautha

 

Norah Jones—Two Weeks Notice (2002), Ted (2012)

Role: Norah Jones

 

Twisted Sister—Pee Wee’s Big Adventure (1985)

Role: Twisted Sister

 

Phil Collins—Hook (1991)

Role: Inspector Good

 

Pearl Jam, Soundgarden, Alice in Chains—Singles (1992)

Uncredited

 

Bono—Across the Universe (2007)

Role: Dr. Robert

 

Chris Martin, Jon Buckland—Shaun of the Dead (2004)

Role: Chris Martin, Jon Buckland

  

Oingo Boingo—Back to School (1986)

Role: Oingo Boingo

 

David Bowie—Labyrinth (1986), Zoolander (2001)

Role: Jareth the Goblin King, David Bowie

 

Wilson Phillips—Bridesmaids (2011)

Role: Wilson Phillips

 

Davy Jones—The Brady Bunch Movie (1995)

Role: Davy Jones

 

Alanis Morissette—Dogma (1991)

Role: God

 

James Brown—The Blues Brothers (1980), Rocky IV (1985), Blues Brothers 2000 (1998)

Role: Reverend Cleophus James, The Godfather of Soul, Cleophus James

 

Frank Beard, Billy Gibbons—Back to the Future: Part III (1990)

Uncredited

 

Billy Idol—The Wedding Singer (1998)

Role: Billy Idol

 

Iggy Pop—Dead Man (1995)

Role: Salvatore “Sally” Jenko

 

Tom Petty—The Postman (1997)

Role: Bridge City Mayor

 

Jack White—Cold Mountain (2003), Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story (2007)

Role: Georgia, Elvis Presley

 

Elvis Costello, Burt Bacharach—Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me (1999)

Role: Elvis Costello, Burt Bacharach

 

George Harrison—Life of Brian (1979)

Role: Mr. Papadopolous (uncredited)