The outrageous lives of Rock and Roll stars have always fascinated us. The stories we hear about the road, the crazy situations they get themselves into, the women and the parties cause many people to daydream about being on a massive stage in front of thousands of screaming, adoring fans. Perhaps this fascination we have with the rocker life is why so many fictional rock bands are the subject of, or are major plot points in movies and on television. Some of them have gained so much popularity from their movie/TV roles that they have become actual bands and recorded real albums. Others, we will remember for their substantive role sin pop culture – even if they were made up. Here is our list of the 18 greatest fictional rockers.

Spinal Tap

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Spinal Tap remains quite possibly the most entertaining fictional rock band of all time. Perfectly parodying the out-of-control, cocky and absent minded 1980’s heavy metal band stereotypes, the movie This Is Spinal Tap delivers endless laughs and face-melting tunes (their amps went to eleven, mind you). Due to the movie’s wild success, the actors who play the band members in the movie (Michael McKean, Christopher Guest and Harry Shearer) have since learned the instruments well enough to play concerts; they have also released albums under the name Spinal Tap, turning their movie-borne gag-band into an actual act.

Jake and Elwood (The Blues Brothers)

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Fresh out of jail for armed robbery, Jake Blues teams up with partner Elwood to embark on a “mission from God” to get the old band back together. With the orphanage that raised the two in trouble with the IRS for back taxes, the two see it as their duty to raise enough money with their music act to save the church! The problem is, getting the band back together is a lot harder than it seems. Dodging police and a murderous ex-girlfriend, thwarting Nazis, pulling ex-band members from their new lives, the two never sway from their purpose, even when their residence is blown apart by R.P.G. fire! The movie features amazing performances from various blues and R&B legends like Aretha Franklyn, Cab Calloway, James Brown, John lee Hooker and Ray Charles, making it the 9th highest grossing musical movie of all time.

Stillwater

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Stillwater is the fictional rock band from Cameron Crowe’s Almost Famous. It is based on Crowe’s experiences on the road with Led Zeppelin, Lynard Skynard, The Eagles and the Allman Brothers Band. It has often been said that few other movies capture a band’s life on the road better than this one. It feels as though you are watching a real band take drugs, sleep with groupies and fight each other like cats and dogs, all for the love of the music and the spirit of the 70’s!

Wyld Stallyns

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These guys are just cool, even though they don’t know how to play their instruments. They just partied, were probably perma-stoned, replaced their “i’s” with “y’s” and cruised around in a Time Machine with a guy named Rufus. Not only that, they knew how to use a laser light show, and could probably hold a decent conversation about History.

Crucial Taunt

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Bands with hot front women are great, especially if the band can play well. In Wayne’s World we got a little taste of Tia Carrere playing a rock and roller and she continues to be the biggest reason to re-watch this film. She got extra hot points for the final scene where they’re filming a music video (done!), and where she kicks that guy’s ass for spilling beer on her at the club. Dream Weaver…

Hedwig (And The Angry Inch)

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Kinda had to include this one… Just look at that picture.

AutoBahn

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Playing in a German electro-dance-rock band is a common back story for men in pornography, right? While this band might not be considered ‘pure rock’ by some, we definitely had Autobahn on the list for what these guys were up until Walter Somcheck resolutely kicked their ass. They do get extra bonus points for bringing a Katana blade and a boom box to a fight.

Robert ‘Fish’ Fishman

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When A.D.D, the band scheduled to play the local high school prom looses their drummer, the band’s singer calls upon a relative who used to drum for an 80’s hair band to fill in for the night. Rainn Wilson (The Office, Six Feet Under) plays Robert “Fish” Fishman, an outrageous, hotel room trashing, skirt chasing, tights wearing party animal who, after an embarrassing incident on YouTube, ends up stumbling back into stardom and brings the band out to live the rock-n-roll dream on the road. Determined to retake the crown of rock and roll god, Fish takes the much younger A.D.D along for the ride of their lives.

Chris ‘Izzy’ Cole – Steel Dragon

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The wanna-be who got to be, as the tagline of the movie Rock Star states. Chris Cole is the front man of a tribute band to the great Steel Dragon. However when the real Steel Dragon fired their lead singer, they seek out Chris Cole to replace him. As a result, Cole gets the once in a lifetime chance to live his ultimate dream. The movie follows him from nobody to the most famous lead singer in the world, and documents his slow downfall into drugs, groupies and madness. With his life turned upside down, his long-time relationship floundering and a new addiction to drugs, what will become of Chris Cole? Check out Rock Star to find out what happens to the man gets it all, and still wants more.

White Gold

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The mysterious ‘rocker in white’, White Gold shreds guitar in support of the most rock-n-roll dairy product on the planet: Milk. The story goes that before he was a rock god he was just an average man, wandering aimlessly through life. Then one day, an angel came down and handed him a magical guitar filled with milk. After consuming the milk in the legendary guitar, he transformed into a legend of guitar. Known to perform such magical feats as replacing broken guitar strings with stands of his hair, he frequently receives standing ovation standing ovations for his musical genius.

Dethklok

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Stars of the animated show “Metalocalypse”, Dethklok is a melodic death metal band that, Due their overwhelming success and popularity, has become the 7th largest economy in the world (on the show, of course). The band is the best in the world when shredding fiery solos or blistering double-bass are at stake, but seem totally inept when it comes to all other areas of life. Even shopping for groceries is often a problem for them. Due to their wild success and net worth, a secrete society known as “The Tribunal” has begun following them around and watching their every move, ostensibly to bring about the bands destruction.

Eddie Wilson

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The 24-year old Eddie Wilson heads The Cruisers in this film, as he sets out to attain what so many other rockers have struggled with before. This goal is, as he describes it: “the perfect sound.” Trying to make it in the 1960’s, Eddie is talented, arrogant and rebellious, the perfect combination for a rock-star-in-the-making! Taking the all-or-nothing stance that it takes to become a legend of the stage, Eddie adopts the attitude that if they cannot be great, there is no reason to ever play music again! Follow Eddie through his struggle with his passion to his strange disappearance in Eddie and the Cruisers.

Brian Slade

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Brian Slade is a bisexual glam-rocking superstar whose character was modeled after the sensational David Bowie. The movie Velvet Goldmine follows the story of Brian Slade and his flamboyant and party-animal superstar friend Curt Wilde, whose character was modeled after Iggy Pop. Donning the sequin-covered skintight outfits and caking his eyes in matching shadow, there seems to be no end to the publicity stunts and shock tactics Slade pulled to make himself a star. This is not unlike many real life musicians such as Marilyn Manson who, although in different genres, follow similar tactics to gain the publics eye. Everything is going great and Slade’s career is taking off when suddenly he pulls a publicity stunt that goes too far, and disappears from the spotlight forever. Whatever happened to Brian Slade? Check out Velvet Goldmine and discover the wild story behind his rise to the top and his abrupt fall from it.

Dewey Finn

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Making his second appearance on the list, Jack Black plays Dewy Finn in 2003’s blockbuster comedy, “School of Rock.” When Dewy is kicked out of his band and being threatened to “get a job or move out” by his substitute teacher roommate, he decides to impersonate him for a teaching job at a local grammar school. Since he has no real passion for teaching and doesn’t even know what to lecture on, he finds himself lost in the classroom. That all changes one day when Dewy overhears his class in a musical program and discovers that some of them are quite talented. This is when Dewy decides to teach these fifth graders the one thing he knows: How to rock! Forming a rock band with the class in hopes of winning a national competition, Dewy takes the children on “field trips” to shady concert halls, conducts rehearsals in the classroom and gives legendary rock CDs to the class to listen to for “homework.” All is going smoothly until the parents and school board discover what is really taking place! Check out School of Rock to witness Jack Black at his comedic (and rocking) best!

The Wonders

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The Wonders were just like any other local band until the summer of 1964, when they discovered their big hit. On stage in front of fans, they changed up the structure and tempo of one of their slower songs and it erupted into a catchy, danceworthy pop tune that soon caught the nation’s attention. That Thing You Do, centers around the band’s meteoric rise to the top, their life as a one hit wonder band, and before long, their fall from grace. Who can deny the catchiness of the song, though? Watch the movie just once and you’ll suddenly find yourself humming “That Thing You Do” all night long!

Infant Sorrow

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Hilariously cocky and straightforward singer Aldous Snow fronts the fictional pop rock smash hit Infant Sorrow in the comedy, Forgetting Sara Marshall. The man is everything you might expect from a free-spirited rock star: hes sarcastic, doesn’t care what he says to people, and he is totally full of himself. For example, when a huge fan of his asks Aldous if he had a chance to listen to him band’s demo yet, he responds, “Oh, no, I was going to listen to that, but then, uh, I just carried on living my life” Check out the video below to watch Infant Sorrow’s music video for “We’ve Got To Do Something.”

Jessie and the Rippers

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Probably the only “Rock and Roll” person on the TV hit series Full House, Jessie Katsopolis is the lead guitarist and singer for Jessie and the Rippers. The band made many appearances on the show and eventually released a hit single called “Forever.” This was the single that would popularize them and, in some of the later episodes, Jessie and the Rippers toured the country behind it. Always sporting a leather jacket and riding a motorcycle, Jessie seemed born for Rock and Roll stardom.

The Lone Rangers

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Rock and Roll rebels, The Lone Rangers of 1994’s comedy hit Airheads were a band determined to become famous. Comprised of Chester “Chazz” Darby (Brenden Fraser), Rex Hodge (Steve Buscemi) and Pip Briggs (Adam Sandler), the three piece rock outfit took an entire radio station hostage until they agreed to play thier record. Soon, the police showed up and the situation ends up with them negotiating a record deal, and an impromptu concert. They may not have been the greatest band ever, and taking a radio station hostage may be a bit of an extreme tactic, but the kind of dedication to their music and commitment to fame that they demonstrated is to be admired by any aspiring rock musician.