I have to admit: sometimes, the fake bands in movies and shows go harder than the real ones. Honestly, can you blame me? It’s not my fault they have such catchy songs…
These groups have given us performances so good, that some have even gone on to become real-life bands. Sorry to your favourite rock legends, but I’ll take a Big Time Rush hook over a Rolling Stones riff any day. Here are 12 movie and TV bands that are so iconic, they make actual bands look like amateurs.
2.
The Archies from The Archie Show (1968) were bubblegum pop royalty. Did you know that these comic book characters (turned TV stars) are responsible for the hit track “Sugar, Sugar“? It spent 22 weeks on the Billboard Hot 100 and is still the ultimate ’60s teen anthem. If your parents haven’t heard of this track, I’d be very surprised.
3.
The Cheetah Girls from The Cheetah Girls (2003) were the ultimate Disney girl group. Their first film had a long list of achievements: it was the first DCOM musical, and the soundtrack sold 2 million copies in the U.S. They really said “world domination”! After the success of the first movie, they launched two more, plus multiple tours. “Amigas, Cheetahs, friends for life” still runs through my head on repeat.
4.
The Blues Brothers from Saturday Night Live (1978) have one of the most unusual origin stories…Starting as a comedy sketch, Dan Aykroyd and Jon Belushi’s cover of “Soul Man” hit No.14 on Billboard. They later made several albums and a movie, further cementing themselves in pop culture history.
5.
Josie and the Pussycats from Josie and the Pussycats (2001) are coincidentally yet another animal-print girl group that absolutely ROCKED. The movie was super campy, the songs slapped, and yet — the movie flopped at the time. Honestly, it was just too ahead of its time — a story about the government using subliminal messages in music was A LOT for audiences back then. Today? It’s a total cult classic! The soundtrack still hit its mark, climbing to No.16 on the Billboard soundtrack charts at the time.
6.
The New Directions from Glee (2009-2015) were the ultimate glee club, period. Their cover of “Don’t Stop Believin” hit No.4 on the Billboard Hot 100 back in 2009 — and that was just the beginning. The show was hilarious, unhinged, sometimes problematic, but always packed with amazing covers and original songs. The group even went on tour and had a concert movie. These stars were more than just a TV band, they were a cultural phenomenon.
8.
Sex Bob-Omb from Scott Pilgrim vs. The World (2010) were messy, loud, chaotic, and totally iconic. It was a box office bob-omb at first, but overtime it quickly became a beloved flick by comic, music, and movie fans alike. Fun fact: musician Beck even helped craft the band’s songs!
9.
Big Time Rush from Big Time Rush (2009-2013) started out as a fake boyband and somehow became real. They toured arenas, released three Billboard 200 top-20 albums, and even had Snoop Dogg feature on one of their hits, “Boyfriend.” These boys were so famous at the time that they even had One Direction open up for them. The show was hilarious, but the music? Legendary.
10.
The Barden Bellas from Pitch Perfect (2012) basically made a cappella cool again. Every rehearsal, mashup, and competition scene was cinematic gold. Their performances had millions of viewers falling in love with show choir music, and yes — they even topped real-world charts. This movie single-handedly turned a cappella into a cultural moment, and gave the ICCAs (International Championship of Collegiate A Cappella competition) a major uprise in ticket sales.
12.
The Stiff Dylans from Angus, Thongs and Perfect Snogging (2008) were literally every teenage girl’s dream. Georgia’s crush Robbie played in this teen pop-rock band with the catchiest song ever, “Ultraviolet.” Were they everyone’s favourite? Absolutely. Were they my favourite? Also absolutely.
From saving the world to dominating the charts, these bands proved that some fictional music groups hit harder than the real ones. Who’s your fave fake band or solo act? Let us know in the comments!