100 Best Songs About Musicians

I have been an online writer for over six years. I am passionate about books, philosophy, music, and the music industry.

Songs About Singers, Bands, and Other Musicians

Musicians delve into the depths of emotion to bring songs to life. The lyrics that we connect with are the result of their creative process and a glimpse into their hearts and minds. A number of artists have written songs about other musicians. The awe and admiration that instrumentalists have for their fellow musicians is spectacularly expressed through these songs. Many musicians use these songs to celebrate other musicians who have influenced or inspired them.

What Messages Do Songs That Reference Other Artists Convey?

Lyrics of songs that reference musicians express a wide range of sentiments. While certain singers pay tribute to artists with their songs, many singers tell heartwarming lyrical facts associated with the life of the artist. Often when songwriters write songs about other musicians, it’s because of a strong connection. Through an ode, a performer conveys a form of praise or glorification describing another musician’s emotional and intellectual attributes.

Songs that talk about musicians, reference varied aspects associated with personality. When an artist that has had a profound influence on young musicians passes away, tributes pour in from the music fraternity in the form of songs. While certain songs tell a story of the massive influence a performer has on fellow artists, many songs share a detailed perspective of the life and times of the individual. The respect, awe, and admiration instrumentalists have towards other musicians reflect exquisitely in their songs.

Symbolism: Artists and Bands in Songs

Musicians are mentioned in songs to symbolically convey a message or meaning. The persona of an artist is brought to life in songs with high acclaim or with severe criticism. Both positive attributes and negative attributes of musicians are showcased in songs in a brutally honest manner. Although a number of songs celebrate varied aspects of an artist’s life with high opinion, certain songs embrace the trail of negativity associated with the legacy of the individual.

The awe and admiration felt towards an artist is exhibited in different ways through lyrics of songs. Certain songs highlight the experiences performers face when they are on the road touring. Certain singers and songwriters also like to give listeners a sneak peek into the legacy of an artist they respect with an amusing tale of contradictions. Although songs about musicians may associate with a wide spectrum of personal attributes, most times these songs represent or symbolize

• Awe
• Admiration
• Respect
• Gratitude
• Appreciation
• Thankfulness
• Approval
• Feelings
• Inspiration
• Kindness
• Glorification
• Affinity

The list below showcases a collection of rock songs, pop songs, country songs, R&B songs, folk songs, alternative songs, hip hop songs, jazz songs, blues songs, reggae songs, disco songs, EDM songs and dance songs that reference musicians and singers. If you have a view, opinion, or song suggestion, let us know in the comments section.

Top 10 Best Songs About Musicians

1. “Moves Like Jagger”—Maroon 5 featuring Christina Aguilera
2. “Californication”—Red Hot Chili Peppers
3. “Desperado”—Alice Cooper
4. “Marvin Gaye”—Charlie Puth featuring Meghan Trainor
5. “James Brown—Big Audio Dynamite
6. “Barbara Streisand”—Duck Sauce
7. “Tim McGraw”—Taylor Swift
8. “Sheena is a Punk Rocker”—The Ramones
9. “Drake Would Love Me”—K. Michelle
10. “If Madonna Calls”—Junior Vasquez

#11–20

11. “Mr. Tambourine Man”—Bob Dylan

12. “Daft Punk Is Playing At My House”—LCD Soundsystem

13. “Big Brother”—Kanye West

Read More From Spinditty

100 Best Songs With “Cool” in the Title

86 Songs About Walking

Revisiting Anthrax's "Sound of White Noise"

14. “Twerk It Like Miley”—Brandon Beal featuring Christopher

15. “Alive”—Sia

16. “I Kissed a Girl”—Katy Perry

17. “The Ballad of Tom Jones”—Space and Cerys Matthews

18. “She’s Madonna”—Robbie Williams

19. “Bad Blood”—Taylor Swift featuring Kendrick Lamar

20. “I Need a Doctor”—Dr. Dre featuring Eminem

#21–40

21. “Sir Duke”—Stevie Wonder

22. “Killing Me Softly With His Song”—Roberta Flack

23. “Jimi Thing”—Dave Matthews Band

24. “Edith Piaf (Said it Better Than Me)”—Sparks

25. “Lose You to Love Me”—Selena Gomez

26. “The Entertainer”—Billy Joel

27. “Immortality”—Pearl Jam

28. “Jenny from the Block”—Jennifer Lopez

29. “Green Tambourine—The Lemon Pipers

30. “Spoonman”—Soundgarden

31. “Johnny B. Goode”—Chuck Berry

32. “Alex Chilton”—The Replacements

33. “Rock and Roll Heaven”—Climax

34. “Willie Got Me Stoned”—Jack Johnson

35. “The Frog Prince”—Keane

36. “Royals”—Lorde

37. “Brian Wilson”—The Beach Boys

38. “If I Could Give All My Love (Richard Manuel is Dead)”—Counting Crows

39. “He Went to Paris”—Jimmy Buffet

40. “Bo Diddley”—Arvingarna

#41–60

41. “Roll Over Beethoven”—Chuck Berry

42. “Bob Wills Is Still King”—Waylon Jennings

43. “You Were Right”—Badly Drawn Boy

44. “Goodbye Jimmy Reed”—Bob Dylan

45. “Black Beatles”—Rae Stremmurd featuring Gucci Mane

46. “Angel of Harlem”—U2

47. “I Like Chopin”—Gazebo

48. “His Name is Legs (Ladies and Gentleman)”—George Harrison

49. “The Real Slim Shady”—Eminem

50. “God’s Top 10”—INXS

51. “Doll Parts”—Hole

52. “Johnny Cash”—Jason Aldean

53. “Rock Me Amadeus”—Falco

54. “Daniel and the Sacred Harp”—Robbie Robertson

55. “Guitar Man”—Elvis Presley

56. “The Late Great Johnny Ace”—Paul Simon

57. “James Brown Is Dead”—L.A. Style

58. “Party in the U.S.A.”—Miley Cyrus

59. “Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy”—The Andrew Sisters

60. “How Do You Sleep?”—John Lennon

#61–80

61. “American Pie”—Don McClean

62. “Better On the Other Side”—The Game, Diddy, Chris Brown, DJ Khalil, Mario Winans, Polow da Don, Boyz 2 Men and Usher

63. “Last Thoughts on Woody Guthrie”—Bob Dylan

64. “Rockin’ the Suburbs”—Ben Folds

65. “No Sex for Ben”—The Rapture

66. “The Prince”—Madness

67. “Blind Willie McTell”—Bob Dylan

68. “Lodi”—Creedence Clearwater Revival

69. “If I Ain’t Got You”—Alicia Keys

70. “Post Malone”—DJ Sam Feldt featuring Rani

71. “Caruso”—Lucio Dalla

72. “Brain Damage”—Pink Floyd

73. “Robert Johnson”—Alexis Korner

74. “Crazy=Genius”—Panic! at the Disco

75. “Pops, We Love You”—Diana Ross, Marvin Gaye, Smokey Robinson and Stevie Wonder

76. “XTC vs. Adam Ant”—They Might Be Giants

77. “John Cougar, John Deere, John 3:16”—Keith Urban

78. “Alan Freeman Days”—Robin Gibb

79. “I Feel Like Buddy Holly”—Alvin Stardust

80. “Do You Remember?”—The Beach Boys

#81–100

81. “Calling Elvis”—Mark Knopfler

82. “Piano Man”—Billy Joel

83. “Diamonds & Rust”—Bob Dylan

84. “Future Swag”—Young Thug

85. “The Guitar Man”—Bread

86. “Personal Jesus”—Depeche Mode

87. “Misery Business”—Paramore

88. “(If You Can’t Sing It) You’ll Have to Swing It (Mr. Paganini)”—Ella Fitzgerald

89. “Farmer in the City”—Scott Walker

90. “When Smokey Sings”—ABC

91. “Danny Don’t Rapp”—Daniel Johnston

92. “Jukebox Hero”—Foreigner

93. “Sweet Gene Vincent”—Ian Dury

94. “Are You Sure Hank Done It This Way”—Waylon Jennings

95. “D.W. Suite”—Lindsey Buckingham

96. “Jesus and Jones”—Tace Adkins

97. “Manic Monday”—The Bangles

98. “True”—Spandau Ballet

99. “Mr. Wilson”—John Cale

100. “Hey Harmonica Man”—Stevie Wonder

Other Notable Songs Written About Singers and Musicians

• “Jackie Wilson Said (I’m in Heaven When You Smile)”—Van Morrison
• “Vera”—Pink Floyd
• “Black Velvet”—Alannah Myles
• “Let Robeson Sing”—Manic Street Preachers
• “If You’re Gonna Play in Texas (You Gotta Have a Fiddle in the Band)”—Alabama
• “Krupa”—Apollo 440
• “Tunic (Song for Karen)”—Sonic Youth
• “I Need Your Help Barry Manilow—Ray Stevens
• “Piano in the Dark”—Brenda Russell
• “Missing You”—Diana Ross
• “Cupid Shuffle”—Cupid
• “I’m the Greatest”—John Lennon
• “Shine on You Crazy Diamond”—Pink Floyd
• “Cars and Girls”—Prefab Sprout
• “I Wanna Meet Dave Grohl”—Wavves
• “John and Elvis are Dead”—George Michael
• “Record Year”—Eric Church
• “Mirror”—Lil Wayne
• “When We Was Fab”—George Harrison
• “Song for Bob Dylan”—David Bowie
• “Poles Apart”—Pink Floyd
• “Tupelo”—Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds
• “Johnny Bye-Bye”—Bruce Springsteen
• “RiRi”—Young Thug
• “Smells Like Teen Spirit”—Nirvana
• “I Want You (She’s So Heavy)”—The Beatles
• “By Strauss”—George Gershwin
• “Don’t Let Me Down”—Yoko Ono
• “Just Lose It”—Eminem
• “Marvin and Chardonnay”—Big Sean
• “Black Gives Way to Blue”—Alice in Chains
• “Webbie”—Young Thug featuring Lil Duke

• “Ringo, I Love You”—Cher
• “You Sang to Me”—Marc Anthony
• “Fallen Angel”—Robbie Robertson
• “Let’s Shut Up and Dance”—Jason Derulo, Lay and NCT 127
• “All for the Beatles”—Harry Nilsson and Marascalco
• “Wish You Were Here”—Pink Floyd
• “Rainer Fog”—Alice in Chains
• “God”—John Lennon
• “Cherokee Fiddle”—Johnny Lee
• “Star Star”—The Rolling Stones
• “Happiness is a Warm Gun”—The Beatles
• “King of the Mountain”—Kate Bush
• “Nightshift”—The Commodores
• “Thank You Jack White (for the Fiber-Optic Jesus You Gave Me)”—The Flaming Lips
• “Empty Garden (Hey Hey Johnny)”—Elton John
• “Glass Onion”—The Beatles
• “Walk Away Renee”—The Left Banke
• “Layne”—Stained
• “Bob Marley”—Dean Brody
• “Elvis (…I Remember)”—The Screaming Jets
• “Lisztomania”—Phoenix
• “The Day Seattle Died”—Cold
• “Walking in Memphis”—Marc Cohn
• “Morning Sun”—Robbie Williams
• “I Was Jack (You Were Diane)”—Jake Owen
• “Home”—La Toya Jackson
• “Play Something Country”—Brooks & Dunn
• “Real Good Looking Boy”—The Who
• “Master Blaster (Jammin’)”—Stevie Wonder
• “The King is Gone (So Are You”—George Jones
• “Frank Sinatra”—Miss Kittin & The Hacker
• “I Try To Think About Elvis”—Patty Loveless

• “I Just Shot John Lennon”—The Cranberries
• “Goodbye Priscilla (By Bye Baby Blue)”—Gene Summers
• “All Those years Ago”—George Harrison
• “Everybody Jam!”—Scatman John
• “Dreamer’s Ball”—Queen
• “So You Want to Be A Rock ‘n’ Roll Star”—The Byrds
• “Never Fade”—Alice in Chains
• “Guwop”—Young Thug featuring Quavo, Offset and Young Scooter
• “Ah Amadeus”—Lena Philipsson
• “Sue Me, Sue Your Blues”—George Harrison
• “P.F. Solan”—Jimmy Webb
• “Run Off the Mill”—George Harrison
• “Elvis Ain’t Dead”—Scouting for Girls
• “Bigger Than the Beatles”—The Beatles
• “When Icky Morgan Plays the Organ”—Glenn Miller
• “I’m Losing You”—Yoko Ono
• “Layne”—Black Label Society
• “High Water (For Charley Patton)”—Bob Dylan
• “There’s a Guy Works Down the Chip Shop Swears He’s Elvis”—Kristy MacColl
• “Elvis Has Just Left the Building”—Frank Zappa
• “Leader of the Band”—Dan Fogelberg
• “Too Many People”—Paul McCartney and Linda McCartney
• “Woody ‘n’ You”—Stan Getz
• “Oh Yoko!”—John Lennon
• “I Remember Elvis Presley (The King is Dead)”—Eddy Ouwens
• “Be My Yoko Ono”—Barenaked Ladies
• “Wah-Wah”—The Beatles
• “You Ain’t Dolly (And You Ain’t Potter)”—Ahsley
• “The Homing Beacon/The Landing Beacon”—Buckethead
• “Shadow”—Theory of a Deadman
• “Not Guilty”—George Harrison
• “Aisumasen (I’m Sorry)”—John Lennon

• “I Want to Kiss Ringo Goodnight”—Penny Valentine
• “Sherry Fraser”—Marcy Playground
• “I Remember Clifford”—Benny Golson
• “Gondolier”—Dalida
• “Elvis Presley and America”—U2
• “Advertising Space”—Robbie Williams
• “Song for Ronnie James”—Jorn
• “Levi Stubbs’ Tears”—Billy Bragg
• “Oleanna”—Pete Seeger
• “Beatles Forever”—Electric Light Orchestra
• “The Shoals of Herring”—Ewan MacColl
• “Mike Post Theme”—The Who
• “Swizz Beatz”—Young Thug
• “Gone Too Soon”—Shakila Karim
• “The Ballad of John and Yoko”—The Beatles
• “Song for John”—Yoko Ono
• “Memphis”—The Badloves
• “Elvis and Andy”—Confederate Railroad
• “Victor Should Have Been a Jazz Musician”—Grace Jones
• “I Know Where Syd Barrett Lives”—Television Personalities
• “Organ Grinder’s Swing”—Jimmie Lunceford
• “The All-American Boy”—Bobby Bare
• “Ringo Beat”—Ella Fitzgerald
• “Thank You Great Spirit”—Terry Kath
• “4th Time Around”—Bob Dylan
• “If This Tour Doesn’t Kill You, I Will”—Pup
• “Andrew Eldritch is Moving Back to Leeds”—The Mountain Goats
• “Song to Bobby”—Cat Power
• “Layne to Rest”—Katastrophy Wife
• “Who’s Gonna Play This Old Piano”—Jerry Lee Lewis
• “We Love You Beatles”—The Carefrees
• “Tennessee Flat Top Box”—Johnny Cash
• “Beatles”—Forbes

© 2021 Ansel Pereira