Musical Lists

32+ Musicals About Bands – The Full List of Shows

Whether you’re doing some research, putting on a show, or simply looking for new musicals to get into, it’s good to get familiar with what’s out there. And that’s why we’ve put together this list for you. A full list of musicals about bands are listed below, sorted alphabetically!


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Musicals About Bands

Ain’t Too Proud

Music/Lyrics: The Legendary Motown Catalog  Book: Dominique Morisseau

Musical Type: Contemporary (2017)

Band It’s About: The Temptations


Almost Famous

Music/Lyrics: Tom Kitt  Lyrics/Book: Cameron Crowe

Musical Type: Contemporary (2019)

Band It’s About: Multiple


Altar Boyz

Music/Lyrics: Gary Adler, Michael Patrick Walker  Book: Kevin Del Aguila

Musical Type: Contemporary (2004)

Band It’s About: Fictional Christian Boy Band


Baby It’s You!

Music/Lyrics: Various  Book: Floyd Mutrux, Colin Escott

Musical Type: Contemporary (2009)

Band It’s About: Multiple


Band Geeks

Music: Mark Allen  Music/Lyrics: Gaby Alter  Music/Lyrics/Book: Tommy Newman  Book: Gordon Greenberg

Musical Type: Contemporary (2010)

Band It’s About: High School Marching Band


Bandstand

Music/Lyrics/Book: Richard Oberacker  Lyrics/Book: Robert Taylor

Musical Type: Contemporary (2015)

Band It’s About: Fictional


Buddy – The Buddy Holly Story

Music/Lyrics: Buddy Holly, Various  Book: Alan Janes

Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1989)

Band It’s About: Buddy Holly and Band


Dreamgirls

Music: Henry Krieger  Lyrics/Book: Tom Eyen

Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1981)

Band It’s About: Fictional


Fame

Music: Steve Margoshes  Lyrics: Jacques Levy  Book: José Fernandez

Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1988)

Band It’s About: Fictional


Five Guys Named Moe

Music/Lyrics: Louis Jordan  Book: Clarke Peters

Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1990)

Band It’s Based on: Louis Jordan and his band


Forever Plaid

Music/Lyrics: Various  Book: Stuart Ross

Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1989)

Band It’s About: Fictional


Get Up Stand Up!

Music/Lyrics: Bob Marley  Book: Lee Hall

Musical Type: Contemporary (2021)

Band It’s About: Bob Marley and the Wailers


Gettin’ the Band Back Together

Music/Lyrics: Mark Allen  Book: Ken Davenport, The Grundleshotz

Musical Type: Contemporary (2013)

Band It’s About: Fictional


Harmony

Music: Barry Manilow  Lyrics/Book: Bruce Sussman

Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1997)

Band It’s About: The Comedian Harmonists


Hedwig and the Angry Inch

Music/Lyrics: Stephen Trask  Book: John Cameron Mitchell

Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1998)

Band It’s About: Fictional


I’m Getting My Act Together and Taking It on the Road

Music: Nancy Ford  Lyrics/Book: Gretchen Cryer

Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1978)

Band It’s About: Fictional


Jersey Boys

Music: Bob Gaudio  Lyrics: Bob Crewe  Book: Marshall Brickman, Rick Elice

Musical Type: Contemporary (2004)

Band It’s About: The Four Seasons


KPOP

Music/Lyrics: Helen Park, Max Vernon  Book: Jason Kim

Musical Type: Contemporary (2017)

Band It’s About: Fictional


Let It Be

Music/Lyrics: The Beatles

Musical Type: Contemporary (2012)

Band It’s About: The Beatles


Motown: The Musical

Music/Lyrics: Various  Book: Berry Gordy

Musical Type: Contemporary (2013)

Band It’s About: Various Bands of the 1950s-1980s


Once

Music/Lyrics: Glen Hansard, Markéta Irglová  Book: Enda Walsh

Musical Type: Contemporary (2011)

Band It’s About: Fictional


On Your Feet!

Music/Lyrics: Gloria Estefan, Emilio Estefan, Miami Sound Machine  Book: Alexander Dinelaris

Musical Type: Contemporary (2015)

Band It’s About: Gloria & Emilio Estefan and the Miami Sound Machine


Play On!

Music/Lyrics: Duke Ellington, Various  Book: Cheryl West

Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1996)

Band It’s About: Fictional


Rock of Ages

Music/Lyrics: Various  Book: Chris D’Arienzo

Musical Type: Contemporary (2005)

Band It’s About: Various/Fictional


School of Rock

Music: Andrew Lloyd Webber  Lyrics: Glenn Slater  Book: Julian Fellowes

Musical Type: Contemporary (2015)

Band It’s About: Fictional


Sing Street

Music/Lyrics: Gary Clark, John Carney  Book: Enda Walsh

Musical Type: Contemporary (2019)

Band It’s About: Fictional


Some Like It Hot

Music/Lyrics: Marc Shaiman  Lyrics: Scott Wittman  Book: Matthew López, Amber Ruffin

Musical Type: Contemporary (2022)

Band It’s About: Fictional


Sugar

Music: Jule Styne  Lyrics: Bob Merrill  Book: Peter Stone

Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1972)

Band It’s About: Fictional All-Female Band


Sunny Afternoon

Music/Lyrics: Ray Davies  Book: Joe Penhall

Musical Type: Contemporary (2014)

Band It’s About: The Kinks


Swing!

Music/Lyrics: Various  Book: Paul Kelly

Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1999)

Band It’s Based on: Various Swing Bands


The Band’s Visit

Music/Lyrics: David Yazbek  Book: Itamar Moses

Musical Type: Contemporary (2016)

Band It’s About: Fictional


The Drifters Girl

Music/Lyrics: Various  Book: Ed Curtis

Musical Type: Contemporary (2021)

Band It’s About: The Drifters


The Lion

Music/Lyrics/Book: Benjamin Scheuer

Musical Type: Contemporary (2014)

Band It’s About: Benjamin Scheuer’s Various Bands


The Music Man

Music/Lyrics/Book: Meredith Willson

Musical Type: Golden Age (1957)

Band It’s About: A Fictional Marching Band


The Wedding Singer

Music: Matthew Sklar  Lyrics/Book: Chad Beguelin  Book: Tim Herlihy

Musical Type: Contemporary (2006)

Band It’s About: A Fictional Wedding Singer/Band


We Will Rock You

Music/Lyrics: Queen  Book: Ben Elton

Musical Type: Contemporary (2002)

Band It’s Based on: Queen/Fictional


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Which of these musicals about bands is your favorite?

Or have you ever played a role in any of the above musicals about bands? Feel free to share in the comments below! And if you enjoy exploring these lists, check out the musical database, where you can discover musicals organized by composer, theme, setting, and much more!


Stacy Karyn, Author of Musicals About Bands.
Author: Stacy Karyn

Stacy Karyn is the founder of Theatre Trip, author of The Thespian’s Bucket List, and creator of The Cast Album List. She holds a BA in theatre and a TESOL drama certificate, with experience working and interning in Broadway and Off-Broadway theaters.


 

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