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
Music/Lyrics: The Legendary Motown Catalog Book: Dominique Morisseau
Musical Type: Contemporary (2017)
Band It’s About: The Temptations
Music/Lyrics: Tom Kitt Lyrics/Book: Cameron Crowe
Musical Type: Contemporary (2019)
Band It’s About: Multiple
Music/Lyrics: Gary Adler, Michael Patrick Walker Book: Kevin Del Aguila
Musical Type: Contemporary (2004)
Band It’s About: Fictional Christian Boy Band
Music/Lyrics: Various Book: Floyd Mutrux, Colin Escott
Musical Type: Contemporary (2009)
Band It’s About: Multiple
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
Music/Lyrics/Book: Richard Oberacker Lyrics/Book: Robert Taylor
Musical Type: Contemporary (2015)
Band It’s About: Fictional
Music/Lyrics: Buddy Holly, Various Book: Alan Janes
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1989)
Band It’s About: Buddy Holly and Band
Music: Henry Krieger Lyrics/Book: Tom Eyen
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1981)
Band It’s About: Fictional
Music/Lyrics: Louis Jordan Book: Clarke Peters
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1990)
Band It’s Based on: Louis Jordan and his band
Music/Lyrics: Various Book: Stuart Ross
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1989)
Band It’s About: Fictional
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
Music: Barry Manilow Lyrics/Book: Bruce Sussman
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1997)
Band It’s About: The Comedian Harmonists
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
Music: Bob Gaudio Lyrics: Bob Crewe Book: Marshall Brickman, Rick Elice
Musical Type: Contemporary (2004)
Band It’s About: The Four Seasons
Music/Lyrics: Helen Park, Max Vernon Book: Jason Kim
Musical Type: Contemporary (2017)
Band It’s About: Fictional
Music/Lyrics: The Beatles
Musical Type: Contemporary (2012)
Band It’s About: The Beatles
Music/Lyrics: Various Book: Berry Gordy
Musical Type: Contemporary (2013)
Band It’s About: Various Bands of the 1950s-1980s
Music/Lyrics: Glen Hansard, Markéta Irglová Book: Enda Walsh
Musical Type: Contemporary (2011)
Band It’s About: Fictional
Music/Lyrics: Gloria & Emilio Estefan, Miami Sound Machine Book: Alexander Dinelaris
Musical Type: Contemporary (2015)
Band It’s About: Gloria & Emilio Estefan and the Miami Sound Machine
Music/Lyrics: Duke Ellington, Various Book: Cheryl L. West
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1996)
Band It’s About: Fictional
Music/Lyrics: Various Book: Chris D’Arienzo
Musical Type: Contemporary (2005)
Band It’s About: Various/Fictional
Music: Andrew Lloyd Webber Lyrics: Glenn Slater Book: Julian Fellowes
Musical Type: Contemporary (2015)
Band It’s About: Fictional
Music/Lyrics: Gary Clark, John Carney Book: Enda Walsh
Musical Type: Contemporary (2019)
Band It’s About: Fictional
Music/Lyrics: Marc Shaiman Lyrics: Scott Wittman Book: Matthew López, Amber Ruffin
Musical Type: Contemporary (2022)
Band It’s About: Fictional
Music: Jule Styne Lyrics: Bob Merrill Book: Peter Stone
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1972)
Band It’s About: Fictional All-Female Band
Music/Lyrics: Ray Davies Book: Joe Penhall
Musical Type: Contemporary (2014)
Band It’s About: The Kinks
Music/Lyrics: Various Book: Paul Kelly
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1999)
Band It’s Based on: Various Swing Bands
Music/Lyrics: David Yazbek Book: Itamar Moses
Musical Type: Contemporary (2016)
Band It’s About: Fictional
Music/Lyrics: Various Book: Ed Curtis
Musical Type: Contemporary (2021)
Band It’s About: The Drifters
Music/Lyrics/Book: Benjamin Scheuer
Musical Type: Contemporary (2014)
Band It’s About: Benjamin Scheuer’s Various Bands
Music/Lyrics/Book: Meredith Willson
Musical Type: Golden Age (1957)
Band It’s About: A Fictional Marching Band
Music: Matthew Sklar Lyrics/Book: Chad Beguelin Book: Tim Herlihy
Musical Type: Contemporary (2006)
Band It’s About: A Fictional Wedding Singer/Band
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?
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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, a TESOL drama certificate, and has worked and interned with Broadway and Off-Broadway theaters.