15 Times Metal Bands Were Featured on Popular TV Shows & Movies

15. Alice Cooper in Wayne’s World

Alice Cooper isn’t just a rock star in Wayne’s World - he’s a surprise history teacher, casually dropping facts about Milwaukee between shows. It’s a hilarious twist that proves why Cooper’s stage presence works just as well on screen as it does in concert. | © Paramount Pictures

14. Ozzy Osbourne in Little Nicky

Ozzy Osbourne may not be a band, but when the Prince of Darkness shows up in Little Nicky to bite the head off a bat-demon, it absolutely counts. He’s metal royalty, and this wild cameo is pure Ozzy. | © New Line Cinema

13. Metallica in Metal Lords

In Metal Lords, Metallica’s own Kirk Hammett pops up in a cameo as one of the inner voices guiding teenager Kevin during a big, emotional decision. It’s a surreal but welcome nod from metal royalty – small moment, huge impact. | © Netflix

12. Pantera in The Crow

Pantera’s “The Badge” plays during a fight scene in The Crow, bringing some serious punch to the chaos. It fits right in with the film’s gritty mood – loud, raw, and unapologetic. | © Lionsgate Films

11. Motörhead in Severance

Motörhead shows up in Severance with a haunting keyboard version of “Ace of Spades” during Irving’s office scene, then the original track roars in later. It’s an unexpected metal twist that adds grit to the show's eerie, corporate world. | © Apple TV+

10. Cannibal Corpse in Ace Ventura: Pet Detective

Jim Carrey crashes a Cannibal Corpse show in Ace Ventura: Pet Detective, thrashing around to “Hammer Smashed Face” like it’s totally normal. It’s weird, loud, and somehow perfect, a rare moment where brutal death metal made it into a ‘90s comedy hit. | © Warner Bros. Pictures

9. Pantera in SpongeBob SquarePants

SpongeBob SquarePants turned surprisingly hardcore in the “Pre-Hibernation Week” episode, soundtracked by Pantera’s “Death Rattle.” The high-energy montage gave Bikini Bottom one of its most metal moments ever – and somehow, it worked. | © Nickelodeon

8. Dying Fetus in South Park

South Park went full death metal in the episode “Band in China,” where the boys form a band and shock a folk festival crowd by blasting “Second Skin” by Dying Fetus. It’s an unexpected but glorious moment of extreme metal on mainstream TV. | © Paramount+

7. Ice Nine Kills in Terrifier 3

Ice Nine Kills teamed up with Terrifier 3 for a brutally over-the-top collaboration that’s pure horror-metal bliss. Their track “A Work of Art” comes with a 15-minute gorefest video starring Art the Clown himself, cementing the band’s place in horror history. | © Iconic Events

6. Anthrax in Married... With Children

Anthrax crashes the Bundy home in a memorable Married... With Children episode, tearing through “In My World” as total mayhem breaks loose. Broken lamps, flying bottles, and headbanging – classic sitcom chaos and metal style. | © Sony Pictures Television

5. Twisted Sister in Pee-Wee’s Big Adventure

While speeding through a wild movie lot in Pee-Wee’s Big Adventure, Pee-Wee passes none other than Twisted Sister rocking out to “Burn in Hell.” It’s a blink-and-you ’ll-miss-it moment that adds a loud dose of hair metal to the film’s surreal charm. | © Warner Bros. Pictures

4. Korn in South Park

In the South Park episode “Korn’s Groovy Pirate Ghost Mystery,” the band shows up as animated versions of themselves in a Scooby-Doo-style spoof. They even perform “Falling Away from Me,” blending comedy and nu-metal in the weirdest way possible. | © Paramount+

3. Rob Zombie in The Matrix

Rob Zombie’s “Dragula” pumps through the speakers during the club scene in The Matrix, setting the tone with heavy industrial energy. It's one of two metal tracks in the film, with Rage Against The Machine closing things out. | © Warner Bros. Pictures

2. Black Sabbath in Iron Man

Black Sabbath’s “Iron Man” blares during the end credits of the 2008 Iron Man film, making the connection between the band and the Marvel hero feel almost too perfect. It was a fitting tribute - metal legends soundtracking the birth of the MCU. | © Paramount Pictures

1. Metallica in Stranger Things

Metallica’s “Master of Puppets” was front and center in Stranger Things Season 4, when Eddie Munson ripped through the track in a now-iconic finale scene. The moment went viral instantly, introducing the band to a new generation and earning Metallica’s full stamp of approval. | © Netflix