Spinal Tap

From left: Harry Shearer, Christopher Guest and Michael McKean as the heavy-metal band Spinal Tap in 1984's "This is Spinal Tap." The fictional band took on a life of its own, including albums and tours. (COURTESY OF MGM)

With the long-awaited sequel "Bill and Ted Face the Music" set to be released Sept. 1, I've been discussing fictional bands from movies and TV with my friend Brian McElhiney. We'll be diving into the subject matter in our podcast "Two Broke Nerds" next week.

Fictional bands are often employed in films as tool of satire or as a stand-in for a real band. Sometimes, though, the fake bands, comedic or otherwise, create  material that could top the charts, and in some cases, actually do.

Josie and the Pussycats-vertical

From left: Tara Reid, Rachael Leigh Cook and Rosario Dawson star in 2001's "Josie and the Pussycats." (COURTESY OF UNIVERSAL PICTURES)

Scott Pilgrim vs. the World

Michael Cera and Mary Elizabeth Winstead star in Edgar Wright's "Scott Pilgrim vs. the World." (COURTESY OF UNIVERSAL PICTURES)

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