Summary of Western Songs That Inspired the JoJo Series
Since its serialization began in 1986, Hirohiko Araki’s JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure series has been beloved across generations as both a manga and an anime.
A pioneering work in so-called “supernatural power battles,” it continues to captivate many fans with its edge-of-your-seat storytelling and strikingly unique characters.
One of JoJo’s distinctive features is that the names of characters and abilities often draw inspiration from real-life artists, bands, and song titles.
With that in mind, this article rounds up Western songs related to the JoJo series!
Take a peek into the world of JoJo from a musical perspective!
- [2026] A compilation of Western songs used in Japanese anime
- [2026] Western music you've heard at least once — from trending new tracks to timeless classics
- [2026] A Collection of Cool Western-Style Anime Songs
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- A compilation of jazz insert songs and covers from anime
- [Classic Hits of the 70s] A Compilation of Western Songs Used in Commercials
- [Representative Comic Songs] Hilarious! Recommended Songs That Will Give You Energy
- A collection of Western songs with titles starting with “J”
- Iconic scenes overlap! Anime songs recommended for the yutori generation
Western songs that inspired the JoJo series (Parts 11–20)
King NothingMetallica
Metallica is a heavy metal band with worldwide popularity, and they have an enormous fan base in Japan as well.
Their classic song “King Nothing” has a deep connection with JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure.
It’s known as the inspiration for the Stand “King Nothing,” used by the character Norisuke Higashikata in Part 8, JoJolion.
The chugging guitar riffs are particularly striking, so whether you love heavy metal or JoJo, be sure to check it out.
Like A VirginMadonna
Madonna, the “Queen of Pop,” is the most successful female artist in history and a living legend who remains active even in her late sixties.
The title track of her masterpiece album Like a Virgin, which sold 21 million copies worldwide, is a signature song of early Madonna.
Produced by Nile Rodgers, with Chic’s rhythm section Tony Thompson and Bernard Edwards, it’s an ’80s mega-hit in which Madonna’s cute vocals shine.
In JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure, the name “Like a Virgin” also appears in Part 6, Stone Ocean, as the name of bracelet-type handcuffs used to prevent escapes.
Brown SugarThe Rolling Stones
The Rolling Stones are a rock band hugely popular in Japan as well.
They’ve left behind so many great classics that they’re still loved by rock-loving younger generations.
Naturally, their songs have been thoroughly sampled by Mr.
Araki, who’s a fan of rock.
Their “Brown Sugar” is famous as the original inspiration for the Stand of the popular Part 5 character, Bucciarati.
While its content and melody are somewhat removed from Bucciarati’s personality, the song itself is highly appealing, so if you watched Part 5, definitely give it a listen.
Knockin’ on Heaven’s DoorBob Dylan
Bob Dylan is a world-renowned artist who has worked across a variety of genres, including rock, folk, and blues.
In Japan, he’s so famous that almost everyone from certain generations knows his name.
Among his many songs, one I especially recommend is Knockin’ on Heaven’s Door.
This track is known as the inspiration for the Stand “Heaven’s Door” used by the hugely popular character Rohan Kishibe.
While Dylan has many breezy, refreshing songs, this one has a somewhat gritty, earthy tone.
Many listeners might feel that this rough-edged quality matches Rohan Kishibe’s character quite well.
The RockThe Who
The Who, whose name is etched alongside the Beatles and the Rolling Stones as one of the three great British bands the nation proudly presents to the world.
Despite being a legendary band that set countless milestones with their unruly performances and a musical range that goes far beyond rock, it’s a bit unfortunate that their recognition in Japan is somewhat modest compared to other UK rock bands of the same era—likely because they never made it to Japan as The Who.
The piece introduced here, The Rock, is a six-and-a-half-minute-plus instrumental track included on the groundbreaking rock opera album Quadrophenia, a work that has made its mark on music history.
For fans of JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure, The Rock also appears as the Stand name of Tamami Kobayashi in Part 4, Diamond Is Unbreakable.
Killer QueenQueen
Queen is a band you can’t avoid when talking about the UK rock scene.
Thanks to the hit film Bohemian Rhapsody, even younger generations are likely familiar with Queen.
Their classic song Killer Queen is known as the inspiration for Yoshikage Kira—more precisely, for the Stand he wields—who remains immensely popular as a memorable villain.
The melody of the song, which shifts between minor and major keys, matches well with the psychopathic personality of Yoshikage Kira, doesn’t it?
Western songs that inspired the JoJo series (21–30)
DriveThe Cars
The Cars are known as a rock band representing the new wave.
They’re famous as the band that inspired Kars, the final boss who appears in Part 2 of JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure, “Battle Tendency.” The classic album Heartbeat City, which includes Drive, is known for having many tracks that match Kars’s vibe.
If you’ve read all of Part 2, be sure to check out the full album in addition to this song.
Personally, I think the track Magic especially fits Kars’s atmosphere, so don’t miss that one either!